George Washington Carver Scholastic Leadership Scholarship

Inspired by the life experiences and enduring legacy of George Washington Carver, ISU actively seeks applicants for this program who aspire to become change agents of society. Carver’s remarkable journey as a student, scholar, and inventor serves as a powerful reminder of the transformative impact that education and perseverance can have on individuals and communities.

This program aims to recognize, support, and further cultivate outstanding individuals who demonstrate resilience, academic excellence, and a commitment to making a positive impact on their communities and beyond.

Through the program’s various events and initiatives, scholarships, and resources, the university aims to provide students with the tools, opportunities, and support they need to develop their potential fully. Students will be encouraged to embrace their passions, pursue excellence in their studies, and engage in impactful research, innovation, and community service.

•Minimum 3.70 cumulative high school GPA

•Be a new, direct out-of-high school student for the entry term of summer 2025 or fall 2025. Prospective students who have been out of high school for over one year and have not gone to college are not eligible. Transfer students are not eligible

•Be a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident. Students who identify as undocumented or as Deferred Action for Early Childhood Arrivals (DACA) are not eligible for the scholarship

•A FAFSA must be submitted by the priority deadline

•Recipients through the application essay shall demonstrate:

Up to 100 hundred full-tuition scholarships are awarded to incoming undergraduate US first-year students directly out of high school as part of the George Washington Carver Scholastic Leadership (GWCSL) Scholarship program. This award opportunity is available to students enrolling at Iowa State for Summer or Fall 2025. The scholarship is worth full undergraduate tuition for in-state students at a value of $8,678/year or out-of-state students at a value of $25,162/year based on current tuition rates.

Students will be notified by April 2025 if they are selected to receive the GWCSL Full-Tuition Scholarship. The scholarship is renewable for an additional three years (for a total of four years or eight semesters of undergraduate study), provided the student maintains a cumulative 2.50 Iowa State grade point average, and each academic year completes 24 new credit hours at the university. Students in the Architecture and Landscape Architecture programs can renew a 5 year or 10 semesters to meet the completion of their degree program. Students must also remain continuously enrolled and enroll in and successfully complete the UST 106 and UST 205 courses. The scholarship is not need-based, but we ask all students who want to be considered for the award to file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Because the GWCSL Scholarship is valued at full tuition, recipients are NOT eligible to receive the following awards: Academic Recognition Award, Award for Competitive Excellence, Cardinal Leadership Scholar Award, Nonresident Initiative to Commend Excellence, Return to Iowa—Generations Scholarship, Tuition Scholarship, Science Bound Tuition Scholarship, and the ISU Grant. Recipients may use other scholarships awarded by Iowa State and outside scholarships and grants (including the Federal Pell Grant) to pay for room and board, fees, books and personal expenses. Please note that fees are separate from tuition.