What is the Oprah Winfrey scholarship?

The Oprah Winfrey Leaders Scholarship (OWLS) program supports academically gifted students who demonstrate leadership in their communities. The scholarship awards students with educational support to become future leaders. Beyond providing scholarship assistance, OWLS creates a network between the students and offers unique access to speakers and thought leaders in various fields. This network is designed to offer insight, inspiration, and mentor support to encourage the OWLS throughout their academic journeys and beyond. Scholarships are funded by the Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation, in collaboration with the Herrendorf Family Foundation.

The Oprah Winfrey Endowed Scholars Program provides financial support, leadership development experiences, and service opportunities for students with demonstrated financial needs, strong academic potential, and an interest in and commitment to community service. The program seeks to develop community and global leaders through leadership development and service experiences during the academic year and provides an opportunity to travel to South Africa during the summer to engage in service and leadership experiences.

Requirement for Oprah Winfrey Scholarship

The Oprah Winfrey Endowed Scholarship Program is for students who demonstrate both academic merit, commitment to service, and financial need. To be eligible for selection as an Oprah Winfrey Scholar, students must have:

A minimum High School GPA of 3.2 or 3.0 Morehouse College GPA
A combined SAT of 1200 or ACT of 26
A demonstrated commitment to service, and
An EFC (expected family contribution) of $5,000 or less.
The specific service requirements of program participation will change each year with an expectation that, during their matriculation at Morehouse College, students will serve as mentors for middle and high school students, serve as implementers of a leadership program at a local middle and high school, and participate in other service activities with Oprah Scholars. Additionally, scholars must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and complete 15 credit hours each semester. Fulfilling program participation requirements is necessary to maintain the scholarship.

How to Apply for Oprah Winfrey Scholarship

Each spring the Oprah Winfrey Scholars Program Office solicits applications from eligible incoming freshmen and students who meet the eligibility criteria. New scholars are selected by May of each year to begin participation in the fall.

START WITH THE FAFSA
SCHOOL CODE 001582
To apply for grants, loans, work-study, and scholarships at Morehouse, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

The FAFSA is used to determine your eligibility for federal, state, and Morehouse aid programs. Even if you think you may not be eligible, we encourage you to apply and file your FAFSA online as soon as possible to avoid errors and to ensure faster processing.