Applicants will be judged on financial need, leadership and scholarship.
All scholarships are in the form of certificates of award conditional upon the enrollment of the winner in an accredited US college or university.
Applications must advance through local, district and state competition to reach the national competition. The Chicago office of the Elks National Foundation will announce the 500 national winners, and notify them in writing, around May 15, 2012. (Many local Lodges, districts and state Elks associations award their own scholarships through this program. These scholarships are not to be confused with the 500 Elks National Foundation Most Valuable Student Scholarships.)
Ranging from $1,000 per year to $15,000 per year, Most Valuable Student scholarships are for students pursuing a four-year degree, on a full-time basis (minimum of 12 semester hours), in a US American college or university. Male and female students compete separately.
Requests for additional information should be addressed to the scholarship chairman of the local Lodge or of the Elks association of the state in which the applicant is a resident.
Through this Most Valuable Student competition and its four other scholarship programs, the Elks National Foundation annually awards $3.4 million in scholarships. In addition, many state Elks associations and Lodges offer scholarships. Contact your local Lodge for more information. The Most Valuable Student program was established in 1931.