McDonald's offers several scholarships for college-bound seniors, all with different awards and eligibility requirements. Because there's so much variability among awards, applying for a McDonald's scholarship can seem daunting. Ultimately, though, it's worth it to apply—since 1985, McDonald's has given out over $65 million in scholarships. Wouldn't it be great to get a small piece of that?
I'll walk you through the four different types of scholarship awards that McDonald's offers, in addition to offering tips and strategies to optimize your chances of winning your own award.
What Are the McDonald's Scholarships?
The following four scholarships are given to honor students' scholastic, community, and work performance. Read the short descriptions below. In the rest of this article, we'll take a deep dive into each scholarship and exactly what you need to do to apply and win.
HACER (Hispanic American Commitment to Educational Resources)
The HACER scholarship is open to students who have at least one parent of Hispanic heritage. There are roughly 30 HACER scholarships given each year. The scholarship is for undergraduate students only; recipients receive $5,000-$100,000 paid out over 4 years. There are three tiers of funds: Tier 1 recipients are awarded up to $100,000, Tier 2 recipients receive $20,000 or $10,000, and Tier 3 recipients receive $5,000. Recipients are chosen based on their academic achievement, community involvement, personal statement and financial need.
Black & Positively Golden
This scholarship is open to students who have at least one parent of African American or Black Caribbean heritage and who will be attending an HBCU (Historically Black College and University). Each year, the Black & Positively Golden Scholarship Program awards more than $1 million in scholarships to over 60 students. Scholarships are up to $15,000 for the academic year. The program also program gives students a subscription to the Black-owned mental health app Alkeme.
APA Next
This scholarship is open to students who have at least one parent of Asian-Pacific heritage. Roughly 100 awards are given out each year. There are two tiers of awards: Tier 1 is a $20,000 scholarship to be distributed over 4-years. Tier 2 is a one-time $5,000 scholarship. Recipients are chosen based on academic achievement, community involvement and financial need.
Archways to Opportunity
If you're a McDonald's employee, Archways to Opportunity offers Tuition Assistance to help pay for courses taken at a "two or four year public or private college or university; business, technical or vocational school; graduate or post -graduate school that is accredited by the Department of Education." Tuition Assistance ranges from $2,500-$3,000 a year and can be renewed.
In-Depth Look at McDonald's Scholarships
In this section, we take a deeper dive into each of the four McDonald's Scholarships. For each, we explain who is eligible, how to apply, and what scholarship winners receive.
HACER Scholarships
The McDonald's HACER National Scholarship Program awards scholarships to up to 30 outstanding Hispanic and Latino students each year.
Eligibility Requirements
- High school senior
- Legal U.S. Resident, U.S. Citizen or a DREAMER/DACA recipient
- Under 21 years old
- Minimum 2.8 GPA
- You’re eligible to attend a two- or four-year college, university or vocational/technical school with a full-time course of study
- You’ll disclose other scholarship programs that you’ve applied for
- You’ll enroll and attend an accredited institution in the academic year after your selection
What Do You Need to Apply?
- Transcript
- Personal statement
- Letter of recommendation to be submitted online
- List of community service projects
- (If you're selected to be a semi-finalist) FAFSA Submission Summary)
How Do You Apply?
To apply, visit the official HACER National Scholarship page. Create an account through the scholarship portal. You’ll be guided to complete an online application that includes entering personal information, academic background, and extracurricular involvement. You'll also upload your transcript, a personal essay, and a letter of recommendation. The application typically opens in the fall. The deadline for this year is March 6, 2025. If selected as a semi-finalist, you may be asked to participate in a virtual interview, and you'll need to provide your FAFSA Submission Summary.
What Do You Get as a Winner?
There are three tiers of awards, and the amount of money you earn depends on which tier you're awarded. Award money is paid out over four years.
- Tier 1 recipients: up to $100,000
- Tier 2 recipients: $20,000 or $10,000
- Tier 3 recipients: $5,000
Black & Positively Golden Scholarships
Since 2021, McDonald’s and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) have awarded Black & Positively Golden scholarships. These scholarships support students planning to attend HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges & Universities).
Eligibility Requirements
- Identify as Black or African American
- Be enrolled full-time as an undergraduate freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior at an HBCU for the upcoming school year
- GPA of 2.7 or higher
- Able to demonstrate leadership abilities
- Financial need
- U.S. Citizen or legal permanent resident
What Do You Need to Apply?
- A professional image of yourself
- A photo of yourself wearing your school logo and/or school colors.
- A video recording (up to two minutes long) of yourself answering the following question: What unique perspective, passion, or curiosity drives your academic interests? How do you envision it shaping your future as a scholar and leader in your field?
How Do You Apply?
To apply, you'll create an account with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and answer basic questions about your age, year in school, college you attend or plan to attend, etc. Once you've done that, you'll be shown the scholarships you're eligible for. If you're eligible for the Black & Positively Golden Scholarship, you'll then complete the requirements for that scholarship, including uploading photos and your video response. If you'd like to apply to additional non-McDonald's related TMCF scholarships, it's easy to do so on the same site.
This application opened on November 11, 2024 and closes April 25, 2025 at 11:59 pm EST (Eastern Standard Time).
What Do You Get as a Winner?
Sixty-Three scholars receive a scholarships up to $15,000 for the upcoming academic school year, split into $7,500 per semester. These funds can only be applied to verifiable costs associated with average tuition and usual fees. The program also gives students a subscription to the Black-owned mental health app Alkeme. The app provides access to an extensive library of mental health and wellness content curated by Black mental health professionals. This means that the scholarship winners get both financial help for college as well as emotional and informational support to help them thrive there.
APA Next Scholarship
APIA Scholars (the organization that co-runs the APA Next scholarship with McDonald's) has a focus on supporting students who live at or below the poverty line and are in the first generation of their family to attend college.
Eligibility Requirements
- Asian and/or Pacific Islander descent
- U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident
- Plan to enroll full-time in an accredited U.S. college or university the following academic year
- Demonstrated financial need
What Do You Need to Apply?
- High school or college transcript
- FAFSA Student Aid Report (SAR)
- One letter of recommendation
- Short personal essays
- Resume or list of activities
How Do You Apply?
To apply for the APA Next Scholarship, go to the APIA Scholars webpage. Once there, navigate to the McDonald’s APA Next program page. Create a profile, then complete the application form, which includes writing short essays, uploading a transcript, and submitting a recommendation letter. APIA Scholars may request supplemental information during the review process.
What Do You Get as a Winner?
There are two tiers of awards.
- Tier 1: $20,000 scholarship to be distributed over four years
- Tier 2: $5,000 scholarship to be distributed one academic year
Archways to Opportunity Scholarship
This scholarship is for current employees of McDonald's who want to attend or return to school.
Eligibility Requirements
For full-time restaurant managers/staff of a participating Franchise Owner/Operator:
- Your Operator participates in the Archways to Opportunity program
- You work a minimum of 30 hours per week
- You're in good standing with your employer
For restaurant crew (including maintenance), part-time manager or part-time office staff of a participating Franchise Owner/Operator:
- Your Operator participates in the Archways to Opportunity program
- You're been employed by the same Franchise Owner/Operator for at least 90 days
- You work an average of 15 hours per week
- You're in good standing with your employer
What Do You Need to Apply?
- Recent pay stubs to confirm eligibility
- College enrollment documentation or GED enrollment form
- Tuition invoice or estimate
- Completed application form (available internally)
How Do You Apply?
To apply for the Archways to Opportunity scholarship, start by speaking with your manager or restaurant supervisor to confirm your eligibility. They'll provide access to the Archways portal and help start the application process. You'll need to complete the online form, upload your enrollment documents or tuition estimates, and verify employment status. Applications can be submitted throughout the year, so there's no deadline to worry about.
What Do You Get as a Winner?
Full-time employees can win a $3,000 scholarship per year, and part-time employees can win a $2,500 scholarship per year. There's also 100% coverage of costs for eligible GED programs and access to English language courses.
What's Next?
McDonald's scholarships aren't the only scholarships out there for ambitious high school students. Read more about the Walmart Scholarship and National Merit Scholarship.
Looking for other ways to pay your college education? You'll want to check out our guide to the Pell Grant.
Did you know that sometimes getting a scholarship is as easy as applying to your school of choice? Check out this list of schools that automatically offer scholarships based on grades and test scores.
