Scholarships
The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) offers scholarships to students which start at the local (city) level and ends at the National level. Scholarships range in awards from, $5,000.00 to $37,000.00 at National level with local and state monetary awards along the way.
Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest
Who is Eligible to Apply?
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Students in grades 9-12 by the March 31 deadline who are enrolled in a public, private or parochial high school or home study program in the United States, its territories and possessions; or dependents of U.S. military or civilian personnel in overseas schools.
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Although U.S. citizenship is not required, students must be permanent residents or have applied for permanent residence status (the application for which has not been denied) to become a U.S. citizen.
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Foreign exchange students, students age 20 or older, GED and adult education students, or national winners of previous Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contests are ineligible.
What is the Scholarship Amount?
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The first-place winner from each state competes for national awards totaling $37,000.
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3-Dimensional Patriotic Art Contest
Who is Eligible to Apply?
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Students in grades 9-12 by the March 31 deadline who are enrolled in a public, private or parochial high school or home study program in the United States, its territories and possessions; or dependents of U.S. military or civilian personnel in overseas schools.
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Although U.S. citizenship is not required, students must be permanent residents or have applied for permanent residence status (the application for which has not been denied) to become a U.S. citizen.
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Foreign exchange students, students age 20 or older, GED and adult education students are ineligible.
What is the Scholarship Amount?
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The first-place winner from each state competes for national awards totaling $5,500.
Voice of Democracy
Established in 1947, our Voice of Democracy audio-essay program provides high school students with the unique opportunity to express themselves in regards to a democratic and patriotic-themed recorded essay. Each year, nearly 25,000 ninth through 12th grade students from across the country enter to win their share of more than $1 million in educational scholarships and incentives awarded through the program.
The national first place winner receives a $35,000 scholarship paid directly to the recipient’s American university, college or vocational/technical school. A complete list of other national scholarships range from $1,000-$21,000, and the first place winner from each VFW Department (state) wins at least a scholarship of $1,000. Applications must be turned in by midnight, Oct. 31.
Patriot's Pen
Each year, nearly 68,800 students in sixth through eighth grades enter the VFW’s Patriot’s Pen youth essay contest for a chance to win their share of nearly $1 million in state and national awards. Each first place state winner receives a minimum of $500 at the national level, and the national first place winner wins $5,000!
The essay contest encourages young minds to examine America’s history, along with their own experiences in modern American society, by drafting a 300- to 400-word essay, expressing their views based on a patriotic theme chosen by the VFW Commander-in-Chief. Applications must be turned in by midnight, Oct. 31.