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Each year, Foresters awards up to 300 tuition scholarships to students who are committed to making a difference in their communities.

Competitive Scholarship

At Foresters, our purpose is to enrich the lives of our members, their families and their communities. We understand the high costs associated with post-secondary education and want to award students for their hard work by providing them with the opportunity to receive a Competitive Scholarship award. We offer up to 300 tuition scholarships of up to $2,500 each year to young leaders who demonstrate exceptional leadership through community service and a commitment to academics.

“Thank you for having belief in our son Kieran and for the financial support you provided.”

Paul Baker, father of Kieran Baker, 2022 scholarship winner

New scholarship applicants

New Applicants are students who are either in their final year of secondary education or are completing their undergraduate education and are applying to Competitive Scholarship for the first time.You’ll find award details, application guidelines and eligibility criteria below.


Returning candidate applicants

The returning candidate application must be completed by previous and current scholarship award recipients or students who had applied for a scholarship previously and were declined. Please visit our returning candidates page.


Application period: December 2, 2022 to February 28, 2023

Scholarship recipients notified: By June 12, 2023

Scholarship funds issued: By August 31, 2023

 

Scholarship checklist | Scholarship timeline

 

    1. Foresters awards up to 300 scholarships (each worth up to $2,500 in local currency) each year between Canada and US; recipients may be granted up to $10,000 in local currency over four years.
    2. The scholarships will be applied to tuition only for undergraduate study at accredited, non-profit two or four-year colleges/universities or vocational/technical schools in Canada and US.
    3. Students are awarded one award per academic year.
    4. The award must be used for the academic year it was awarded, unless winners submit a formal request to have the award deferred.
    5. Recipients may transfer from one eligible post-secondary institution to another and retain the award so long as they have proof of transcript from their current institution.
    6. If recipients have other scholarships or subsidies which cover portions of tuition costs, Foresters will provide a scholarship which will amount to the lesser of:
    1. $2,500 (local currency) or
    2. the recipient’s remaining tuition requirements for that given academic year.

Note: Payments will be allocated in the local currency of the country which the institution is located and not the applicant’s country of residence.

To be eligible, the applicant must:

Part A

Meet ONE of the following criteria:

  1. Foresters member who is insured under:
    • An in-force certificate1; or
    • An in-force annuity; or
    • A rider under any of the certificates listed above; or
    • Have an in-force Foresters Social Fraternal Membership.
  2. The spouse of an eligible Foresters member as defined above.
  3. Dependent child or grandchild of an eligible Foresters member as defined above.
  • Includes children under the care of a legal guardian who is an eligible Foresters member as defined above.

Part B

Meet ALL the criteria:

  1. Applicants must be of the age 24 years or under at the time of the application through to the time payment is issued
  2. Applicant must have completed a minimum of 200 hours of community service within the last 24 months (from March 1, 2021 – February 28, 2023)
  3. Applicant must have a minimum GPA of 3.2 or an 80% average
  4. Applicant must be enrolling in a minimum 2-year, full time undergraduate program of study at a recognized institution in Canada or US in Fall 2023.

Overall weighting of the application components

  • Community service, recommendation letter and essay: 65%
  • Grades: 35%

Based on the number of applicants, the competition for these scholarships is high. Students must complete the minimum requirements for community service hours, grades, references, and the essay, to be considered for a scholarship. Meeting or exceeding these requirements does not mean or guarantee that you will be as a Scholarship recipient.

Note: up to 300 applicants from Canada and US will be chosen by the Selection Committee, as scholarship winners. This includes returning candidate scholarship recipients.

 

Volunteer/Community Service

All applicants must have performed a minimum of 200 hours of community service2 within the last 24 months (March 1, 2021 – February 28, 2023) leading up to the new scholarship application deadline.

Preference will be given to applicants who have:

  • Been involved in volunteer activities that support family well-being, including playgrounds/public space cleanup, children’s health/wellness and other projects connected to family togetherness
  • Held leadership roles in their community service

Competitive Scholarship encourages students to support a wide range of community activities and types of projects and programs. While each application will be evaluated holistically on its own merits, Competitive Scholarship will not accept partisan, political or direct religious volunteer/ community service activities.

 

Minimum Grades

All eligible applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.2 or 80% in the last academic year of study before the year in which they will receive the award. In this category, applicants will be ranked/scored based on their level of performance above and beyond the minimum GPA of 3.2 or 80%.

 

References

All applicants must provide a letter of recommendation from a person who is not related to the applicant and who is intimately familiar with the applicant's community service. The recommendation must be submitted by March 6, 2023. It is the applicant’s responsibility to follow up with whom they are getting their recommendation from, to ensure that the recommendation is completed and submitted on the ISTS Scholarship Portal by the deadline.

 

Essay

In 250 words or less, all applicants will need to share a written response about their experience with a volunteer project where they gave back and supported a community. Why was it meaningful and how did it impact the community?

 

The following restrictions apply to the Competitive Scholarship member benefit:

    1. New applicants whose applications have been declined or accepted are able to apply for a Competitive Scholarship up to three consecutive times by completing the returning candidate application until such time as the recipient’s first post-secondary degree or equivalent is earned at which point the applicants will no longer be eligible for a Competitive Scholarship.
    2. The scholarship is applicable only to the first post-secondary degree or diploma sought by the recipient
    3. If the sponsoring member passes away after the scholarship is awarded, the recipient will still receive the scholarship if he/she meets the requirements under Parts A and B of the “Eligibility” Section of these guidelines for new candidates and, in subsequent years, meets the criteria for returning candidates
    4. 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
    5. Membership status and eligibility is verified at different stages of the application period and throughout the year
    6. Recipients of Orphan Scholarships and the Foresters Renew™ grant are not eligible to apply for the Competitive Scholarship.

Visit either Foresters.com or MyForesters.com, during the application period and create an online account using the Apply Now buttons.

Note: the ISTS Scholarship Portal is separate from MyForesters and requires its own account. Accounts must belong to scholarship applicants only.

Once you have created an online account, you can use the site to submit and track the status of your application and 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 International Scholarship and Tuition Services (ISTS) are not responsible for information that is late, unsuccessfully submitted or inaccurately completed.

Application Period: December 2, 2022 to February 28, 2023

For specific questions about the New Scholarship application, contact ISTS by email at Foresters@applyISTS.com or call toll free 1-866-258-0626, Monday to Friday from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM Central.

For additional information regarding the scholarship benefit or other member benefits, please contact Foresters Member Services by email at myforesters@foresters.com or call toll free 1-800-444-3043.

Q: How are scholarship award recipients selected?

Recipients of the Competitive Scholarship award are chosen by ISTS with careful consideration and examination of the requirements. The minimum requirements for community service hours, grades, references, and the essay are all items applicants need in order to be considered for a scholarship. Meeting or exceeding these requirements does not mean or guarantee that you will be chosen as a Scholarship recipient.

Decisions of the selection committees are final and are not subject to appeal and applicants do not receive feedback on their applications.


Q: I am applying for my second post-secondary degree/diploma. Can I still apply for a Competitive Scholarship?

No, the scholarship is only applicable to the first post-secondary degree or diploma sought by the recipient.


Q: I am 24 years old now and will be turning 25 by the time the winners are selected and notified. Am I still eligible to apply?

No, you must be 24 years or younger from the time you submit your application to the time of payment.

If….

Then…

You are a first-time scholarship applicant in

  • First year
  • Second year
  • Third year

Complete the New Scholarship Application

You had applied for a scholarship previously as a new applicant and were declined

Complete the Returning Candidate application

You are currently a scholarship award recipient and will be applying for another scholarship award for the following school year

Complete the Returning Candidate application

You are a student whose scholarship application has been declined 4 consecutive times

You are no longer able to apply for another scholarship

 

Q: I am currently in high school. When is the best time to apply for a Competitive Scholarship?

You will need to apply in your final year of high school (December 2, 2022 to February 28, 2023) to be eligible for a scholarship for the following academic year. We encourage you to visit Foresters.com or MyForesters.com for all important dates.

 

Q: How do I apply for the Competitive Scholarship benefit?

Visit either Foresters.com and click on Apply Now under the Scholarship page OR sign in to your MyForesters.com account, visit the Scholarship page and click Apply Now. You will be redirected to the ISTS Scholarship Portal where you can follow the steps to register your account and start a new application.

Please note that the ISTS Scholarship Portal is separate from MyForesters and requires its own account. Accounts must belong to scholarship applicants only.

 

Q: What documents do I need to include along with my Scholarship application?

Along with your Scholarship application, you must include an essay of 250 words or less. You must share a written response about your experience with a volunteer project, in which you have given back and supported a community. Ask yourself, “why was it meaningful and how did it impact the community?”.In addition, you must also include a letter of recommendation from an individual who is not related to you and is familiar and recognizes your community service experience. All recommendations must be submitted by March 6, 2023.

 

Q: What are the criteria for the scholarship approval process?

Overall weighting of the application components:

  • Community Service, Recommendation Letter and Essay: 65%
  • Grades: 35%

Based on the number of applicants, the competition for these scholarships is high. Students must complete the minimum requirements for community service hours, grades, references and the essay to be considered for a scholarship. Meeting or exceeding these requirements does not mean or guarantee that you will be chosen as a Scholarship recipient.

Note: up to 300 applicants from Canada and US will be chosen by the Selection Committee, as winners. This includes returning candidate scholarship recipients.

 

Q: I have several schools I would like to apply for. Which one should I list on the application?

List your first choice of the post-secondary institution you would like to attend on your scholarship application. If you are awarded a scholarship, it is your responsibility to notify ISTS of your final school choice to ensure the cheque for the scholarship funds is issued to the right institution.

Email: Foresters@applyISTS.com

Phone: 1-866-258-0626

 

Q: How long do I have to submit my application for a Competitive Scholarship?

The timeframe to submit your application is from December 2, 2022 to February 28, 2023.

Application deadline is February 28, 2023.

 

Q: How can I find the status of my application?

Once you have created an online account, you can use the site to track the status of your application. You can also receive email reminders and notifications at more than one email address, by entering an alternate or your member email address, in your account profile.

Note: you are responsible for ensuring you have successfully submitted all required components of your application before the submission deadline, by logging on and checking your application status regularly.

If you have changed your email address after creating your account, it is your responsibility to immediately update your My Profile page at https://foresters.applyISTS.net to ensure that you continue to receive email notifications about your scholarship.

Foresters and International Scholarship and Tuition Services (ISTS) are not responsible for information that is submitted late, unsuccessfully submitted, or completed inaccurately.

 

Q: What if I need to make a change to my application?

Applicants have until the submission deadline to make any necessary changes once they have submitted their application. Applications are accessible on the ISTS Scholarship
Portal.

 

Q: What if I cannot obtain proof of my community service?

To be considered for a Competitive Scholarship, all requirements and application components must be submitted, therefore proof of community service is mandatory.

 

Q: Is there anything I need to do after I’ve submitted my application?

Once you’ve successfully submitted your application, follow these steps to ensure you will receive email notifications from ISTS in the future to advise if you’ve won a scholarship.

  1. Add Foresters@applyISTS.com to your email address book or “safe senders list” to avoid having these emails going to your junk mail folder.
  2. Do no “opt out” of any emails sent from Foresters@applyISTS.com or you will not receive vital information regarding your scholarship application.
  3. Always “opt in” for any Foresters emails so you don’t miss any updates that may come directly from Foresters.

Note: ISTS will only use your email address to communicate with you about your scholarship application or other opportunities administered by ISTS, for which you may be eligible to apply. ISTS will not provide your email address to any third parties.

 

Q: When will I find out if I’ve been awarded a scholarship?

Recipient winners of the Competitive Scholarship will be notified by June 12, 2023 by email.

 

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

You must:

  • Enroll as a full-time undergraduate in the Fall of the academic year in which the scholarships are awarded
  • Continue the entire academic year without interruption unless approved by ISTS and Foresters
  • Deliver your scholarship cheque(s) to the proper office at your institution
  • Notify ISTS should your cheque not arrive within 30 days of the issue date

Email: Foresters@applyISTS.com
Phone: 1-866-258-0626

 

Q: How and when are payments issued?

Payments will be issued in August and mailed to each recipient's mailing address as entered in the application. The check will be made payable to the institution only in the currency of the country in which the institution is located. It is the recipient's responsibility to notify ISTS (send an e-mail to Foresters@applyISTS.com) should the cheque not arrive within 30 days of the issue date. It is also the recipient’s responsibility to get the cheque to the institution.

 

Q: What can the scholarship funds be used towards?

Funds can be applied only towards tuition for undergraduate study at an accredited, non-profit two/four-year college/university or vocational/technical school in Canada and US.

Note: Payments will be allocated in the local currency of the country which the institution is located and not the applicant’s country of residence.

Funds do not cover expenses such as room and board, books, computers, commuting expenses, and school-related supplies.

 

Q: How long do I have to use the scholarship funds?

Funds must be used in the academic year they were awarded, unless you submit a formal request to have the award deferred.

 

Q: Can I defer my scholarship?

Yes, a Competitive Scholarship can be deferred for a maximum of 1 academic year (unless otherwise noted) and only for the following reasons:

  • Co-op studies
  • Illness
  • Death in the family
  • Vocational obligation (can be for 4 semesters)
  • Humanitarian mission

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 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.

 

Q: What if I decide to change institutions in the middle of the year? Can I use my funds towards the institution I switch over to?

You may transfer from one eligible institution to another and retain your scholarship award so long as you have a proof of transcript from your current institution.

Email: Foresters@applyISTS.com Phone: 1-866-258-0626

 

Q: What types of programs are eligible for the Competitive Scholarship benefit?

Programs that are eligible include:

  • First degrees or diploma programs
  • Full-time program of study, as defined by the educational institution
  • Minimum two-year program, not including co-op time
  • Educational institutions with recognized degree or diploma, excluding university preparatory programs (i.e. CEGEP, pre-university diplomas)

Q: Are scholarships taxable?

Canada:

Post-secondary scholarships received are not taxable if you are eligible to claim the full-time education amount, as indicated on Schedule 11 of your tax return.  Please click here to consult the Canada Revenue Agency’s webpage on Students and Income Tax.

 

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.

 

Q: What if my Foresters membership ends or changes after I have already received my scholarship?

All applicants must maintain an in-force Foresters membership that meets the minimum requirements for as long as they continue to receive the Competitive Scholarship. Membership status is verified at different stages during the application process and from time to time throughout the year. Please refer to the "Eligibility" section. 

If your Foresters certificate has lapsed and is no longer in-force, contact the Service Centre at 1-800 828 1540 right away. If you have made any changes to your certificate (e.g., address change, new term, switch to another Foresters certificate, etc.) check with the Service Centre to ensure that the status of your certificate is "in-force". 

As soon as you know that there has been a change to the Foresters certificate under which you originally applied for a scholarship, you should also log in to your online account and update your information. This will help to ensure that your eligibility status is up to date.

 

Q: Who can I contact about my scholarship application?

For specific questions about your application, please contact ISTS by email at Foresters@applyISTS.com or toll free at 1-866-258-0626

For additional information regarding the Scholarship benefit, please contact Foresters Member Services by email at MyForesters@Foresters.com or call toll free 1-800-444-3043.

For more information, please download the FAQ.

412584 CAN (12/22)

1 For the purpose of determining eligibility, a "certificate" includes a certificate, policy or annuity issued by The Independent Order of Foresters, or a certificate, policy or annuity issued by Foresters Life Insurance Company on or after April 2, 2008, except that it does not include Foresters Life funeral annuity certificates or creditors' group insurance certificates. Competitive Scholarship – New Applicant Guidelines

2 Community service is volunteering for any community-based organization, registered non-profit, or registered charity. The Competitive Scholarship benefit is administered by International Scholarship and Tuition Services, Inc. (ISTS). Eligible members, their spouse, dependent children, and grandchildren may apply subject to the eligibility criteria.

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