The Coolidge Scholarship Application Guide for First Timers

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The Coolidge Scholarship is a brainchild of the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation formed by John Coolidge, the son of Calvin Coolidge (America’s 15th President) in 1960. The organization is based in Plymouth Notch, Vermont. Besides scholarships, the foundation runs multiple initiatives for students including conferences, debate, lectures, and competitions.

Coolidge Scholarship was first offered in 2016 and has been running as an annual program since then. The Selection panel (i.e. the Jury) is headed by a former governor, the Governor of Vermont; Gov. James H. Douglas.

The Coolidge Scholarship is a full-ride presidential scholarship awarded each year that covers a student’s tuition, room, board, and expenses for four years of undergraduate study. During their junior year of high school, students apply for the Coolidge Scholarship. Coolidge Scholarship recipients are notified of their award late in their junior year, before applying to colleges (note: current high school seniors are not eligible to apply). If a finalist is not named a Coolidge Scholar, he or she may be eligible for a smaller, one-time college scholarship.

The Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation manages the Coolidge Scholars Program.

Academic excellence is thus the primary criterion that distinguishes Coolidge Scholars. Secondary criteria include a demonstrated interest in public policy, a respect for the values Coolidge championed, and humility and service.

Host schools

Any tertiary institution in the USA offering a course in or related to Public Policy

Value/Inclusions

3 scholarships are awarded valued at $20,000–$30,000. Citizens of all countries and regions of the world are eligible for this scholarship opportunity.

A one-time, $5,000 finalist grant will be given to finalists who don’t receive the entire scholarship amount.

The Coolidge Scholarship also covers the whole cost of books and supplies for the duration of the academic year in addition to tuition, room and board.

Since the Coolidge Foundation invites the most deserving candidates to apply for the Coolidge Senators Program, which includes an all-expenses-paid Summit Weekend in Washington, D.C. and a one-time $1,000 prize, the competition for the Coolidge Scholarship is fierce.

Requirements

  1. Applicants for the 2026 Coolidge Scholarship must have the intention of beginning their undergraduate studies full-time in the fall of 2024 at an accredited U.S. college or university. So, junior high school students, or their equivalent if they are home schooled, are able to apply. (Junior high school students who take a few classes at a nearby community college are, in fact, qualified to apply for the Coolidge Scholarship.)
  2. By the time they apply for the award in 2026, 2026 Coolidge Scholarship candidates must be citizens or authorized permanent residents of the United States.
  3. The immediate family of any current employee or trustee of the Coolidge Scholars Program or the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation may not apply for a 2026 Coolidge Scholarship.

How to Apply

To apply for Coolidge Scholarship, please, visit the scholarships website: https://coolidgescholars.org/

  1. First, you have to write a letter, where you have to give all the details. And save it as a PDF file or a Microsoft Word file.
  2. Then you have to sign up and log in to the Coolidge scholarship official website.
  3. You will receive an email from Coolidge Scholarship, open it and you will receive another form. Complete this form and upload your letter as a PDF file or a Microsoft Word file.
  4. Then fill out the rest of the form and click on the final “Submit” button.

Acceptance rate

This scholarship has a low acceptance rate in that it open to students interested in pursuing a career in Public Policy in US tertiary institutions. Hence, only a few recipients (Coolidge Scholars) are awarded the scholarship each year.

Application Opening Date:

  • Opening Date: Late summer or early fall 2026. 

Deadline

January the next year (confirm exact date on the Scholarship’s website). To be determined (historically falls in December of the applicant’s junior year).

Application Requirements

Besides your application, you need to submit these.

  • An essay
  • Standardized Test Scores
  • Recommendation letters

Contacts

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