Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship

Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship

Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program

The 2027 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship application opens August 3, 2026. Applications are due on September 9, 2026, by 4:59 pm CT.

Read more about the 2026 recipients here.

The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program seeks to increase the number of Indiana residents who hold college degrees. Unity Foundation of La Porte County recommends applicants to Independent Colleges of Indiana, which is funded by Lilly Endowment Inc., to award full-tuition scholarships to outstanding La Porte County students.

These scholarships will provide full-tuition, required fees, and a special allocation of up to $900 per year for required books and equipment for four years of undergraduate study leading to a baccalaureate degree at any public or private college or university in Indiana accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

Timeline

  • August 3, 2026: Lilly Scholarship application available online at uflc.net.

  • September 9, 2026: Application due by 4:59 pm CT.

  • Mid-October 2026: Finalists notified and interviewed; applicants not selected as finalists also notified.

  • December 2026: Recipients are notified (all finalists notified of outcome).

  • April 2027: Recipients must determine Indiana college/university they will attend.

Applicant Selection Process

Receiving the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship is a significant honor that extends far beyond its monetary value. A Selection Committee, comprised of volunteers from throughout La Porte County and appointed by Unity Foundation, will identify the two applicants who most strongly demonstrate the qualities this prestigious scholarship seeks to recognize.

Academic performance, extracurricular involvement/work experience, service to others, and financial need are central to the selection process. Communication skills and essay responses will also factor into the selection.

Applications are reviewed in a blind evaluation process, with identifying information redacted before committee review. Selected finalists are then invited to participate in a personal interview, conducted by the Selection Committee.

Eligible Applicants Must:

1. Be Indiana residents;

2. Reside in La Porte County;

3. Graduate by June 30, 2027, from an accredited Indiana high school in La Porte County, unless their high school attendance makes them ineligible in the other county;

4. Intend to pursue a full-time baccalaureate course of study beginning in the fall of 2026 at any accredited public or private college or university in Indiana;

5. Have a GPA (unweighted) of at least 3.75 as of the beginning of their senior year of high school;

6. Submit a complete application by the deadline.