Daniels Scholarship Program
Offered by Daniels Fund · Free to apply
The Daniels Scholarship is a four-year award for graduating seniors in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming, selected on character, leadership, academics and financial need. At partner institutions the Daniels Fund and the college combine to cover up to the full cost of attendance. At non-partner schools outside the four-state region the award reaches $25,000 a year, capped at $100,000 over four years, and inside the region it is capped at $30,000 over four years. The fund named 205 scholars in its 2026 class, 150 of them from Colorado. For a family in these four states this is a materially better bet than most national awards.
Other deadlines near this one
- Connecticut Minority Teacher Incentive ProgramDue October 15, 2026 · Up to $5,000/yr for two years, plus $2,500/yr loan reimbursement for up to four years teaching
- NCWIT Aspirations in Computing High School AwardDue October 27, 2026 · Recognition award (unlocks scholarships and internships)
- National Merit Scholarship ProgramDue October 30, 2026 · $2,500 (plus corporate and college-sponsored awards that vary)
How hard is the Daniels Scholarship Program to win?
Narrow eligibility keeps the applicant pool small, so a qualified student has a genuinely realistic shot. These are the awards worth prioritising.
- Estimated odds
- roughly 1 in 6 applicants
- Modelled applicant field
- ~1,000 students
- Awards each cycle
- 205
- Payoff per hour of work
- $1,086 / 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.
- Fewer rivalsLimited to 4 states
- 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 Daniels Scholarship Program?
These are the eligibility rules Solyo verified against the official award page, translated into plain English. Your student must meet each one.
- Must be a resident of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, or Wyoming
- Open to high school seniors
- Award value depends on whether your college is a Daniels Fund partner institution and whether it is inside or outside the four-state region.
- Minimum award is $5,000 per year.
Personalized matching
Does your student actually qualify?
Not sure your student clears every rule above? Solyo checks 20+ criteria against their real profile: GPA, state, grade level, intended major, and more, across every award in this directory at once.
What the application takes
- Essay required.
- 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 October 15, 2026. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around October 15 each year. Applications open September 1.
- Applications open
- September 1, 2026
- Applications close
- October 15, 2026
Free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge a fee. We use your student's information only to build their plan.
Common questions about the Daniels Scholarship Program
How much is the Daniels Scholarship Program worth?
The Daniels Scholarship Program awards up to full cost of attendance at partner schools; up to $25,000/yr elsewhere and is renewable in later years. 205 awards are made each cycle.
When is the Daniels Scholarship Program deadline?
The current deadline is October 15, 2026. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around October 15 each year. Applications open September 1.
When do Daniels Scholarship Program applications open?
Applications open September 1, and close October 15, 2026.
Who is eligible for the Daniels Scholarship Program?
Key requirements: Must be a resident of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, or Wyoming; Open to high school seniors.
Does the Daniels Scholarship Program require an essay?
Yes. The application requires an essay, 2 recommendations, and a transcript. Expect to spend about 12 hours on it.
How hard is it to win the Daniels Scholarship Program?
Solyo estimates the odds at roughly 1 in 6 applicants, against a modelled field of ~1,000 students. The pool stays that size because limited to 4 states and an essay is required, which filters out casual applicants. At 12 hrs of work, that is about $1,086 of expected value per hour. This is an estimate from award structure, not a published acceptance rate.
Is the Daniels Scholarship Program free to apply?
Yes. The Daniels Scholarship Program is free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge an application fee, and Solyo verifies every listed award against its official page.
More need-based scholarships
- Dell Scholars Program$20,000 (plus laptop, book credits, and support services) · due February 15, 2027
- Education Foundation of Osceola County Scholarships$500 to $12,000 · due January 31, 2027
- El Paso Community Foundation ScholarshipsVaries by fund · due May 1, 2027
- Evans ScholarshipFull tuition and housing (published as $125,000+ over 4 years) · due September 30, 2027
- Foundation for Seminole County Public Schools ScholarshipsMostly $500 to $2,000, with occasional larger awards and a two-year Florida Prepaid award · due April 1, 2027
- Greater Houston Community Foundation ScholarshipsVaries by fund (60+ programs, over $5.7 million distributed annually) · due February 28, 2027
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.