Morehead-Cain Scholarship

Scholarship Value: $80,000

Awards Available: 60

Award Deadline: Oct 1, 2025


We’re looking for leaders with the ability to influence, energize, and inspire others to make an impact. Who do you aspire to be? Are you ready to add your mark to the Morehead-Cain legacy?

Are you the next Morehead-Cain?

Morehead-Cains are members of a special group one that well understands the dedication that excellence demands. They have demonstrated a desire to use their gifts and abilities to the fullest. Success has been a natural outcome of hard work; failure has been a call to lead and to create new strategies.

But being a Morehead-Cain means much more than mere achievement. They share a set of characteristics that inspire growth from without and from within.

Selection Criteria

We seek students who embody our four pillars: leadership, character, scholarship, and physical vigor. But what do those words actually mean, and how do you know the Morehead-Cain is a right fit for you?

Leadership: You initiate. You get things done.

You influence, energize, and inspire others to work together to make an impact. It’s more than titles held or roles played. For you, leadership is about courage and action.

Character: Courage, humility, and integrity.

Courage, humility, integrity, maturity, perseverance, self-awareness, generosity, and empathy—these are the core values of the Morehead-Cain community. You embrace the fact that you are growing and learning.

Scholarship: You live for opportunities to learn.

You thrive in an academically rigorous environment, yet are able to contribute to your community in other ways. You’re ready to take full advantage of UNC’s academic excellence.

Physical Vigor: You have demonstrated a sustained commitment to fitness and wellness.

You value what is gained collaboration, sportsmanship, discipline, stamina, and persistence—by preparing for and engaging in competitions and performances.

A Morehead-Cain is:

Bright: Energized by ideas, thoughtful, inquisitive, not defined by grades and test scores.

Collaborative: Thrives on a team, supportive, generous, values humanity, listens, and compromises.

Self-Aware: Conscious of personal strengths and limitations, open to criticism, accountable.

Brave: Persistent in the face of adversity, an adventurer, embraces stretch experience.

Purposeful: Leads with conviction and integrity, translates plan into action, follows through.

Empathetic: Connected to others, cares about the world, shows compassion and gratitude.

Optimistic: Positive and upbeat, has a sense of humor, resilient.

Original: Intrinsically motivated, authentic, seek creative solutions, an entrepreneurial spirit.

Deadlines & Important Dates

The application to join the Morehead-Cain Class of 2030 will open on August 15, 2025. Check back on this page for updated deadlines and important dates.

October 1: All application materials due

Mid-December: Semifinalist notification to all students

Mid-December: Video interviews for semifinalists

Mid-January 2026: Finalist notification to students

January February 2026: Finalist and Alumni Connection Experience (FACE)

March 2026: Morehead-Cain Final Selection Experience

April 2026: Deadline for recipients to accept the Morehead-Cain Scholarship

How to Apply:

No Essay Scholarship by Sallie

Deadline: Jul 31, 2025
$2,000
The $2,000 No Essay Scholarship by Sallie is only open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and any US Territory age 17 or older at the time of entry, and who meet one (1) of the four (4) following eligibility requirements at the time of entry:A parent who currently has a child enrolled in...

ScholarshipOwl Scholarship

Deadline: Aug 01, 2025
$2,025
ScholarshipOwl is your source of relief from the dreaded application process. We put students on the fast-track to success by providing direct access to the scholarships they need the most. Take the hassle out of financial aid and maximize your chance at a free ride in college. No matter how much funding you need for school, we have the opportunities...

Niche $10,000 Scholarship

Deadline: Jul 31, 2025
$10,000
Niche can help with every step of the college search including paying for it. We're giving one student $10,000 to help cover tuition, housing, books and other college expenses — no essay required!High school seniors who apply can also be eligible to receive acceptance (and scholarship!) offers from our Niche Direct Admissions partner colleges.Apply for our $25,000 No Essay Scholarship...

Be Bold Scholarship

Deadline: Aug 01, 2025
$25,000
The "Be Bold" Scholarship is a no-essay scholarship that will be awarded to the applicant with the boldest profile. It takes less than 2 minutes to apply.To us, boldest does not mean "best", or "most accomplished". Being bold means being:EarnestDeterminedMovingThe scholarship will be awarded to the student whose profile is most bold, according to these characteristics.Furthermore, the scholarship will be...

$10,000
The Scholarships360 $10,000 “No Essay” Scholarship is open to all students who want some extra help paying for their education. Whether you are a high school student who hopes to go to college, a graduate student who’s in a master’s program, or an adult learner who wants to return to school, you are eligible for our no essay scholarship.This scholarship...

A Better Financial Future Scholarship

Deadline: Jul 31, 2025
$2,000
The Scholarship is open to all residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, age 17 or older at the time of entry. Employees and contractors of LeverEdge Association are ineligible to participate in the Scholarship Program. All federal, state and local laws and regulations apply.SelectionOne (1) entry will be selected at random at the end of the...

The Future is Now Scholarship

Deadline: Jul 31, 2025
$1,001
The Lenny Scholarship offers $1,001 US to support young individuals aged 16 and above, enrolled in college and residing in the US or India. Automatic disqualification may occur for multiple applications.EligibilityYou must be a resident of the US or IndiaYou must be 16 years of age or olderYou must be enrolled in a college

Appily Easy Money Scholarship

Deadline: Jul 31, 2025
$1,000
The Appily scholarship application is fast and easy.Scholarship Eligibility: This scholarship is open to high school sophomores, juniors, and first semester senior students for all majors and schools. We will judge this scholarship based on other criteria such as volunteer work, extracurricular activities, special circumstances, etc.About the sponsors of the scholarship (EAB and Appily):EAB is the market leader in helping colleges...

10 Words or Less Scholarship

Deadline: Nov 15, 2025
$1,000
Scholarship Eligibility:A) Anyone who is between the ages of 14-25 who will be attending school in the Fall of 2026.B) This scholarship is provided by StudentScholarships.org. In order to apply for our scholarship follow these instructions:1. Go to www.facebook.com/myscholarships and place a comment on any post you see answering the question:In 10 words or less, tell us why you deserve...

VSA Emerging Young Artists Program

Deadline: Jul 27, 2025
$3,000
Our programs for artists with disabilities shape the future of the arts. The Access/VSA Emerging Young Artists Program, a Jean Kennedy Smith Arts and Disability Program, amplifies the voices of emerging visual artists through career development and professional empowerment.This national juried exhibition seeks artwork that demonstrates the excellence and important perspectives of artists with disabilities, ages 16-25, residing in the...