Daniels Scholarship 2026: Who Can Apply, What It Covers, and the October 15 Deadline

Daniels Scholarship 2026: Who Can Apply, What It Covers, and the October 15 Deadline

If you're a high school senior in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, or Wyoming, this is one of the largest scholarships you can go after. At a partner school, the Daniels Fund combines its money with the school's to cover up to your full cost of attendance, and the award runs four years. The Daniels Scholarship 2026 application closes October 15 at 4:00 p.m. Mountain Time, about two weeks from today.

One catch matters for a lot of MastersGrant readers. It's for U.S. citizens and permanent residents starting a bachelor's degree. It is not a master's scholarship and it is not open to international students. If that's you, jump to the section on who this is not for and save yourself the time.

Quick facts

Who is eligible

The published requirements are specific, so check them one by one:

• You are a graduating senior and a resident of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, or Wyoming.
• You are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
• Your unweighted GPA is 3.0 or higher.
• You have an ACT score of at least 18 in every category, or an SAT score of at least 490 in both Math and Reading & Writing.
• Your family income fits under the cap. The Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) on the federal tax return that claims you as a dependent must be $100,000 or less. According to the FAQ, each additional dependent adds $10,000 to that limit. Your other assets are also reviewed.

A few things the program does not require. You don't have to attend college in your home state. You don't have a 4.0 (the minimum is 3.0). And the first application doesn't ask for essays or recommendation letters. Those come later, if you advance.

The test-score floors are low, but don't read that as low competition. Minimums get you into the pool, and selection is based on character, leadership potential, commitment to service, academic promise, a well-rounded personality, and emotional maturity. Expect the later stages to be about who you are, not your numbers.

What the Daniels Scholarship covers

The money can be used for tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, and miscellaneous educational expenses. How much you get depends on where you enroll:

• Partner schools and programs: the Daniels Fund and the school combine funding to cover up to your full cost of attendance. The list includes 15 Colorado schools (from CU Boulder and Colorado School of Mines to Colorado College and the University of Denver), the University of New Mexico, New Mexico State, the University of Wyoming, Weber State, Southern Utah, the University of Oklahoma, West Texas A&M, Hillsdale College, St. John's College, and the Tocqueville Scholars Program at the University of Tennessee.
• Non-partner school outside the four states: up to $25,000 per year.
• Non-partner school inside the four states: up to $7,500 per year.

That last tier is the quirk that trips people up. Staying in your home region at a school that isn't on the partner list pays less than going out of state. Check the partner list before you finalize where you're applying.

Scholars also get a new MacBook, one-on-one support from the Daniels team through college, leadership and community events, access to fellowship and internship opportunities, and career development resources. The page doesn't mention a cash stipend, a travel allowance, or health insurance, so ask the Daniels Fund directly if any of those matter to you.

How to apply, step by step

1. Check every eligibility line above (about 10 minutes). Do this first. Residency, citizenship or permanent residency, GPA, test scores, and income are all hard filters.
2. Find your family's 2025 federal tax return (Form 1040) and confirm the AGI. It must be the return that lists you as a dependent. If your household is close to the line, count your dependents.
3. Locate your official ACT or SAT score report. You won't need to upload it on day one, but you'll need it quickly if you advance.
4. Register and complete the online application before October 15, 4:00 p.m. MT. The Daniels Fund says the initial application takes about an hour. Do it this week, not on deadline day, and remember the cutoff is Mountain Time.
5. Watch for your status. The FAQ says all applicants hear back in late October.
6. If you're a semi-finalist, submit essays, recommendation letters, and verification documents. That means your Form 1040, qualifying scores, proof of state residency, proof of citizenship or permanent residency, and your FAFSA Submission Summary. Ask your recommenders now, because the semi-finalist phase looks short (see the timeline note in the checklist below).
7. Finalists are interviewed, and scholars are announced in late March. Winners must attend the orientation conference in June.

How competitive is it, and who should skip it

The official page doesn't publish how many scholars are chosen each year or the acceptance rate, so treat any number you see elsewhere with suspicion until you can trace it to the Daniels Fund. Check the "Current Scholars" page on their site for a sense of scale.

Based on the published rules, these are the easiest ways to knock yourself out: living outside the four states, an AGI over the cap, missing a document at the semi-finalist stage, or submitting at 4:05 p.m. on October 15.

This is not for you if:

• You're an international student, or a U.S. citizen or permanent resident who doesn't live in CO, NM, UT, or WY.
• You want funding for a master's or PhD.
• You plan to attend a trade school or certificate program (the scholarship can't be used for those).
• Your family's AGI is well above $100,000 even after the dependent allowance.

FAQ

I'm an international student. Can I apply?
No. The program requires U.S. citizenship or permanent residency plus residency in one of four states.

Can the Daniels Scholarship pay for a master's degree?
No. It's a four-year undergraduate award for bachelor's degrees.

Can I use it at a college outside Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, or Wyoming?
Yes, at any accredited nonprofit college or university in the U.S. Funding is up to $25,000 per year at a non-partner school outside the four states, and more at a partner school.

Can I start at a community college?
Yes, if you plan to finish a bachelor's degree.

How do I know the application is legitimate?
The Daniels Fund is a Denver foundation, and the application is reached through its official scholarship page. The page mentions no application fee. Only use links that start from danielsfund.org.

Official link and what to check next

Apply and read the current rules on the official page: Daniels Scholarship Program

Not eligible? On MastersGrant, look at fully funded master's scholarships for international students, and at undergraduate scholarships that are open to non-U.S. citizens. Those two categories fit your situation much better.