NESA Eagle Scout Scholarships
Offered by National Eagle Scout Association (Scouting America) · Free to apply
The National Eagle Scout Association awards about 63 scholarships a year to Eagle Scouts, from a single $4,000 award up to one four-year $50,000 Lawrence S. and Mabel Cooke Scholarship. Four more Cooke awards pay $30,000 over four years, and each of 14 regional council service territories picks winners for one-year awards of $10,000, $8,000 and two at $6,000. Eagle Scouts may apply from senior year of high school through junior year of college, but must be NESA members and plan to enroll full time in a degree or skilled trade program; military academy students are not eligible. Selection weighs school, Scouting and community service involvement and character, and applicants with financial need explain what sets it apart. The online application opens December 1 and closes February 1. Funds go straight to the college, can be used only in the year awarded, and a winner can receive a NESA scholarship only once.
Other deadlines near this one
- Access Missouri Financial Assistance ProgramDue February 1, 2027 · Varies by SAI and school type per statutory table (amounts prorated if funding is short)
- Bonner Scholars ProgramDue February 1, 2027 · Varies by campus, commonly a few thousand dollars per year across four years
- California State PTA Graduating Senior ScholarshipsDue February 1, 2027 · $500 (Dr. Ralph E. White Scholarship, 2 recipients). Volunteer Service Scholarship amount not published
How hard is the NESA Eagle Scout Scholarships 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 333 applicants
- Modelled applicant field
- ~21,000 students
- Awards each cycle
- 63
- Payoff per hour of work
- $20 / 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
- 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 NESA Eagle Scout Scholarships?
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 seniors and current college students
- Must be an Eagle Scout and a current member of the National Eagle Scout Association
- Must enroll full time (12+ credits) in a degree or skilled trade program; four-year Cooke awards require a bachelor's program
- Students attending a US military academy are not eligible
- Five of the awards pay over four years; the rest are one-year awards
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
No essay, recommendation letters, or transcript are required. This is one of the lighter applications in the directory.
Deadline and application cycle
The current deadline is February 1, 2027. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around February 1 each year. Applications open December 1. NESA membership must be active before applying; seniors can apply in the December-February window of senior year.
- Application opens
- December 1, 2026
- Application due
- February 1, 2027
Free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge a fee. We use your student's information only to build their plan.
Common questions about the NESA Eagle Scout Scholarships
How much is the NESA Eagle Scout Scholarships worth?
The NESA Eagle Scout Scholarships awards $4,000 to $50,000. 63 awards are made each cycle.
When is the NESA Eagle Scout Scholarships deadline?
The current deadline is February 1, 2027. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around February 1 each year. Applications open December 1. NESA membership must be active before applying; seniors can apply in the December-February window of senior year.
When do NESA Eagle Scout Scholarships applications open?
Applications open December 1, and close February 1, 2027. NESA membership must be active before applying; seniors can apply in the December-February window of senior year.
Who is eligible for the NESA Eagle Scout Scholarships?
Key requirements: Open to high school seniors and current college students.
Does the NESA Eagle Scout Scholarships require an essay?
No essay is required. The application is light on requirements. Expect to spend about 4 hours on it.
How hard is it to win the NESA Eagle Scout Scholarships?
Solyo estimates the odds at roughly 1 in 333 applicants, against a modelled field of ~21,000 students. At 4 hrs of work, that is about $20 of expected value per hour. This is an estimate from award structure, not a published acceptance rate.
Is the NESA Eagle Scout Scholarships free to apply?
Yes. The NESA Eagle Scout Scholarships is free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge an application fee, and Solyo verifies every listed award against its official page.
More merit-based scholarships
- National Honor Society Scholarship$3,200 - $25,000 (600 awards) · due November 20, 2026
- National Merit Scholarship Program$2,500 (plus corporate and college-sponsored awards that vary) · due October 30, 2026
- Ned McWherter Scholars Program$6,000 per year ($3,000 state plus $3,000 college match), renewable for four years · due March 1, 2027
- New Mexico Scholars ScholarshipTuition, books and fees · due June 30, 2027
- Nissan Scholarship (Mississippi)Full tuition, required fees and book allowance · due March 1, 2027
- North Dakota Scholars ProgramFull resident undergraduate tuition at a North Dakota institution, for up to 8 semesters · due July 1, 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.