Coca Cola Scholarship Program Scholarship 2025 Guide

The Coca Cola Scholarship Program is a prestigious, achievement‑based scholarship offered by the Coca‑Cola Scholars Foundation. It is awarded annually to exceptional high school seniors in the U.S. who demonstrate outstanding academic performance, leadership, and community service. Established in 1986 to celebrate Coca‑Cola’s centennial, this program supports and cultivates visionary young leaders

Scholarship Summary

• Host Country: United States of America (applicants must attend school in one of the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or certain DoD schools).
• Scholarship Provider: Coca‑Cola Scholars Foundation, backed by The Coca‑Cola Company and its bottlers
• Scholarship For: High school seniors (graduating in the 2025–2026 academic year for current cycle), who are U.S. citizens, nationals, permanent residents, refugees, asylees, Cuban‑Haitian entrants, or humanitarian parolees; and who plan to attend an accredited U.S. post‑secondary institution.
• Scholarship Value: $20,000 per recipient; approximately 150 students are selected annually
• Deadline: For the current (2026) cycle: applications open August 1, 2025, and close at 5 pm Eastern on September 30, 2025

Scholarship Benefits

• Award of $20,000 toward college expenses (tuition, books, fees, etc.)
• Recognition as a Coca‑Cola Scholar, including entry into a network of over 7,000 alumni
• Access to lifelong leadership development, alumni events, mentoring, and community — including the Scholars Weekend in Atlanta and leadership summits held every five years
• Added opportunities for networking, personal development, and engagement in leadership education programs

Scholarship Requirements

• Must be a current high school or home-schooled senior graduating in the 2025–2026 school year, attending school in the U.S. (50 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, or select DoD schools)
• Must be one of the following: U.S. citizen, U.S. national, U.S. permanent resident, refugee, asylee, Cuban‑Haitian entrant, or humanitarian parolee; and eligible for federal financial aid
• Minimum overall GPA of B (3.0/4.0) in high school coursework
• Cannot be a child or grandchild of current Coca‑Cola employees, bottler employees, or retirees receiving benefits
• Must plan to enroll in an accredited U.S. post‑secondary institution
• International students (even attending U.S. high schools abroad) are not eligible, except those at qualifying DoD schools

How to Apply

1. Application Period: Opens August 1, 2025; closes September 30, 2025.
2. Online Application Only: Apply via the official portal—paper applications are not accepted
3. Phase 1 (Initial Submission): Includes completing the eligibility quiz; no essays, transcripts, or recommendations required at this stage
4. Phase 2 (Semifinalists): About 1% advance to this stage by end of October; semifinalists are invited to submit essays, a transcript, and recommendation(s)
5. Phase 3 (Regional Finalists): Select semifinalists (~1,200) move forward to in-person interviews in late January or early February
6. Phase 4 (Scholars Selected): Finalists are invited to Coca‑Cola Scholars Weekend in Atlanta (April 23–26, 2026 for current cycle); 150 scholars are officially selected and celebrated
7. Note: Do not send any materials via email or mail outside the application portal

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