National Scholarships

The following Scholarships are offered by the National, make sure to read all the requirements before submitting to your local American Legion Auxiliary Unit.

Please direct any questions to
 Education@ALAforVeterans.org for National Scholarships.

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Process of Application thru Succession


Application due to unit March 1

Certified unit entry due to department March 15

Certified department entry due to division chairman April 1

Certified division winner to national chairman April 15
Certified division winner to National Headquarters May 1

1. American Legion Auxiliary Children of Warriors
National President’s Scholarship

It is important to acknowledge the sacrifices of our service members who preserve our freedom, but that is not enough. The sacrifices of the children of those who served should also be honored. Providing funds to assist these children so they can pursue higher education is a concrete way of showing how much we, as a nation, care.

The American Legion Auxiliary sponsors the Children of Warriors National Presidents’ Scholarship to support the children of our warriors. These scholarships are awarded to 15 students annually who excel in academics and volunteer in their communities.

Click on the image above to visit National American Legion Auxiliary website for more information.

Click HERE to download an application today!

FAQ: Children of Warriors National Presidents’ Scholarship

15 -$5,000 scholarships awarded to students across the country

  1. Where can a student find the application?
  2. When is the scholarship deadline?
    • The final deadline is March 1. The application form will close at 11:59 pm Eastern. No exceptions will be made. National Headquarters receives the entries and disperses them to the departments (states) for the first round of judging.
    • Winners will be announced in May via social media and on the national website www.ALAforVeterans.org.
    • Letters will be mailed in May to winners and their sponsoring units.
    • A list of winners will be emailed in May to department secretaries and education chairs.
  3. Can anyone apply for the National Presidents’ Scholarship?
    • Candidates for this award shall be direct descendants of veterans who served in the United States Armed Forces during eligibility dates for membership in The American Legion and were honorably discharged. Membership in The American Legion Family is not required for this scholarship.
    • Applicants must be in their senior year of high school.
    • A student who is not a senior but taking college courses is not eligible.
    • Homeschooled students may apply providing they are the equivalent of a high school senior.
    • Students who have already graduated high school and/or are currently enrolled in college are not eligible
  4. Is community service required and how many hours?
    • 50 hours of volunteer service is required to be eligible for this scholarship.
    • Verification of the time served must be in writing from the recipient organization(s).
    • Hours served volunteering for the ALA and The Legion Family are acceptable
      • For documentation purposes the unit president or post commander should sign off on the hours by writing a letter.
    • Hours may be spread over the course of the applicant’s high school career.
    • Hours may be from one organization or spread across several.
      • If spread across several, documentation must come from each organization.
      • The exception being if the various organizations were arranged through the applicant’s school. Then a single letter from the applicant’s school counselor listing all the organizations and hours will be sufficient.
  5. My parents aren’t comfortable making copies of our FAFSA due to privacy concerns. Are there other options?
    • The FAFSA is no longer required.
  6. Where do applicants turn in their scholarship entry?
    • Applications are submitted online to National Headquarters. No further action from applicants is needed.
  7. What happens to the scholarship entry after it has been turned in?
    • Scholarship entries are distributed to the department (state) in which the applicant resides for the first round of judging. If the entry is selected by the state, then the entry is judged and certified one last time at the division level. There will be three winners in each of the 5 divisions. These entries are certified winners and receive the scholarship.
    • Applications of military students residing overseas will be distributed to their sponsor’s home state of record for the first round of judging.
  8. How is the scholarship judged?
    • Character/Leadership 30%
    • Essay/Application 30%
    • Academic Achievement 40%
  9. What is the amount awarded?
    • $5,000, 3 per division, for a total of $75,000 annually
  10. How long does the student have to use the scholarship?
    • ALA NHQ must receive the Scholarship Certification Form within 12 months of notification (date on the winner’s letter). The scholarship money must be used within 24 months of the winner receiving notification.
  11. How does a winner claim their scholarship money?
    1. A Scholarship Certification Form will be enclosed with the winner’s notification form, which must be completed by the student and their school’s registrar (or an equivalent position if no registrar is available).
    2. Once completed, the Scholarship Certification Form should be returned to the Education Program Coordinator at NHQ.
    3. Funds will then be released in the form of a check to the school.
  12. Does the scholarship winner get the money or does the school?
    • The check is paid to the school for tuition and/or room and board.
    • In some circumstances, a special exception may be made. For example, for a student in the Air Force Academy, which has no tuition or room and board, the check was sent to the US Treasury on the student’s behalf to offset expenses (books, uniforms, etc.)
  13. Is the money paid out in one lump sum or installments?
    • The Children of Warriors National Presidents’ Scholarship is paid in one lump sum, payable after NHQ receives the completed Scholarship Certification Form.
  14. Is the Children of Warriors National Presidents’ Scholarship renewable? Can a winner apply for it again?
    • No, since one of the requirements is the applicant must be a senior in high school. A previous winner would no longer be in high school.

2. American Legion Auxiliary Non-Traditional Student Scholarship

Getting a job or staying competitive in today’s workplace involves showing employers you have the skills and experience to get the job done. In many cases, returning to college is a must. The American Legion Auxiliary’s goal is to do all we can to make that happen, and that’s what the Non-Traditional Student Scholarship is all about. This scholarship helps people who are part of The Legion Family pursue a college degree later in life or allow them to pick up where they left off when their studies were interrupted. If you’re at this place in life, this may be the right scholarship for you.

Click on the image above to visit National American Legion Auxiliary website for more information.

Click HERE to download an application today!

FAQ: Non-Traditional Student Scholarship

5 – $2,000 scholarships awarded to Legion Family members, veterans, and spouses of active duty servicemembers or veterans.

  1. Where can a student find the application?
  1. When is the scholarship deadline?
    • The final deadline is March 1. The application form will close at 11:59 p.m. Eastern. No exceptions will be made. National Headquarters receives the entries and disperses them to the departments (states) for the first round of judging.
    • Winners will be announced in May via social media and on the national website at www.ALAforVeterans.org.
    • Letters will be mailed in May to winners and their sponsoring units.
    • A list of winners will be emailed in May to department secretaries and education chairs.
  1. Who can apply for the Non-Traditional Student Scholarship?
    • Applicant must be:
      1. A current member in good standing of The American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary, or Sons of The American Legion, must have held membership for the two preceding years (2023 and 2024), and be a paid member for the current (2025) membership year, OR
      2. A veteran who served in the United States Armed Forces and was honorably discharged, OR
      3. The spouse of an active duty servicemember or a veteran who was honorably discharged.
    • Applicants must also be a student returning to the classroom after some period of time in which his/her formal education was interrupted or a non-traditional student who is just beginning his/her education at a later point in life.
  1. Do I have to be a full-time undergraduate student?
    • No, part time students are eligible, as are other degree students such as masters or doctorate students.
  1. I was a winner of the Spirit of Youth Scholarship. Am I eligible to apply for the Non-Traditional Student Scholarship?
    • No, SOY scholarship winners are not eligible to receive this scholarship.
  1. Is community service required to receive this scholarship?
    • No, there is no volunteer service required.
  1. I am not comfortable making copies of my FAFSA due to privacy concerns. Are there other options?
    • The FAFSA is no longer required.
  1. Where do I turn my scholarship entry in?
    • Applications are submitted online to National Headquarters. No further action from applicants is needed.
  1. What happens to the scholarship entry after it has been turned in?
    • Scholarship entries are distributed to the department (state) in which the applicant resides for the first round of judging. If the entry is selected by the state, then the entry is judged and certified one last time at the division level. There will be one winner in each of the 5 divisions. These entries are certified winners and receive the scholarship.
  1. How is the scholarship judged?
    • Character/Leadership 25%
    • Initiative/Goals 25%
    • Financial Need 25%
    • Academic Achievement 25%
  1. What is the amount awarded?
    • $2,000 — one per division — for a total of $10,000 annually.
  1. How long does the student have to use the scholarship?
    • ALA NHQ must receive the Scholarship Certification Form within 12 months of notification (date on the winner’s letter). The scholarship money must be used within 24 months of the winner receiving notification.
  1. How does a winner claim their scholarship money?
    • A Scholarship Certification Form will be enclosed with the winner’s notification form, which must be completed by the student and their school’s registrar (or an equivalent position if no registrar is available).
    • Once completed, the Scholarship Certification Form should be returned to the Education Program Coordinator at NHQ.
    • Funds will then be released in the form of a check to the school.
  1. Does the scholarship winner get the money or does the school?
    • The check is paid to the school for tuition and/or room and board.
    • In some circumstances, a special exception may be made.  For example, for a student in the Air Force Academy, which has no tuition or room and board, the check was sent to the US Treasury on the student’s behalf to offset expenses (books, uniforms, etc.)
  1. Is the money paid out in one lump sum or installments?
    • The Non-Traditional Student Scholarship is paid in one lump sum, payable after NHQ receives the completed Scholarship Certification Form.
  1.  Is the Non-Traditional Student Scholarship renewable? Can a winner apply for it again?
    • No, since one of the requirements is the applicant be returning to or starting school after a period of time.  A previous winner would no longer be returning to school.

3. The American Legion Auxiliary Spirit of Youth Scholarship

The Spirit of Youth Scholarship Fund is an umbrella that supports three separate scholarship opportunities for participants in American Legion Auxiliary programs. One is for American Legion Auxiliary Junior members; another is for the Honorary National Junior President; and one is for participants in the American Legion Auxiliary Girls Nation program. We encourage all eligible young women to take advantage of these scholarship opportunities and apply.

You can help, too. We invite you to join us in supporting our youth as they pursue a higher education. Donate to the Spirit of Youth Scholarship Fund today!

Click on the image above to visit National American Legion Auxiliary website for more information.
Click HERE to download an application today!

4.Junior Member Loyalty Scholarship

SCHOLARSHIP RULES

  1. Candidates for this award shall have been Junior members of the American Legion Auxiliary, held membership in the American Legion Auxiliary for the past three consecutive years (2022, 2023, and 2024) and be a paid member for the current membership year (2025). Applicant must continue their membership in the American Legion Auxiliary during the scholarship period.
  2. This scholarship is intended for the traditional college student with no interruption in education, who is at least in the first semester of college or technical school but not yet attained a bachelor’s degree. Any member who is a non-traditional student (a student returning to the classroom after some time away from college) is welcome to apply for the American Legion Auxiliary Non-Traditional Student Scholarship.
  3. This is a scholarship to attend an accredited institution of higher education for the completion of a bachelor’s degree. Applicants must have completed at least one semester with grades that meet continuation requirements at the institution of their choice. Applicants must have at least a 3.0 GPA using a 4.0 scale.
  4. Previous American Legion Auxiliary national scholarship recipients are welcome to apply.
  5. Applicants must present the completed application, along with the other required materials specified on the following page, to the president of their American Legion Auxiliary unit ON OR BEFORE MARCH 1.
  6. Judging, at all levels, shall be on the following basis:
  • Leadership, Character, and ALA Participation (as presented in applicant’s essay) 50%
  • Academic Achievement 25%
  • Completed Application 25%

ALA Member Role with National Scholarships

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ALA SCHOLARSHIPS FAQ

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