The Gates Scholarship
Catalog organization: The Gates Scholarship
Compiled by: ExtracurricularHub Editorial Team — editorial policy
Last updated
What Is The Gates Scholarship?
The Gates Scholarship is a highly selective, last-dollar award for outstanding high-school seniors from low-income households. For Scholars, it covers the remaining cost of attendance not already met by other financial aid and the Student Aid Index calculated through FAFSA or the institution's own methodology. The official definition includes tuition, fees, books, housing and food, and may include additional personal costs. There is no fixed award amount: funding depends on each selected student's college costs and aid package. The program also provides support aimed at college completion and transition into a chosen career.
For the current cycle, the application became available July 15, 2026 and is due September 15, 2026. The site does not publish a cutoff time, so none is inferred. Semifinalist work runs December 2026-January 2027, finalist interviews take place in March, selections are announced in April, and awards are disbursed July-September.
The Gates Scholarship Key Facts: Cost, Deadline, and Eligibility
| Cost | Varies — see Cost and funding |
|---|---|
| Format | Online |
| Eligibility | Grade 12 |
| Application deadline | Application deadline has passed |
| Listing last updated | August 30, 2026 |
Program details shown here reflect the current catalog record.
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