Jackie Robinson Scholarship 2027: scores, CSS Profile and the January deadline
The Jackie Robinson Foundation scholarship is not limited to athletes. It is a competitive academic and leadership opportunity with financial-need review. For the 2027 application, the practical bottlenecks are a complete CSS Profile, an appropriate recommender and required ACT or SAT scores.
Check those dependencies before spending all your available time revising essays. A strong narrative still needs a complete application.
Check fit before opening every document
The application page lists graduating seniors who are U.S. citizens, show financial need, academic excellence, leadership and community service, and plan an approved accredited four-year college. Applicants cannot have accumulated more than 25% of the credits needed for a degree. The FAQ also allows a prior-year graduate who has not enrolled in college coursework; verify unusual enrollment histories directly.
The Foundation’s program description lists up to $35,000 across four years with college-success programming. That is a maximum multi-year amount, not $35,000 each year or a promise to cover a college’s full cost.
A completion plan for January 14
The application, recommendation and CSS Profile are all due January 14, 2027 at 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The FAQ requires ACT or SAT results from a single test date rather than a superscore. It directs applicants to send the CSS Profile to JRF using code 4248, including a noncustodial household where applicable.
On a smaller screen, scroll the table sideways to see every column.
| Decision | What to check | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Test record | Find one complete test-date report | A college’s test-optional policy does not control this scholarship |
| CSS Profile | Verify the recipient and household sections | Finishing a profile without sending it is a separate failure point |
| Recommendation | Invite an adult who knows your work well | Choose specific knowledge over an impressive job title |
| Final submission | Verify all components before 5 p.m. EST | The deadline includes supporting documents |
Connect service to a problem you understand
Draft a brief explanation of the problem your work addressed, why your chosen approach made sense, and what you learned from people affected by it. Use one episode to show your judgment. Avoid turning a community into a backdrop for a story about your own ambition.
Then check the recommendation against the story’s factual foundation. Your writer does not need to repeat your essay; they can explain how you behaved when a project became difficult or what you contributed over time. Give accurate background and let the writer decide what they can support.
Keep family financial documents out of shared essay folders and public links. Ask the relevant household members for information early so the financial component does not become a deadline-day surprise.
Compare the whole support package
For a hypothetical college with a $20,000 annual gap after other grants, a multi-year scholarship headline cannot be treated as an immediate solution to the first bill. Ask how an actual award is disbursed and how the college treats outside aid. Keep admissions and financial-aid deadlines on the same calendar.
The official FAQ permits only limited AI help such as spelling and grammar edits; submitted ideas and writing must remain your own. Use the application checklist to track completion, not to outsource your story. Official pages checked October 29, 2026.