The Atkinson Scholarship Program

Investing in access to higher education for local teens

The Atkinson Scholarship Program was established in 1995 to recognize local high school seniors with financial need, academic promise and the capacity to make a meaningful contribution to society.

The program is named for Sudbury Foundation founders Herbert and Esther Atkinson who believed strongly in giving back to the community and were particularly interested in supporting the town’s young people. Since its inception, we’ve provided over $8,000,000 to 420 students.

The Atkinson Scholarship Program is designed to help local high school students with financial need and academic promise attend the college or university of their choice by awarding scholarships of up to $7,500 per year. Recipients have the opportunity to reapply for three additional years of support for a total of $30,000.

Applying for an Atkinson Scholarship

The 2025 application IS NOW available online. CLICK HERE.

BEFORE you bEgin - check your eligibility

You are eligible to apply for the Atkinson Scholarship if you are a high school senior who is planning to attend an accredited two or four-year college or university, or an approved post-secondary vocational/professional development program.

In addition, you must be:

  • A Sudbury resident or the dependent of a Sudbury resident, OR

  • Enrolled at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School (LS), OR

  • The dependent of a full-time Town of Sudbury or LS employee (employed for minimum of one year).

Candidates must meet a certain threshold of financial need. Please click here for information on determining financial need. Applicants are then selected based on past academic performance and future potential as well as the desire and ability to contribute to society through community service, the advancement of a field of interest, or the sharing of a skill or talent.

Information Required to Complete The Online Application (the application will be available online on November 1.)

  • Your family information including home address(es), email addresses, and phone numbers.

  • High School Transcript (If you’re an LS student, we’ll request your transcript from the LS Registrar’s office. You do not have to provide it.)

  • List of extracurricular activities since 9th grade.

  • List of work experiences since 9th grade.

  • Essays:

    • Two short-answer essays.

    • One essay written for one of your college applications.

  • Two letters of recommendation.

  • Family information (Ex: primary home assessed value and amount owed on primary home, number of children in college).

  • Copy of the FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS) that includes Student Aid Index (SAI). FAFSA is now open. Apply early.

  • Optional: Resume