Education Initiatives

Our Company and leaders have supported education for more than 100 years. We believe education is one of the keys to socioeconomic development, and we create, build and encourage educational programs for students of all ages. Our programs focus on building educational infrastructure; mentoring; school drop-out prevention; reading and literacy; scholarships; business-education partnerships; and other local needs. Some highlights of our education programs around the world are listed below.

United States
The Coca-Cola First Generation Scholarship program has awarded more than $14 million in scholarships to support students who are the first in their immediate families to go to college. The program has reached more than 1,000 students at approximately 400 U.S. campuses. Interested students should contact the school they are planning to attend to ask whether a Coca-Cola First Generation Scholarship is in place, and if so, how to apply.

Since its inception in 1986, The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation has awarded $35 million in scholarships to more than 4,000 high school students to attend college in the United States. The Foundation contributes $3 million annually to students entering college in its "Four-Year Award for Seniors" flagship program and another $400,000 in its "Coca-Cola Two-Year Colleges Scholarship" program. Coca-Cola Scholars (scholarship recipients) commit to a lifetime of leadership and service in their communities upon receipt of their scholarship. Generations of Coca-Cola Scholars are now leaders in a host of professions in government, law, education, financial services and health care.

Learn how The Coca-Cola Foundation supports Emory University's education and sustainability initiatives.

Learn how The Coca-Cola Foundation honors students at private colleges and universities who are the first in their families to attend college.

Philippines
Through the Little Red Schoolhouse program, disadvantaged children in remote areas are provided access to basic education through school construction and education training since 1997.

China
Established in 2002, the Hope Star program provides opportunities for underprivileged primary and middle school students to continue their education into middle and high schools throughout China.

Chile
For more than 10 years, we have contributed to the teaching of natural sciences at schools through the donation of state-of-the-art laboratories for scientific education. To date, 70 laboratories have been donated, benefiting 600,000 children throughout the country.

Argentina
Our seven-year initiative with Cimientos Foundation seeks to reduce school desertion and child labor by providing scholarships and educational support to high school students. To date, the Near Future program has contributed to the graduation of more than
1,000 students.

Egypt
In 2008, we invested $100,000 to help build six new schools for girls in various rural areas of Egypt. To date, more than 125 girls are receiving education in these schools.

Learn more about what we are doing to promote work-readiness in Africa, go there »

Explore the Little Red Schoolhouse, go there »