The ECE scholarship application opens on November 1, 2025, and closes on February 15, 2026, at 11:59pm Central Time. Candidates who are invited to the interview round will be interviewed in March 2026. Final scholarship decisions will be communicated no later than April 15, 2026.
No. The application will close on February 15, 2026, at 5:00pm Central Time. No new applications can be started after the deadline. All application materials must be submitted on time in order to be considered.
ECE aims to award about 40-60 scholarships each year, though the total number of scholarships changes annually depending on various factors.
Scholars are awarded $25,000 paid directly to universities at a semesterly rate of $3,125 over eight semesters. Partner universities may provide additional financial aid. Those selected for the ECE scholarship should plan to contribute a minimum of $2,000/semester toward their tuition costs, plus additional fees associated with attending college.
Applicants submit a written application online. A committee of ECE representatives reviews the applications and selects top applicants to invite to an in-person interview. Interviews are conducted with ECE staff and partner university representatives. After the interviews, finalists are selected and asked to choose their top-choice college. ECE representatives then make the final selection of scholarship recipients. Winners are notified by April 15, 2026.
The ECE scholarship is only available to support undergraduate students. There is no age requirement.
Yes, as long as you meet all scholarship requirements, you are able to apply. Though ECE prefers to fund entering first-year students, upper-year students are still welcome to apply.
Please review the University Partners page for the updated list of universities for the 2025-2026 application cycle.
ECE scholarships are only available at our official partner universities. If you are not planning to attend an official ECE partner university, you are encouraged to seek other scholarship funding.
No, our scholarship is only for students who have graduated from or will soon graduate from a high school in Tennessee. If you do not meet that requirement, you are encouraged to seek other scholarship funding.
You will be required to submit the following information for your ECE scholarship application:
• Basic demographic information
• Financial information
• Headshot (photo)
• Academic information and awards, plus extracurricular activities
• Proof of application to one or more ECE partner universities
• Introductory video 1-3 minutes in length
• Two essays, each ranging 500-650 words in length
• Contact information for a school official who can provide your official high school transcript
• Contact information for an individual who can provide an academic letter of recommendation
• Contact information for an individual who can provide a personal letter of recommendation
A headshot is a photo that clearly shows your face. This does not need to be a formal studio photograph, but it should be clear and give an impression of professionalism. The application form shows examples of acceptable and unacceptable headshots.
You will be asked general financial questions, such as your household’s estimated annual income, how many people are in your household, and tax-related information. You will not be asked to submit a copy of your tax return. You will also be asked to describe your financial situation in one of the required essays.
Your introductory video can be filmed by whatever means that you have access to, such as a cell phone or laptop. Your video will be judged on content, not on production value. Still, your video should be well-prepared and give a professional impression, even if it is simple in its production.
- Essay #1: What are your long-term career goals, and how do you plan to achieve them? Describe the steps you are currently taking or plan to take in college to prepare for your desired career. How will this scholarship help you reach those goals?
- Essay #2: Please describe your financial situation and explain how receiving this scholarship would impact your education. Be specific about any challenges you or your family face in financing your college education, including any special circumstances you would like the scholarship committee to consider.
This will be a staff member at your school, most likely a guidance counselor or academic success coach. Please contact a representative at your school to find out who the correct person is and to obtain their contact information. It is recommended that you identify this person well in advance of the scholarship application deadline to ensure that all materials are submitted on time.
You will not need to provide the letters as part of the ECE application; you will need to provide the writers’ contact information, and they will submit the letters on your behalf. It is recommended that you solidify who will write your letters of recommendation and obtain their contact information well in advance of the scholarship application deadline to ensure that all materials are submitted on time.
The academic letter of recommendation should be written by an adult who can speak to your academic skills and accomplishments. This is most likely a teacher, principal, guidance counselor, or other school official. This letter should not be written by a peer or family member.
The personal letter of recommendation should be written by an adult who can speak to your character and/or leadership abilities. This may be a coach, supervisor, religious leader, mentor, or other trusted adult in your life. This letter should not be written by a peer or family member.
You can view the application questions in a language other than English by clicking the globe icon in the top right corner on the application platform. However, all application materials, including the introductory video and essays, must be prepared and submitted in English.
No, only a portion of the initial applicants are invited to an in-person interview. Those selected for an interview will be notified via email in late February 2026.
ECE interviews will take place in March 2026 in Memphis, Nashville, Chattanooga, and Knoxville. Specific dates and locations will be communicated to invited applicants via email in late February or early March 2026.
Please contact ECE’s Program Director Betsy Martinez at betsy@ecetn.org with further questions.