What is the Cooke College Scholarship Program?
The Cooke College Scholarship Program is a scholarship worth Up to $55,000 per year (last-dollar) from Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. The Cooke College Scholarship Program is the largest undergraduate scholarship available to high-achieving high school seniors with financial need. It is last-dollar funding applied after all institutional aid and can provide as much as $55,000 per year toward a bachelor's degree at any accredited four-year institution. Scholars also receive educational advising, cohort programming, graduate school funding, and access to a network of nearly 3,200 Cooke Scholars and alumni. The application for students graduating in spring 2027 opens August 19, 2026 and closes November 11, 2026, with semifinalists announced in January 2027 and recipients in March 2027.
Who is eligible for the Cooke College Scholarship Program?
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation requires that applicants complete four years of high school in the US, a US territory, or on a US military base and plan to graduate in spring 2027, along with 4 further requirements: intend to enroll in an accredited four-year college beginning in fall 2027; earn a minimum cumulative unweighted GPA of 3.75 or above; submit a standardized test score from the SAT, ACT, AP, or IB exam (no minimum score required, but a score must be submitted); demonstrate unmet financial need; the foundation considers applicants with family annual gross income up to $95,000. The sponsor sets no race or ethnicity requirement, so Black students are eligible alongside everyone else who meets the criteria. It is listed here because it is a significant award that Black, HBCU, and first-generation students frequently win.
What is the deadline for the Cooke College Scholarship Program?
The deadline is November 11, 2026. Applications submitted after this date are not normally considered.
Do I need a 3.8 GPA for the Cooke College Scholarship Program?
Yes. Jack Kent Cooke Foundation sets a minimum GPA of 3.8 for this award. Applicants below that threshold are not eligible, though many other scholarships in our catalog publish lower minimums or none at all.
Is the Cooke College Scholarship Program only for Black students?
No. The sponsor sets no race or ethnicity requirement, so Black students are eligible alongside everyone else who meets the criteria. It is listed here because it is a significant award that Black, HBCU, and first-generation students frequently win. We verified this against the sponsor's published criteria on August 13, 2026.