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Each year, Foresters awards up to 75 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 scholarships of up to £1,000 each year to young leaders who demonstrate exceptional leadership through volunteer 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: 2 December 2022 to 28 February, 2023

Scholarship recipients notified: By 12 June 2023

Scholarship funds issued: By 24 October 2023

 

Scholarship checklist | Scholarship timeline

 

    1. Foresters awards scholarships worth at up to £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 2022-2023 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 2021 – 28 February 2023).
  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 2023.

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 as a Scholarship recipient.

Note: up to 75 applicants from Canada and US 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 work2 within the last 24 months (1 March, 2021 – 28 February, 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 volunteer work

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 activities.


 

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 letter of recommendation from a person who is not related to the applicant and who is intimately familiar with the applicant's volunteer work. The recommendation must be submitted by 6 March, 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 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 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: 2 December, 2022 to 28 February, 2023

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.

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 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 high school (2 December, 2022 to 28 February, 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 volunteer work experience. All recommendations must be submitted by 6 March, 2023.

 

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 work 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 75 applicants from the UK 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.    

 

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

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

Application deadline is 28 February, 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 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 Foresters-UK@applyISTS.com to your email address book or “safe senders list” to avoid having these emails going to your junk mail folder.
  2. Do not “opt out” of any emails sent from Foresters-UK@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 12 June, 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 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 electronic funds transfer detail are correct
  • Notify ISTS should your cheque 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 October 2023 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 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-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 two-year programme, not including co-op time
  • Educational institutions with recognised degree or diploma, excluding university preparatory programmes (i.e. CEGEP, 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 your application, please contact ISTS by email at Foresters-UK@applyISTS.com or toll free at 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.

This programme is available to eligible members only. Foresters Competitive Scholarship Programme is administered by International Scholarship and Tuition Services, Inc. (ISTS). Foresters Financial member benefits are non-contractual, subject to benefit specific eligibility requirements, definitions and limitations and may be changed or cancelled without notice or are no longer available.

1 Member must be a Plan holder of a savings product, with a profits plan and/or protection product.

2 Volunteer work is volunteering for any community-based organisation, registered non-profit, or registered charity.

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