Function

• The American Legion Auxiliary offers four different scholarships at the national level and many of the Auxiliary units also offer their own scholarships. The main purpose of the scholarships is to give students money to put toward the costs of college tuition. The scholarships also recognize outstanding students and honor veterans of the United States military.
  
  

Types

• At the national level, the American Legion Auxiliary awards the National President, Non-Traditional Student, Spirit of Youth and Samsung American Legion Scholarships. Scholarships offered by Auxiliary units vary greatly, from foundation scholarships to privately named scholarships. Scholarships are awarded to high school juniors and seniors, current college students and adults returning to college. Several unit scholarships go to students who are pursuing a particular degree, such as nursing, or who are from a certain state.
  
  

Features

• Scholarship award amounts vary depending on the scholarship and range from $300 to $2,500. Some scholarships are valid for one year, while others cover multiple years, such as the Spirit of Youth, which awards $1,000 each year for four years.
  
  

Qualifications

• Each scholarship requires students to meet certain eligibility guidelines, which include a minimum grade point average, involvement in extracurricular activities and financial need. The National President's Scholarship requires community involvement in the form of 50 hours of volunteer work and that the applicant be a child of a veteran. For the Non-Traditional Scholarship, the applicant must be a member of the American Legion, Auxiliary or Sons of the American Legion. The Spirit of Youth Scholarship is meant for members of the Auxiliary. The Samsung American Legion Scholarship is for high school juniors who are direct descendants of a veteran and who are delegates to either the American Legion Boys State or Girls State programs. Applicants may also have to submit letters of recommendation, ACT or SAT test scores, transcripts and answer essay questions.
  
  

Time Frame

• All of the national scholarship applications must be submitted by March 1, with winners announced in late spring. Unit scholarship deadlines vary but generally follow the same time frame as the national awards. National scholarship applications can be found online at the American Legion Auxiliary national website and unit scholarships can be found at the particular unit's website.