The Daniels Scholarship Program provides the opportunity for highly motivated students to earn a bachelor’s degree that helps them build a successful career and rewarding life. Daniels Scholars® demonstrate exceptional character, leadership, and a commitment to serving their communities. Bill Daniels would also want his scholars to be proud Americans who value our free enterprise system and are prepared to give the world their very best shot.
Click below to learn more.
To be eligible for the Daniels Scholarship Program, students must meet the following requirements at the time of application:
In order to be eligible for the Daniels Scholarship Program, the applicant’s parent(s) or legal guardian(s) must have an Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of $85,000 or less on the 2019 Form 1040 U.S. Individual Income Tax Return on which the applicant appears as a dependent.
If there are additional dependents, beyond the applicant, claimed on their 2019 tax return, we allow for additional income as follows:
On the 2019 Form 1040, the AGI is listed on Line 8b, and dependents claimed can be found in the Dependents section, as indicated in the sample form below.
Here are some examples to demonstrate how financial eligibility is determined:
The Eligibility Questionnaire determines financial and general eligibility. The questionnaire requires the 2019 Form 1040 U.S. Individual Income Tax Return of the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) that claimed the applicant as a dependent.
If an applicant is selected as a finalist to be interviewed for the Daniels Scholarship Program, they will be required to upload a copy of their Student Aid Report (SAR) after the finalists are announced in January. The SAR is generated by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). We recommend that all students complete the FAFSA as soon as possible after it opens on October 1. However, we will only require the SAR of our finalists in the month of January.
The Daniels Scholarship is a comprehensive college scholarship that pays toward the costs of:
The Daniels Scholarship Program provides a four-year college scholarship that is unique to each student and varies depending on their Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and their choice of school. The scholarship pays up to $25,000 per year toward the student’s unmet need, after applying their EFC, other scholarships, and financial aid. Daniels Scholars may attend any accredited college or university in the United States.
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.
Please note that we will no longer have a Partner School option for new applicants.
Daniels Scholars may attend any two or four-year, nonprofit, accredited college or university in the United States. Scholars must intend to complete a bachelor’s degree, and those starting at a two-year college must be on a path to transitioning to a four-year institution and earning a bachelor's degree. Daniels Scholarships may not be used at technical or trade schools, or for participation in certificate programs.
The Daniels Scholarship Program is much more than a check for college. The Daniels Scholarship Program eliminates all or most of the financial burden of a college education, but this comprehensive program goes much further with many outstanding benefits:
Getting into the Daniels Scholarship Program is highly competitive. Each year, thousands of applicants go through a rigorous application process and finalists go on to an in-person interview.
Applications and recommendations must be submitted online through the application website between October 1 and November 15, 2020. As part of the application, students are required to submit documents that will be used to verify their eligibility including their parent(s) or legal guardian(s) 2019 tax return, an official high school transcript, official ACT/SAT scores (if taken), citizenship and residency documentation, and proof of college enrollment for additional claimed dependent(s).
All applicants will be notified in January whether or not they have been selected as a finalist, and finalists will be invited to participate in a virtual interview. Interviews are conducted online in February and early March by local community leaders. Finalists will be required to upload a copy of their Student Aid Report (SAR) in January, which is generated by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). We recommend that all students complete the FAFSA as soon as possible after it opens on October 1. However, we will only require the SAR of our finalists in the month of January.
Daniels Scholars are announced in March, and must attend our scholarship orientation conference in June (for which all expenses are paid by the Daniels Fund).
Applications and recommendations must be submitted online through the Daniels Fund's application website between
October 1 and November 15, 2020 at 4:00 PM MST.
The application period is now closed.
Applications and recommendations must be submitted online through the Daniels Fund's application website between
October 1 and November 15, 2020 at 4:00 PM MST.
The application period is now closed.