Students are working hard these days to find additional scholarship opportunities but what if your ability to receive a scholarship was determined the day you left the hospital as a newborn? It is hard to imagine but depending on the name your parents gave to you on your birth certificate, you could be eligible for some awesome college scholarship dollars.
One scholarship program (depicting the scenario above) that I recently came across was established at North Carolina State University by a successful businessman named John Gatling. He was a devoted supporter of NCSU and his desire was that his estate be used for educational scholarships. His only requirement… the grant can only be awarded to a first-time undergraduate degree-seeking student who is born (this is the important part) with the surname of GATLIN or GATLING.
The amount of the grant varies every year and is dependent upon the investment return of the endowment but the Gatling Scholarship program provides approximately $9,000 a year for North Carolina residents and $18,000 for out-of-state residents. Which will more than cover your cost of tuition at NCSU…
If your last name is GATLING (or Gatlin) and you are looking for a school with affordable (or free!) tuition, you may want to check out North Carolina State University
The following are the steps required to be considered for the Gatling Scholarship:
- Submit a Notification of Interest to the Office of Scholarships & Financial Aid.
- Submit an NC State Undergraduate Admission application and materials by February 1.
- Complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) at www.fafsa.ed.gov no later than March 1.Be accepted for admission to NC State University no later than April 1.
- Submit a copy of a birth certificate, confirming the name Gatlin or Gatling, to the Office of Scholarships & Financial Aid.
Since funds can be limited, priority for the scholarship is provided as follows:
- North Carolina residents attending NC State with the surname Gatlin(g) who demonstrate financial need as determined by the FAFSA
- Non-North Carolina residents attending NC State with the surname Gatlin(g) who demonstrate financial need as determined by the FAFSA
- North Carolina residents attending NC State with the surname Gatlin(g) who do not demonstrate financial need.
- Non-North Carolina residents attending NC State with the surname Gatlin(g) who do not demonstrate financial need.
- As of the 2002-03 academic year, funds have been available for students attending NC State University only. In the event that additional funding is available, additional priorities will be considered.
Certainly a great opportunity if you have the right surname. If you have any friends that qualify, please be sure to send this scholarship information onto them using the “share tab” below.
Wow! Thanks! Hope my son can use it.
does this include the surname gadlin
I don’t think that would make the cut but you could always drop a line to the school and see if there is any flexibility…
As a former recipient (NC State 1991) I fully endorse this scholarship. I paid not one thin dime to NC State!
just wanted to say hello to you family
Thanks for the information. I have a son graduating this year and another child in 2018. We will look further into this.
This is wonderful but I do not live in NC..I would love to have help with me starting school
Hi family.
how many people apply for this each year? do we know?
What if the surname Gatlin is your mothers maiden name?
Hi family. As it was told to me our family’s last name started out as GATLING, and some of our family long ago dropped the G. That’s why it’s either or today. We are ALL family. Most of us are on ancestry.com and we verified a lot. Love ALL of you. #GodisGood
My daughter went to college on the gatling Schlorship almost 20 years ago. It was wonderful. I have 2 grands that are Seniors In High Sch. Hoping they will be able to also
My mother’s last name is Gatling , can my son go to college on her name , her grandson?
Hello family , I’m glad to be a part of this family keep in touch from Baltimore Maryland Bessie Gatlin
Do any of the gatlin’s or Gatling’s still live on Gatlin Rd