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The rising expense of higher education forces today’s high school seniors to explore creative funding options. Luckily, high school seniors who want to attend college might get a significant financial boost from the Elks Most Valuable Student Scholarship.
It is money given out for doing well in school or for other noteworthy accomplishments. If you can prove you are exceptional in at least one area, you might qualify for this award. It lessens the financial burden of higher education, allowing people from all walks of life to complete their education.
About the Program
The Elks National Foundation has been encouraging young people to pursue their education since 1931. At least 800 exceptional, community-minded high school graduates receive one of the more than three million dollars in scholarships awarded annually.
The Elks Most Valuable Student Scholarship is one of the award programs supported by the Elks National Foundation. Only first-year college students may access it. There is a catch, though: a student may only obtain this scholarship once each academic year; therefore, it is not renewable.
All twenty National Finalists will be required to travel to Chicago, Illinois, on April 13-16, 2023, to participate in a Leadership Weekend that will include interviews. The costs of everything will be paid for.
Successful candidates will be required to attend the Leadership Weekend to receive their award. Awards of $50,000, $40,000, and $30,000 will be up for grabs for the top three and runner-up spots, respectively, among the top 20 finalists. Prizes of $20,000 each will be given to the remaining 14 finalists.
Program Benefits
There will be a competition in 2023 for 500 four-year scholarships from the Elks National Foundation. These awards are intended for full-time students enrolled in an accredited four-year institution in the United States and range from $1,000 to $12,000.
Certificates of award are issued for each scholarship, and the money may only be used to cover tuition at an approved institution in the United States. The cost of tuition is eligible for reimbursement with the help of scholarship money.
The Elks Most Valuable Student Scholarship winners must have their schools submit a Verification of Enrollment form to the foundation’s headquarters in Chicago before they can be paid.
Students who want to utilize their scholarships for study abroad must do so via a school in the U.S. that is regionally or nationally approved to award degrees. Without explicit approval from the Elks National Foundation’s board of directors, the foundation cannot pay for outside services or products.
Elks Most Valuable Student Scholarship Eligibility
An independent selection committee will evaluate the applications and select the recipients considering:
- Academic achievements and records
- Community involvement
- Financial need
- Leadership
There is no set income threshold below which applicants will not be considered and no upper limit over which they would be disregarded. All of the applicant’s financial information, including any explanations of unusual circumstances, will be taken into account.
Nonetheless, demonstrated financial necessity is a factor that contributes to the overall application score. Also, if you make it to the competition’s Quarter Finalist stage, you will have to submit your FAFSA.
The Elks Most Valuable Student Scholarship requirements include:
- Applicants must be current high school seniors, or the equivalent, who are citizens of the U.S.
- Candidates do not need to be related to a member of the foundation.
- High school graduates are not eligible to apply.
- Applicants must be citizens of the U.S. on the date their applications are submitted; permanent legal resident status does not qualify.
- Home-schooled students are eligible to apply for the scholarship. However, all aspects of the application must be filled out completely. When possible, a third party should complete the Counselor’s Report for the applicant.
Elks Most Valuable Student Scholarship Application
Fill out the online application form on the website provided at the end of this guide to get started on your application.
In order to compete at the national level, applications must first pass muster at the municipal, district, and state levels. All Quarter Finalists must submit their FAFSA and transcripts in January.
Meanwhile, in March of 2023, emails will be sent out to the 500 National Semi-Finalists. An essay and a recommendation from a teacher are requested with their most recent application materials.
The top 20 National Finalist applicants will be interviewed over a required Leadership Weekend after the application deadline for National Semi-Finalist applicants passes. In 2023, the MVS Leadership Weekend will take place in Chicago between April 13 and 16.
Emails are sent to both winners and those who were not chosen at each round of the scholarship competition. Some high school email domains may not allow outside email; thus, it is necessary to use a personal one when applying.
Elks Most Valuable Student Scholarship Application Deadline
The application deadline for the Elks Most Valuable Student Scholarship 2023 contest is November 14, 2022 at 11:59 p.m., PST. Make sure you have completed the form and prepared all the required documents before the closing date.
The status “Complete” will display on the home page when all forms have been submitted and all documents have been verified.
Contact Details
Need some help troubleshooting any technical issues? Or, do you simply have additional questions regarding the scholarship that we have not covered here? In that case, please send an email to scholarship@elks.org or call 773/755-4732.
Official Website
To start your application, visit the Elks National Foundation official website at www.elks.org. Feel free to bookmark this page to keep yourself updated with more scholarship opportunities for college students.
