Daniels Scholarship Program

Awarded By:

Daniels Fund

Number of Awards & Eligibility: The number of awards offered varies annually. In prior years, there were 239 scholarships awarded.

Description: This scholarship is open to U.S. high school seniors who reside and attend high school in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, or Wyoming. Students must have an ACT score of 17 or higher in each section or an SAT score of 840 or higher, and must demonstrate financial need.

Application requirements for the Daniels Scholarship Program are:

• Application form
• Verification of eligibility documents
• Recommendation letter
• Interview (finalists only)

Additional Information: All applicants must demonstrate financial need. The Daniels Fund assesses financial need by evaluating a number of factors such as the income and assets of the applicant's parent(s) or legal guardian(s), the income and assets of the applicant, and individual circumstances. Students do not need to be Pell eligible to be financially eligible for the Daniels Scholarship Program. Daniels Scholars are selected because they embody the principles and values Bill Daniels defined as hallmarks of the program: strength of character; leadership potential; academic performance or promise; willingness to give back to the community; and a well-rounded personality. All applicants will be notified in January whether they have been selected as a finalist, and finalists will be invited to participate in a personal interview. Interviews are conducted in February by community leaders in the state in which the finalist lives. Daniels Scholars are announced in March, and are required to attend the scholarship orientation conference in June. All recipients are expected to meet the following requirements: maintain minimum academic requirements (a grade point average of 2.0 or higher) while in college and be on track to graduate with a bachelor's degree within four academic years; live on campus during freshman year; work in a paid position during the academic year (5 hours per week the first year in college and 10 hours per week every year after); participate in the Daniels Scholarship Enrichment Program, a series of online workshops led by local and national experts on topics including ethics, character, patriotism, civics, free enterprise, entrepreneurship, leadership, critical thinking, and etiquette; honor and live by the Daniels Scholar Code of Conduct; provide regular updates to Daniels Fund associates; and meet deadlines to complete scholarship requirements and renewal documents.

Award Amount: The award amount varies annually based on whether the student chooses to attend a Daniels Fund partner school or a non-partner school. If the student attends a partner school, the scholarship is a "full ride". This means the combination of resources from the Daniels Fund and their school, as well as other scholarships they earn, will cover all of the scholar's college costs, including their Expected Family Contribution (or "EFC"). If the student attends a non-partner school, the Daniels Scholarship functions as an unmet need or "last dollar" scholarship. A "last dollar" scholarship is supplemental, and therefore secondary, to all other grants and scholarships awarded to the scholar. After taking into consideration all other scholarships, financial aid (federal, state, and institutional), the scholar's EFC, and any work-study they accept, the Daniels Fund will pay toward the remaining costs of the scholar's education. Daniels Scholarships are annually renewable up to a maximum of four academic years (8 semesters or 12 quarters) if all requirements of the Daniels Scholarship Program are met.  The total dollars awarded for this scholarship is $40,000.