VFW Scholarships – Scholarship Positions 2019 2020

If you are a democracy-loving high school student or a patriotic middle school student, you can win a Youth Scholarship.

The Voice of Democracy Competition is a Patriotic Audio Essay Competition offered by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Organization.

Through the educational VFW program, high school students have a unique opportunity to express themselves in regards to a democratic and patriotic-themed recorded essay.

Students are required to compete by writing and recording an audio essay on an annual patriotic theme. This year’s 2019 – 2020 theme is “What Makes America Great”.

As a nonprofit veteran’s service organization, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States is consisting of eligible veterans and military service members from the active, guard and reserve forces.

Application Deadline: October 31, 2019

Brief Description

• Organization: Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
• Department: NA
• Course Level: high school
• Award: $30,000 Award
• Access Mode: Online
• Number of Awards:
• Nationality: U.S. Citizens
• The award can be taken in the United States

Eligibility

• Eligible Countries: United States
• Admissible Criteria: To be eligible, the applicants must in grades 9-12 enrolled in public, private, parochial school, or home study program in the U.S., its territories or its possessions.
• Dependents of U.S. military or civilian personnel in overseas schools are also eligible to participate.
• Although U.S. citizenship is not required. Students must be lawful U.S. permanent residents or have applied for permanent residence (the application for which has not been denied) and intends to become a U.S. citizen at the earliest opportunity allowed by law.
• Foreign exchange students, students age 20 or over, previous Voice of Democracy first-place state winners, GED or Adult Education Students are ineligible.

How to Apply

• How to Apply: To participate, applicants must download and complete the 2019-20 entry form. The complete application must send to your local VFW Post.
• What do you need to enter?

1. Record your original 3-5 minute (+ or – 5 seconds max.) essay on an audio CD or a flash drive. (Music, singing, poetry or sound effects are not allowed.)
2. One student per CD or flash drive

Benefits

• The national first-place winner will receive a $30,000 award that will directly provided to the recipient’s American university, college or vocational/technical school.
• Each VFW Department (state) first-place winner wins a minimum grant of $1,000 and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C.
• Other national awards range from $1,000-$16,000