Apply for the $20K Dell Scholars Program

The $20K Dell Scholars Program is one of the many lucrative scholarships for seniors in high school. You don’t have to be a prospective computer science major either; you just need to meet a few requirements.

Requirements for $20K Dell Scholars Program

In order to qualify for the Dell Scholars Program, you must meet a few minimum requirements. You must be: • Participating in an approved Michael & Susan Dell foundation college readiness program during your junior and senior years of high school. • Graduating at the end of the 2024 - 25 academic year. • Earning a minimum 2.4 GPA. • Able to demonstrate financial need. • Eligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant during your first year of college. • Planning to enroll in a full-time bachelor’s degree program. Note that you do not have to be a standout student in order to qualify. The Dell Scholars site emphasizes, “The Dell Scholars program places greater emphasis on your determination to succeed than your academic record and test scores.”

How to Apply for Dell Scholarships

Applying for the Dell Scholars Program is simple, although it does require quite a bit of information. In addition to submitting your personal information, you must provide the following:

High School Information

You will need to know your class rank, GPA, and expected graduation date. Your transcript is also required as a part of the application process, which is a component that you will need to get from your school counselor.

College Readiness Program Information

The application also requires information about the college readiness program you have participated in as a junior and senior. There is a list of approved programs that you can see here.

Test Scores

Even though the Dell Scholarships are not distributed based on academic achievement, the program still collects your SAT and/or ACT test scores. You can either enter all your scores or your best score.

Home, Work, and Community Responsibilities

The Dell Scholars Program asks about your role at home, work, and in the community. This includes chores or caregiver responsibilities as well as part-time jobs and community involvement. You will also be asked about your family circumstances, like who you live with and whether your parents are married and/or employed. You’ll also be asked if you have other siblings in college as well as demographic information.

Financial Information

Students who hope to qualify for the Dell Scholarships must demonstrate financial need. Therefore, the form asks about you and your family’s financial circumstances. You must also agree to submit your FAFSA Submission Summary if you are selected as a semi-finalist before January 27, 2025.

Recommendations

Finally, if you make it to the semi-finalist round, you will need a recommendation from a teacher, school counselor, administrator, or college readiness counselor. Though they will not be contacted unless you make it far along in the selection process, you must provide their name and contact information when you apply. For this step, it’s important to ask your teacher or school counselor if you can include them as a recommender before you apply.

Dell Scholars Program Selection Process

Applications for the Dell Scholars Program opened on October 1. The deadline for all applications is December 1, 2024. Semi-finalists are notified of their status on December 10, 2024. They have until January 27, 2025, to submit all necessary documents, like their SAR and letter of recommendation. On March 18, 2025, the next class of Dell Scholars will be announced. The program awards $20,000 each to 500 Dell Scholars.

Apply for the Dell Scholars Program

Dell Scholars Program

Deadline: 12/1/24 Award Amount: 500 $20,000 scholarships Available To: High School Seniors The Dell Scholars Program is open to graduating high school seniors. You must have a minimum 2.4 GPA, be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, and demonstrate financial need to be considered for this award. Also, you must have participated in an approved college readiness / college access program in grades 11 and 12. Additionally, you must plan to enter a bachelor's degree program at an accredited higher education institution in the fall immediately following high school graduation.