The Coolidge Scholarship
Offered by Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation · Free to apply
High school juniors, not seniors, compete for this one: winners get tuition, room, board, and expenses covered for four years at any accredited U.S. college, and only a handful are chosen from a national pool. Readers weigh academic record, a demonstrated interest in public policy and the values Calvin Coolidge held, humility, and service, supported by two recommendations, a transcript, and written responses. Applicants must intend to enroll full time as first-time undergraduates two falls after applying, which rules out anyone planning a gap year. The application typically opens in November and closes December 16 at 5 p.m. PT. The top 100 applicants are named Coolidge Senators, scholars are announced across April and May, and every applicant learns the outcome by June 1.
How hard is the The Coolidge Scholarship to win?
A large applicant pool chases this award. Apply if the student is a genuinely strong fit, but build the plan around better-odds awards first.
- Estimated odds
- roughly 1 in 2,000 applicants
- Modelled applicant field
- ~8,500 students
- Awards each cycle
- 4
- Payoff per hour of work
- $3 / hr
What drives the odds here
Odds on a scholarship are mostly a question of how many students can enter. Each rule below changes the size of that field.
- More rivalsOpen nationwide, so the field is large
- Fewer rivalsAn essay is required, which filters out casual applicants
- Fewer rivalsRecommendation letters are required, a step many applicants skip
- Fewer rivalsAn official transcript is required
- Fewer rivalsOpen to a single grade level only
- More rivalsA large award draws far more applicants
How Solyo estimates this: We model the applicant field from how narrow the eligibility rules are, then divide the awards available by that field. Requirements such as essays and recommendation letters improve a serious applicant’s odds, because most browsers never complete them. These are estimates derived from each award's published structure, not reported acceptance rates, which almost no scholarship provider discloses. Treat them as a way to rank where the hours go, not as a guarantee.
Who can apply for the The Coolidge Scholarship?
These are the eligibility rules Solyo verified against the official award page, translated into plain English. Your student must meet each one.
- Open to high school juniors
- Open to U.S. citizens or permanent residents (green card)
- Must intend to enroll full-time as a first-time undergraduate two falls after applying; students planning a gap year are not eligible
- Immediate family members of Coolidge Foundation employees, trustees, or significant donors (lifetime giving above $25,000) are ineligible
- Selection emphasizes academic excellence, a keen interest in public policy, appreciation for the values Calvin Coolidge championed, humility, and leadership
- The award follows the winner to any accredited U.S. college or university, with any intended major
- Finalists who are not selected as Coolidge Scholars typically receive smaller one-time awards
- Homeschooled students at the junior-year equivalent may apply
What the application takes
- Essay required. The prompt centers on passion for the field.
- 2 letters of recommendation. Ask teachers or counselors early; good letters take time.
- Transcript required. Request it from the school registrar ahead of the deadline.
Deadline and application cycle
The current deadline is December 16, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. PT. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around December 16 each year. Applications open November. This is a junior-year application, so the window falls a full year earlier than most scholarships students hear about.
- Application opens
- November 2026
- Application closes
- December 16, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. PT
- Coolidge Senators named (top 100 applicants)
- Spring
- Coolidge Scholars announced
- April to May 2027
- All applicants notified
- By June 1, 2027
Does your student actually qualify?
See if your student qualifies in 30 seconds. Solyo checks 20+ criteria against their real profile: GPA, state, grade level, intended major, and more, across every award in this directory at once.
Common questions about the The Coolidge Scholarship
How much is the The Coolidge Scholarship worth?
The The Coolidge Scholarship awards full ride: tuition, room, board & expenses for 4 years and is renewable in later years. 4 awards are made each cycle.
When is the The Coolidge Scholarship deadline?
The current deadline is December 16, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. PT. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around December 16 each year. Applications open November. This is a junior-year application, so the window falls a full year earlier than most scholarships students hear about.
When do The Coolidge Scholarship applications open?
Applications open November, and close December 16, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. PT. This is a junior-year application, so the window falls a full year earlier than most scholarships students hear about.
Who is eligible for the The Coolidge Scholarship?
Key requirements: Open to high school juniors; Open to U.S. citizens or permanent residents (green card).
Does the The Coolidge Scholarship require an essay?
Yes. The application requires an essay, 2 recommendations, and a transcript. Expect to spend about 10 hours on it.
How hard is it to win the The Coolidge Scholarship?
Solyo estimates the odds at roughly 1 in 2,000 applicants, against a modelled field of ~8,500 students. The pool stays that size because an essay is required, which filters out casual applicants and recommendation letters are required, a step many applicants skip. At 10 hrs of work, that is about $3 of expected value per hour. This is an estimate from award structure, not a published acceptance rate.
Is the The Coolidge Scholarship free to apply?
Yes. The The Coolidge Scholarship is free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge an application fee, and Solyo verifies every listed award against its official page.
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Lists this award appears on
Award details are curated by Solyo and verified against the official scholarship page. Deadlines and requirements can change between cycles, so always confirm on the provider's site before applying.