Fidelity Scholars Program Overview
The Fidelity Scholars Program supports the access, persistence and degree-completion and certification of students of color who want to attend four-year, two-year and certificate academic programs and help prepare them to become the next generation of professionals whose career achievements will allow them to positively impact their lifetime earnings and build generational wealth.
In 2023, the Fidelity Scholars Program will accept applications from:
- Massachusetts (in and around Boston metro area)
- Texas (in and around Dallas/Ft Worth metro area)
- North Carolina (in and around Raleigh/Durham area)
In the future, the Fidelity Scholars Program will accept applications from:
- Colorado
- Florida
- Kentucky
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- Rhode Island
- Utah
The Fidelity Scholars program is part of Fidelity’s Invest in My Education(ME)℠ initiative.
Eligibility Criteria
- For the 2023 recruitment period, student applicants must be from in or around one of the following areas: Boston, MA; Dallas/Fort Worth, TX; Raleigh-Durham, NC (residency must be within specific zip codes that will be provided).
- Student applicants must be of African American/Black, Latinx, Native American (providing documentation of tribal affiliation) or Asian/Pacific Islander heritage.
- Student applicants must be Pell Grant-eligible at the time of selection as verified by the college or university financial aid office at the institution they will attend. Students must be U.S. citizens or legal resident aliens.
- Student participants must pursue a bachelor’s or an associate degree at an accredited, not-for-profit, four-year or two-year – college or university, (including MSIs -minority serving institutions and HBCUs -historically Black college or universities) at the undergraduate level or an accredited, not-for-profit certificate program within the state of their residence.
- Students seeking to enroll in two- or four-year academic programs must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (“FAFSA”) form and have a demonstrated, unmet financial need as verified by their college or university of enrollment. Students seeking to enroll in certificate programs must complete any related financial assistance forms where applicable.
- All applicants must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 – 3.5 to enter the program and must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5 to remain in the program.
- Students must be 16-24 years of age and enrolling in a 4-year, 2-year or certificate program for the first time.
Award
This is a need-based scholarship that will be managed through a last-dollar approach (i.e. the scholarship’s funds apply after all other sources of grant aid). As a last-dollar scholarship program, the Fidelity Scholars program aspires to provide resources after all public and institutional scholarship dollars have been provided so that students do not have to take out loans and incur any educational debt. The amount of support provided to each student will vary depending on financial need and the post-secondary institution or nonprofit certificate program in which they are enrolling.
Importantly, all Fidelity Scholars will have access to student support services in the areas of academic empowerment, college success, leadership development and professional development.