Chick-fil-A Community Scholars
Chick-fil-A has established a scholarship program to assist students who plan to continue their education in college, vocational, or graduate school programs.
Chick-fil-A Community Scholars
The 2026 program will be accepting applications from August 19, 2025 through October 28, 2025 3:00 p.m. Central Time. Thanks for your interest in the program!
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 to the Chick-fil-A Community Scholars Program must:
- Be 18 years of age by July 15, 2026.
- Currently reside* in the United States (U.S.), Puerto Rico, or Canada at time of application and award
- Be a current
- High school senior/student in their final year of upper or higher secondary school
- College/university Undergraduate
- Graduate student
- Planning to enroll in full-time undergraduate or graduate study for the 2026-2027 academic year at an accredited two-year or four-year college or university, or vocational-technical school or CEGEP institution
- Be involved in community service, extracurricular activities and/or a leadership role in the twelve (12) months prior to application deadline (for example, volunteering for non-profits, helping others less fortunate, tutoring/mentoring, etc.)
- Have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (or the equivalent)
- Be willing to participate in Chick-fil-A’s Scholars Program (a one-year experience of mentoring, activities, and professional development), if selected.
AND
Chick-fil-A employees and dependents/spouses of employees or Operators are not eligible to apply.
*Applicants are NOT required to be citizens or permanent residents of either country. Individuals granted deferred action status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program (DACA) and international students attending college in the U.S., Puerto Rico, or Canada are eligible to apply.
Awards
If selected as a Chick-fil-A Community Scholar, the student will be granted up to a $25,000 award. Up to thirteen (13) awards will be granted. Recipients will also have the opportunity to participate in a one-year leadership development program facilitated by Chick-fil-A, Inc., which includes mentoring and professional development opportunities.
Awards are for undergraduate or graduate study at any accredited college or university, or vocational-technical school.
Awards are one-time only; however recipients may request to disburse their award over a period of one (1) to six (6) years. Any unused funds remaining after six (6) years after the recipient is awarded will be forfeited. Past recipients may not reapply.
The award payments will be issued in U.S. dollars (USD). Awards may be used for all education-related expenses. The selected recipients will also have the opportunity to participate in a one-year leadership development program facilitated by Chick-fil-A, Inc., which includes mentoring and professional development opportunities.
Notification
Applicants will be notified in Spring 2026. Not all applicants to the program will be selected as recipients.
Payment of Scholarships
Scholarship America will disburse payments on behalf of Chick-fil-A, Inc., up to $25,000 to each selected recipient. The award may be disbursed in more than one payment and may be disbursed over multiple academic years.
Scholarship recipients are selected on the basis of:
- Academics
- Activities, awards, and honors
- Community service/volunteering
- Online Recommendation
- Financial need
Financial need will be considered. Finalists must demonstrate need. Academic evaluation will include a review of the grade/mark average based on the grading system used in the applicant’s country and a review of the results of academic examinations.
Scholarship America will select up to 50 finalists and a selection committee will select the final recipients to receive the Chick-fil-A Community Scholars award. All applicants agree to accept the decision as final.
Obligations
Recipients have no obligation to Chick-fil-A. They are, however, required to notify Scholarship America of any changes in address, school enrollment, or other relevant information, and to send a complete official transcript when requested.
Revisions
Chick-fil-A reserves the right to review the conditions and procedures of this scholarship program and to make changes at any time including termination of the program.
Requirements
As part of your application, you must upload the following documents:
- Current complete transcripts of grades. Unofficial or online transcripts must display student name, school name, grades and credit hours for each course, and term in which each course was taken.
- Copy of the first two pages of your parents’ (or your own if not claimed as a dependent) IRS 1040 income tax form or T-1 Canadian income tax return.
- At least one online recommendation form must be submitted on your behalf no later than November 11, 2025 at 3:00 pm central time. You are able to list up to 3 recommenders.
Your application is not complete unless all required documents are submitted electronically.
