Coca-Cola Scholars Program

Scholarship Sponsored by Coca-Cola

Description **Overview** The Coca‑Cola Scholars Program is an achievement‑based scholarship that recognizes high school students for leadership, service, and demonstrated impact on their schools and communities. It targets students in their final year of secondary school who plan to pursue postsecondary study in the United States. The program is administered by the Coca‑Cola Scholars Foundation and operates on a national scale, selecting a cohort of scholars each year through a multi‑stage process. Key takeaways - Recognizes leadership, service, and community impact. - Open to students in their final year of high school. - Administered nationally by the Coca‑Cola Scholars Foundation. - Selection is competitive and cohort‑based each year. Eligibility **Who can apply** Applicants must be current high school or home‑schooled students attending school in one of the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or specified Department of Defense (DoD) schools, and must expect to graduate during the applicable academic year. Eligible immigration statuses mirror U.S. Department of Education federal financial‑aid categories (U.S. citizens, nationals, permanent residents, refugees, asylees, Cuban‑Haitian entrants, and humanitarian parolees). Applicants must verify a minimum overall high school GPA of 3.0 (B) and plan to pursue a degree at an accredited U.S. postsecondary institution. Key takeaways - Must be enrolled in high school or home school and graduating in the program year. - Acceptable immigration statuses align with federal financial‑aid definitions. - Minimum overall GPA: 3.0 (B). - Must intend to enroll at an accredited U.S. postsecondary institution. Ineligible applicants **Restrictions** Certain candidates are specifically excluded from consideration: children or grandchildren of current Coca‑Cola Company or bottling‑company employees, officers, owners, and children or grandchildren of former employees who currently receive retirement benefits from those employers. International students (except those attending qualifying DoD schools), individuals who have already graduated high school, and temporary residents are not eligible. Key takeaways - No eligibility for children/grandchildren of current Coca‑Cola employees or of retirees receiving benefits. - International students are excluded except for select DoD‑school attendees. - High school graduates and temporary residents are ineligible. Award Value **Amount and annual scope** Each selected Coca‑Cola Scholar receives a $20,000 scholarship. The program awards a fixed number of scholars each year, providing substantial financial support to undergraduate‑bound students nationwide. Key takeaways - Award per scholar: $20,000. - Distributed annually to a defined cohort of scholars. - Intended to support undergraduate study for selected recipients. Application Timeline & Selection Process **Stages and schedule** The selection process runs in multiple phases each year. Phase 1 (online application) opens annually on August 3 and closes September 30; this initial application requires no essays, transcript, or recommendations. Applicants are notified by the end of October; about 1% advance to Semifinalist status and complete Phase 2 in November (essays, transcript, and one recommendation). From roughly 1,200 Semifinalists, 250 become Regional Finalists and participate in interviews in late January or early February; following interviews, 150 finalists are invited in April to a required Scholars Weekend in Atlanta where final selections are confirmed. For reference, the 2027 application cycle (for students graduating in 2026–2027) will open on August 3, 2026. Key takeaways - Phase 1: Aug 3–Sep 30 (no essays/transcripts/recommendations). - Notification of Semifinalists: end of October; Phase 2 due in November. - Phase 3: ~1,200 → 250 Regional Finalists with interviews in Jan–Feb. - Phase 4: 150 finalists invited in April to Scholars Weekend for final selection. - 2027 application cycle opens Aug 3, 2026. History of the Award **Origins and milestones** The Coca‑Cola Scholars Foundation launched the scholarship program in 1986. Over four decades the program has become a long‑running national initiative focused on cultivating student leaders. As of the addition of the 2026 class, the Foundation will have supported more than 7,200 Coca‑Cola Scholars with cumulative scholarship awards exceeding $90 million—milestones that mark the program’s sustained impact since its founding. Key takeaways - Founded in 1986. - Celebrated four decades of operation by 2026. - Over 7,200 scholars supported as of the 2026 class. - Cumulative scholarship funding has exceeded $90 million.