UNCF/FedEx Scholarship Program

The UNCF/FedEx Scholarship is a need-based award worth up to $4,000 a year for students attending a UNCF member institution or another historically Black college or university. It is explicitly open to graduating high school seniors as well as first-year undergraduates, and requires a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 plus a completed FAFSA. Because the eligibility gate is the institution attended rather than any personal characteristic, it is a straightforward one for a family to check: if the student is heading to an HBCU, they should look at this.

How hard is the UNCF/FedEx Scholarship Program 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. The provider does not publish applicant or winner counts, so Solyo shows no odds figure for this award.

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 rivalsRequires at least a 3 GPA

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 UNCF/FedEx Scholarship Program?

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
• ✓GPA of 3 or higher (unweighted)

What the application takes

• Essay required.
• 1 letter 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 May 18, 2027. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around May 18 each year.

Applications close

May 18, 2027

Common questions about the UNCF/FedEx Scholarship Program

More identity & background

• AAIA Native Scholarship
  $3,000 (varies by year)
• ACB Scholarship Program
  $2,500 to $7,500
• AG Bell College Scholarship Program
  $1,000 to $10,000
• AISES Scholarships
  $1,500 - $20,000 (varies by scholarship)
• APIA Scholarship
  $2,500 - $20,000
• Allegra Ford Thomas Scholarship
  $5,000 ($2,500/yr over 2 years)

Lists this award appears on

• Merit Scholarships
• Renewable Scholarships (Multi-Year Awards)
• Scholarships With May Deadlines