The selection process for the Morehead-Cain is divided into four categories: North Carolina selections, out-of-state selections, British selections, and Canadian selections.
North Carolina Selections
The North Carolina selection process begins in the fall of a student's senior year when the student is nominated for the Morehead-Cain. All secondary schools in North Carolina are eligible to nominate up to four students, depending on the size of the senior class.
In addition, students attending schools in North Carolina may apply for the Morehead-Cain without being nominated. All nominees and applicants complete the online Morehead-Cain application form. Approximately 250 candidates are selected as semifinalists (regional candidates).
The 250 semifinalists are interviewed by regional committees, which select 60–70 North Carolina nominees as finalists. The North Carolina finalists are joined by approximately 65–75 out-of-state finalists and four British finalists for interviews with the Central Selection Committee in Chapel Hill. Approximately 75-85 students will be offered Morehead-Cains this year. See the 2007–2008 Selection Calendar for important deadlines.
Interested students should meet with their guidance counselors to learn more.
Out-of-State Selections
There are three ways an out-of-state student may become a Morehead-Cain candidate:
- by attending a participating school
- by participating in a nominating affiliate program
- by applying to UNC by November 1 and being nominated by the UNC Admissions Office.
Participating schools: the nomination process begins in the fall of a student's senior year. Eligible schools throughout the United States each nominate one student per year. Secondary schools outside of North Carolina become eligible to nominate by invitation of the Morehead-Cain Foundation. Interested school officials may request eligibility requirements by e-mailing moreheadcain@unc.edu. (Please note: our school selection process is closed for the 2008-2009 school year.)
Nominating affiliate programs: three nominating affiliate programs may nominate participants for the Morehead-Cain. These are: the Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership World Leadership Congress, the Mountain School, and School Year Abroad. Select participants will be nominated by the leadership of these organizations. The Morehead-Cain Foundation will contact these nominees directly in the fall of their senior year. Direct application is not permitted. For more information, please contact the Morehead-Cain Foundation.
UNC-Chapel Hill applicants: students who apply to UNC by November 1 (a non-binding deadline) are considered for all merit scholarships at Carolina, including the Morehead-Cain. If a student has been selected for consideration by the UNC Admissions Office, the Morehead-Cain Foundation will contact him or her directly in early January.
British Selections
All secondary schools in Great Britain may nominate for the Morehead-Cain. Nominees are interviewed in London by the British Selection Committee, which selects four students as finalists. The British finalists join approximately 60–70 North Carolina finalists and 65-75 out-of-state finalists for interviews with the Central Selection Committee in Chapel Hill. For more information about the British selection process and for instructions for nominating students in Great Britain, please see http://www.britishmorehead.org.
Canadian Selections
Any graduating student in Canada's 5,600 accredited high schools and cégeps may either apply or be nominated for the Morehead-Cain. Application forms are distributed on behalf of the Canadian Morehead-Cain Programme by the Canadian Merit Scholarship Foundation (CMSF). Candidates may come to the Canadian Morehead-Cain Programme either directly or through the CMSF area committee system. Twelve finalists were chosen in December 2006 by a reading and interviewing committee in Wellington, Ontario; final interviews were conducted by the Canadian Central Committee in Toronto in mid-February 2007 and three Morehead-Cain recipients were selected.
For more information on the Canadian Morehead-Cain Scholarship, see http://www.canadianmorehead.org. For information about the Canadian Merit Scholarship Foundation see http://www.cmsf.ca.
Number of Awards
In March 2007, 64 finalists from North Carolina were joined by 44 out-of-state finalists and three British finalists for interviews with the Central Selection Committee in Chapel Hill. Seventy students were offered Morehead-Cain Scholarships, including the three Canadian Morehead-Cain Scholarships that were granted in a separate selection process.
