Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship
Last-dollar aid of up to $55,000 per year for up to three years. Applicants need at least a 3.5 college GPA, sophomore standing by January 1, 2027 or recent graduation since spring 2022, full-time transfer in fall 2027, and financial need; family income up to $95,000 may be considered.
About Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship
The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship is for high-achieving community-college students who want to complete a bachelor’s degree at an accredited four-year institution. It combines funding calculated after other aid with transfer advising and career preparation. The award can provide up to $55,000 per year for as many as three years, depending on unmet need and net cost; the maximum is not a guaranteed amount for every applicant.
For the 2027 application, a student must attend an accredited U.S. community college or two-year institution, reach sophomore standing by January 1, 2027, or have graduated since spring 2022, and begin full-time bachelor’s study in fall 2027. Applicants need a cumulative college GPA of at least 3.5 and must demonstrate financial need. The Foundation considers family gross income up to $95,000 and reviews income and assets in more detail.
There is an important exclusion: someone who previously attended a four-year institution is generally ineligible, including attendance outside the United States. The Foundation describes a narrow exception for a student who enrolled but did not complete a full-time semester; ask the Foundation to review that case. Applicants must submit transcripts from every college attended since 2011 and two academic-professional recommendations through Common App for Transfer. The file is not complete with only the most recent grades.
The application is open from August 19 through December 9, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Students apply without a fee through Common App for Transfer. Anyone planning to transfer next fall should request official transcripts now, confirm the GPA is at least 3.5 at submission, and choose two instructors or advisers familiar with their work. Semifinalists are expected in February and scholarship decisions in April 2027.
Before relying on the funding, calculate the destination college’s net price and check how institutional aid changes the last-dollar award. Confirm accreditation, start term, the college’s own transfer scholarships, and admission requirements; apply for regular aid in parallel. The application is free, and the Foundation recommends campus representatives where available. For questions, use scholarships@jkcf.org.
Who it serves and what it can cover: Last-dollar aid of up to $55,000 per year for up to three years. Applicants need at least a 3.5 college GPA, sophomore standing by January 1, 2027 or recent graduation since spring 2022, full-time transfer in fall 2027, and financial need; family income up to $95,000 may be considered.
How to apply or get help: The application for fall 2027 transfer is open through December 9, 2026, through Common App for Transfer. Questions: scholarships@jkcf.org. For case-specific questions, contact the program or financial-aid office named on its official page.
National private scholarship for community-college transfers to four-year universities