Financial Aid Scholarship Program:   Awards range from $1,000 to $4,000. Approximately 65 awards totaling $150,000 are made each year. Eligible applicants include entering Foreign Service freshman and undergraduate college students in their sophomore and junior years. Funding of these awards come from AFSA Annual and Perpetual Scholarships, the Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide (AAFSW), and Diplomatic and Consular Officers, Retired (DACOR) Bacon House Foundations, and trusts that are managed by financial institutions.  

Financial Aid Selection Process – In addition to submitting an application and transcripts, applicants must show financial need in order to be eligible for AFSA Financial Aid scholarships. A family completes the College Scholarship Service (CSS) PROFILE (http://profileonline.collegeboard.com/index.asp). The PROFILE output, called the Financial Needs Analysis Report (FNAR) is sent automatically by CSS to AFSA.

The FNAR contains financial information on the family and applicant from the prior year. Some financial issues that AFSA takes into consideration in figuring the ability to pay for college include family and student income, number of children in college, along with income and assets owned. The AFSA applicants are ranked according to need. Students with greater need receive higher awards. AFSA Financial Aid awards are sent directly to the applicant's college or university. Awards are disbursed in two installments: August and December to coincide with the traditional fall and spring college semesters. AFSA scholarships are awarded to reduce loan and work study burdens. AFSA's policy does not allow its awards to reduce school grants or school scholarships  

Academic Merit Award Program:   Fifteen one-time only awards of $1,800 and approximately six honorable mention awards of $800 are bestowed in May to high school seniors of AFSA or AAFSW members who are (active duty, retired or deceased). These awards acknowledge the academic excellence and accomplishments of Foreign Service high school seniors at home and abroad. Winners are determined by total scores given in five categories: personal essay; extra-curricular activities; two letters of recommendation; SAT scores; and transcripts showing grades, classes taken, and grade point average for seven semesters of high school (grades 9, 10, 11, and the first semester of grade 12) and any special circumstances.  . Volunteers from the Foreign Service community judge the winners. For AFSA membership information call 202-944-5510 or www.afsa.org/mbr/. For AAFSW information, call 202-362-6514 or www.aafsw.org. Go to: www.afsa.org/scholar/scoringmerit.cfm to learn how AFSA scores and selects its Merit winners.  

Art Merit Award Program:   One Art Merit Award at $1,800 is bestowed in May to high school seniors of AFSA or AAFSW members who are (active duty, retired or deceased). These awards acknowledge the artistic excellence and accomplishments in the field of visual, musical arts, dance or creative writing of Foreign Service high school seniors at home and abroad. Students either intending to pursue a fine arts education or who have a serious commitment to fine arts are encouraged to apply. The winner is determined by a total score given in the following categories: personal essay, two letters of recommendation, art submission, and transcripts indicating at least a 2.0 grade point average, and any special circumstances. Volunteers from the Foreign Service community judge the winners. For AFSA membership information call 202-944-5510 or www.afsa.org/mbr/. For AAFSW information, call 202-362-6514 or www.aafsw.org. Go to: www.afsa.org/scholar/scoringmerit.cfm to learn how AFSA scores and selects its Merit winners.  

http://www.afsa.org/scholar/description.cfm