Jefferson Scholarship 2027 at UVA (Fully Funded)
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The Jefferson Scholarship 2027 is a highly selective, fully funded undergraduate award at the University of Virginia, covering tuition, room, board, fees, and personal expenses for four years. Unlike most scholarships, students cannot apply directly — they must be nominated by their high school.
Jefferson Scholarship
INTRODUCTION
Some of the world’s most competitive scholarships aren’t the ones you apply for — they’re the ones you get nominated for. The Jefferson Scholarship at the University of Virginia (UVA) is exactly that kind of award. Established in 1980 by the Jefferson Scholars Foundation, it’s one of the most prestigious merit-based undergraduate scholarships in the United States, and it fully funds four years of study at UVA.
The scholarship is offered through the Jefferson Scholars Foundation, an organization independent from UVA’s own admissions office, built around Thomas Jefferson’s vision of educating future leaders. Each year, thousands of secondary schools around the world — including international schools — are invited to nominate one graduating senior who best represents excellence in leadership, scholarship, and citizenship.
If selected, a Jefferson Scholar receives a package covering tuition, fees, room and board, and personal expenses, plus access to research funding, study abroad support, and a powerful lifelong network. This guide explains exactly how the nomination and selection process works for the 2026–2027 competition, who is eligible, what the scholarship covers, and how international students can be part of it.
Jefferson Scholarship
QUICK OVERVIEW TABLE
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Scholarship Name | Jefferson Scholarship (Jefferson Scholars Foundation) |
| Host Country | United States |
| Host University | University of Virginia (UVA), Charlottesville |
| Degree Level | Undergraduate (Bachelor’s) |
| Funded By | Jefferson Scholars Foundation |
| Scholarship Type | Fully Funded |
| Coverage | Tuition, fees, room, board, and personal expenses for four years |
| Eligible Countries | Open worldwide through nominating schools, including an International-At-Large region |
| Application Deadline | Not a direct application — school nominations due Nov 15 or Dec 1, depending on region, ahead of the 2027 entering class |
| Study Mode | Full-time, on-campus |
| Duration | 4 years |
| IELTS Required | Not required by the Foundation itself; UVA’s own English proficiency requirements for admission apply to international students |
| Application Fee | None |
ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIP
The Jefferson Scholars Foundation was created in 1980 to attract exceptional students to the University of Virginia, an institution founded by Thomas Jefferson himself. The Foundation runs two related undergraduate awards — the Jefferson Scholarship and the Walentas Scholarship, the latter reserved for first-generation college-bound students.
What sets this scholarship apart is its selection model. There is no open application form for students to fill out. Instead, eligible secondary schools — organized into dozens of nominating regions around the world — are each invited to put forward one graduating senior who best embodies leadership, scholarship, and citizenship. From there, nominees go through regional review, interviews, and a final selection round in Charlottesville-adjacent virtual interviews.
The competition is intense: thousands of schools across dozens of regions are eligible to nominate, yet only a small number of students — historically fewer than 40 — are ultimately selected as Jefferson Scholars each year.
Jefferson Scholarship
SCHOLARSHIP BENEFITS
Jefferson Scholars receive a comprehensive award, including:
✔ Full tuition and fees — covered for all four years at UVA
✔ Room and board — on-campus housing and meals covered
✔ Personal expense support — a stipend to help with day-to-day costs
✔ Summer travel and research funding — support for independent research or global experiences
✔ Study abroad opportunities — funding support to study internationally during the degree
✔ Enrichment programming — leadership development activities and seminars throughout the four years
✔ Foundation network access — lifelong connection to Jefferson Scholars, Fellows, alumni, and volunteers
Together, the award is estimated to be worth several hundred thousand dollars across four years, depending on the specific cost of attendance each year.
AVAILABLE PROGRAMS
The Jefferson Scholarship is specifically an undergraduate award and does not fund graduate study. However, the Jefferson Scholars Foundation separately runs:
- Walentas Scholars Program — a parallel undergraduate award for first-generation college-bound students
- Jefferson Fellowships — funded graduate fellowships for select programs, including UVA’s Darden School of Business MBA
- National Fellowship Program — for graduate students in fields like history, political science, law, and policy studies
Undergraduate applicants interested in this article’s scholarship should note that Jefferson Scholars can pursue any major offered at UVA once enrolled — the scholarship itself isn’t tied to a specific field of study.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
To be nominated for the Jefferson Scholarship, a student must:
- Be an enrolled member of the current graduating high school class who has not yet received their diploma
- Be selected by their school as its nominee — students cannot nominate themselves
- Not have been previously nominated for a Jefferson or Walentas Scholarship
- Ultimately apply to and gain admission to UVA, since Foundation selection is separate from UVA’s own admissions process
- Demonstrate strong leadership, academic excellence, and citizenship — the three qualities the Foundation weighs most heavily
For the 2026–2027 selection cycle, standardized test scores (SAT, ACT, AP, or IB) are not considered as part of the review, in line with UVA’s test-optional policy.
International students: International schools can be part of the Foundation’s nominating regions — including a dedicated International-At-Large region — so students studying outside the US are eligible to be nominated, provided their school participates in the program. Prior interest in UVA and financial need are explicitly not factors in who a school chooses to nominate. (Jefferson Scholarship)
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
Since this is a nomination-based process rather than a student-initiated application, most materials are submitted by the school counselor on the nominee’s behalf, alongside materials from the student:
- Nomination form (completed by the school), similar in scope to the Common Application
- Academic transcript
- Counselor recommendation and supporting statement
- Nominee’s own essays or written responses, as requested through the nomination portal
- Additional recommendation letters, as specified by the Foundation
- Proof of eventual admission to UVA (required before a scholarship can be formally awarded)
APPLICATION PROCESS
Because no one can apply for the Jefferson Scholarship directly, the process works like this:
Step 1: Confirm your school is a nominating school Only schools invited by the Jefferson Scholars Foundation can put forward a nominee. Ask your school counselor whether your school participates, or use the Foundation’s school search tool.
Step 2: Express interest to your counselor If your school participates, let your counselor know you’d like to be considered as the school’s nominee for the graduating class.
Step 3: School selects and submits its nominee Each participating school selects one student (per scholarship, where applicable) who best reflects leadership, scholarship, and citizenship.
Step 4: Nomination portal submission The counselor and nominee complete required materials through the Foundation’s online nomination portal by the relevant regional deadline — mid-November for At-Large and International-At-Large regions, and December 1 for all other regions.
Step 5: Regional review and interviews Regional selection committees review transcripts, essays, activities, and recommendations, then invite top nominees to interview.
Step 6: Final selection Finalists proceed to a final round of virtual interviews in late February, after which Jefferson Scholars are announced.
Step 7: Apply to and be admitted by UVA Being named a nominee or even a finalist does not guarantee admission — nominees must separately apply to and be admitted by the University of Virginia for the scholarship to be finalized. (Jefferson Scholarship)
IMPORTANT DATES
| Stage | Timing |
|---|---|
| Nomination Portal Opens | August |
| At-Large & International-At-Large Deadline | November 15 |
| All Other Regions Deadline | December 1 |
| Regional Review & Interviews | Mid-December through January |
| Final Virtual Interviews | Late February |
| Results Announcement | Late February |
IMPORTANT LINKS
- Jefferson Scholars Foundation official site: https://www.jeffersonscholars.org
- Undergraduate Scholarships overview: https://www.jeffersonscholars.org/scholarships
- Selection process details: https://www.jeffersonscholars.org/scholarships/selection
- Program FAQs: https://www.jeffersonscholars.org/scholarships/walentas-faqs
- University of Virginia official site: https://www.virginia.edu
Because this scholarship works entirely through school nomination, there is no separate “apply online” link for students — always start with your school counselor and the Foundation’s official site above.
SELECTION PROCESS
- Nomination — each eligible school selects one senior to nominate
- Portal submission — nominee and counselor materials are submitted online by the regional deadline
- Regional review — committees of alumni and volunteers assess transcripts, essays, and recommendations
- Regional interviews — top nominees are interviewed to identify finalists
- Final selection — finalists compete in a final virtual interview round in late February
- Award and UVA admission confirmation — scholarships are finalized once a Scholar is admitted to UVA
HOW TO INCREASE YOUR CHANCES
- Build a genuine record of leadership and community involvement well before senior year — this matters as much as grades
- Talk to your school counselor early about the nomination process, even before it formally opens
- Prepare strong, authentic essays that reflect who you are, not just what you’ve achieved
- Request recommendation letters from people who know your character and initiative, not just your academic performance
- If offered an interview, focus on being genuine — the committee wants to understand you as a person, not a rehearsed candidate
- Apply to UVA seriously and on time, since scholarship finalization depends on admission (Jefferson Scholarship)
COMMON MISTAKES TO AVOID
- Assuming you can apply directly — you cannot; only your school can nominate you
- Missing your school’s internal deadline for expressing interest to your counselor
- Submitting incomplete nomination portal materials
- Treating interviews as a formality rather than preparing thoughtfully
- Forgetting that being nominated is not the same as being admitted to UVA — a separate UVA application is required
- Being nominated by a previous cycle and assuming you’re ineligible again without checking (only prior Jefferson/Walentas nominees are excluded, not general prior applicants to UVA)
LIVING IN CHARLOTTESVILLE / AT UVA
- Cost of living: Moderate compared to major US cities, though largely irrelevant to Scholars since room and board are covered
- Accommodation: On-campus housing provided as part of the scholarship package
- Food: Meal plans covered through the scholarship
- Transport: Charlottesville is walkable, with a free trolley connecting central grounds to downtown
- Weather: Four distinct seasons, with hot summers and cold-but-mild winters
- Student life: UVA has a large, active student body with strong traditions, clubs, and Greek life
- Safety: Charlottesville is generally considered a safe college town
VISA INFORMATION
- International students admitted to UVA need an F-1 student visa
- UVA’s international student office issues the necessary Form I-20 once admission is confirmed
- Required documents typically include a valid passport, proof of admission, and financial documentation (though a full scholarship can help satisfy funding requirements)
- Processing time varies by country, so international students should apply for their visa as early as possible after admission
- Scholars are generally permitted limited on-campus work under standard F-1 visa rules
WHY STUDY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
- Consistently ranked among the top public universities in the United States
- Founded by Thomas Jefferson, with a strong tradition of academic freedom and student self-governance
- Broad range of undergraduate majors and research opportunities
- Strong alumni network across business, law, government, and academia
- A close-knit, historic campus (“Grounds”) in Charlottesville, Virginia
IMPORTANT FAQs
1. Is the Jefferson Scholarship fully funded? Yes, it covers tuition, fees, room, board, and personal expenses for four years at UVA.
2. Who can apply for the Jefferson Scholarship? No one applies directly — students must be nominated by their high school as the school’s chosen candidate.
3. Can international students be nominated? Yes, through participating international schools, including a dedicated International-At-Large nominating region.
4. Can European students apply? European students at participating nominating schools can be considered through their school’s nomination.
5. Can African students apply? Yes, if their school is part of a participating nominating region.
6. Can Asian students apply? Yes, subject to their school being an eligible nominating school.
7. Can Pakistani students apply? Yes, if their school participates in the Foundation’s nominating regions.
8. Can Indian students apply? Yes, under the same school-nomination requirement.
9. Is IELTS mandatory? The Foundation itself doesn’t require IELTS, but international students must still meet UVA’s standard English proficiency requirements for admission.
10. Is there an application fee? No, there’s no fee for the nomination or scholarship process.
11. Can I nominate myself? No — nominations must come from your school, not from the student directly.
12. What GPA is required? There’s no fixed minimum GPA published; strong academic performance is expected, but leadership and citizenship carry equal weight.
13. Are SAT/ACT scores required? No — for the 2026–2027 selection cycle, standardized test scores are not considered, in line with UVA’s test-optional policy.
14. How many students are selected each year? Historically fewer than 40 students are selected annually out of thousands of nominees, making it extremely competitive.
15. Can I apply for both the Jefferson and Walentas Scholarships? Eligibility depends on your school’s nominating region and whether your circumstances meet the specific criteria (the Walentas award is reserved for first-generation college-bound students).
16. What happens after I’m nominated? Your materials go through regional review, and top nominees are invited to interview, with finalists proceeding to a final virtual interview round.
17. Does being nominated guarantee admission to UVA? No — nominees and even scholarship recipients must separately apply to and be admitted by UVA.
18. Can I be nominated more than once? No — students who have previously been nominated for a Jefferson or Walentas Scholarship are not eligible to be nominated again.
19. How competitive is this scholarship? Extremely competitive — thousands of nominees compete for a very small number of awards each cycle.
20. How will I know if I’ve been selected? All communication comes directly from the Jefferson Scholars Foundation via email throughout the nomination, interview, and final selection stages.
FINAL SUMMARY
The Jefferson Scholarship is not a scholarship you can simply apply for — it’s one your school has to believe you deserve enough to nominate you for. But for the small number of students who make it through nomination, regional review, and final interviews, the reward is a fully funded four years at one of America’s most respected public universities, plus a lifetime of enrichment opportunities and a powerful alumni network.
If you’re a graduating senior — anywhere in the world — talk to your school counselor now about whether your school is part of the Foundation’s nominating network, and start building the kind of record in leadership, scholarship, and citizenship the Foundation is looking for. (Jefferson Scholarship)