General FAQs

What is the Program timeline?

• Application Opens: December 5, 2025
• Application Deadline: April 17, 2026
• Scholarship Recipients Notified: June 2026
• Scholarship Checks Issued: by August 2026

Who is eligible to apply?

AFSA merit and financial aid scholarships are only open to children of AFSA members. Read the full eligibility criteria for merit and financial aid scholarships here.

Children of the 2026 AFSA Scholarship Committee are ineligible for AFSA awards or scholarships in 2026.

Children whose parents are not affiliated with the Foreign Service may participate in AFSA’s National High School Essay Contest.

Where do I apply?

To apply, you will need to visit the Community Force account login page by clicking here. If you do not already have an account with Community Force, you can create one there. Each applicant (person) needs an account, and the account should be made in the applicant’s name and email. If needed, parents will be copied on any correspondence from AFSA using the email provided in the application. You do not need to make new accounts each year or separate accounts for merit and financial aid applications.

Where and when should I send my supporting documents?

The required supporting documents must be uploaded to your online application by the application deadline. If you do not follow the upload instructions exactly, your application may not be considered. Documents that meet the criteria required for the scholarship application, and are uploaded by the deadline, will be processed and considered on time.

What are the DOs and DON’Ts of uploading documents to my application?

DO:

• Upload in the correct file format.
• Only upload the requested documents.
• Ensure your name displays on the uploaded document
• Ensure your documents are accessible (e.g. not password protected)
• Black out any Social Security numbers on the documents you are uploading. This is not required, but advised.

DON’T:

• Upload more than the requested documentation.
• Upload a document stating you are mailing your documents. (Mailed documents are not accepted.)
• Assume the required document does not pertain to you. If the application states the document is required, your application will remain incomplete if you do not provide that document.
• Password protect your uploaded documents. Password protected documents will be rejected.
• Upload any file that has a viewing expiration date.

Which school should I list on the application if I have not made a final decision?

If you do not know where you are going at the time of application, you may list “undecided”. If you are selected for a scholarship in early summer and do not yet know where you will be attending, please provide the Bursar information for your most-likely selection and email AFSA at scholar@afsa.org to make us aware.

How do I change my college choice?

Before your application is submitted you may logon and make the change under the Academics section. If your application has been submitted please email scholar@afsa.org to make the change.

How and when will I receive notification?

• Notifications are sent to recipients and applicants not selected to receive an award via email in June. For recipients, an acceptance link will be displayed on their application home page following the notification.

Note: Your email address will only be used by AFSA to communicate with you about your scholarship application. We will not provide your email address to any third parties.

What are my responsibilities if I am chosen as a recipient?

• You must enroll as a full-time undergraduate student in the fall of the year in which the scholarships are awarded and continue the entire academic year without interruption.
• Verify the bursar address to ensure that your scholarship check(s) is delivered to the proper office at your institution with its attached instructions and notify AFSA should your check not arrive within 90 days of the issue date.

Is this scholarship renewable?

• No. AFSA scholarships are not automatically renewable.
• Merit scholarships are only open to those entering college as freshmen in Fall 2026.
• If you continue to meet the eligibility criteria, you can reapply for an AFSA financial aid scholarship. The scholarship will be awarded for no more than 8 semesters per applicant.

How and when are checks issued?

Checks will be issued in early August to the institution the student has chosen to attend. If you are attending school outside the United States, the scholarship will be issued via wire transfer to the bank information provided.

Please be on the lookout for any email communication from AFSA during that time frame which may require a response confirming information previously provided such as student ID number, institution mailing address, etc.

May I defer my scholarship?

Merit scholarships may be deferred at the discretion of the AFSA Scholarships Committee. Financial Aid Scholarships are not deferable but applicants can re-apply the following year if the eligibility criteria are met.

Are scholarships taxable?

Tax laws vary by country. In the United States, scholarship funds used exclusively for the payment of tuition or textbooks are normally not taxable. The scholarship recipient is responsible for taxes, if any, that may be assessed against his or her scholarship award. We recommend consulting your tax advisor for more guidance. You may also click here to consult IRS Publication 970 for further information.

Can and should I thank the donors who made my scholarship possible?

Yes, we strongly encourage you to do so. Please contact us at scholar@afsa.org for contact information for your specific scholarship supporter(s).

Who do I contact if I have other questions?

Contact AFSA at scholar@afsa.org.

Financial Aid

What are the selection criteria?

You must complete the 2026-27 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) to complete this application. Once your form is processed, you’ll be able to review your FAFSA Submission Summary which will include your Student Aid Index (SAI) which is required for the AFSA Financial Aid Scholarship.

Applications are ranked according to the Student Aid Index on the FAFSA Submission Summary. The AFSA Scholarship Committee then apportions available funding to those applicants with the greatest documented financial need. Decisions of the selection committees are final and are not subject to appeal and no application feedback will be given.

What are the details of the award?

• Scholarship amounts vary. Scholarships will be awarded annually and are not renewable.
• Students may reapply each year as long as they continue to meet the eligibility criteria.
• Students may transfer from one institution to another and retain the award.

My family has special circumstances that create financial hardships not captured by the FAFSA. Can AFSA consider this when distributing financial aid awards?

AFSA uses applicant’s SAI from the FAFSA to determine financial need, as this is the fairest way we can do so and it is used as a standard by most universities and colleges for determining aid.

Since applicants can apply for AFSA financial aid all four years of college, any drop in income one year, such as due to retirement or separation, will be factored into the next year’s calculation of financial need.

Merit

Can I apply to more than one merit scholarship?

Yes, you can apply for more than one merit scholarship. Make sure to select the categories you’d like to apply for in the application.

Why am I required to provide a GPA on an unweighted, 4.0 scale if my transcripts are provided?

Standardizing GPA is how we keep the calculation of the biggest point category (academic performance) fair. Due to the volume of applications and variety of school systems among applicants, we ask that you help us by providing this information up front to expedite the evaluation process. A tool with instructions is provided in the application to help convert all grades to the unweighted 4.0 scale.