Martin Scholarship
PROGRAM SUMMARY
The Martin Scholars Program is one of UNC Charlotte’s leading merit scholarship programs, established in 2016 through the generosity of UNC Charlotte alumni Demond T. (’97) and Twakia “Kia” (’98) Martin. The Martin Scholars Program is housed in the Honors College in order to support high-achieving students with the highest level of financial need and provides the recipients with the following:
- Ability to pursue academic excellence and personal development without the burden of how to pay for school
- Award amounts equal to their unmet financial need up to the cost of attendance (total value of scholarship, on average, is $35,000 for a four-year student, including a study abroad stipend)
- Opportunities for professional development through specialized programing and financial assistance in studying abroad or completing an internship
- Increased support and advising from Honors College staff and the Martin Faculty Fellow
- All Martin Scholars are members of an honors program, allowing them to benefit from small classes with dedicated faculty, priority registration, and honors programming
ADMISSION & ELIGIBILITY
Open to full-time incoming freshmen, transfer students, and continuing students.
- Pell-eligible with an Student Aid Index (SAI) of $3,000 or less as determined by the FAFSA
- Be a member of or intend to join an honors program
- Must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident
- Must be a resident of North Carolina
- Preference given to incoming freshmen and transfer students with minimum 3.7 cumulative GPA (unweighted for high school)
- Continuing students at UNC Charlotte nominated by honors faculty/staff must have a minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA
UTOP (University Transition Opportunities Program):
Incoming freshman Martin Scholars are required to attend UTOP during the summer prior to their first semester at UNC Charlotte. UTOP typically starts at the beginning of July and continues through the first week of August. Demond and Kia Martin felt UTOP was transformational when they attended and want all Martin Scholars to benefit from that experience. The Honors College will cover the participant fee, meal plan, and any additional cost not covered by grants or scholarships.
HOW TO APPLY:
The Martin Scholarship application is made available to qualified students through the Honors College Application.
To apply for the Martin Scholars Program:
- Complete the UNC Charlotte Admission Application by the early action deadline of November 1, 2025
- Complete the Honors College Admission Application by the priority deadline of December 1, 2025
- Check the box in the Honors College application indicating interest in the Martin Scholarship application and submit honors essay 2 by December 1, 2025
- Complete the FAFSA by January 1, 2026
Required Application Materials
Prepare the following materials to apply to the Martin Scholarship:
1. List of Activities
Please list and briefly describe any honors, awards, accomplishments, leadership positions, paid employment, and/or significant extracurricular activities (e.g., community service, clubs, sports, band, orchestra, etc.) you have earned or held during high school (or college, if applicable). Indicate the organization’s full name rather than the acronym. Add your activities in order of importance to you, with the first activity being the most important. Be sure to include your name at the top of the page.
2. Two Essays
The purpose of these essays is to help us get to know you as a person and understand how you think. You should submit polished writing that demonstrates authenticity, creativity, and analytical reflection. The best essays will give the review committee a clear sense of the unique intellectual and creative contributions you are poised to make to the UNC Charlotte community.
Essay 1
Please make sure to specifically address the prompt provided in no more than 500 words, or your application will not be considered.
Honors and merit scholars programs at UNC Charlotte expect you to be intellectually curious. Tell us about an idea that has piqued your intellectual curiosity, describe it, and tell us how you have pursued it in your high school years. Use specific examples of how you have used critical thinking and the inquiry process to deepen your knowledge of this idea.
Essay 2
Please make sure to specifically address the prompt provided in 500-700 words, or your application will not be considered.
Describe a time when you were significantly out of your comfort zone. What specific challenge did you face and how did you handle it? What did you gain and how did the outcome affect others?
3. Short-Answer Question
Honors programs at UNC Charlotte include requirements and opportunities such as:
- Honors coursework (typically 1 course per semester)
- Co-curricular engagements (ex., activities beyond the classroom)
- Active participation in honors community (ex., attending honors-sponsored events)
Take at least 5 minutes to explore more details about the Honors College (ex., website, social media, YouTube, etc.) to deepen your understanding of the curricular and co-curricular components. Then answer the question below in no more than 200 words:
What are the top 2 elements of the Honors College you are most interested in engaging with and why?
4. Two Academic Letters of Recommendation
An academic reference is defined as a current or former teacher, or professor, who was your instructor for at least one academic course. Family members, friends, current/former employers or co-workers, leaders of faith-based or community organizations, etc. should not be used as academic references.
We suggest that you select and approach your recommenders now. Teachers have busy schedules and writing detailed letters of recommendation is a time-consuming process.
Once you have completed the Honors College Application, your recommenders will receive an email with a link and must upload their letters no later than December 5th.
TIMELINE
| Deadline | Action Required |
|---|---|
| November 1 | Early Action deadline to apply to UNC Charlotte to be considered for the Martin Scholars Program |
| December 1 | Deadline to complete the Honors College Application |
| December 1 | Deadline to submit the Martin Scholarship application |
| December 5 | Letters of Recommendation due (via upload from recommenders) |
| January 1 | Deadline for applicants to complete and submit FAFSA |
| February | Finalists and all other applicants are notified of their status via email |
| Mid-Late February | Virtual interviews take place for finalists |
| Late February- Early March | Martin Scholars Program offers are extended and all other candidates are notified of their status |