USA Scholarships
Burger King Employee Scholarship 2027 - Up to $1,000
The Burger King Employee Scholarship 2027 cycle is the Employee-Based Track of the BURGER KING Scholars program. If you work at Burger King Corporation or a participating franchise, or you are the spouse, domestic partner, or dependent child of someone who does, this track is built for you. Most Employee-Based Track grants are up to $1,000 and pay toward tuition at an accredited college, university, or vocational school in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Guam, or Canada. Employees need at least three months on the designated employer payroll by the deadline and must still be employed when awards are verified. The same online application at burgerking.scholarsapply.org also feeds larger employee prizes, including King Awards up to $15,000 and regional awards up to $5,000. For the 2027-28 academic year, applications open October 15, 2026 and close December 15, 2026 unless the combined program hits its 30,000-application cap sooner.
What is the Burger King Employee Scholarship?
The Burger King Employee Scholarship sits inside one of the largest employer-linked college grant programs in North America. The Burger King Foundation funds the BURGER KING Scholars program, and Scholarship America runs the online portal, reviews files, and mails checks to schools. While headlines often focus on the General Track for high school seniors, the Employee-Based Track is where crew members, managers, franchise staff, and their families actually get a dedicated shot at help with tuition.
Most employee-track grants land at up to $1,000, which sounds modest next to a four-year sticker price, but the program also names King Award winners at $15,000 and stacks franchisee-funded scholarships on top of the base pool. You do not need a 4.0 to get in the door. A 2.0 GPA floor keeps the track open to working students who balance shifts with classes. What you do need is a clear link to Burger King Corporation or a participating franchise, honest financial information, and a plan to enroll at an accredited school for 2027-28.
If you are a high school senior with no family tie to Burger King, the General Track is the better fit. If your paycheck or your parent paycheck says BURGER KING on it, the Employee-Based Track is the path worth blocking time for when applications open each October.
Eligibility
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✓Connection to Burger King Corporation or a participating franchiseYou must be an active employee of Burger King Corporation or a participating BURGER KING franchisee, OR the spouse or domestic partner of such an employee (unless legally separated), OR a dependent child of such an employee. Dependent children include biological, step, or legally adopted children living in the employee household or primarily supported by the employee.
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✓At least three months on payroll for employeesEmployee applicants must have been active on the designated employer payroll for at least three months as of the application deadline and must still be employed when Scholarship America verifies awards.
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✓Minimum 2.0 cumulative GPAYou need a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale, or the equivalent, for traditional postsecondary study. Enrichment-program applicants follow the employee-track rules for work history and financial need instead of a full academic profile.
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✓Residency in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Guam, or CanadaApplicants must be living in the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam, or Canada at the time of application. The school you attend must also be an accredited institution in one of those locations.
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✓Enrollment plan for 2027-28For traditional postsecondary study, you must plan to enroll part-time or full-time without interruption for the 2027-28 academic year at an accredited two- or four-year college, university, vocational-technical school, or CEGEP equivalent. Enrichment applicants may enroll less than part-time in GED, certification, language, or similar courses at an accredited provider.
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✓High school senior, GED, homeschool, or current college studentEligible applicants include graduating high school seniors (including homeschool), GED recipients, grade 12 graduates in Canada, current undergraduates, and graduate students in the eligible regions. Past BURGER KING scholarship recipients who are undergraduates may also apply through the general track rules if they qualify.
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✓Complete the English, Spanish, or French applicationThe Scholarship America portal application must be submitted in full by the deadline. Incomplete applications are not processed, and the Employee-Based Track is evaluated separately from the General Track for high school seniors with no BK connection.
Benefits
- Typical award size Up to $1,000 per recipient
- Use of funds Tuition and educational costs at accredited schools
- Payment method Check payable to your school
- Graduate study Eligible for traditional postsecondary track
- Enrichment courses Separate pool for part-time certification or GED courses
- King Awards (employees) Up to seven regional awards at $15,000
- Regional employee awards Up to fifteen awards at $5,000
- Room and board or living expenses Not separately guaranteed beyond award cap
Document checklist
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✓Online BURGER KING Scholars applicationComplete the application at burgerking.scholarsapply.org during the open window. Select the Employee-Based Track and answer all required questions about your relationship to the designated employer.
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✓Proof of employment relationshipThe portal collects employer and franchise information. Employees verify active status; spouses and dependent children tie their application to the employee record. Keep pay stubs or HR contact details handy in case Scholarship America requests confirmation.
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✓High school or college transcriptUpload transcripts showing cumulative GPA through the most recent term available. Homeschooled and GED applicants follow the portal instructions for equivalent documentation.
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✓Financial need informationFinancial need counts for one-third of the Employee-Based Track score for traditional postsecondary applicants. Enter household income and dependency details accurately; errors can disqualify an otherwise strong file.
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✓Activities and work historyList school, community, and work activities. Work experience and leadership weigh heavily for top-tier James W. McLamore WHOPPER Scholarship consideration within the employee pool.
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✓College or program enrollment plansName the accredited institution or enrichment program you plan to attend in 2027-28. Award checks are made payable to the school, not to the student.
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✓Scholarship Acceptance Form if selectedPotential recipients must return a completed Scholarship Acceptance Form to Scholarship America by the stated deadline or forfeit the award.
How to apply
Deadline and timeline
FAQ
What is the Burger King Employee Scholarship?
The Burger King Employee Scholarship is the Employee-Based Track within the BURGER KING Scholars program administered by Scholarship America for the Burger King Foundation. It awards grants, typically up to $1,000, to Burger King Corporation or participating franchise employees, their spouses or domestic partners, and dependent children who meet GPA, enrollment, and employment rules. Larger employee prizes such as King Awards and regional grants are selected from the same applicant pool.
Do Burger King employees need to work a minimum time before applying?
Yes. Employees must have been active on the designated employer payroll for at least three months as of the application deadline and must still be employed when awards are verified. Spouses and dependent children do not need their own tenure at Burger King, but they must tie their application to an eligible employee.
How much is the Burger King Employee Scholarship worth?
Most Employee-Based Track scholarships are up to $1,000 and cannot exceed your documented educational costs. The same application also puts standout employee applicants in the running for King Awards up to $15,000, Hometown Scholarships at $10,000, and regional employee awards at $5,000, depending on fundraising and selection that year.
When is the Burger King Employee Scholarship deadline for 2027?
For study in the 2027-28 academic year, applications open October 15, 2026 and close December 15, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. local time unless the combined program receives 30,000 applications first. Apply in the first week of October if you can, because the portal has closed early in past cycles when the cap was hit.
Can Burger King employee spouses and children apply?
Yes. Spouses (unless legally separated), domestic partners who meet the program definition, and dependent children of eligible Burger King employees may apply through the Employee-Based Track. Children include biological, step, and legally adopted dependents living in the household or primarily supported by the employee.
Is the Burger King employee award the same as the high school senior scholarship?
No. The General Track serves graduating high school seniors and past recipients without requiring Burger King employment. The Employee-Based Track is only for workers, spouses, domestic partners, and dependent children tied to Burger King Corporation or a participating franchise. Both tracks use burgerking.scholarsapply.org but are scored in separate pools.
Do I need an essay for the Burger King Employee Scholarship?
The standard Scholarship America application focuses on GPA, activities, work experience, and financial need rather than a long personal essay. James W. McLamore WHOPPER Scholarship contenders must show leadership, substantial work experience, and higher GPA, but the typical employee-track file is form-driven.
Where do I apply for the Burger King Employee Scholarship?
Apply only at burgerking.scholarsapply.org, the official BURGER KING Scholars portal run by Scholarship America. Questions go to [email protected] or 507-931-8340. Third-party sites that charge fees are not the official application.
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