Equitable Excellence Scholarship® Application Now Open

NEW YORK – November 13 2025 – Equitable, a leading financial services organization and principal franchise of Equitable Holdings, Inc.  (NYSE: EQH), today announced the call for applications for its 2026 Equitable Excellence Scholarship.^®

The long-running annual scholarship program is open to high school seniors across the country, underscoring the company’s belief that pathways to postsecondary attainment can help to create a lifetime of economic and social mobility.

“The Equitable Excellence scholarship is a cornerstone of our mission – investing in students and teachers to foster economic mobility, strengthen communities and deliver measurable impact, including a 97% matriculation rate among recipients last year,” said Jarian Kerekes, Head of Social Impact and President of Equitable Foundation.

Each year, Equitable awards 100 students a $5,000 scholarship per academic year for a total of $20,000 per recipient. The program grants scholarships based on financial need, academic performance and submission of a brief personal essay.

Beyond financial assistance, the scholarship program also offers hands-on opportunities to increase the future success and job readiness of each student. Recipients gain special access to workshops focused on resume building, personal branding, mental wellness and career access and exposure.

Applications for the 2026 program are being accepted online through December 18, 2025.

“We aspire to not just open doors to college but to empower students to thrive far beyond graduation. Nearly 60% of our recent recipients are first-generation college students, and our tailored support equips them with the confidence and skills to navigate higher education as trailblazers in their families,” added Kerekes.

In addition to the scholarship, the company offers a range of interactive programming – such as college tours – to help empower students to explore their options, access resources and take actionable steps toward college.

Central to these efforts are sessions that help students and their families complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application and navigate the $[8] billion annual private scholarship market.ⁱ Open to all members of the community, these sessions help to ease the strain on often overburdened school guidance counselors and administrators.  

To further expand its reach, Equitable is one of only three private scholarships featured on Common App, a non-profit organization committed to expanding access and integrity in college admissions. Through this partnership, Equitable can connect with over 1 million students who use the platform to apply to college and research financial aid and scholarships – a third of whom are first generation. Last year, more than half of Equitable Excellence scholarship recipients applied through Common App.

About Equitable:

Equitable, a principal franchise of Equitable Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: EQH), has been one of America’s leading financial services providers since 1859. With the mission to help clients secure their financial well-being, Equitable provides advice, protection and retirement strategies to individuals, families and small businesses. Equitable has more than 8,000 employees and Equitable Advisors financial professionals and serves 3 million clients across the country. Please visit equitable.com for more information.  Equitable Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Equitable and Equitable Advisors. Equitable Excellence® and Equitable Excellence Scholarship^® are registered marks of the Equitable Foundation.