WELCOME! Thank you for visiting. Please read this section carefully.

GAINES-JONES SCHOLARS 2024-25 APPLICATION ROUND IS OPEN from February 1 ~ April 20, 2024. 
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ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

You must be an African-American high school senior bound for a 2-or 4-year college, technical or trade school and residing in one of these  Southwest Georgia or San Francisco Bay Area counties:

SOUTHWEST GEORGIA:
Baker • Calhoun • Colquitt • Decatur • Dougherty • Early • Grady • Lee  • Miller • Mitchell • Seminole • Terrell • Thomas • Worth

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA:
Contra Costa • Marin  • Napa • San Francisco • San Mateo  • Santa Clara  • Solano  • Sonoma

—OR—YOU MAY BE:
• A prior Gaines-Jones Scholar currently enrolled in undergraduate, graduate, technical, trade, or medical school/residency. 

Please NOTE: OUR SCHOLARSHIPS DO NOT AUTOMATICALLY RENEW. But you can reapply as long as you are enrolled—even if you have taken time off. 
ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED:

  • Scholarship amount range from $500 – $2,000 per recipient for the academic school year
  • Scholarships are need-based and awarded at the discretion of the Gaines-Jones Board of Directors
  • Gaines-Jones Scholarships do not automatically renew (Gaines-Jones Scholars must re-apply each year)
  • Funds are sent directly to the financial aid office of chosen college or university in June

“It pays to write a strong, original essay.”

-- Brandon Lewis
Gaines-Jones Scholar since 2016
Georgia Southern University, B.S. Mathematics  | Class of 2020
Georgia Southern University, Master of Arts in Teaching | Class of 2024
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Last minute cramming is detrimental. It pays to invest the time needed for this process. A strong essay requires more than one draft, and having someone proofread for you is crucial.
SELECTION CRITERIA:
The Gaines-Jones Selection Committee evaluates applications based on:
  • Clearly demonstrated need for financial aid
  • Upward trend in grades and course load
  • Strong, original personal essay, short answer, and reference letters
  • Extracurricular activity and community service
  • A fully-completed Gaines-Jones application packet POSTMARKED* by deadline.
          NOTE: * this means you only have to get your packet to the post office—first class mail is fine—before midnight on April 20th. No                                      need for overnight shipping costs.

Don’t stop here!

💰There are thousands and thousands of scholarships out there. Treat your search for funding like a part-time job; the pay-off could be much greater! EXPLORE our resources page to find many other scholarship opportunities that match your profile & needs—whatever they may be.

​Click Button Below for Help Writing Winning Essays:

​How to Find More Scholarships
Gaines-Jones Scholar Fanta Jamissa, a rising junior at UC Berkeley,
​created a PowerPoint to share her methods for finding scholarships and doing college DEBT-FREE.
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