Coca Cola Scholars Program

The Coca Cola scholars program is one of the most sought after scholarships in United States. As the name suggests, the sponsor of this program is one of the biggest company in United States, the Coca Cola company. This scholarship program has helped more than 4,250 students across the country. Besides, they have spent more than $38 million to help these students in their pursuit of college degree.

Quick Fact: It was all started back in 1986 by the Coca-Cola Bottlers and the Coca-Cola Company’s effort. Back then, the program was initiated to celebrate the company’s 100th anniversary!

coca-cola-scholars-program

About Coca Cola Scholars Foundation

Each year, the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation provides support to over 1,400 outstanding college students through three nationally recognized programs. It offers annual scholarships totaling $3.55 million.

The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation has a high commitment to support students at two-year colleges through the Coca-Cola Community College Academic Team Program, managed by Phi Theta Kappa. Additionally, each year, the program provides 200 stipends totaling up to $237,500 to students, distributed across four tiers of recipients:

  • 50 New Century Gold Scholars receive $1,500 each.
  • 50 Silver Scholars receive $1,250 each.
  • 50 Bronze Scholars receive $1,000 each.

Coca Cola Scholars Program Award Amount

Currently the yearly fund allocation for the scholarship program is at $3 million, and there would be around 150 awards is available annually. Award winners can receive up to $20,000. This award is available to cover the tuition of an accredited university or college. The company also allows the award for other expenses related to your education, including housing, textbooks, computer, etc.

I think it’s obvious that the Coca Cola scholars program is a highly competitive program. Some students are quite surprised with the detailed information required for the program; however; you can consider this as your template for applying other scholarships or grants!

Requirements

Remember, this program is purely intended for educational purposes. Therefore, it is a merit-based scholarship, which means that the company doesn’t discriminate students who don’t drink coke. Some of the requirements for this program are:

  1. You must be a U.S. citizen or legalized and eligible Non-U.S. citizen
  2. You must be a high school senior
  3. You must NOT be children or grandchildren of the Coca Cola employees
  4. Have a minimum GPA score of 3.00
  5. You are planning to pursue a degree in accredited U.S. college or University

So as you can see, there’s no financial restriction mentioned. However, students who are eligible for Federal Pell grant may be preferred under certain circumstances. But then again, your chance is quite good as long as you can show through your application that you have good merits and achievements worthy for the scholarship.

Required Documents

Some of the information that you need to provide in the Coca cola scholars program online scholarship application form are:

Biographical information, which include the confirmation that you are going to graduate this academic year, the citizenship status, school code, and additional optional yet useful information like your ethnicity, disability, or family income.

School Activities, including your your positions in common school activities. Make sure to clearly mention the years you were in such position. If you received honors from your school, or perhaps you have special skills and talents you should also mention them in this application.

Community Activities, which include the volunteer service you’ve performed in school or other community organization. Remember to distinguish in which year you did the services.

Last but not least, the Academic Information. Make sure to list at least two completed grades in each core area. If you attended any educational courses, you should also enlist them. The best way to do this is to consult your school counselor.

Other Scholars Programs

The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation is dedicated to assisting students in their pursuit of education. While Coca Cola receives a large number of applications and have limited resources, we strive to award scholarships to as many deserving students as possible. To further support students in their search for financial aid, here are the following list of scholarship resources.

NSHSS Foundation

The NSHSS Foundation supports students who are pursuing fields in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math), business, economics, public policy, and environmental science and sustainability. They provide opportunities for young scholars to further their education, personal growth, and career interests.

Going Merry

Going Merry is a convenient and free platform for scholarships. It matches you with scholarships and assists you in applying directly. It offers both local and national scholarships, allowing you to apply for multiple scholarships with similar essay prompts using one application.

Jack Kent Cooke Foundation

The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation is a national scholarship provider focused on supporting promising students with financial need. It’s open to high-achieving high school seniors aiming to attend and graduate from some of the nation’s top four-year colleges and universities.

UNCF Awards Scholarships

UNCF awards scholarships and internships to 10,000 students annually through 400 programs. These opportunities help students from low- and moderate-income families cover college expenses like tuition, books, and room and board.

Scholar Snapp

Scholar Snapp is a free and user-friendly data standard that enables students to reuse their application information for multiple scholarships. This includes contact details, essays, transcripts, and more, making the scholarship application process more efficient and streamlined.

College Board Opportunity Scholarships

The College Board Opportunity Scholarships program helps juniors and seniors navigate the college planning journey. It provides opportunities to earn scholarships ranging from $500 to $40,000 for completing various actions related to college planning and preparation.

American Indian Graduate Center (AIGC)

The American Indian Graduate Center (AIGC) and AIGCS are the primary scholarship providers for Native students in the United States. They award a total of $15 million in scholarships each year and have provided over $200 million since their establishment. For nearly 50 years, AIGC has supported students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees in any field of study at accredited institutions nationwide. They collaborate with over 500 tribes across all 50 states.

Please be sure to review the deadlines and eligibility criteria for each scholarship opportunity listed. We wish all students the best as they continue their educational journey.

Summary

One of these programs is the Coca-Cola Scholars Program scholarship, which is available for high school seniors based on their achievements. Recipients are acknowledged for their leadership potential, commitment to serving others, and dedication to making a positive impact on their schools and communities. Since its inception, the program has honored over 6,900 Coca-Cola Scholars with more than $84 million in educational assistance. Each year, 150 students are selected to receive this prestigious $20,000 scholarship.

images: youtube.com

References: (https://www.coca-colascholarsfoundation.org/apply/