Daniels Scholarship

The Daniels Scholarship Program helps make college possible for motivated and ambitious students.

We’re looking for students with great potential, strong character, big dreams, and values that align with the man behind it all, Bill Daniels. Daniels Scholars® are America’s next generation of leaders, persevering through life’s challenges and committed to making a difference in the world around them. They are independent and entrepreneurial thinkers who are proud of their country and their communities and work hard to improve them.

Sound like you? Then apply September 15 October 17 at the link below to join an incredible community of over 5,000 Daniels Scholars and alumni across the country.

What are the selection criteria for the Daniels Scholarship Program?

Bill Daniels was a cable television pioneer known for his compassion for those in need and his unwavering commitment to ethics and integrity. Bill loved America dearly. He fought in two wars to defend our country and the freedoms we enjoy today. Bill Daniels was also passionate about the free enterprise system, which he believed provided the best opportunity to help people improve their lives.

Daniels Scholars are selected because they embody the criteria Bill Daniels defined for the program:

• Strength of character
• Leadership potential
• Commitment to serving their communities
• Academic performance or promise
• Well-rounded personality
• Emotional maturity and stability

Bill Daniels would also want his scholars to uphold the values that meant so much to him. Those values include ethics and integrity, honesty, respect for people, loyalty and reliability, entrepreneurial spirit, patriotism and dedication to community, commitment to excellence, and etiquette.

There are a number of specific requirements to be eligible for the Daniels Scholarship Program. Please read the Eligibility section below for full details.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the Daniels Scholarship Program, students must meet the following requirements at the time of application:

• Be a graduating high school senior
• Be a resident of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, or Wyoming
• Be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States
• Earn a minimum Grade Point Average of 3.0 in high school (on an unweighted 4.0 scale)
• Earn a minimum SAT Math score of 490 and a minimum Evidence-Based Reading & Writing score of 490, or a minimum ACT score of 18 in each category (writing score not required).
• Meet financial eligibility requirements as described below.

Financial Eligibility Details

In order to be eligible for the Daniels Scholarship Program, applicants must demonstrate financial need through Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of $100,000 or less on the 2024 federal tax return on which the applicant is claimed as a dependent and review of other assets. If there are additional dependents, beyond the applicant, claimed on the 2024 tax return, we allow for $10,000 of additional income for each additional dependent.

On the 2024 Form 1040, the AGI is listed on Line 11, and dependents claimed can be found in the Dependents section, as indicated in the sample form below:

During the process, applicants will submit documents verifying eligibility including their parent(s) or legal guardian(s) 2024 federal tax return, ACT/SAT scores, citizenship and residency documentation, proof of college enrollment for additional claimed dependent(s) and their FAFSA Submission Summary. We recommend that all students complete the FAFSA as soon as possible after it opens for the 2025-2026 year.