Study at University of Virginia | Jefferson Scholarship and Walentas Scholarship 2026–2027 – USA

Location: United States of America

Program: Bachelor’s Degree Programs

Eligibility: International Students

Duration: 4 years

Deadline: December 1, 2026

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The Jefferson Scholarship and the Walentas Scholarship are two prestigious undergraduate scholarship programmes offered by the Jefferson Scholars Foundation (JSF) at the University of Virginia (UVA), designed to attract outstanding undergraduate students to UVA by providing full financial support and enrichment opportunities. Both programmes cultivate exceptional leaders, scholars, and citizens. The Jefferson Scholars Program currently operates across over 65 nominating regions, and the Walentas Scholars Program across over 20 nominating regions. In 2025–2026, 7,697 secondary schools were invited to nominate students, 3,289 students were nominated, and $14,500,000 was awarded in undergraduate support. No one may apply for either scholarship eligible schools are invited to nominate one senior student who best exemplifies excellence in leadership, scholarship, and citizenship. The selection process is entirely separate from UVA’s admissions process and follows its own timeline.

The Jefferson Scholars Foundation (JSF), headquartered at 112 Clarke Court, Charlottesville, Virginia, is an independent foundation established to support the University of Virginia’s mission of developing leaders, scholars, and citizens for the benefit of the University and the world at large. Through its undergraduate scholarships, graduate fellowships, distinguished professorships, and faculty awards, JSF invests in exceptional individuals at all stages of academic and professional development. The University of Virginia (UVA), founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819 and located in Charlottesville, Virginia, is one of the United States’ most prestigious public universities, consistently ranked among the top universities in the nation for undergraduate education, research, and public service.

Benefits of the Programme

This programme will provide the following to its recipients:

A full-cost-of-attendance scholarship for the entire four-year undergraduate degree at the University of Virginia:
Virginians receive over $42,000 per year or upwards of $230,000 total.
Non-Virginians receive over $83,000 per year or upwards of $405,000 total.

Additional verified benefits

The Foundation also provides enrichment opportunities including:

International travel
Research collaborations
Career development and networking
Institute for Leadership and Citizenship
Alumni connections
Exploratory Fund
Speaker series

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Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for this programme, applicants must meet the following:

Must be a current high school senior at an eligible school within one of the Jefferson or Walentas nominating regions
Must be nominated by their school counselor — no one may apply directly for either scholarship
Must demonstrate exceptional leadership talents, an understanding of the broader community, and uncommon academic abilities
For the Walentas Scholarship: must be the first or among the first in their family to earn a bachelor’s degree (first-generation college student)
Prior interest in the University of Virginia and financial need should not be factors in the nomination decision
Must be available for regional interviews (conducted mid-December through January) and final virtual interviews (conducted in late February)
Must complete the admissions process at the University of Virginia separately from the scholarship selection process

Note: Kindly check the official webpage for full and detailed requirements.

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Selection Criteria

The selection process is three-stage. In Stage 1 (Nomination), eligible schools nominate one senior student who best exemplifies excellence in leadership, scholarship, and citizenship — nominations include a scholastic report, extracurricular activities, and two essays completed by both school officials and the student; all materials are due by December 1, 2026. In Stage 2 (Regional Selection), Regional Selection Committees comprising alumni and friends of UVA review transcripts, extracurriculars, essays, and recommendations, then conduct regional interviews to identify finalists. For the Jefferson Scholarship, the Office of Undergraduate Admission additionally conducts a review of Early applicants and recommends nominees, with selected students notified in February. In Stage 3 (Final Selection), finalists participate in a final virtual interview in late February. Selected recipients are then invited to visit Charlottesville and explore UVA before making their decision — all recipients must accept or decline by mid-April.