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The maximum number of submitted applications (500) for the 2020 program year have been received.
Thank you for your interest in the Kia Great Unknown Scholarship Program.

The Kia Great Unknowns Scholarship
Application status: Closed


Kia Motors America, Inc. (KMA) has established a scholarship program to assist students who plan to pursue a college undergraduate degree in one of the following discipline areas: Sciences, Technology, Engineering, Arts, or Math (STEAM).

Our goal is to discover and reward students who embody the spirit of “Give It Everything,” and help them pursue their academic dreams.

This program is administered by Scholarship America®, the nation’s largest designer and manager of scholarship, tuition assistance, and other education support programs for corporations, foundations, associations, and individuals. Awards are granted without attention to race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, gender, disability, or national origin.

Applicants must meet all of the following criteria to be eligible to submit applications and be considered
for awards:

  • Be U.S. high school seniors or self-schooled—with written proof (and be at least 16 years of age),
  • Plan to enroll in full-time undergraduate study at an accredited two- or four-year college or
    university in the United States for the entire upcoming academic year,
  • Reside in the United States,
  • Plan to pursue a degree in one of the following fields:
    • Sciences — Biology, Chemistry, Pre-Medicine, Physics, Applied Sciences, Material Sciences
    • Technology — Aeronautics, Automotive Sciences, Computer Sciences, Mechanical Sciences,
      Technical/Vocational Majors (involving machines, computers, technologies)
    • Engineering — All engineering fields, such as Applied, Chemical, Civil, Electrical, Industrial, Mechanical, etc
    • Arts — Design, Graphics, Architecture, Fashion, Fine Arts, Studio Arts, Motion Pictures/Television, Entertainment Arts (other design-driven arts will be considered)
    • Math — Math, Applied Math, Statistics
  • Have a cumulative of GPA 3.8 on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent) or higher,
  • Demonstrate financial need.

An applicant who is, or who has an immediate family or household member who is, an employee, officer or director of Sponsor, or of Sponsor’s affiliates, subsidiaries, agents, distributors, scholarship providers or advertising and promotion agencies, is ineligible to participate in the Program.

For purposes of clarity, employees, officers and directors (including such individuals’ immediate family and members of their household) of Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia, Inc. are eligible to participate in the Program.

Award Information:

  • If selected as a recipient, the student will receive a $5,000 award.
  • Up to sixteen (16) awards will be granted.

Awards are potentially renewable for up to three years or until a bachelor’s degree is earned, whichever occurs first, on the basis of satisfactory academic performance (maintaining a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale or equivalent) and continued pursuit of a degree in a STEAM field of study.

Awards are for undergraduate study only.

Notification

Applicants will be notified in June. Not all applicants to the program will be selected as recipients.

Payment of Scholarships

Scholarship America processes scholarship payments on behalf of KMA. Payments are made in equal installments in August and December.

Obligations

Receipients have no obligation to Kia Motors America except to sign the Code of Conduct Agreement. Recipients are also required to notify Scholarship America of any changes in address, school enrollment, or other relevant information, and to send a complete official transcript and a two-minute video when requested.

Selection criteria will be as follows:

  1. Applicant essay of 500 characters, in which the applicant must answer at least one of the following questions:
    • How do you envision your STEAM college education to play a significant role in your future contributions to the society in which you live?
    • How do you envision innovation and technology to shape your potential future ideas and projects that may change or improve the society in which you live?
  2. Demonstrated leadership through high school activities, community involvements and employment history,
  3. Work experience,
  4. Unusual personal or family circumstances,
  5. Academic performance, and
  6. An online recommendation from a person of standing within the community (i.e. pastor, employer, mayor, police officer, teacher, etc.).

Financial need will be considered. Recipients must demonstrate need.

Selection of recipients is made by Scholarship America. In no instance does any officer or employee of Kia Motors America, Inc. play a part in the selection. All applicants agree to accept the decision as final.

As part of your application, you must upload the following document:

  • A current, complete transcript of grades. Grade reports are not accepted. Unofficial or online transcripts must display student name, school name, grades and credit hours for each course and term in which each course was taken.

Also, as part of your application, one online recommendation form must be submitted on your behalf by 3:00 p.m. Central Time on May 5, 2020. A letter of recommendation will not be accepted.

Your application is not complete unless all required documents are submitted electronically through the Scholarship America Student Hub.

If you are selected as a recipient you will be required to submit the following in order to receive your award:

  1. Signed Code of Conduct Agreement
  2. Up to two minute video explaining how you “Give it Everything” and how the award will impact your future.

Kia Motors America, Inc. has partnered with Scholarship America. Select the button below to be directed to the Scholarship America Student Hub!