Member Loyalty Scholarship

Member Loyalty Scholarship

Ten scholarships, in the amount of $2,500 each, will be awarded for 2026. All are gift scholarships, not loans.

Two scholarships will be awarded in each of the five divisions of the American Legion Auxiliary.

• CENTRAL DIVISION - Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, West Virginia, Wisconsin
• EASTERN DIVISION - Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont
• NORTHWESTERN DIVISION - Colorado, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming
• SOUTHERN DIVISION - Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia
• WESTERN DIVISION - Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington

Eligibility and Rules:

• Candidates for this award shall be/shall have been Junior members of the American Legion Auxiliary, have held membership in the American Legion Auxiliary for the past three consecutive years (2023, 2024, and 2025), and must be a paid member for the current (2026) membership year. Applicant must continue their membership in the American Legion Auxiliary during the scholarship period.
• This scholarship is intended for the traditional college student, who has attained their high school diploma, has had no interruption in education, and will be completing one, two, or three years of college courses at an accredited institution of higher education; college or technical school.
• Applicants must have completed their first semester of higher education but have not yet attained a bachelor’s degree.
• Applicants must have completed at least one semester of college 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.
• Previous American Legion Auxiliary national scholarship recipients are welcome to apply.
• Essay answers must have a minimum of 600 characters in length. This requirement ensures that responses are detailed enough to fully address the question given. All essays will be reviewed using AI tools to help ensure originality. These tools assist in identifying potential plagiarism and detecting AI-generated content. Applicants that rely heavily on AI will be disqualified.
• Completed applications are DUE ON OR BEFORE MARCH 1, 2026, 11:59 PM Eastern.
• Judging, at all levels, shall be on the following basis:
  • 50% - Character/Leadership and ALA Participation
  • 25% - Essay
  • 25% - Academic Achievement
• THE DECISION OF THE JUDGES SHALL BE FINAL.

Attachments:

You will need to attach several different documents for this application. Below is a list of things you will need to complete your application.

• Transcripts, or photocopy of the transcripts, of the applicant's most recent high school grades.
• Two letters of recommendation: one letter of recommendation must be from an educator or spiritual advisor who is familiar with the applicant’s academic performance, extracurricular activities, and can describe their skills, leadership experience, and character. The second letter of recommendation is from a person of the applicant’s choosing attesting to the applicant's character regarding conduct, citizenship, and leadership. Letters of recommendation from family members will not be accepted.

Disbursement of funds:

The first half of the scholarship ($1,250) will be paid directly to the school for the first semester upon notification from the school that the student has registered. American Legion Auxiliary National Headquarters must receive certification of enrollment within 12 months of the winning recipient’s notification, or the scholarship will be forfeited. There shall be no money paid to the school for the ensuing semesters until re-enrollment certification notification has been received at National Headquarters from the school. Notification from the school must include verification of a B (3.0) average. If the winner discontinues their education or membership in the American Legion Auxiliary before completing the scholarship period, the balance of the scholarship will be forfeited. The winner will have six years from the date of high school graduation to utilize the scholarship funds.