The Hagan Scholarship 2027–28 is a need-based and merit-based award for high-achieving U.S. high school seniors who plan to attend an eligible four-year college or university. The undergraduate scholarship is worth up to $60,000 over 8 consecutive semesters, and the Hagan Scholarship Foundation can award up to 1,500 scholarships for the 2027–28 academic year.
Many students face 2 connected problems when they prepare for college: strong academic performance does not remove the cost of tuition, and family income can be too high for some need-based programs but too low to cover the full cost of attendance. The Hagan Scholarship addresses this gap by combining academic achievement, financial need, paid work, financial-aid responsibility, and long-term student development. Research on grant aid also examines how financial support affects persistence and degree attainment, which shows why a scholarship can support more than initial enrollment.
This guide explains the Hagan Scholarship 2027–28 using official Hagan Scholarship Foundation information and research-based context. It helps applicants solve the main application problems: checking the correct graduating class, meeting the 3.50 unweighted GPA rule, calculating the household-income limit, completing the required work hours, selecting an eligible college, preparing recommendation and transcript documents, and choosing the correct application window. The official Foundation rules control if any detail changes.
Scholarship Summary
The Hagan Scholarship is designed for goal-driven students who demonstrate academic ability and substantial financial need. The award supports a traditional four-year college path in the United States. Applicants can apply during either the Fall 2026 or Spring 2027 application window for the 2027–28 academic year, but each student can apply one time only.
| Field | Details |
| Scholarship name | Hagan Scholarship 2027–28 |
| Level of study | Undergraduate study; a separate graduate award may be available later under Hagan rules |
| Location | United States |
| Institution(s) | Eligible traditional four-year or higher not-for-profit U.S. colleges and universities |
| Program period | Up to 8 consecutive undergraduate semesters |
| Courses offered | Undergraduate degree programs at eligible institutions |
| Maximum undergraduate award | Up to $60,000 over 8 consecutive semesters |
| Additional first-year benefit | $2,000 for essential college items |
| Potential study-abroad benefit | Up to $8,000 during the third year under program rules |
| Application availability | September 1, 2026, for Fall applications; January 15, 2027, for Spring applications |
| Application deadlines | December 1, 2026, for Fall applications; March 15, 2027, for Spring applications |
| GPA requirement | At least 3.50 unweighted cumulative GPA |
| Income requirement | Parents’ adjusted gross household income for 2025 federal tax purposes must not exceed $125,000 |
| Application fee | None |
The Hagan Scholarship cannot be used at a community college, junior college, or online institution under the current 2027–28 application rules. The student must enroll in an eligible four-year college or university during the first fall semester after high school graduation and maintain a four-year graduation schedule, or the equivalent schedule for a professional program.
Students comparing support for international students can read the MPOWER Global Citizen Scholarship guide. MPOWER has different citizenship, visa, school, and essay rules, so applicants should treat it as a separate scholarship rather than combine its requirements with the Hagan Scholarship.
Scholarship Coverage
The Hagan Scholarship provides up to $60,000 over 8 consecutive undergraduate semesters. The award is not only a tuition payment. The Foundation also describes additional benefits that can support essential college purchases, study abroad, financial-management experience, and the transition after graduation. The exact semester disbursement depends on the recipient’s circumstances, other grants, and continued compliance with Hagan responsibilities.
During the first year, the recipient receives $2,000 to purchase essential items for college. During the second year, the Foundation provides a $10,000 HSF Schwab Account to manage. During the third year, the account benefit is $15,000, and the recipient may receive up to $8,000 for study or travel abroad. During the fourth year, the account benefit is $20,000. After graduation, the recipient receives gains from the managed account up to $10,000 under the program’s published description.
The scholarship also includes free workshops that teach practical life skills. These workshops can cover areas that students may not learn in a regular classroom, such as money management, planning, career preparation, and responsibility management. Hagan recipients must remain current with scholarship responsibilities because the Foundation states that failure to comply can lead to loss of the scholarship and gains in the HSF Schwab Account.
Students looking for graduate funding can review the master’s scholarships resource. A Hagan undergraduate recipient may later apply for a separate Hagan Graduate Scholarship, but the graduate award is not automatic and is not part of the initial undergraduate application.
The Q&A page lists a separate graduate scholarship worth up to $30,000 over 4 consecutive semesters. To receive graduate funding, a recipient must apply for and receive the separate Hagan Graduate Scholarship during the last undergraduate semester or after completing the required equivalent undergraduate credits in a professional program.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must meet all Hagan eligibility requirements because the Foundation states that there are no exceptions to the scholarship criteria. The central conditions include attendance at a U.S. high school, membership in the 2027 graduating class, a 3.50 unweighted GPA, enrollment in an eligible four-year college, a 2025 household-income limit, 240 hours of paid work, financial-aid applications, and compliance with documentation requirements.
High school and graduating-class requirement
The applicant must attend a public, private, charter, magnet, or STEM high school located in the United States. The applicant must be in the high school graduating class eligible for the 2027–28 award. The current application page states that students of all nationalities and citizenships can apply if they satisfy the other requirements. The Foundation also requires applicants to be fluent in English.
Academic requirement
The applicant must have an unweighted cumulative GPA of at least 3.50. The requirement applies to the current high school transcript. Applicants should submit the transcript requested by the Foundation and should not convert a weighted GPA into an unweighted GPA without guidance from their school or the scholarship office.
College enrollment requirement
The recipient must enroll in an eligible four-year college or university during the first fall semester after high school graduation. The institution must be a traditional four-year or higher not-for-profit college or university located in the United States and meet the Foundation’s accreditation requirements. Community colleges, junior colleges, and online institutions are not eligible for the initial Hagan Scholarship.
The student must maintain a four-year graduation schedule, or complete the equivalent of a four-year degree when enrolled in a professional program. Applicants should review the list of eligible institutions before selecting a college because a college’s general accreditation or reputation does not automatically establish Hagan eligibility.
Household-income requirement
Parents’ adjusted gross household income reported for 2025 federal income tax purposes must not exceed $125,000. The Hagan Foundation defines household income as income received by household members living under the same roof, excluding applicant or recipient income according to its published Q&A. Families should use the current application instructions when preparing financial information.
Work requirement
The applicant must work 240 hours from January 1, 2027, through September 1, 2027 to qualify for a fall-semester disbursement. The work must be regularly scheduled, non-family employment performed under supervision for compensation. The work can be full-time, part-time, or a combination of both. Work-study can satisfy the requirement when it meets the Foundation’s conditions for scheduled, supervised, paid work.
Financial-aid and documentation requirements
U.S. citizens selected as finalists must provide the first 2 pages of their FAFSA Submission Summary showing the Student Aid Index. Non-U.S. citizens selected as finalists must provide proof of non-U.S. citizenship, such as a foreign passport or Green Card, according to the current application page. Applicants must apply for federal and state grants when eligible.
Applicants must provide a current high school transcript and an unsealed letter of recommendation. The application must include all required information at submission because the Foundation states that applicants cannot add extra information after submitting the Scholarship Application.
Character requirement
The current eligibility page states that an applicant must not have a felony conviction. Applicants should answer every character and financial-aid question accurately. The Foundation makes final decisions and states that decisions are not subject to appeal.
Students interested in studying abroad can explore the fully funded master’s scholarships in Italy guide. Italy-based scholarships have different residence, degree, income, and application rules, while the Hagan Scholarship requires enrollment at an eligible U.S. four-year institution.
Application Process
The Hagan Scholarship application is completed one time only through the Foundation’s online application system. Applicants can use the Fall 2026 or Spring 2027 window for the 2027–28 academic year. The application has strict requirements, and the Foundation states that it will not make exceptions to the criteria or deadlines. Students should read the Scholarship Particulars before applying because recipients must meet responsibilities every semester to keep the award.
Step 1: Select the correct application window
The Fall 2026 application becomes available on September 1, 2026, and the Fall application deadline is December 1, 2026. The Spring 2027 application becomes available on January 15, 2027, and the Spring application deadline is March 15, 2027. A student can apply one time only, so the applicant should choose the window that allows enough time to prepare accurate documents.
Step 2: Read the Scholarship Particulars
Review the Foundation’s Scholarship Particulars before creating an application account. The document explains the responsibilities that continue after selection. These responsibilities include academic progress, work hours, financial-aid requirements, workshops, HSF Schwab Account responsibilities, and study-abroad rules. The scholarship is earned each semester by meeting the requirements on time.
Step 3: Create an application account
Open the official application page and follow the link for the appropriate 2027–28 application. Create a username and password. Save the login details in a secure location. Use an email address that the student checks regularly because the Foundation communicates with applicants to reduce misunderstanding about requirements and deadlines.
Step 4: Confirm academic and personal information
Enter the student’s legal name, high school, graduating class, contact details, GPA, family information, and college plans exactly as shown in official documents. Check the spelling of the high school and the expected college. Inconsistent names or dates can delay verification. Do not estimate the GPA or household income when the application requests documented figures.
Step 5: Upload the high school transcript
Upload a current copy of the applicant’s high school transcript. Confirm that the transcript displays the student’s name, school, courses, grades, and cumulative GPA. The transcript should support the required 3.50 unweighted CGPA. If the school uses a different grading system, ask the counselor how the transcript reports the unweighted cumulative GPA before submitting.
Step 6: Request the recommendation letter
Request an unsealed letter of recommendation from a person who knows the applicant’s academic ability, work ethic, goals, leadership, or response to challenges. Give the recommender the deadline, the student’s resume or activity list, college plans, and a short explanation of why the student needs the scholarship. The application page requires the recommendation letter with the application, so do not wait until the final day.
Step 7: Explain financial need accurately
Prepare the household-income information using the 2025 federal tax year requested for the 2027–28 application. The Hagan Scholarship is both need-based and merit-based. The student should explain the financial challenge accurately and avoid unsupported claims. Include the costs that create the funding gap, such as tuition, housing, books, transportation, food, or required supplies.
Step 8: Plan the 240-hour work requirement
Create a work plan for January 1, 2027, through September 1, 2027. The plan may combine part-time employment, full-time employment, or qualifying work-study. Keep records of dates, hours, employer information, pay, and supervision. The work must be non-family employment that is regularly scheduled, supervised, and compensated. The Foundation uses the requirement to reinforce personal contribution to education costs.
Step 9: Research eligible colleges
Use the official eligible-institutions information to confirm that the intended college is a traditional four-year or higher not-for-profit U.S. institution. Check that the institution meets the Foundation’s accreditation and format rules. The scholarship cannot be used for community college, junior college, or an online institution under the current initial-award criteria.
Step 10: Apply for other financial aid
Applicants must apply for federal and state grants if eligible. U.S. finalists must provide the first 2 pages of the FAFSA Submission Summary showing the Student Aid Index. Non-U.S. citizen finalists must provide proof of non-U.S. citizenship, such as a foreign passport or Green Card. Keep copies of these documents because the Foundation may request supplemental information after the first application review.
Step 11: Proofread and submit once
Check the transcript, recommendation letter, GPA, household-income information, college choice, work plan, citizenship documentation, and contact information. Submit all required information before the selected deadline. The Foundation states that applicants cannot add information after submitting the application. Since each student can apply one time only, submit only after the application is complete.
Students searching for secondary-school funding can review the fully funded high school scholarships for international students guide. Those opportunities use different citizenship and location rules, but the comparison can help families create a broader scholarship plan.
Step 12: Prepare for finalist review
After the deadline, the Foundation reviews applications for eligibility. Finalists provide supplemental information, such as FAFSA or citizenship documentation. The Foundation then notifies finalists and awards scholarships. Keep email access available during the review period and respond by every stated deadline. A finalist must continue meeting the scholarship criteria after selection.
Step 13: Maintain the scholarship after selection
Hagan recipients must maintain academic progress, complete the required work, apply for grants when eligible, follow the four-year schedule, attend required workshops, manage program accounts, and submit semester information on time. Failure to meet responsibilities can lead to loss of the scholarship and related account gains. Students should read every semester instruction before assuming that an award will renew automatically.
Students can find more secondary-school funding options in the high school scholarships category. Each scholarship should be tracked in a calendar with its eligibility rules, required documents, application status, and final deadline.
Deadline
The Hagan Scholarship 2027–28 has 2 official application deadlines. The Fall 2026 application is available on September 1, 2026, and must be submitted by December 1, 2026. The Spring 2027 application is available on January 15, 2027, and must be submitted by March 15, 2027. Applicants can apply one time only, and the Foundation states that it will not make exceptions.
Students should choose the earlier Fall window when their transcript, recommendation letter, financial information, and college plan are ready. The Spring window provides another official opportunity, but applicants should not submit in Fall and then submit again in Spring. One student may apply once for the 2027–28 academic year.
After submission, the Foundation reviews eligibility, notifies applicants, requests supplemental information from finalists, and awards scholarships. Applicants should monitor their email and prepare FAFSA or citizenship documents before receiving a finalist request. The deadline is only the first stage of the process; recipients must also meet the work, academic, grant, and semester-submission responsibilities.
Students planning graduate study can explore the Scholarship Universe resource. Scholarship Universe may include opportunities with different application systems and eligibility rules, so applicants should verify every award with its official provider.
Apply Now
Apply through the official Hagan Scholarship Foundation application page. Review the Scholarship Particulars, select the correct Fall or Spring application window, create an account, upload the current transcript and unsealed recommendation letter, complete the financial and academic sections, and submit before the applicable deadline. The Fall deadline is December 1, 2026, and the Spring deadline is March 15, 2027.
Before submitting, confirm 7 items: the applicant is in the 2027 high school graduating class; the applicant attends a U.S. high school; the unweighted cumulative GPA is at least 3.50; parents’ 2025 adjusted gross household income does not exceed $125,000; the applicant plans to attend an eligible four-year U.S. college; the 240-hour work requirement is understood; and the application is complete because additional information cannot be added after submission.
Students can also review the international scholarships for college resource when building a broader funding plan. International awards may have different citizenship, location, enrollment, and visa requirements, while the Hagan Scholarship uses the eligibility rules published for U.S. high school seniors and eligible U.S. colleges.
