Costco Employee Scholarship & Requirements 2025

Costco is a consumer favorite in the U.S. for several reasons, but one thing that makes it stand out is the way the company treats its employees. Costco offers several benefits to its workers, one of which is the Costco Employee Scholarship.

Costco scholarships are available to both full-time and part-time employees, and awardees can use these scholarships for tuition as well as additional college expenses. The scholarship does not need to be repaid, and students can use it in addition to other aid options. Keep reading to learn more about the Costco Employee Scholarship.

Does Costco Offer Tuition Reimbursement?

Tuition reimbursement refers to when companies reimburse you for college tuition costs that you paid out of pocket. Costco does not offer tuition reimbursement, but it does offer an employee scholarship program that's open to eligible part-time and full-time employees.

As this is a scholarship, employees do not need to repay the company for the amount they are gifted. This scholarship can be used at nonprofit, accredited colleges and universities across the United States.

Read More: Companies With Tuition Reimbursement Programs

Costco Employee Scholarship Program

The Costco college scholarship program provides employees with up to $2,500 per year for up to four years. Employees can use their Costco scholarship at any college or university in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, so long as the institution is accredited and is not-for-profit. We've broken down the key facts about the Costco scholarship below.

Eligibility Requirements

The Costco scholarship requirements aren't too in-depth. To qualify, you must:

• be a regular part-time or full-time Costco Wholesale employee residing in the United States or Puerto Rico
• have a high school diploma or equivalent by the June before the school year starts
• be a current, new, or previous student pursuing a first-time degree at a nonprofit, accredited college or university in the United States or Puerto Rico
• not have a bachelor's degree yet

Employees that are part of the College Retention program are invited to apply if they meet the other eligibility criteria. Applications are open from December to February.

Note that this scholarship is offered through the College Success Foundation. You can only receive one scholarship through the College Success Foundation at a time, so if you accept a different scholarship, you won't be able to use the Costco Employee Scholarship.

Per the policy of the College Success Foundation, new scholarship recipients must complete a thank you note to their donor (Costco). Similarly, continuing scholarship recipients must complete a Costco scholar update.

To retain your scholarship, you must be enrolled at least half time and meet the college's Satisfactory Academic Progress policy. You must also complete a renewal form and submit it by June 30th each year.

Scholarship Benefits & Award Amount

The Costco scholarship provides $2,500 per academic year for four years. This can be used toward tuition, fees, housing, food, books, transportation, and personal expenses as detailed in the cost of attendance.

This program is only available to undergraduate students. It will cover associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, and certificate programs at two and four-year colleges. These colleges must be accredited and cannot be for-profit.

Funds are sent directly to the financial aid office at your college. It will be divided equally over the number of terms at your college or university.

How To Apply

Once you've determined that you're eligible for the Costco Employee Scholarship, you can work on your application. The application is available online through the College Success Foundation's website.

The application for the Costco Employee Scholarship opens in December, and the deadline is typically the beginning of February. The application will require basic information such as your name and where you plan to attend school. You may also need to submit:

• proof of employment
• essay or personal statement
• letter of recommendation

You should receive a notification of your award sometime in mid-April, and you'll have about a month to accept or decline the scholarship.

Other Financial Aid Opportunities

The Costco Employee Scholarship can be a great opportunity for students, but it doesn't always cover your total tuition costs, and not everyone meets the eligibility criteria. In that case, you'll need to pursue other financial aid opportunities.

All college students should fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This determines what government financial aid programs you qualify for.

The terms ''grants'' and ''scholarships'' are sometimes used interchangeably, as these are both types of financial aid that you don't need to repay. However, grants are often issued by the government and based on financial need, while scholarships can be offered by a variety of organizations and are often merit-based.

Both types are good for reducing your tuition cost and lowering the amount of student loans you need. Often, schools will have scholarship programs to help students pay for whatever their federal aid doesn't cover. Contact your school's financial aid office for more information.

FAQs About Costco Educational Benefits

Applying for scholarships can be nerve-wracking, even when they're through your employer. We've answered some FAQs about Costco's scholarships to help you better understand the program.

How Much Does Costco Offer in the Scholarship Program?

The Costco Employee Scholarship offers undergraduate employees $2,500 per academic year for four years, for a total of $10,000. Depending on the school you attend, this could completely cover your tuition costs. This funding can also be used for things like textbooks and housing.

What Is the Costco Scholarship Fund?

The Costco Scholarship Fund is another scholarship program that Costco runs, but it's not specifically for employees. Instead, this program helps highly-qualified low-income and underrepresented students to attend the University of Washington and Seattle University.

The program is geared toward low-income and underrepresented minority students who would otherwise be unlikely to complete their higher education. Scholarship recipients are selected based on the eligibility criteria established by each university.

Every year, the company hosts the Costco Scholarship Fund Breakfast to help raise money for this fund. Funds are split between the schools for the scholarships.

Can Part-Time Employees Apply for the Costco Employee Scholarship?

Part-time employees are able to apply for the Costco Employee Scholarship, so long as they're considered ''regular'' employees. This means, for example, contractors or seasonal employees don't qualify. However, employees in the Costco College Retention program do qualify.

Does the Scholarship Apply to Online Programs?

The Costco Employee Scholarship does not have any requirements as to whether a degree program must be on campus or online. The only requirement is that it must be an undergraduate program from an accredited non-profit college or university.

This means you could enroll in online programs through a public school or through accredited nonprofit institutions like Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), National University, or Western Governor's University (WGU). You won't be able to use the scholarship to cover tuition at schools like the University of Phoenix or Grand Canyon University, however, as these are for-profit.

How Competitive Is the Selection Process?

Costco does not release information for how many scholarships it awards through the Costco Scholarship Program. It's probably safe to assume that there is a limited number of scholarships available, and most employees at the company are eligible, making the selection process somewhat competitive.

Students who are not selected one year are encouraged to apply again the following year.

Can the Scholarship Be Combined With Other Financial Aid?

The Costco Employee Scholarship, like most other scholarships, can be combined with other financial aid. This includes funds you receive from FAFSA, as well as private scholarship opportunities and student loans.

Earn Your College Degree

Find the perfect college degree for your Costco scholarship by exploring the programs featured on Learn.org. You can use the funds from Costco to start earning your degree today.