Equitable Excellence® Scholarship

Name: Equitable Excellence® Scholarship

Award Amount: $5,000 per year, renewable for up to four years (total value: $20,000 per recipient)

• Additionally, select students receive a one-time $2,500 award and honored teachers receive a $500 gift card.

Information and Eligibility:

The Equitable Excellence® Scholarship, offered by Equitable Foundation and administered by Scholarship America, helps high school seniors across the U.S. attend college. Alongside financial support, recipients access career workshops, mentorship, mental wellness, and peer networking resources.

Eligibility criteria include:

• Residency & Enrollment: Must be a current high school senior residing in one of the 50 U.S. states, D.C., or Puerto Rico, and planning to enroll full-time at an accredited two- or four-year U.S. institution.
• GPA: Minimum 2.5 on a 4.0 scale.
• Character: Demonstrate ambition and self-drive to be a force for good in your school, community, or work activities.
• Media Release: Willing to authorize use of your name, photo, and application details for program promotion.
• Financial Need: Required for eligibility.
• Exclusions: Employees and immediate family members of Equitable or Scholarship America staff are not eligible.

Application Process
Applicants must submit through the Scholarship America portal:

• Essay: “As a college graduate, how do you plan to pay it forward and inspire others in your community to pursue their own college education?”
• Transcript: A complete, official transcript (grade reports not accepted).

Deadline: Typically mid-December

Winners are notified in early spring, and scholarship funds are distributed in August. Successful applicants also support a teacher of their choice with a $500 gift card.

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