The Coca-Cola Scholars Program Scholarship Achievement-based award for high school seniors who will lead and serve their schools and communities
The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation supports more than 1,400 exceptional college students each year with annual scholarships totaling $3.55 million through three nationally recognized programs.
With the addition of the 2026 class, the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation will have provided more than 7,200 Coca-Cola Scholars nationwide with over $90 million in scholarships as it celebrates 40 years of impact since its founding in 1986.
150 Coca-Cola Scholars are selected each year to receive this $20,000 scholarship. You can check out BS, MS, PhD and postdoc positions here.
Application Details:
- The 2027 application is open to high school students graduating in the 2026-2027 academic year.
- Deadline: 5 pm Eastern on Wednesday, September 30, 2026.
Also Check: PhD, Research & Postdoc positions at ELLIS Institute and Tampere University
Eligibility Requirements:
Applicants must be:
- Currently enrolled high school or home-schooled students attending school in one of the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or select Department of Defense (DoD) schools.
- Students who will graduate high school during the 2026-2027 academic school year.
- U.S. Citizens, U.S. Nationals, U.S. Permanent Residents, Refugees, Asylees, Cuban-Haitian Entrants, or Humanitarian Parolees – based on the guidelines utilized by the U.S. Department of Education for Federal Financial Aid eligibility.
- Expecting to receive their high school diploma during the current academic year.
- Planning to pursue a degree at an accredited U.S. post-secondary institution.
- Able to verify a minimum overall B/3.0 GPA in high school coursework.
Applicants may not be:
- Children or grandchildren of current employees, officers, or owners of Coca-Cola bottling companies, The Coca-Cola Company, Company divisions, or subsidiaries.
- Children or grandchildren of former employees who are currently receiving retirement benefits based on their previous employment with Coca-Cola bottling companies, The Coca-Cola Company, Company divisions, or subsidiaries.
- International students (with the exception of students at DoD schools).
- High school graduates.
- Temporary residents.
Also Check: Paid Research internships at the Max Planck Institutes ,Germeny
Coca-Cola Scholar Selection Process:
- Phase 1
Online Application The Phase 1 application is open from August 3 through September 30 each year to students currently enrolled in high school with plans to graduate during the current academic year and who meet the other eligibility criteria listed above. This phase requires no essays, no transcript, and no recommendations. - Phase 2
Semifinalists By the end of October, all applicants will be notified of their application status. About 1 percent will be named Semifinalists and invited to complete a Phase 2 application due in November with essays, a transcript, and a recommendation. - Phase 3
Regional Finalists From the approximately 1,200 Semifinalists, 250 will advance as Regional Finalists and will participate in a final interview with Coke Scholar alumni and staff in late January or early February. All Semifinalists will be notified of their status via email early in the new year. - Phase 4
Coke Scholars! Following interviews, 150 Regional Finalists are invited in April to the required Coke Scholars Weekend in Atlanta to confirm selection as Coca-Cola Scholars.
Also Check: Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships 2027 – 2028
How to Apply:
- Complete the online Phase 1 application
- no essays
- transcript
- recommendations
- from August 3 to September 30, 2026
- If selected as a Semifinalist, submit Phase 2 application in November (includes essays, transcript, and recommendation)
- Participate in a final interview in late January or early February
- Attend the required Coke Scholars Weekend in Atlanta in April to confirm selection as a Coca-Cola Scholar
Also Check: Elements of AI Free Online Course 2026 with Free Certificate
