dell scholars
Dell Scholars is a non-profit scholarship program of the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation that awards $20,000 plus academic, career, and mental health support to roughly 500 first-generation, Pell Grant-eligible U.S. college students each year, having supported more than 6,000 scholars since 2004.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersAustin, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What dell scholars does
Dell Scholars is a non-profit scholarship program established in 2004 and operated by the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation. It serves first-generation, Pell Grant-eligible college students in the United States, awarding each selected scholar a $20,000 scholarship together with a structured support package that includes academic coaching, career guidance, and mental health resources. The program selects approximately 500 scholars per year and has supported more than 6,000 students in total, producing over 4,500 graduates since inception.
The program is funded directly by the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation rather than from tuition, fees, or commercial revenue, so it operates as a charitable grant-making initiative with no consumer pricing or transactional business model. Service delivery is reinforced by partnerships with more than 25 college readiness programs that feed the applicant pipeline, and by Dell Scholars Connect, an ongoing community platform that maintains engagement with scholars and alumni beyond the scholarship period. A secondary employer partnership program connects graduates with organizations seeking diverse talent, but no commercial revenue, contracts, or pricing model is associated with this channel based on the input data.
Dell Scholars is not a commercial technology or services company; it is a foundation-operated education-access initiative whose outputs are credentials, graduation rates, and employment outcomes rather than revenue. As such, traditional PE/VC/M&A financial metrics are only loosely applicable, and the principal analytical concerns are funder concentration, cohort consistency, and outcome quality rather than growth, margins, or addressable market capture.
dell scholars firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- dell scholars
- Legal name
- Dell Scholars
- Website
- https://dellscholars.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Dell Scholars is a non-profit scholarship program of the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation that awards $20,000 plus academic, career, and mental health support to roughly 500 first-generation, Pell Grant-eligible U.S. college students each year, having supported more than 6,000 scholars since 2004.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
dell scholars industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education Scholarship Services
- NAICS
- Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Degree-Level Scholarships (Undergrad/Masters/PhD/Postdoc) (EDAIAOAE), Research Grants, Fellowships & Stipends (International) (EDAIAOAJ)
Keywords
Where dell scholars is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Austin
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
dell scholars business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Others, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Foundation Funding: As an initiative of the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, Dell Scholars is funded through philanthropic donations rather than commercial revenue. The program provides a $20,000 flexible scholarship to each scholar, covering tuition, housing, laptops, and other college expenses.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Full scholarship grant for eligible students |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
dell scholars product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Dell Scholars is a scholarship and college-completion program that awards each selected scholar a $20,000 flexible scholarship covering tuition, housing, a laptop, book credits, and emergency funds. The program wraps that financial award with academic coaching, career guidance, wellness resources, and access to a private scholar community platform. Approximately 500 new students are selected each year through partnerships with approved college readiness programs.
Product overview
The Dell Scholars program is a single, unified scholarship and college completion initiative run by the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation. The core offering is the Dell Scholars Scholarship Program, which provides $20,000 in flexible funding along with a comprehensive support ecosystem. This ecosystem includes four key support modules: Academic Support Services (coaching and check-ins), Financial Support (scholarship funding, laptop, book credits, emergency funds), Professional Development (career guidance and internship support), and Wellness Support (teletherapy and discounted services). Additionally, the program operates Dell Scholars Connect, a private community platform for scholars, and maintains an Employer Partnership Program that connects graduates with hiring organizations. The program serves approximately 500 new students annually and has produced over 4,500 alumni since 2004.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Dell Scholars Scholarship Program Award-based scholarship and college-completion program for first-generation and Pell Grant-eligible high school seniors, providing $20,000 in flexible funding plus academic coaching, career guidance, and wellness support. Approximately 500 scholars are selected each year.
- Dell Scholars Connect Private community platform for selected Dell Scholars to stay in contact with each other and with the foundation, providing networking and community features for program participants.
- Employer Partnership Program Connects employers with well-prepared Dell Scholars before graduation through customized hiring solutions, skilled intern placements, and workforce development networking events.
Quantifiable outcome
- 6,000+ scholars supported since 2004
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use dell scholars
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
dell scholars technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
dell scholars partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- Michael & Susan Dell FoundationflagshipThe Michael & Susan Dell Foundation is the parent organization that founded and funds the Dell Scholars program. The program is described as an initiative of the foundation, with the foundation providing all financial support, operational resources, and strategic direction.
- The University of Texas at AustincoreThrough a partnership with UT Austin, qualifying first-year students become Dell Scholars and receive notification with their initial financial aid package. There is no separate application for UT Austin students - eligibility is determined at point of entry in freshman year.
- AVIDcoreOne of 25+ approved college readiness programs that identify and refer eligible high school students to the Dell Scholars program. AVID works with students in the academic middle to prepare them for college.
- KIPP Academy / KIPP Through CollegecoreOne of 25+ approved college readiness programs that identify and refer eligible high school students to the Dell Scholars program.
- GEAR UPcoreOne of 25+ approved college readiness programs that identify and refer eligible high school students to the Dell Scholars program. Federal TRIO program supporting low-income students.
- Upward BoundcoreOne of 25+ approved college readiness programs that identify and refer eligible high school students to the Dell Scholars program.
- 10,000 DegreescoreOne of 25+ approved college readiness programs that identify and refer eligible high school students to the Dell Scholars program.
- Breakthrough Central TexascoreOne of 25+ approved college readiness programs that identify and refer eligible high school students to the Dell Scholars program.
- College PossiblecoreOne of 25+ approved college readiness programs that identify and refer eligible high school students to the Dell Scholars program.
- Bottom LinecoreOne of 25+ approved college readiness programs that identify and refer eligible high school students to the Dell Scholars program.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights3 records
dell scholars competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Gates Scholarship: The Gates Scholarship, run by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is a highly selective, last-dollar scholarship for high-achieving, minority, Pell-eligible high school seniors. It is the closest large-scale national peer to Dell Scholars given the shared foundation-funded, need-and-merit, multi-year college-completion model.
- Jack Kent Cooke College Scholarship Program: The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation awards multi-year scholarships (up to $55,000/year) to high-achieving high school seniors with financial need, paired with advising and transition-to-college support. Comparable to Dell Scholars on selectivity, foundation funding model, and the bundle of financial + non-financial support services.
- Coca-Cola Scholars Program: The Coca-Cola Scholars Program awards 150 achievement-based scholarships of $20,000 per year to high school seniors, with lifelong access to an alumni network. Comparable as a large, nationally recognized, corporate/foundation-funded scholarship with a strong alumni community, though it skews toward merit rather than need.
- QuestBridge: QuestBridge matches low-income high-achieving students with full scholarships at partner colleges, plus a supportive community. Directly comparable to Dell Scholars in serving first-generation/Pell-eligible students with both financial awards and non-financial support infrastructure.
- Horatio Alger Association Scholarship Program: The Horatio Alger Association awards need-based scholarships (up to $25,000) to high school juniors who have faced and overcome adversity. Comparable to Dell Scholars' focus on perseverance and adversity, plus its emphasis on a strong alumni network.
- Ron Brown Scholar Program: The Ron Brown Scholar Program provides $40,000 ($10,000/year) scholarships to African-American high school seniors, plus mentoring and a service orientation. Comparable as a smaller-scale, foundation-funded, leadership-and-merit scholarship for underrepresented students.
- Posse Foundation: Posse identifies and trains diverse cohorts of high school students for college success, and partners with colleges to award full-tuition scholarships. Comparable as a non-cognitive-skill-driven, cohort-based college access and completion program for first-generation students, though delivered via a partner-college model instead of direct cash scholarships.
Emerging players
- Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program: Operated primarily in Africa (with recent US expansion), the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is a large-scale, foundation-funded scholarship with comprehensive support including mentoring and transition-to-work. Comparable on mission and wraparound service model; differs in geographic focus.
- Robertson Scholars Program (Duke / UNC): The Robertson Scholars Program is a full-ride, four-year undergraduate scholarship at Duke and UNC-Chapel Hill with leadership development and a strong alumni network. Comparable on the comprehensive support + strong alumni model, but smaller in scale and limited to two partner universities.
Broad incumbents
- UNCF (United Negro College Fund): UNCF administers hundreds of scholarships for African-American students attending HBCUs and other institutions, plus manages scholarship administration on behalf of corporate donors. Comparable as a large-scale scholarship administration and student-success entity serving underrepresented populations, though it operates more as an aggregator/admin than a single direct scholarship program.
Market position
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
dell scholars social profiles
Digital presencedell scholars financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
dell scholars leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
dell scholars funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
dell scholars M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about dell scholars
What does dell scholars do?
Dell Scholars is a scholarship and college-completion program that awards each selected scholar a $20,000 flexible scholarship covering tuition, housing, a laptop, book credits, and emergency funds. The program wraps that financial award with academic coaching, career guidance, wellness resources, and access to a private scholar community platform. Approximately 500 new students are selected each year through partnerships with approved college readiness programs.
Is dell scholars a public or private company?
dell scholars is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was dell scholars founded?
dell scholars was founded in 2004.
Where is dell scholars based?
dell scholars is headquartered in Austin, United States, in the North America region.
How does dell scholars make money?
One revenue line is on record: foundation Funding.
Who are dell scholars's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Gates Scholarship, Jack Kent Cooke College Scholarship Program, Coca-Cola Scholars Program, QuestBridge, Horatio Alger Association Scholarship Program, Ron Brown Scholar Program and Posse Foundation. Emerging players are Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program and Robertson Scholars Program (Duke / UNC). UNCF (United Negro College Fund) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does dell scholars have an API?
No public API is recorded for dell scholars.
What industry is dell scholars in?
dell scholars's product category is Higher Education Scholarship Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDADAHAC, Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts, with a secondary code of EDAIAOAE, Degree-Level Scholarships (Undergrad/Masters/PhD/Postdoc). Its NAICS code is 8132 and its SIC code is 8200.