Thoroughbred Scholars Program
A scholarship for children of railroad employees.
Thoroughbred Scholars Program
The Thoroughbred Scholars program is back in 2025 to provide college scholarship awards to the children of railroad employees. The program provides $2,500 per year, renewable up to three years for $10,000, for full-time students pursuing an undergraduate degree at an accredited two- or four-year college, university or vocational-technical school.
The program is administered by Scholarship America®, the nation’s largest designer and manager of scholarships and other education support programs for corporations, foundations, associations, and individuals. Eligibility for individual programs is determined at the sole discretion of the sponsor and eligible applications are reviewed by Scholarship America’s evaluation team.
Eligibility
Applicants must meet all of the following criteria:
- Student must be i) age 25 or under and ii) the child* of a parent or legal guardian of an active full-time Norfolk Southern Corporation or Norfolk Southern Railway Company (collectively referred to as “Norfolk Southern or NS”) U.S. employee. The parent must be an active employee of Norfolk Southern at the time of the selection and renewal
*Child includes: biological, step- or legally adopted children living in the employee’s household or primarily supported by the employee. - Be high school seniors, high school graduates/those who have obtained a GED certificate, or current college undergraduates
- Enrolled/enrolling in full-time** undergraduate study at an accredited two- or four-year college, university or vocational-technical school for the entire upcoming academic year
**Students must enroll full-time for two semesters during the academic year to be considered. Scholarships are not available for part-time or single-semester enrollment, with the exception of vocational-technical certification programs that are less than two semesters in length. Vocational-technical certification programs are eligible as long as they are at least one semester in length. - Student’s parent must be at pay band level 5 or below at the time of the application to be eligible (T6 and below for Crown Company employees).
Student’s parent must be at pay band level 5 or below at the time of the application to be eligible.
Awards
Thoroughbred Scholars Program
$2,500 per year, renewable up to three years for $10,000. Provided there are qualified applicants, recipients will be selected as follows:
- 80 of the Thoroughbred Scholars awards are designated for the children of craft employees
- 10 are designated for children of field management who work in locations outside of the 650 WPT headquarters campus
- 10 are designated for children of employees who work at 650 WPT
Norfolk Southern Scholars Award
Three special scholarships of $10,000 per year, renewable up to three years for $40,000.
- One award to an HBCU Scholar – plan to enroll in a Historically Black College or University (HBCU)
- One award to a STEM Scholar – plan to major in a STEM field (non-medical)
- One award to a Community Scholar – must demonstrate community servant leadership
Norfolk Southern Scholars Awards will be granted without regard to employee job classification.
Renewal Specifics
- Awards are renewable up to three years or until a bachelor’s degree is earned, whichever occurs first, on the basis of satisfactory academic performance. Students are required to achieve a 2.0 GPA to maintain satisfactory academic progress.
- Continued parental employment is required. However, parental employment is not required if the employee retires by Norfolk Southern retirement guidelines.
- Renewal students must enroll full-time for two semesters during the academic year to be considered. Scholarships are not available for part-time or single-semester enrollment.
- If a student receiving the special STEM Scholar award (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) changes to a non-STEM major, they are still eligible for the $2,500 Thoroughbred Scholars award if the student meets all other requirements for renewal.
- If a student receiving the special HBCU Scholar award transfers to a school that is not an HBCU, they are still eligible for the $2,500 Thoroughbred Scholars award if the student meets all other requirements for renewal.
Applicants are not eligible to receive both awards in the same academic year.
Awards are for undergraduate study only.
Selection of Recipients
Scholarship recipients are selected on the basis of:
- Academic performance
- Demonstrated leadership and participation in school and community activities
- Work experience
- A statement of educational and career goals and objectives
- Unusual personal or family circumstances
- An online recommendation
Financial need is not considered.
Selection of recipients is made by Scholarship America. In no instance does any officer or employee of Norfolk Southern Corporation play a part in the selection. Not all applicants to the program will be selected as recipients. All applicants agree to accept the decision as final.
Notification
All applicants will be notified in June.
Payment of Scholarships
Scholarship America processes scholarship payments on behalf of Norfolk Southern Corporation. Payment is made in early August.
Requirements
As part of your application, you must upload the following:
- A current, complete transcript of grades. Grade reports are not accepted. Transcripts must display:
- Student name
- School name
- Grades
- Credit hours for each course and term in which each course was taken.
NOTE: If you are providing SAT or ACT test scores, and those scores are not listed on your high school transcript, you will need to upload a copy of your test score report(s) separately. If you are uploading a college transcript, those scores are not required.
One online recommendation form must be submitted on your behalf no later than April 27, 2026 3:00 p.m. Central Time.
Your application is not complete unless all required materials are submitted electronically.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Awards are renewable up to three years or until a bachelor’s degree is earned, whichever occurs first, based on satisfactory academic performance, full-time enrollment, and continued parental employment at Norfolk Southern.
Yes. The student can renew the scholarship award if their parent retires according to applicable Norfolk Southern guidelines and the student meets all other requirements for renewal.
Yes, if the student meets all other requirements for renewal.
Yes, if the student meets all other requirements for renewal.
If a recipient of the $10,000 per year HBCU Scholar award transfers to a school that is not an HBCU, they are still eligible for the $2,500 Thoroughbred Scholars award if the student meets all other requirements for renewal.
If a recipient of the $10,000 per year STEM Scholar award changes to a non-STEM major, they are still eligible for the $2,500 Thoroughbred Scholars award if the student meets all other requirements for renewal.
No. Applicants are not eligible to receive more than one award in the same academic year.
All applicants will receive a notification directly from Scholarship America in June of the year they have applied.
No. Awards are for undergraduate study only.
