Robertson Scholars

Scholarship Sponsored by Robertson Scholars Leadership Program

Overview

Description: The Robertson Scholars Leadership Program accepts applications from all students regardless of citizenship or nationality. High school applicants must submit the Robertson High School Application by the stated deadlines and separately apply for undergraduate admission to UNC–Chapel Hill and/or Duke University. Applicants may pursue Early Action, Early Decision, or Regular Decision for university admission and may apply to other institutions or scholarship programs concurrently. Invitations to Robertson selection events do not indicate admission to either university.

• Open to domestic and international students
• Requires both the Robertson High School Application and separate university applications
• Compatible with other college or scholarship applications

Application Requirements

Application Timeline: The application opens August 15, 2026. Early Notification and Regular Application deadlines are listed as October and November, respectively. Group Activities occur from December 2026 through February 2027, with semi-finalist interviews in February and finalist interviews in early March 2027. Scholar recipient campus visits are scheduled for late March 2027.

• Application opens: August 15, 2026
• Group Activity: December 2026–February 2027
• Finalist interviews and campus visits occur in March 2027

Selection Process

Process Overview: The Robertson selection comprises five steps: application (Early & Regular), Group Activity for invited applicants, semi-finalist interviews, finalist interviews, and scholar recipient campus visits. Invitations to each stage are issued on a rolling basis, with notifications communicated according to the timeline. Participation at any stage is part of the Robertson assessment and does not guarantee university admission. Final scholarship offers are communicated by mid-March 2027, followed by expense-paid campus visits for recipients.

Step One: Application (Early & Regular)

Step Two: Group Activity (selected applicants)

Step Three: Semi-Finalist Interview (selected applicants)

Step Four: Finalist Interview (selected applicants)

Step Five: Scholar Recipient Campus Visits

• Five-stage process with rolling invitations
• Notifications follow the published timeline
• Final offers announced by mid-March 2027

Eligibility

Eligibility: Applicants must apply for undergraduate admission to Duke and/or UNC–Chapel Hill in the same year they apply to the Robertson Scholars Leadership Program and meet the respective application deadlines. Admission to Duke and UNC–Chapel Hill is handled separately through each institution’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions. International students are eligible provided they can obtain a U.S. student visa. Transfer students and applicants seeking graduate degrees are not eligible; students who have been admitted but deferred on a gap year may not apply until they matriculate.

• Must apply to Duke and/or UNC–Chapel Hill the same year as the Robertson application
• International applicants eligible if a U.S. study visa is attainable
• Transfer and graduate applicants are ineligible; gap-year admitted students must matriculate first