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Education is a key part of success, and we focus on bringing that to students in North America through our BK Scholars Program. The BK Scholars Program is the Foundation’s flagship program, established to honor the legacy of the Burger King brand’s co-founder James W. McLamore, whose commitment to philanthropy and education made him a pillar of community service throughout his lifetime. Through the program, we award scholarships to deserving high school seniors and Burger King® employees and their families to help advance their education. Because of Jim, his legacy, and the support of franchisees, the scholars program has now awarded a total of $60 million in scholarships to more than 51,000 deserving students throughout North America since 2000.
Scholarships range from $1,000 to $60,000 and are intended to offset the cost of attending college or post-secondary vocational/technical school. Recipients are selected through an application process that takes into consideration their grade point average (GPA), work experience, extracurricular activities, financial need and community service. In 2024 alone, the Foundation awarded over $4.5 million in scholarships to nearly 4,200 students.
The application period for the 2024-2025 cycle is now closed. Scholarship recipients will be notified April 2025.
To view the scholarship eligibility requirements and to apply, visit burgerking.scholarsapply.org.
In 2011, the McLamore Family added a new category to the BK Scholars program to help make an even greater impact. The James W. McLamore WHOPPER Scholarship Award was created, allowing the Foundation to grant $60,000 awards to three deserving students each year.
“With this scholarship, my pursuit of a computer science major with a focus on machine learning research would become more of a reality. Fueled by a passion for innovation, I am dedicated to advancing algorithmic efficiency. Thanks to the Burger King Foundation, I am now able to complete my goal, along with benefiting the society as a whole, without the fear of another factor I have always been aware of: financial struggle.”
“As a first-generation student, having financial support as I pursue my bachelor's degree will help me with my ultimate goal of becoming an electrical engineering professor. It's not just about teaching; it's about sparking that same curiosity that was ignited in me when uncovering the dynamic and playful side of coding. Pursuing a Ph.D. will equip me with the depth of knowledge and research expertise needed to inspire future generations and make meaningful contributions to marginalized communities."
“This scholarship will propel me towards my future, helping me march closer towards it. My intense ambition for success has long been disrupted by my family's inability to finance my education. With this scholarship I will not only be able to lessen the amount of tuition but also decrease the strain on my parents. In addition, The Burger King Scholars program will introduce me to a vast network of like minded thinkers and help me cultivate connections which will prove quite useful in the future.”
