Phillips Passport Initiative

The Phillips Passport Initiative provides funding for new first year and new transfer undergraduate students to obtain their first U.S. passport book. The mission of the initiative is to encourage students to explore global experiences early in their time at Carolina. Award recipients will be provided with resources to explore a wide array of global opportunities including studying, interning, service learning, and researching abroad. This initiative funded 130 new passports in 2022-2023 and has funded 99 so far in 2023-2024.

Application Instructions

APPLY HERE for Phillips Passport Initiative scholarships February 1 to May 1

FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions about Phillips Passport Initiative

Learn more about applying for a first-time adult U.S. passport book

Funding Overview
Awards of $175 each will be available to cover the application cost for a first-time adult U.S. passport book (currently $165) plus the cost of passport size photos (approximately $10.) Please note this initiative does not award funding to students who have previously held a U.S. passport book or who are seeking to renew a U.S. passport book, or students who are not eligible to apply for a U.S. passport book.

Spring 2024 Eligibility
To be eligible to apply for an award in spring 2024, the student must:
Be a first year or new transfer undergraduate student who started class at UNC Chapel Hill in the 2023-2024 academic year
Have never before held a U.S. passport book at any time since birth (can have previously held a passport card)
Be currently eligible to apply for a first-time adult U.S. passport book

Spring 2024 Application Timeline and Deadlines
February 1, 2024: PPI scholarship application opens
May 1, 2024: PPI scholarship application due
May 10, 2024: PPI scholarship notification
May 20, 2024: PPI scholarship commitment deadline
October 1, 2024: Passport application receipt upload due for award distribution
January 1, 2025: Deadline to upload image of newly received U.S. passport book signature/photo page

Fall 2024 Eligibility
To be eligible to apply for an award in fall 2024, the student must:
Be a first year or new transfer undergraduate student who starts class at UNC Chapel Hill in the 2024-2025 academic year (including summer bridge and Kessler Scholars).
Have never before held a U.S. passport book at any time since birth (can have previously held a passport card)
Be currently eligible to apply for a first-time adult U.S. passport book

Fall 2024 Application Timeline and Deadlines
August 1, 2024: PPI scholarship application opens
November 1, 2024: PPI scholarship application due
November 10, 2024: PPI scholarship notification
November 20, 2024: PPI scholarship commitment deadline
April 1, 2025: Passport application receipt upload due for award distribution
July 1, 2025: Deadline to upload image of newly received U.S. passport book signature/photo page

All award recipients will be required to:
Apply for a first-time adult U.S. passport book on their own and pay for all fees upfront (PPI staff can advise on process)
Upload passport application receipt by the required deadline
Upload image of U.S. passport book signature/photo page by the deadline
Complete periodic questionnaires about how passport book is utilized
Share experiences with future prospective applicants (optional)