The Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship is a highly selective scholarship for the nation’s top community college students seeking to complete their bachelor’s degrees at four-year colleges or universities.
Donor Name: Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Scholarship
Deadline: 01/07/2026
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: 2 Years
Details:
Each Cooke Scholar has access to generous financial support for two to three years, college planning support, ongoing advising, and the opportunity to connect with the thriving community of fellow Scholars.
Each award is intended to cover a significant share of the student’s educational expenses – including tuition, living expenses, books and required fees – for the final two to three years necessary to achieve a bachelor’s degree. Awards vary by individual, based on the cost of tuition as well as other grants or scholarships they may receive.
This highly competitive scholarship includes:
- The opportunity to graduate with as little debt as possible. The award, which is last dollar funding after all institutional aid, can provide as much as $55,000 per year for two to three years to complete a bachelor’s degree at any accredited four-year undergraduate institution in the U.S.
- Ability to pursue any area of study
- Personal advising about selecting a college and navigating financial aid
- Multifaceted advising about how to transition to a four-year college and maximize the student experience
- Opportunity to apply for the Internship Stipend program, Conference and Travel Stipend, and Graduate Scholarship
There are a number of reasons why a high-achieving student with financial need should consider applying to a selective college or university. Some include:
- Financial benefits – Selective institutions often spend more money per student and lower the cost for students with financial need to attend;
- Educational benefits – Selective institutions can help you graduate on time; provide you with access to a variety of co-curricular opportunities that support your educational goals; and give you the chance to be surrounded by other intellectually curious students which enriches your college experience.
- Income and career benefits – For lower-income, high-achieving students, the rewards of attending a selective college or university can stretch beyond graduation, affecting such things as exposure to greater postgraduate opportunities and overall future income.
Eligibility Criteria
Cooke Scholars possess exceptional academic records and demonstrate unmet financial need. At a minimum, each candidate for the Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship must:
- Be a current student at an accredited U.S. community college or two-year institution with sophomore status as of January 1, 2026, or a recent graduate (since spring 2021)
- Plan to enroll in a full-time baccalaureate program at an accredited college or university in the fall of 2026
- Have a cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 3.5 or better on a 4.0 scale (or the equivalent)
- Demonstrate unmet financial need. We will consider applicants with a maximum annual gross income of $95,000. During the selection process, the Foundation will conduct a full financial review which will take into account all income and assets of the student and the student’s parents.
- No previous enrollment or attendance at a four-year institution. Students who have attended a four-year institution in the past are not eligible for this scholarship.
For more information, visit JKCF
