The Gates Scholarship

About this scholarship

The Gates Scholarship (TGS) is a highly selective, last-dollar scholarship funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for outstanding minority high school seniors from low-income households in the United States. As a last-dollar award, it covers the full cost of attendance that is not already met by other financial aid and the Student Aid Index (as determined by the FAFSA or the college's methodology), and a scholar can be funded for up to five years to complete a bachelor's degree — removing the financial barrier to attending a strong four-year institution. To be eligible, a student must be a high school senior in good academic standing with a minimum cumulative weighted GPA of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale, be Pell-eligible, and be a member of at least one of the following ethnic minority groups: African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian and Pacific Islander American, or Hispanic American. Students must plan to enrol at an accredited, not-for-profit, four-year U.S. college or university. Applicants begin by creating a myTGS profile, complete the online application (which opens each summer), and must submit a FAFSA. Selection considers academic record, leadership, and personal success skills.

Eligibility

• Be a high school senior planning to attend an accredited four-year U.S. college/university
• Have a minimum cumulative weighted GPA of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale
• Be a member of an eligible ethnic minority group (as defined by the program)
• Be Pell-eligible (demonstrated financial need) and submit a FAFSA
• Be a U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident; apply via a myTGS profile