For the 2012-2013 academic year |
Application Period: |
December 1, 2011 to February 29, 2012 |
Application Deadline: |
February 29, 2012 |
Scholarship Decision: |
March 2012 |
Recipients Notified: |
April 2012 |
Scholarship recipients will be selected from the completed applications submitted before the deadline date. Winners are selected based on their community service, reference letters and essays, as well as their grades. This program is administered by International Scholarship & Tuition Services, Inc. (ISTS)
There are up to 350 Foresters Competitive Scholarships available each year to be used for tuition, including up to five Ken Peterson Awards for Community Service1 in the US and Canada. The Ken Peterson Award is in special recognition of applicants who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and extraordinary effort and ability to overcome adversity. The top five Foresters Competitive Scholarship winners each year, as chosen by the Selection Committee, become the winners of the Ken Peterson Award for the same year.
Foresters Competitive Scholarship |
Ken Peterson Award for Community Service |
$2,000 for the first year paid in the currency of the country of membership to the recipient’s educational institution
and, pending renewal
$2,000 per year for up to three more years for your first undergraduate degree or diploma program |
$5,000 for the first year paid in the currency of the country of membership to the recipient’s educational institution
and, pending renewal
$2,000 per year for up to three more years for your first undergraduate degree or diploma program |
1Recipients of the Ken Peterson Award for Community Service do not also receive the Foresters Competitive Scholarship.
All Foresters members with:
A fully paid-up in force certificate or rider OR
An in force certificate with a minimum face value of $10,000, OR
An in force annuity with a minimum contribution of $1,000 paid in the previous 12 months, OR
An inforce Foresters Social Fraternal Membership
Foresters membership must be in force on the date of application for a Foresters Competitive Scholarship and it must still be in force in order for the applicant to accept the scholarship and receive payment.
The spouse of an eligible Foresters member as defined above
Dependent children of an eligible Foresters member as defined above
Children must be aged 24 years or under at the time of application through to the time payment is issued.
Includes children under the care of a legal guardian who is an eligible Foresters member as defined above
Grandchildren of an eligible Foresters member as defined above
Overall Weighting of Application Components
Please note that geographic representation may also be a consideration.
Based on the number of people who apply each year, the competition for these scholarships can be high. So, meeting all of the basic requirements to apply does not guarantee being selected as a winner.
Community Service
All applicants must have performed a minimum of 40 hours of community service in the 24 months leading up to the application deadline (e.g., March 1, 2010 through February 29, 2012). Community service is volunteering for any recognized community organization (e.g. Foresters Branch, Boys & Girls Club, Lions Club, Girl Guides, sports camps, school or religious institution, etc).
In this category, higher scores will be given to applicants who have:
Volunteered with Foresters in the past
Been involved in volunteer activities that support family well-being, including:
Held leadership roles in their community service
Minimum Grades
All eligible applicants other than Mature Students must have a minimum GPA of 2.8 or 70% in the last academic year of study before the year of the award. In this category, applicants will be ranked/scored based on their level of performance above and beyond the minimum GPA of 2.8 or 70%.
If the applicant is considered a "Mature Student" as defined by the attending institution, academic eligibility for the entrance level will be based on proof of registration at an eligible institution. Such proof of registration will also be required if the candidate is awarded the scholarship.
References
All applicants must provide a reference letter from a person who is not related to the applicant AND who is familiar with the applicant's community service. Each reference letter should describe the applicant's specific contributions in their volunteer work, as well as the impact of their efforts. Please refer to the Recommendation section in the online application for more details.
Essay
All applicants must provide a 250-word essay outlining how they believe Foresters goals align with their own values about volunteering. Please refer to the online application for more details.
Enrolment
An eligible course of study must meet the following criteria:
Full-time enrolment, as defined by the educational institution
Minimum 2-year program, not including co-op time
Canadian and American educational institutions with recognized degree/diploma-granting powers, excluding university preparatory programs, e.g., CEGEPs/pre-university diplomas
All applicants with "Mature Student" status, as defined by the attending institution, must provide proof of registration at an eligible institution.
Applicants who have previously received a Foresters Competitive Scholarship will not be eligible to apply for a new scholarship.
Foresters membership must be in force on the date of application for a Foresters Competitive Scholarship and it must still be in force in order for the applicant to accept the scholarship.
If the member dies after the scholarship is awarded the scholarship will continue as long as the recipient is covered under another in force Foresters membership as defined in the "Eligible Applicants" section above AND he/she continues to meet the renewal criteria.
The scholarship will terminate at the end of any academic year in which the Foresters member, whether the scholarship recipient or the sponsoring member, ceases to be a member of Foresters.
The scholarship is applicable only to a first post-secondary degree or diploma.
Children, including children under the care of a legal guardian who is an in force Foresters member, and grandchildren must be aged 24 years or under at the time of application through to the time payment is issued.
Membership status and eligibility is verified at different stages of the application period and throughout the year.
During the application period, create an online account using the button at the bottom of this webpage to apply for a Foresters Competitive Scholarship. The application period, including the submission deadline for the next academic year are posted in the Important Dates section above.
Once you have created an online account, you can use the site to track the status of your application and submit your supporting information. You are responsible for making sure that you have successfully submitted all required application components before the deadline by logging in to your online account regularly. Once you have created your account, you can receive e-mail reminders and notifications at more than one e-mail address by entering an alternate or "Member e-mail" address in your account profile.
Foresters and ISTS are not responsible for information that is late, unsuccessfully submitted or inaccurately completed.
Acceptance
If you are a NEW Foresters Scholarship recipient, you must do the following to receive your scholarship:
Login to your online account and click the Acceptance link.
Provide all of the information requested online. If you have not yet selected a college or university, enter your first choice college or university.
Use the scholarship in the academic year it is awarded; OR
Make a formal request to have your scholarship deferred.
Children, including children under the care of a legal guardian who is an in force Foresters member, and grandchildren must be 24 years of age or younger at the time of application through to the time of payment
Payment
ISTS will forward a Scholarship check to the student/recipient on behalf of Foresters. This check will be made payable to the educational institution. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that payment of tuition fees is made according to the requirements of the educational institution, regardless of the timing of the award payment.
Children, including children under the care of a legal guardian who is an in force Foresters member, and grandchildren must be 24 years of age or younger at the time of application through to the time of payment.
Deferral
A Foresters Competitive Scholarship can be deferred for a maximum of 1 academic year (unless otherwise noted) and only for the following reasons:
Permission is granted at the discretion of Foresters. If successful, you must be 24 years of age or younger at the time permission is requested through to the time it is granted.
Once you have been informed that your application for a Foresters Competitive Scholarship was successful, you will need to make a formal, written application outlining the circumstances that make a deferral necessary. At the discretion of Foresters, you may be asked by ISTS to provide proof of circumstances.
Renewal
If you wish to renew your scholarship in subsequent years, the eligibility requirements are as follows:
Maintain a full-time course of study
Remain in good academic standing as defined by the educational institution
Maintain an in force Foresters membership as defined in the "Eligible Applicants" section above
Children, including children under the care of a legal guardian who is an in force Foresters member, and grandchildren be 24 years of age or younger at the time the renewal application is submitted through to the time of the payment
All current Foresters Competitive Scholarship recipients will receive an email with detailed instructions on how to renew their scholarships. If you have any questions about renewing your scholarship, please contact ISTS at 800 444 3043 or info@applyists.com.
