Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship Opening Soon
Offered by Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
About This Scholarship
The Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship funds community college students finishing a bachelor's degree at a four-year school: up to $55,000 a year for two to three years, applied as last-dollar funding after institutional aid, covering tuition, living expenses, books, and required fees.
The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation was created from the estate of Jack Kent Cooke, the media and sports-team owner who left high school during the Great Depression and, at his death in 1997, left most of his fortune to educate "exceptionally promising students who have financial need." Since opening in 2000, the foundation has awarded $356 million in scholarships to nearly 4,000 scholars.
Expect elite competition despite the community college focus: recent transfer scholars averaged a 3.94 community college GPA, 73% completed honors coursework, and 82% held leadership roles. Cohorts have run as large as 100 scholars in a year.
Money is only part of the package. Scholars get personal advising on college selection and financial aid, internship stipends, conference and travel funding, a scholar network, and later eligibility for the foundation's graduate scholarship. The current cycle opens August 19, 2026, with a December 9 deadline.
Eligibility
- Current student at an accredited U.S. community college or two-year institution
- Planning to transfer to a four-year college to complete a bachelor's degree
- Strong academic record (recent cohorts average roughly a 3.9 GPA)
- Demonstrated unmet financial need
- No prior enrollment at a four-year institution as a degree-seeking student
How To Apply
- Start the online application at jkcf.org when it opens August 19, 2026
- Submit essays, transcripts, recommendations, and financial information by the early-January deadline
- Semifinalists provide additional documentation; scholars are announced in spring
Frequently Asked Questions
How much will I actually receive?
Awards are individually sized — up to $55,000 per year for two to three years — based on your cost of attendance and other aid received, covering tuition, living expenses, books, and fees.
Is this the same as the Jack Kent Cooke College Scholarship?
No. The College Scholarship is for high school seniors; the Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship is exclusively for community college students moving to four-year schools, with its own application and timeline.