Eligibility & Awards

The Weatherly Scholarship is a financial need-based scholarship designed to support young needy students of Cooke County, Texas who demonstrate financial need, strong character, church involvement, community engagement, and community service.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for a scholarship, an applicant must meet all of the following requirements:

  • Residency: Maintain a permanent address in Cooke County, Texas. Residents with a permanent address in bordering counties may be considered at the discretion of the Weatherly Scholarship Team.
  • Age: Be a young person; meaning a person who is 16-24 years of age.
  • Financial Need: Demonstrate significant financial need.
  • Letters of Recommendation: Provide three letters of recommendation:
    • From a teacher/professor
    • From a church member or pastor
    • From a person who can speak to character, academic achievement, and community involvement

Award Amounts

Important: The Weatherly Scholarship is a financial need-based scholarship, not an academic scholarship. Your application score is based on a comprehensive review of your financial need, church involvement, school activities, community service, and character as demonstrated through letters of recommendation.

Scoring Criteria

Applications are evaluated using the following criteria:

Criteria Points
Financial Need Up to 40 points
Church Involvement (church of like faith) Up to 15 points
Regular Sunday Worship Attendance (church of like faith) Up to 15 points
School Activities Up to 15 points
Community Service Up to 15 points
Maximum Score 100 points
Bonus Points:
FBC Gainesville member Up to 3 bonus points
Other Baptist Church member Up to 2 bonus points

Your total score determines your scholarship award amount. Awards for the 2026 application cycle are as follows:

Score Award Amount
95 or over $5,000
90-94 $4,000
85-89 $3,000
80-84 $2,000
70-79 $1,000

Dual Credit Scholarships

We offer scholarships for students pursuing dual credit at North Central Texas College (NCTC).

Dual Credit Award Details

  • Award Amount: $250 per semester
  • Eligible Institution: North Central Texas College (NCTC) only
  • Eligibility: Applicant must be enrolled at a school with an agreement with NCTC, or be homeschooled

Dual credit scholarships allow high school students to get a head start on their college education while receiving financial support to offset the cost of courses.

Renewal Requirements

Previous recipients may renew their scholarship for up to three years after the first year, for a total of four years of support.

To Qualify for Renewal:

Renewal applications ensure that scholarship recipients continue to demonstrate the commitment and character that made them qualified for the scholarship initially. As a financial need-based scholarship, renewal applications will be assessed using the same criteria as initial applications.

Important Notes

  • All eligibility requirements must be met at the time of application and maintained throughout the scholarship period
  • The Weatherly Scholarship Team reserves the right to make final determinations on all eligibility questions
  • Applicants are encouraged to contact us if they have questions about their eligibility

Learn How to Apply