Pennington Scholarship FAQs
What is the James W.C. Pennington Scholarship? It is a renewable 4-year merit-based scholarship for up to $20,000 funded by Yale University for New Haven public school students who are residents of the city of New Haven. The formal colleges to date are: Hampton University, Morgan State University, Morehouse College, Spelman College. Other HBCU colleges will be added at a later time.
What is the connection between the Pennington Scholarship and New Haven Promise? New Haven Promise will manage the Pennington Scholarship and organize the selection of the Pennington Scholars through a committee process.
What are the application requirements for the Pennington Scholarship? All Pennington applicants must apply and qualify for New Haven Promise. The application portal is one and the same. Applicants must be residents of the city and continuously enrolled in the public schools no later than the beginning of the 9th grade year, write a 500-word essay, secure a letter of recommendation, complete 40 hours of community service, and maintain an attendance rate of 90%, This is a competitive scholarship and applicants must have a strong GPA (preferred 3.3 cum GPA). Other important requirements will be shared with students upon completion of an initial application.
Can I defer the scholarship? No. You must enroll immediately in the fall after high school graduation and remain continuously enrolled until graduation.
Is the scholarship available the whole time I am in college? The scholarship is renewable for up to 4 years as long as students maintain full-time enrollment (12 credit hours) and meet minimum academic requirements as indicated in the student Memorandum Agreement.
Can I transfer to another Pennington partner HBCU and continue getting funded? No. The scholarship is not transferable and is available only at the HBCU you initially enrolled.
What is the deadline? The initial Pennington Scholarship application must be completed through the New Haven Promise student portal by December 23rd, 2022. Other important requirements will be shared with students, including a detailed timeline, upon completion of an initial application.
