Scholarship Q&As

Does every applicant receive a scholarship?

No. The Foresters Competitive Scholarship Programme awards up to 150 renewable scholarships worth £1,000 per year to eligible students pursuing post-secondary education at an accredited university or institute of higher learning in the United Kingdom.

Does Foresters have any influence over how the scholarships are awarded?

No. To assure complete impartiality in the selection of winners and to maintain a high level of professionalism, the programme is administered by International Scholarship and Tuition Services, Inc. (ISTS), a firm that specialises in managing scholarship programmes. ISTS also oversees the process to select all scholarship winners.

Can I apply for a Foresters Competitive Scholarship if I am already part-way through my first undergraduate degree?

Yes. You can apply for a Foresters Competitive Scholarship to help with any year of your first undergraduate degree or equivalent. You should apply during the academic year (2 December 2020 to 26 February 2021) to be eligible for a scholarship for the following year.

Who is eligible to apply?

Applicants must meet all of the following criteria to be eligible for this scholarship:

• Applicants must be enrolling in a (minimum) two-year, full-time undergraduate programme of study at an accredited university or technical and vocational institutions in the United Kingdom in the Autumn of 2021.
• You, your parent, your legal guardian, your grandparent or your spouse must be a current UK Foresters member.
• Dependent children, grandchildren, or children under the legal guardianship of members can only apply if they are 24 years old or younger.
• Members who are applying do not have to be 24 years old or younger, but must meet all other eligibility requirements.
• Applicants completing secondary school must provide copies of certified exam results indicating minimum scores of B (A-levels/AS-levels), 4/C (GCSE) or equivalent.
• Applicants currently enrolled at university must have a minimum weighted average mark/grade point average of 70% (or institutional equivalent).
• Applicants must have completed a minimum of 40 hours of volunteer work from 1 March 2019 – 26 February 2021.
• Foresters membership must be in-force on the date of application for the Foresters Competitive Scholarship, and it must remain in-force in order for the applicant to accept the scholarship and receive payment.

What are the volunteer work requirements?

Applicants must meet all the criteria points to be eligible for a scholarship:

All applicants must have performed a minimum of 40 hours of volunteer work in the 24 months leading up to the application deadline (1 March 2019 – 26 February 2021). You can volunteer for any recognised community organisation (e.g. Foresters, Boys & Girls Club, Girl Guides, charity, Scouts, sports camps, school or religious institution, etc).

In this category, preference will be given to applicants who have:

• Volunteered with Foresters in the past
• Been involved in volunteer activities that support family well-being, including:
  
  • Playgrounds/public space
  • Children's health/wellness
  • Other projects connected to family togetherness
• Held leadership roles in their volunteer work

Will I still be able to apply for a Foresters Competitive Scholarship if I can't obtain proof of my volunteer work?

You can apply, but your application will not be considered unless all of the application components have been submitted. Your volunteer experience is an important achievement requirement. Lack of proof of volunteer experience will eliminate an applicant from competition for a scholarship.

How can I find out the status of my application?

Login to your online scholarship account to check for updates on your application. Information regarding your application is updated in real time, so be sure to login to your account regularly.

How and when will I receive notifications?

Notifications are sent to applicants and recipients via email by the end of May. Please note that only applicants with a status of “Complete” will be notified regarding scholarship decisions.

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

• Add donotreply@applyISTS.com and contactus@applyISTS.com to your email address book or “safe senders list” to ensure these important emails are not sent to your junk folder.
• Do not ‘opt out’ of any emails sent from donotreply@applyISTS.com or contactus@applyISTS.com. You may not receive vital information regarding your scholarship applications.

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

Who do I contact if I have specific questions about my application?

The Foresters Competitive Scholarship Programme is administered by International Scholarship and Tuition Services, Inc. (ISTS). For specific questions about the scholarship application, contact ISTS by email at Foresters-UK@applyISTS.com or by phone on 0800 4049806.

How can I apply for a scholarship?

You can create your online account by clicking the "Apply Now" button on our scholarships page when the application period is open.

I am currently in my last year of sixth form/college. When is the best time to apply for a Foresters UK Competitive Scholarship?

You should apply in your final year of sixth form/college in the application period dates to be eligible for a scholarship for the following year.

How do I know if my application is complete?

Allow five to seven business days after uploading documents for your online status to update. You may monitor your status of your application on your home page at https://aim.applyISTS.net.

• Not Started: the form has not been requested or started.
• Started: the form has not been submitted and will not be considered.
• Submitted: the form has been submitted, but is not complete because the requirements for transcript and/or reference letter have not been satisfied.
• Complete: all required forms and attachments have been received and your application will be considered for the scholarship. You may also monitor the status of your attachments and recommendations.
• Not received: the attachment has either not been received or has been rejected.
• Requested: the form request has been created, but the form has not been started.
• Processing: the attachment has been received and is being reviewed.
• Accepted: the attachment has been verified and accepted by ISTS.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to monitor the progress of all application requirements to make sure the application is complete. The status complete will display on the home page when all forms have been submitted and all documents have been verified.

Is the scholarship renewable?

Yes. To maintain your Foresters Competitive Scholarship award, you must meet all of the following criteria: 

• Maintain a full-time undergraduate course of study
• Remain in good academic standing and make satisfactory academic progress (as defined by the university) from year-to-year
• Foresters membership must be in-force on the date of application and it must remain in-force in order for the applicant to renew the scholarship and receive payment
• 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

What are the renewal details?

Each year you will receive an email notification with instructions to complete the online renewal application. You will need to provide an academic record/history listing all courses and marks to date, as well as completed copies of the Renewal Certification and Electronic Funds Transfer forms. 

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

Note: If you do not meet the stated requirements listed above, your scholarship award will be withdrawn and you will not be eligible to renew the award in the future. You may re-apply as a new applicant for the opportunity to be considered for a new award the next year.

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

You must enrol as a full-time undergraduate student in the Autumn of the year in which the scholarships are awarded, continue the entire academic year without interruption unless approved by scholarship sponsor and notify ISTS should your scholarship funds not arrive within 30 days of the issue date.

Can I defer my scholarship?

Yes, a Foresters 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 (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 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.

How and when are scholarship funds issued?

Payment will be processed and sent via electronic funds transfer in October 2020 once the award has been accepted and enrolment documentation has been verified by ISTS staff.

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

It is required that a Foresters plan will need to be active and in good standing throughout the scholarship period whether it is a student/spouse/parent or grandparent plan. This is particularly important where the student/spouse/parent/grandparent has a plan which is due to mature or if for any reason the plan is not maintained during the scholarship period.

Will the Foresters Competitive Scholarship end when I finish my undergraduate programme, or can I still continue as a graduate student until the four years of award payments have been made?

The award will end when you complete your first undergraduate degree or after four years (whichever comes first). Post-graduate studies are not eligible for a Foresters Competitive Scholarship.

Who should I contact if I have questions about the scholarship programme and/or application process?

For specific questions about the scholarship application, contact ISTS by email at Foresters-UK@applyISTS.com or call 0800 4049806.

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