Fidelity Scholars Program: FAQ

 The Fidelity Scholars Program is an individual scholarship designed to help students overcome barriers to success and graduate with little or no debt from a four-year or two-year college. The Fidelity Scholars Program is unique. In addition to the generous scholarship, this college success program provides access to coaches and mentors, financial education, career readiness support, and mental health and wellness resources. With a focus on access to higher education and ongoing support for under-resourced students, the Fidelity Scholars Program can help you prepare to become the next generation of professionals whose career achievements will allow you to positively impact your lifetime earnings and build generational wealth. 

The scholarship is part of the Fidelity initiative, Invest in My Education (ME)℠, an initiative that provides access to education and ongoing support to students of the mighty middle (2.5 – 3.59 unweighted GPA) with limited access, resources or means. The program takes a holistic approach to driving transformational change by combining student scholarships with ongoing support, including resources to complete degree programs and pathways to post-graduation employment. 

 To provide access to resources and networks that help students enter jobs or careers that facilitate continued economic mobility. The program seeks to position historically under-resourced students for greater economic mobility and generational wealth, improving long-term outcomes for all. Specifically, the program seeks to provide flexible scholarships, mentorship and support students to complete their post-secondary programs with no education debt. 

 Fidelity’s most fundamental value is to empower individuals to strengthen and secure their financial future. Fidelity is committed to removing systemic barriers so that anyone, regardless of their background, can access higher education and economic mobility. 

Eligible students include those from historically under-resourced communities who have faced systemic barriers and challenges to economic mobility. 

The Fidelity Scholars program is open to non-degree holding incoming freshmen, pursuing a bachelor’s degree for the first time. 

Students must meet the following eligibility requirements at the time of application to be considered: 

• Be between the ages of 16 – 24 and be enrolling as an incoming freshman for the upcoming school year for the first time. 
  • Plan to enroll at a not-for-profit, four-year accredited college/university in their home state.
•  If attending a public institution, you must also qualify for in-state tuition. 
  • Be a permanent resident of Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, or Washington D.C. 
  • Be Pell-eligible or have demonstrated financial need as verified by the college or university financial aid office at the institution they will attend. 
  • Have an unweighted high school GPA between 2.5 – 3.59 or a GED certificate.
  • Be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or permanent resident. (Pending permanent residency, asylum applications, or other immigration statuses do not qualify. Citizenship or immigration status will be verified during the selection process.)
  • Be pursuing a bachelor’s degree. 

Applicants from Washington, DC must plan to attend an eligible institution for DC students in one of the following regions: DC Metropolitan, Greater Baltimore, Tidewater/Hampton Roads, Lower Eastern Shore (MD), Greater Richmond. This list of eligible institutions is posted in the “DC Applicant Eligible Institutions” document located under the supporting documents on the Fidelity Scholars application page HERE. 

Washington DC applicants must also apply for the DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG) when it opens, prior to being selected for the Fidelity Scholars Program. 

Yes, students who participate in dual enrollment programs are eligible to apply. 

Yes, you can save your application and finish it later. When you complete a section in your application, always hit “Save” and/or “Save and Continue” to save your work. If you hit “cancel,” the application will close and your work will not be saved. 

Follow these steps to locate and finish an application you started:

1. Go to Opportunities.UNCF.org
2. Click “Log In/Register” at the top of the page
3. Log into your UNCF account
4. Hover over “Home” at the top of the page
5. Select “Applicant Home”
6. Select “2027-2028 Fidelity Scholars Program”

As a need-based scholarship, the amount of financial support provided will depend on the cost of attendance determined at the college or university in which you are enrolling. The Fidelity Scholars Program uses the following equation to determine scholar’s award amount: 

Cost of Attendance – Student Aid Index – Outside Scholarship/Other Resources = Scholarship Amount

UNCF will be responsible for scholarship candidate selection and funds distribution to the recipients’ institutions. Fidelity has no role in the selection process of Fidelity Scholars. 

Yes. Students who fall below a 2.0 GPA will be at risk of losing their scholarship. However, students will have access to dedicated college success coaches throughout the academic year to help them keep on track and will have access to resources both on campus and through the program’s nonprofit partners to support their academic success. 

For questions and assistance regarding the application, please email: FidelityScholars@uncf.org.