Chick-fil-A Scholarships Offer Up to $25,000: Deadline Approaches on November 3rd

Students eager to apply for the Chick-fil-A Community Scholars scholarship have until Tuesday, November 3, 2026, to submit their applications. This program offers up to 13 scholarships, each worth a maximum of $25,000, intended for higher education during the 2027-2028 academic year.

The application window closes at 3:00 p.m. Central Time (4:00 p.m. in Miami), as outlined by Scholarship America, the organization managing the program. The application process began on August 21, and as of November 2, the official website still showed the opportunity as available.

Eligibility Criteria for Chick-fil-A Scholarships

This scholarship targets students who demonstrate academic excellence, community involvement, and financial need. Employment with Chick-fil-A is not a requirement; in fact, employees and certain family members are not eligible for this particular scholarship.

To qualify for the Community Scholars program, applicants must meet several criteria, including:

• Being at least 18 years old by July 15, 2027.
• Residing in the United States, Puerto Rico, or Canada both when applying and when the scholarship is awarded.
• Being a high school senior, undergraduate, or graduate student planning to enroll full-time in an accredited institution for the 2027-2028 academic year, including technical and vocational schools.
• Maintaining a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
• Participating in volunteer work, extracurricular activities, or leadership roles within the 12 months prior to the application deadline.
• Exhibiting financial need and readiness to engage in a mentorship and leadership development program if selected.

Inclusion of DACA and International Students

Can Cuban students with DACA or those without U.S. citizenship apply? Yes, as long as they meet the other requirements. Scholarship America has clarified that U.S. citizenship or permanent residency is not mandatory. The application is open to individuals under DACA and international students studying in the eligible territories.

This provides an opportunity for Cuban students residing and studying in the U.S., but it doesn't imply that anyone living outside these areas can apply. Residency, academic status, and other criteria must still be fulfilled.

Community Scholars program also excludes Chick-fil-A employees and their spouses or dependents. Another program, called Remarkable Futures, exists for employees with separate conditions and timelines.

Required Documents for Application

Applicants need to complete an electronic application and submit academic and financial documents as specified by the program administrator:

• An up-to-date academic transcript, showing the student's name, educational institution, grades, subjects, and credits.
• The first two pages of the IRS 1040 tax form for parents, or the applicant's own if they are not a dependent. For Canadian applicants, the T-1 form is accepted.
• At least one electronic recommendation submitted by a designated person, with up to three recommenders allowed.

Scholarship America advises applicants to redact Social Security numbers and bank details from the tax documentation before uploading them to the official platform. Sensitive documents should not be sent to unapproved accounts or websites.

Electronic recommendations can be received up to three business days after the application deadline, but this does not extend the November 3 deadline for submitting the application itself.

Utilization of Scholarship Funds

The scholarship funds can be used for tuition, fees, books, and other educational expenses at accredited universities, colleges, or technical schools. Chick-fil-A specifies that checks are made out to the educational institution directly; funds are not handed to the student as cash and cannot be used to pay off student loans or be refunded in cash.

According to Scholarship America, a maximum of 13 awards of up to $25,000 each will be given. The selection is competitive, based on academic performance, extracurricular activities, community service, recommendations, and financial status. This is a one-time, non-renewable award, though recipients can request distribution over one to six years. Previous recipients are not eligible to reapply.

Selected students will also participate in a year-long leadership and mentoring initiative. Chick-fil-A plans to notify recipients in spring 2027, with financial disbursements scheduled for July of that year.

How to Apply Before the November 3 Deadline

To begin the application process, prospective applicants should visit the official Chick-fil-A Community Scholars page on Scholarship America and click the "Apply" button. The administrator suggests preparing documents and securing recommendations early, as late submissions will not be considered.

Further program details are available on Chick-fil-A's website. For questions regarding eligibility or the application process, Scholarship America can be reached at cfacommunityscholars@scholarshipamerica.org or by phone at 507-931-1682.

Deadline: Tuesday, November 3, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. in Miami (3:00 p.m. Central Time). The scholarship's awarding is competitive and does not guarantee employment.