October 31 Is the Deadline to Apply for a $20K Scholarship From Coca-Cola

You know what’s sweeter than finding your name on a can of Coke?

Being named one of the 150 annual Coca-Cola Scholars who win $20,000 toward college tuition.

Students are chosen based on achievements and evaluated on a combination of leadership, academics and service.

Who is Eligible for the Coca-Cola Scholarship?

Only current high school seniors graduating during the 2018-2019 school year can apply for this scholarship.

This includes home-schooled seniors. It is not open to recent graduates.

While you must be a high school senior to apply, you don’t have to be a U.S. citizen. U.S. nationals, permanent residents, refugees, asylees, Cuban-Haitian entrants and humanitarian parolees also are eligible to apply to the Coca-Cola Scholars Program.

Applicants must complete an eligibility quiz before applying. If you’re eligible, an application link will be emailed to you.

What You Need to Apply for the Coca-Cola Scholarship

Once you’ve passed the eligibility quiz, you’ll need to gather some important information prior to filling out the application.

Helpful items and lists you’ll need on hand to fill out the application are:

• High school transcript: You will be asked to fill in grades and course levels on the application, so having your transcript handy will expedite this process. No need to upload or mail it in.
• Contact information: You will need the name, phone number and email address of your guidance counselor and principal.
• Clubs and organizations: Include any school or nonschool-related clubs and organizations you’ve participated in or led since your freshman year.
• Honors and awards: Every single accolade counts here, so list every local, regional, state, national and international award or honor you’ve received since your freshman year.
• Volunteer organizations: List the hours for all the school or nonschool-related volunteer work you’ve completed since your freshman year, including any honors or awards you received for that work.
• Employment: Make a detailed list of all the jobs you’ve worked since your freshman year, including the hours and weeks you worked during the school year and summer.

None of these items needs to be mailed or attached to your application. They’re purely supplemental material to assist you in filling out your scholarship application.

How to Apply for the Coca-Cola Scholars Program Scholarship

To get started, sign up for a Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation account. There you can create a profile and access the eligibility quiz and application.

The application works on desktop and mobile devices. Only online applications are accepted.

The application consists of five required forms: biographical and high school information, school activities, community activities, academic information, employment information.

If you’re super excited to apply but don’t have all the necessary information yet, know that you can start on any form, save it and come back later.

Complete all five sections and click the green “submit” button (and cross your fingers) to be considered for the scholarship.

There’s a slew of resources to help you apply, including application instructions, a sample application and scholarship FAQ page.

The deadline to apply is 5 p.m. Eastern Time on October 31, 2018.

This scholarship opportunity occurs every year, so if you’re not a senior yet, you totally have time to beef up your grades and involvement so you shine bright come application time.

Stephanie Bolling is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. She can’t think of Coca-Cola without singing one of the ’90s “Always Coca-Cola” jingles.