TLDRChime awards $3 million in scholarships to 800 students across the country.The Chime Scholars Foundation nears $10 million in total awards since 2022.More than 9,000 students applied, marking the program’s highest demand yet.First-generation students make up 74% of Chime’s newest scholarship cohort.Chime Scholars post an 87% graduation rate across supported education paths.Chime shares traded at $31.50 after hours, down 0.72%, after closing at $31.73, up 2.85%. The company announced $3 million in scholarships for 800 students through its 2026–2027 Chime Scholars Foundation cohort nationwide. The latest awards push the program near $10 million in total scholarships since Chime launched the foundation during 2022.Chime Financial, Inc. Class A Common Stock, CHYMChime Expands Scholarship Program With $3 Million AwardChime selected 800 students after receiving more than 9,000 applications, the highest total in the program’s history. That application volume exceeded last year’s figure by more than four times and showed stronger demand for education funding support. The company will distribute $3 million across recipients pursuing degrees, certificates, vocational programs, and other approved higher education pathways nationwide.Chime created the foundation in 2022 to reduce education costs and help more students complete career-focused academic programs successfully. Since launch, the program has supported nearly 1,500 students across 546 institutions located in 41 states nationwide. The foundation has now distributed close to $10 million, while the latest cohort marks its fifth annual scholarship cycle.Chime funds the program through its 1% pledge, which commits company equity toward scholarship support over a decade. The company has committed millions of shares through that pledge, linking long-term corporate resources directly with education access. Chime positions the program within its broader financial progress strategy, which focuses on reducing barriers facing everyday consumers nationwide.First-Generation and Pell-Eligible Students Lead New CohortFirst-generation college students represent 74% of the 2026–2027 group, while every selected scholar qualifies for federal Pell Grants. Those figures place the program’s funding largely among students with demonstrated financial need and limited family experience with college. Chime also supports students across traditional universities, community colleges, trade schools, certificates, and other career-focused education routes nationwide.Healthcare represents the largest field among recipients, accounting for 28% of students in the newly announced scholarship class. STEM, computer science, and engineering programs account for another 25%, while business and finance represent 13% of recipients. These concentrations direct much of the funding toward sectors connected with skilled employment and professional career development after graduation.Nearly 45% of Chime Scholars pursue trade school or community college programs instead of traditional four-year university pathways. Chime reports an 87% graduation rate among scholars, roughly twice the national rate for Pell-eligible students. Graduates surveyed by the program unanimously reported that scholarship support played an important role in completing their education successfully.Chime Builds Social Program Alongside Fintech BusinessChime operates as a financial technology company offering low-cost banking, payments, lending, and investing products for everyday consumers nationwide. The company does not operate as a bank, while partner institutions provide regulated banking services for Chime customers. The Bancorp Bank and Stride Bank provide eligible deposit accounts with FDIC insurance subject to applicable rules and limits.The scholarship program extends Chime’s consumer-focused model beyond financial products and into education funding for students with financial need. Chime links that effort to economic mobility by helping recipients reduce education expenses while pursuing credentials for higher-paying careers. The company also uses its equity-funded pledge to support scholarships without changing the structure of its core financial services.Applications for the 2027–2028 Chime Scholars Foundation class will open in early 2027, continuing the annual funding program. The next cycle will follow a record application year and nearly $10 million already awarded since the foundation began. For CHYM stock, the scholarship expansion adds another corporate initiative alongside Chime’s broader payments, lending, banking, and investing operations.The post Chime Financial, Inc. (CHYM) Stock: Scholarship Program Nears $10M in Total Awards appeared first on Blockonomi.