Students of today, leaders of tomorrow

Application Period: 1 December 2021 to 25 February 2022

Application Deadline: 25 February 2022

Scholarship Recipients Notified: By 3 May 2022

Scholarship Funds Issued: By 24 October 2022

1. Foresters awards scholarships worth £1,000 each; recipients may be granted up to £4,000 over four years.
2. The scholarships will be applied to undergraduate study at accredited, non-profit three or four-year programme at colleges/universities or vocational/technical institutes in the UK.
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. The number of scholarships available each year is dependent on how many students reapply to continue with their studies and the length of their post-secondary programme.
6. Award recipients must enrol at a university or institute of higher education in the UK for the 2021-2022 academic year with the intention of completing a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent.
7. 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.
8. You may receive financial aid – including additional scholarships – from other organisations.

To be eligible, the applicant must meet ALL the criteria:

Part A

Meet the following criteria:

1. You, your parent, your legal guardian, your grandparent or your spouse must be a current UK Foresters member¹

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. Members who are applying do not have to be 24 years old or younger but must meet all other eligibility requirements.
2. Applicants completing secondary education must provide copies of certified exam results indicating minimum scores of B (A-levels/AS-levels), 6/B (GCSE) or equivalent. The number of scores required is dependent on the university programme the applicant is enrolling in.
3. Applicants currently enrolled in post-secondary education must have a minimum module mark of 60-64 (or institutional equivalent).
4. Applicants must have completed a minimum of 200 hours of volunteer work within the last 24 months (from 1 March 2020 – 25 February 2022)².
5. Applicants must be enrolling in a (minimum) two-year, full-time undergraduate programme of study at an accredited university or vocational or technical institutions in the United Kingdom in the Autumn of 2022.

Overall weighting of the application components

• Volunteer experience, 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 volunteer 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: only the top applicants from the UK, will be chosen by the Selection Committee, as scholarship winners. This includes returning candidate scholarship recipients.

Volunteer Work

All applicants must have performed a minimum of 200 hours of volunteer work³ within the 24 months (1 March 2020 – 25 February 2022) 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 clean-up, children’s health/wellness and other projects connected to family togetherness.
• Held leadership roles in their volunteer experience.

Competitive Scholarship encourages students to support a wide range of volunteer activities and types of projects and programmes. 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.

For the 2022/2023 scholarship academic year, Foresters will grant new scholarship and returning candidate applicants a temporary exception to meet a minimum of 25% of the required hours (please see the COVID-19 exception section for more information).

Minimum Grades

In the last academic year of study before the year in which they will receive the award, all eligible applicants must:

• Provide copies of certified exam results indicating scores of B (A-levels/AS-levels), 6/B (GCSE) or equivalent if they are currently enrolled in secondary education or
• Have a module mark of 60-64 (or institutional equivalent) if they are currently enrolled in post-secondary education.

In this category, applicants will be ranked/scored based on their level of performance above and beyond the minimum requirements.

References

All applicants must provide a recommendation letter from a person who is not related to the applicant and who is intimately familiar with the applicant's volunteer experience. The recommendation must be submitted by 4 March 2022. 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?

Foresters is mindful of the continued challenges students face due to COVID-19, including the difficulties in earning their full volunteer hours. For the 2022/2023 scholarship academic year, Foresters will grant a temporary exception for New Scholarship applicants to meet a minimum of 25% of the required hours for scholarship awards:

We will continue to monitor the feasibility of safe volunteer hours. We encourage our applicants to explore virtual volunteer options or activities with proper safety and social distancing measures that align with the regulations imposed by their local government.

The following restrictions apply to the scholarship award:

1. Applicants whose applications have been declined are able to apply for a Competi tive Scholarship up to 3 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 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. 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.
4. 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.
5. Membership status and eligibility is verified at different stages of the application period and throughout the year.
6. Recipients of Orphan Scholarships are not also eligible to receive the Foresters 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 email reminders and notifications at more than one email address by entering an alternate or "Member email" 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: 1 December 2021 to 25 February 2022

Application Deadline: 25 February 2022

For specific questions about the New Scholarship application, contact ISTS by email at Foresters-UK@applyISTS.com or by phone on 0800 4049806

For additional information regarding the Competitive Scholarship benefit or other member benefits, please contact Foresters Member Services by email at myforesters@foresters.com

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 volunteer 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. Members who are applying do not have to be 24 years old or younger but must meet all other eligibility requirements.

Q: I am currently at a post-secondary institution. When is the best time to apply for a Competitive Scholarship?

You will need to apply in your final year of secondary institution (1 December 2021 to 25 February 2022) 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 with and recognises your volunteer experience. All recommendations must be submitted by 4 March 2022.

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

Overall weighting of the application components:

• Volunteer Experience, 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 volunteer 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: only the top applicants from the UK, will be chosen by the Selection Committee, as winners. This includes returning candidate scholarship recipients.

Q: I have several institutions 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.

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

The timeframe to submit your application is from 1 December 2021 to 25 February 2022.

Application deadline is 25 February 2022.

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.

Foresters and International Scholarship and Tuition Services (ISTS) are not responsible for information that is submitted, 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 volunteer work?

To be considered for a Competitive Scholarship, all requirements and application components must be submitted, therefore proof of volunteer work 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 donotreply@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 donotreply@applyISTS.com or contactus@applyISTS.com. 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 3 May 2022 by email.

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

You must:

• Enrol as a full-time undergraduate in Autumn of the academic year in which the scholarships are awarded
• Continue the entire academic year without interruption unless approved by ISTS and Foresters
• Ensure the institution electronic funds transfer detail are correct
• Notify ISTS should your scholarship funds not arrive within 30 days of the issue date

Email: Foresters-UK@applyISTS.com

Phone: 0800 4049806

Q: How and when are payments issued?

Payment will be processed and sent via electronic funds transfer in August 2022 once the award has been accepted and enrolment documentation has been verified by ISTS staff.

Q: What can the scholarship funds be used towards?

Funds can be applied towards tuition for undergraduate study at an accredited, non-profit two/four-year college/university or vocational/technical institution in the UK.

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 one academic year (unless otherwise noted) and only for the following reasons:

• Co-op studies
• Illness
• Death in the family
• Vocational obligation
• Humanitarian mission

Permission is granted at the discretion of Foresters. If successful, you must be 24 years of age or younger unless you are a Foresters member, 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-UK@applyISTS.com

Phone: 0800 4049806

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

Programmes that are eligible include:

• First degrees or diploma programmes
• Full-time programme of study, as defined by the educational institution
• Minimum 2-year programme, not including co-op time
• Educational institutions with recognised degree or diploma, excluding university preparatory programmes (i.e. CEPEF, pre-university diplomas)

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 Plan is approaching maturity or end of term, contact Customer Service at service@foresters.co.uk right away. If you have made any changes to your policy/policy (e.g., address change, new term, switch to another Foresters plan/policy, etc.) check with Customer Service to ensure that the status of your plan/policy is "in-force".

As soon as you know that there has been a change to the Foresters plan/policy 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 the new scholarship application, contact ISTS by email at Foresters-UK@applyISTS.com or by phone on 0800 4049806

For additional information regarding the Competitive Scholarship benefit or other member benefits, please contact Foresters Member Services by email at MyForesters@Foresters.com.

For more information, please download the FAQ.