Who is eligible to apply to the Cameron Impact Scholarship?

We are currently accepting applications from the high school graduating Class of 2025. US Citizens who have a cumulative, unweighted GPA of a 3.7 or higher are eligible to apply. The Foundation is specifically looking for candidates who have displayed strong evidence of leadership, involvement in extracurriculars and community service, and who want to make a positive impact on the world around them.

What is the application deadline?

APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN FOR THE CLASS OF 2025 

*** WE ARE LIMITED TO ACCEPTING A TOTAL OF 3,000 COMPLETE AND ELIGIBLE APPLICATIONS

EARLY APPLICATION DEADLINE:  WEDNESDAY, MAY 22, 2024 - 12:00PM / NOON PT

REGULAR APPLICATION DEADLINE: WHEN WE REACH 3,000 ELIGIBLE APPLICATIONS OR THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 5, 2024 - 12:00PM / NOON PT - WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST.

***** We are only able to accept and review a total of 3,000 complete and eligible applications - please note that we typically reach capacity prior to the final deadline and we STRONGLY ENCOURAGE applicants to submit well before the September deadline.

What is the difference between the Early and Regular Application deadlines?

We review all eligible Applicants fully and fairly, regardless of when they apply. However, there are some benefits to applying early.

• We limit the number of Applications we will review to 3,000. We guarantee any eligible Early Applications will be reviewed, however, if we exceed our limit of 3,000 applications prior to the Regular Deadline, we cannot guarantee a submission will be reviewed. We will make a note on our website and on our social media platforms if we are approaching this limit, to notify prospective Applicants;
• Early Applicants will find out if they have received a Finalist Interview in July, rather than in the Fall - which is the case for the Regular Applicants;
• We award 75-100 Finalist Interviews each year. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and reviewed in two pools - early and regular.  The Interview slots filled in the Early Application Round determine the number of Interview slots that we have available for Regular Round Applicants; and
• Statistically the odds of receiving a finalist interview are typically higher in the Early Pool than the Regular Pool.

What does the Cameron Impact Scholarship cover?

The Cameron Impact Scholarship is intended to cover the full tuition and ‘qualified educational expenses’ (as defined by the Internal Revenue Service) at the recipient’s chosen collegiate institution. ‘Educational expenses’ vary amongst higher institutions, but the Scholarship is intended to cover tuition, fees, and books. The Cameron Impact Scholarship does not cover Room and Board.

How many scholarships are awarded each year?

10-15 Cameron Impact Scholarships are awarded each year.

Will I be notified of my status even if I am not selected for an interview?

The Foundation notifies all Applicants of their status, regardless if they receive a Finalist Interview or not. We notify Early Applicants by July 30th, and Regular Applicants are notified by October 31st. Sometimes, correspondence may end up in SPAM. You are welcome to contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to inquire about the status of your Application.

What if I am planning to do a gap year between high school and college?

Applicants who wish to take a Gap Year are welcome to apply to the Cameron Impact Scholarship. We do, however, request that you apply with the graduating high school class that you would be attending your first year of college with. So if you were to take a gap year, apply by May or September of your Gap Year. We also find that it is additive to the Application if you describe what you have done with your Gap Year.

May I submit my transcript or recommendations after the deadline?

Our deadlines are hard ones, and any incomplete Applications will NOT be reviewed. We do not accept any late Transcripts or Recommendations. If any information is missing for the Early Application Deadline - your submission will automatically roll to the Regular Applicant Pool.

Is the scholarship need-based?

The Cameron Impact Scholarship is a merit-based scholarship. It is open to all applicants who meet the GPA and citizenship requirements, regardless of race, socioeconomic status, religion, sexual orientation or any other background factors.  Integrity, intelligence, motivation, work ethic, and willingness to serve others are the strongest indicators of a worthy educational investment.  We will never ask you any personal or familial financial information. Financial need is not taken into consideration in our evaluation process.

If I am not awarded the Cameron Impact Scholarship, are there other merit-based programs that I should explore?

There are! While we are honored to award a significant number of merit-based scholarships each year, we recognize that there are many deserving candidates out there whom we are not able recognize through our program alone.

While we do not claim to have an exhaustive list of all merit-based opportunities, we are making an effort to familiarize ourselves with other programs that are worth pursuing. Please see the “Other Resources” page on our site.

Can I save my application and come back to edit it later?

NO. Unfortunately, our system does not allow you to save an application and return to edit it at a later time. In an effort to prevent loss of information, we always recommend that you save responses in Word or a similar program until you are ready to submit your Application.

My school does not use a 4.0 scale – how do I calculate my GPA?

The Cameron Impact Scholarship requires a minimum unweighted GPA of a 3.7 or higher. If your school does not calculate on a 4.0 scale - you may convert your GPA according to the following scale:

Are there word limits to the essay prompts?

YES. All word limits are clearly noted in the Application. The Selection Committee will not review a response beyond the allowable word limits.

Do I need an official copy of my Transcript? What if I have more than one?

NO. An unofficial Transcript will suffice.  If you have multiple transcripts from multiple schools - you may e-mail any additional ones to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  since our system will only have space to upload one.

Who should I ask to write my Recommendations?

We require two (2) Recommendations:

• One must be from a school affiliated personnel (teacher, administrator, counselor, coach, etc), and
• One must be from someone who has made a significant impact on your life. (This may be a school affiliated personnel if they fit under the 'impactful' umbrella for you. Please do not include a recommendation from a parent or legal guardian).

May I submit more than two Recommendations?

NO. If we receive more than two recommendations, we will only review the first two in the order that they are received.

Can my Recommendation writers submit the Recommendations directly to the Foundation?

YES. Recommendations may be e-mailed to us directly at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . These need to be received prior to the deadline to be included in the Applicant's file.

I forgot to submit my Transcript and/or Recommendations with my Application. What should I do now?

If you did not include your Transcript and/or Recommendations in your Application - you may have them sent to us via e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . These MUST be received by the deadline or your submission will not be considered complete or eligible for review. We do not offer any extensions.

I am receiving an error message when I try to submit my application. What do I do?

If you receive any error messages- please make sure you have all of your information saved in Word or a similar program to prevent loss of data. Error messages are most commonly due to an embedded cookies issue on your web browser. The easiest solution is to try an alternative browser altogether (if you were using Safari, try Chrome, etc). Another solution would be to disable cookies and clear your history.

This is a very common issue for applicants who are using school computers.

If you continue to experience issues, please notify us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it so we may better assist you. Please note that we do receive a high volume of calls and e-mail as we approach the application deadlines. We respond to queries in the order we receive them.

***IMPORTANT: Applicants are strongly advised to submit their application well in advance of the final deadline. The Foundation assumes no responsibility for an applicant’s technical submission issues encountered on the final due date.

I have an update I would like to share with the Foundation – may I update my application?

Our system does not allow you to edit or update an Application once it has been submitted. If you have updates or information that you feel will be additive to your submission, you are welcome to e-mail us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . If your submission is still under review, we will make a note in your file.

Did my Application go through?

Our system does not allow you to view an Application once it has been submitted. You are welcome to verify with our admin at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

My reference was unable to provide a Recommendation by the Deadline- what should I do?

We do not offer any extensions. Please remember to give your References plenty of time to complete a Recommendation.