Equitable Excellence Scholarship

Scholarship Overview: Renewable scholarship for High School Seniors who plan to enroll in a 2 or 4 year college
Application Available: November 1, 2025
Deadline Date: December 18, 2025

Scholarship Details:

Equitable is committed to students who show potential: those with the courage to pursue what’s possible; who display strength in managing challenges; who share wisdom with others. The Equitable Excellence Scholarship® is celebrating 23 years of providing funding to students who are dedicated to achieving their dreams.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Must be a high school senior
• Applicants must also reside in one of the 50 U.S. states, District of Columbia or Puerto Rico 
• Must have financial need
• Must plan to enroll in a full-time undergraduate course of study at an accredited two- or four-year college or university.
• Demonstrate ambition and self-drive to give back to their communities by encouraging other students to pursue post-secondary attainment.
• Be willing to provide a release to publicize their identities and information about their plans or achievements, along with photographs, for use in program promotion and information.
• Have a 2.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale.

Application Requirements:

• Online application completed prior to deadline
• Current, complete HS transcript of grades
• Copy of the first 2 pages of the most recently filed IRS form 1040 used for the Financial Information section of the application

Scholarship recipients are selected on the basis of:
– Financial Need. Applicants must have financial need
– Leadership and participation in school and community activities, awards, and honors
– Work experience
– Unusual personal or family circumstances
– A personal statement* that demonstrates ambition and self-drive to give back to the community by encouraging other students to pursue post-secondary attainment

Application Requirements: Essay, Minimum GPA, Transcript

Essay Details:

*Personal statement topic
“Working towards your college degree can lead to economic mobility and create a positive impact on you and those around you. How will you, as a college graduate, plan to pay it forward and inspire others in your community to work towards their own college degree?”

Award Amount: $20,000

Award Details:

Awards are announced in the Spring.
Equitable will provide 100 $5,000 annual scholarships that will be renewed each academic year for four years, for a total of $20,000 per recipient.

$5,000 awards are renewable up to three years or until a bachelor’s degree is earned, whichever occurs first, on the basis of satisfactory academic performance and continued enrollment, and
$500 gift card will be provided to each recipients’ teacher of choice who has had an impact on their school journey to be used for professional development activities or classroom supplies.

Scholarship America processes scholarship payments on behalf of Equitable Foundation. Payment is made in August.

Website/URL: https://scholarshipamerica.org/scholarship/equitableexcellence/

Scholarship Manager Information:

Contact Name: Scholarship Support
Contact Email: equitableexcellence@scholarshipamerica.org
Contact Phone Number: 855-996-2255
Additional Contact & Submission Information:

IMPORTANT: Notifications are sent via email. When setting up your account, avoid using a school or work email. Instead, use an active, personal email address that you will continue to have access to.

Additional Scholarship Information:

Sponsor will require recipients to attend at least 4 professional development workshops during their 4 years in college/during their renewable scholarship timeline (1 session per year).
Awards are for undergraduate study only.

Filters:

Eligibility: Community Service, Financial Need, U.S Citizen/Permanent Resident, Undocumented
Areas of Study: Open to All
Applicant’s Current Education Level: High School Senior
Location Specific: National