Summary of Programs

In This Section

The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) Scholarship Fund offers need-based Financial Aid Scholarships for college undergraduates and Academic and Art Merit Awards and Community Service Awards for high school seniors. Scholarships are open to children of AFSA members who are, or were, U.S. Foreign Service members.

  Academic Merit Community Service Art Merit Financial Aid

Who Can Apply?

Children of AFSA members; they must be high school seniors graduating in 2026.

Children of AFSA members; they must be high school seniors graduating in 2026.

Children of AFSA members; they must be high school seniors graduating in 2026.

Tax-dependent children of at least one Foreign Service employee who is an AFSA member; they must be current high school seniors planning to enroll or a student currently enrolled full-time in an eligible post-secondary education program.*

Eligibility Details

Eligibility

Eligibility

Eligibility

Eligibility

Description & Award Amounts
  • Forty-four (44) $3,500 awards
  • One (1) $2,500 best essay award
  • Two (2) $1,500 best essay honorable mention awards
  • Two (2) $3,500 awards
  • Five (5) $2,000 honorable mention awards
  • Two (2) $3,500 awards
  • Five (5) $2,000 honorable mention awards
  • Approximately 80 need-based scholarships ranging from $2,000-$6,000

Bestowed

Early August 2026

Early August 2026

Early August 2026

Early August 2026

Applications

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Application Components
  1. Academic Merit Application
  2. Official high school transcripts**
  3. Two page essay. Topic: Describe the most significant experience you’ve had during your adolescence and/or childhood in the Foreign Service. (500 words max).
  4. Resume outlining any activities, awards, paid and unpaid work, etc.
  5. Three short reflections (200 words max) on the most important activities or accomplishments on the resume.
  6. Recommendation from one individual
  1. Community Service Application
  2. Official high school transcripts**
  3. Written reflections on up to three community service activities (400 words max each).
  4. Resume which includes volunteer activities.
  5. Recommendation from one individual
  1. Art Merit Application
  2. Official high school transcripts**
  3. Art two-page essay. Topic: Based on the art you submitted, what inspired you to create/perform these pieces. Describe the importance of this art in your life. (500 words max, double spaced, 12 point font)
  4. Recommendation from one individual
  5. Art submission in either:
    • creative writing
    • musical arts
    • visual arts, or
    • performing arts
  6. If they have one, students are invited to submit a resume that includes their artistic accomplishments. This can be a standard resume or an Artist’s CV (2 pages max).
  1. Financial Aid Application
  2. Official high school or college transcripts**
  3. FAFSA Student Aid Report

*Eligible post-secondary education programs include: college/university (bachelor’s or associate degree programs) or an accredited trade/vocational school. NOT ELIGIBLE are high school postgraduate programs (such as for athletic or military development) or graduate (master’s, doctoral) programs.

**If your high school does not provide an unweighted, cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale, you will be asked to calculate your GPA using AFSA's GPA Calculator.

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