Dell Scholars Program

Overview

The Dell Scholars Program is the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation’s flagship college completion initiative, designed to close persistence gaps for low-income, first-generation students by pairing generous financial assistance with long-term, relationship-based support.【0c5442†L1-L12】 Each year 500 high school seniors from across the United States are selected as Dell Scholars, gaining a $20,000 last-dollar scholarship, academic advising, professional coaching, and access to experts who stay with them through graduation and into early career transitions.【0c5442†L1-L12】 The program’s coaching-first philosophy recognizes that tuition dollars alone are rarely enough to carry Pell-eligible students through degree completion; it intentionally layers mentoring, community, wellness resources, and crisis response so that recipients can focus on building a stable academic and professional path.【0c5442†L1-L12】

Dell Scholars is structured as a multi-year partnership rather than a one-time award. Scholars receive regular check-ins from advisors who help them balance course loads, plan majors, troubleshoot financial aid, and make decisions about internships or experiential learning.【0c5442†L6-L12】 The foundation frames the scholarship as an investment in personal agency: by minimizing emergency expenses and opening doors to targeted services, the program lets each student chart a purposeful journey toward graduation and career readiness.【0c5442†L6-L12】

What the Scholarship Provides

Last-dollar financial package

The Dell Scholars award functions as flexible last-dollar funding that can fill gaps left after institutional aid and grants, up to $20,000 over the course of an undergraduate degree.【0c5442†L6-L12】 Funds may be applied to tuition, housing, books, transportation, technology, and other direct educational costs so scholars can sustain enrollment without taking on excessive debt.【0c5442†L6-L12】 The foundation also supplies a laptop and book credits as part of the award package, ensuring students can participate in online coursework and keep pace with assignments.【0c5442†L6-L12】 Because the scholarship is renewable, recipients can map multi-year financial plans with predictable support.

Wraparound coaching and resources

Every Dell Scholar is matched with advisors who initiate proactive outreach, help set academic goals, and provide individualized strategies for navigating institutional hurdles.【0c5442†L6-L12】 Scholars join a national network of peers, alumni, and foundation staff who share tools for time management, study skills, and campus engagement. When unexpected challenges arise—such as registrar holds, housing instability, or delayed financial aid refunds—the program’s staff respond quickly to craft solutions, whether that means advocating with administrators or tapping emergency funds.【0c5442†L6-L12】

Wellness and emergency assistance

Recognizing that mental health and basic needs are core to retention, the program includes free teletherapy as well as discounted legal, financial, health, and personal services.【0c5442†L10-L12】 Scholars can schedule virtual counseling sessions, access referrals for specialized care, or receive guidance on budgeting and credit management. Emergency funding is available to cover urgent expenses—such as medical bills, transportation, or family crises—that might otherwise derail a semester.【0c5442†L6-L12】 These interventions keep students on track even when unexpected events threaten their progress.

Community and professional development

Dell Scholars gain access to career coaching that helps them explore industries, prepare for interviews, and connect with internships aligned to long-term ambitions.【0c5442†L6-L12】【0c5442†L24-L28】 The foundation curates networking opportunities, resume workshops, and mentorship pairings so scholars can translate academic success into tangible job offers. Alumni stories on the program site highlight how the advising team helps students secure internships, define career goals, and build confidence as emerging professionals.【0c5442†L24-L28】

Eligibility at a Glance

Applicants must meet baseline criteria designed to surface college-ready students who will benefit from comprehensive support:

• Be a high school senior participating in an approved college readiness program recognized by the foundation.【b660ab†L1-L2】
• Plan to enroll full time at an accredited four-year college or university immediately after high school graduation.【b660ab†L2-L3】
• Demonstrate Pell Grant eligibility, confirming significant financial need.【b660ab†L3-L4】
• Hold at least a 2.4 GPA while showing resilience, motivation, and the capacity to translate goals into action.【b660ab†L4-L8】

Strong candidates illustrate perseverance, a clear sense of purpose, and the drive to transform their bachelor’s degree into a meaningful career. Essays and recommendations should spotlight the habits, leadership, and problem-solving abilities that helped the applicant persist through adversity while participating in their college readiness program.【b660ab†L4-L8】 The foundation explicitly values students who take initiative, seek mentorship, and demonstrate steady progress toward their goals.【b660ab†L4-L8】

Selection and Application Journey

Dell Scholars uses a multi-step review process to confirm both need and readiness for the program’s intensive support. Applicants submit an online application that captures academic history, family responsibilities, community engagement, and short-answer prompts about resilience and goals.【0c5442†L18-L33】 After the initial screening, finalists are asked to upload high school transcripts, provide a FAFSA Submission Summary, and secure an online recommendation that validates their academic potential and need profile.【0c5442†L20-L31】 The foundation’s independent selection committee reviews the complete dossier, assessing fit with program values and capacity to thrive with wraparound coaching.【0c5442†L20-L33】 Final awards are shared in early summer, giving recipients time to align financial plans before matriculation.【16364a†L13-L17】【0c5442†L20-L24】

For students also applying to Dell Scholars at UT Austin, the foundation clarifies that the main Dell Scholars application should still be completed. UT Austin determines program eligibility at the point of admission and integrates Dell Scholars benefits into its financial aid package for qualifying first-year students; once admitted to the cohort, learners remain in the program as long as they meet continuing student criteria and maintain full-time enrollment.【0c5442†L28-L36】 This ensures continuity of support regardless of institutional choice.

Annual Timeline

The Dell Scholars application opens in mid-December and closes in mid-February, with finalist notifications, document deadlines, and award announcements extending into early summer.【16364a†L13-L17】 Applicants should build the following milestones into their planning calendar:

Because the program is recurring, students who are not selected may use the feedback to strengthen their candidacy in future cycles, provided they still meet eligibility requirements. College readiness counselors can host workshops in January to troubleshoot essays, budget proposals, and verification documents ahead of the February deadline.

Using the Award

Dell Scholars emphasizes flexibility so recipients can deploy funds where they have the greatest impact. Scholarship dollars can cover tuition, fees, room and board, textbooks, study abroad programs, internship stipends, graduate school tuition, or even loan repayment after completing the undergraduate degree.【0c5442†L24-L33】 Scholars work with advisors to forecast expenses each semester, ensuring disbursements align with their academic plan. Because the award is last-dollar, it integrates seamlessly with institutional grants and external scholarships; the Dell foundation fills remaining gaps rather than displacing other aid.【0c5442†L6-L12】

Beyond the financial package, scholars join Dell Scholars Connect, a private online community that hosts discussion boards, resource libraries, job postings, and alumni spotlights.【0c5442†L33-L40】 This platform helps students locate mentors, crowdsource solutions to campus challenges, and maintain accountability as they progress through college. The foundation also leverages success stories to illustrate how earlier cohorts navigated internships, family obligations, and graduate school planning, giving new scholars practical roadmaps for the years ahead.【0c5442†L24-L40】

Tips for a Competitive Application

1. Document college readiness involvement. Detail the seminars, mentoring sessions, or leadership responsibilities you’ve embraced through your college access program to show how you have already built support systems that Dell Scholars can amplify.
2. Quantify perseverance. Use essay prompts to highlight the number of hours spent working part-time, caregiving, or commuting, and link those commitments to the habits you’ll bring to campus. Align stories of resilience with the program’s emphasis on self-motivation and determination.【b660ab†L4-L8】
3. Connect goals to wraparound services. Illustrate how the advising, teletherapy, and career coaching will sustain your momentum—for example, by describing how you will use teletherapy to manage stress or how the career team will accelerate your entry into a target industry.【0c5442†L6-L12】【0c5442†L24-L28】
4. Prepare recommenders early. Share drafts of essays with teachers or counselors who can attest to your leadership, reliability, and potential to leverage the program’s supports during college.
5. Plan for finalist paperwork. Assemble transcripts, FAFSA documentation, and recommender contact information before March so you can meet the May 15 finalist deadline without scrambling.【16364a†L15-L17】【0c5442†L20-L31】

Life as a Dell Scholar

Winning the award ushers in a multi-year relationship with the foundation’s advising team. Scholars schedule recurring check-ins, participate in workshops on budgeting or internship searches, and gain confidence in mapping semester-by-semester course plans.【0c5442†L6-L12】【0c5442†L24-L28】 When obstacles arise—whether a bursar hold or a family emergency—staff collaborate with the student to troubleshoot, mobilize emergency grants, and connect them to campus offices that can assist.【0c5442†L6-L12】 Wellness supports, including teletherapy and discounted services, keep scholars healthy and focused even during stressful periods.【0c5442†L10-L12】

Because Dell Scholars values community, students are encouraged to share milestones and challenges within Dell Scholars Connect, building a peer network that persists into graduate school and the workforce.【0c5442†L33-L40】 Alumni frequently return to mentor incoming cohorts or speak at events, reinforcing a culture of reciprocity where every class helps the next navigate college and career transitions.【0c5442†L24-L40】 This ecosystem ensures that the scholarship’s financial investment is matched by a durable, human-centered support structure.

Staying Connected with the Program

Prospective and current scholars can reach the Dell Scholars team via [email protected] or 1-800-294-2039 during business hours, and media inquiries have a dedicated address to streamline communications.【0c5442†L40-L48】 Monitoring the official website keeps applicants informed about timeline adjustments or new resources, while the advising portal houses updates on document submissions and cohort announcements.【0c5442†L20-L48】 By staying engaged with these communication channels, scholars can take full advantage of the foundation’s commitment to seeing them through graduation and into purposeful careers.

Key Takeaways

The Dell Scholars Program delivers more than tuition assistance. It combines a renewable $20,000 last-dollar scholarship with personalized advising, holistic wellness support, and a nationwide community of peers and alumni who champion student success.【0c5442†L1-L12】【0c5442†L24-L40】 Applicants who demonstrate resilience, clear goals, and readiness to engage with long-term coaching are best positioned to harness this opportunity and graduate with minimal debt, robust professional experience, and a supportive network that lasts well beyond commencement.【b660ab†L4-L8】【0c5442†L24-L40】

Application Timeline Overview

The Dell Scholars application opens on October 1 and closes on December 1. Semifinalists are announced in mid-January and must submit additional documentation—including a current transcript, a Student Aid Index (SAI) from the FAFSA, and a detailed list of responsibilities—by early February. Finalists are selected in March, and the Dell Scholars cohort of approximately 500 students is announced on or around April 10. Award acceptance paperwork and onboarding take place through late spring so that scholars can access resources before summer bridge programs or first-year orientations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which college readiness programs qualify? Eligible applicants must have participated in an approved college readiness initiative such as AVID, GEAR UP, Upward Bound, College Possible, or similar programs recognized by the foundation. A full list appears on the Dell Scholars website, and students can request clarification if their program is not listed.

Is there a minimum GPA? Applicants should demonstrate a GPA of 2.4 or higher on a 4.0 scale. The selection committee focuses on grit and potential, so contextualizing grade trends and coursework rigor is important.

Can the scholarship be used at any institution? Yes. Dell Scholars may attend any accredited, Pell-eligible institution—community college, four-year university, or technical school—and can transfer while retaining the award, provided they remain in good standing.

What happens if my financial situation changes? Scholars work with Dell advisors to update financial information. The program’s last-dollar design ensures that funds adjust to cover gaps after federal, state, and institutional aid are applied.

How long does support last? Financial support is renewable for up to six years, and advising services extend through bachelor’s degree completion. Alumni retain access to Dell Scholars Connect and career resources after graduation.

Search Optimization Notes

Use keywords such as “Dell Scholars deadline December 1,” “college readiness scholarship requirements,” “Dell Scholars semifinalist documents,” and “holistic scholarship for first-generation students” when promoting this opportunity in newsletters or advising portals.

Insider Tips to Win Dell Scholars Program

• Mirror Michael & Susan Dell Foundation’s priority language. Pull phrasing from the latest call documents when you describe high school, need-based, college completion, and related priorities, so panelists immediately recognize strategic fit.
• Control your timeline. Work backward from February 15, 2026 to schedule draft reviews, compliance checks, and approvals at least two weeks before submission.
• Prove execution capacity. Pair your narrative with data from United States and letters or MOUs that show you already have partners, facilities, and governance to deliver on the workplan.