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Scholarship application
Since 2010, Activated Ministries’ In Recognition of Service Scholarships have provided tuition assistance to the children of current and former missionaries. Our goal is to honor those who have served on the mission field, for a minimum of 10 years, by assisting their children in the pursuit of their education. Individual scholarships range from $500 to $1500, averaging $1000.
1. Am I eligible?
You are eligible to apply if you:
- Are the child of a current or former missionary who has served on a mission field for a minimum of 10 years; or,
- Have served or are currently serving as a missionary for a period of at least 10 years;
- and
- Are enrolled in or have been accepted to either a post-secondary or technical/vocational school which requires a minimum of 30 credit hours or the equivalent 480 hours of classroom/lecture time (not counting hours spent on homework) to receive certificate or degree.
2. How do I apply?
Make sure that your course or degree program meets the minimum number of hours as outlined above. Download and complete the application form and all accompanying material. Applications for Summer/Fall Scholarships must be submitted by 11:59 pm, March 15th, Pacific Standard Time. Applications for Spring Scholarships are due by 11:59 p.m. on September 15th. Late applications cannot be processed.
3. Where do I send my application?
scholarships@activatedministries.org. If for some reason you cannot send your application via email, you can mail it to:
Attn: Scholarships
PO Box 503798
Recipients will be selected by an independent committee based on the application materials you provide.
Scholarships are only paid directly to the recipient's school and exclusively for tuition costs.
Below are some links to more scholarship databases. Most of these scholarships are for students in the United States. If you know of a database website with scholarships for international schools, please send the link to scholarships@activatedministries.org and we'll add it here.
- www.scholarships.com
- www.moolahspot.com
- www.collegeanswer.com
- www.fastweb.com
- www.collegeboard.com
- www.adventuresineducation.org
- www.goodcall.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to be a current member of a missionary organization to be eligible?
Do I need to view my time of missionary service favorably in order to be eligible?
What types of courses are eligible?
What types of courses are not eligible?
Can I apply for a second scholarship?
Can the scholarship count towards more than one semester?
Can I use the scholarship for school needs besides tuition?
If awarded the scholarship, can I have the funds transferred to my bank account?
Can I apply for the scholarship if I have not yet finished high school?
Are post-graduate programs eligible for scholarships? (Masters, Ph.D., M.D. etc)
Do you grant scholarships to students outside the US?
I am much older than a traditional college-age student. Am I eligible?
Do I need to be enrolled full-time in order to be eligible?
How are scholarship recipients chosen? Are there specific criteria?
How will I know if I was selected as a scholarship recipient?
Will I be notified if I am not awarded a scholarship?
Do you accept applications in languages other than English?
Do I need to be a current member of a missionary organization to be eligible?
No. The scholarship is based on the service that missionaries have given to others in the past (or presently, as the case may be), and which has often resulted in their inability to set aside money for post-secondary tuition costs for their children, or for their own ongoing education.
Do I need to view my time of missionary service favorably in order to be eligible?
No. How you view the time you spent as a missionary will not affect your chances of being awarded a scholarship.
What types of courses are eligible?
Traditional brick-and-mortar accredited universities and colleges that offer a two or four-year degree are eligible. Some online-only universities may be eligible, although they will be evaluated individually. Accredited certificate and vocational programs that prepare students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation may be eligible, although they too will be evaluated individually and must meet the 30 credit hour or 480 classroom/lecture hours minimum requirement.
What types of courses are not eligible?
Courses taken primarily for improvement in an interest or hobby, courses without any national or regional accreditation, courses that grant degrees based on life-experience, courses that will not lead to gainful employment in a recognized occupation, or courses that do not meet the 30 credit hours or 480 classroom/lecture hours minimum requirement are not eligible.
Can I apply for a second scholarship?
Yes, you are free to apply for a scholarship even if you have already been awarded one previously, although first priority will be given to applicants who have not yet received a scholarship.
If you are applying for a second scholarship, please answer in your essay the following questions: 1.) How have your studies progressed since receiving the last IROS Scholarship? and 2.) How has the IROS Scholarship aided you in your educational goals?
You will also need to provide us with a new recommendation letter, preferably from a professor or instructor within your degree or course program.
Can the scholarship count towards more than one semester?
Yes. If you are awarded a scholarship, we will give the funds to your school and you are welcome to use them for subsequent semesters.
Can I use the scholarship for school needs besides tuition?
No. At this time we are only granting scholarships to be used for tuition and school fees.
If awarded the scholarship, can I have the funds transferred to my bank account?
No. The funds will be sent directly to your school and posted to your student account. We cannot send the funds to individuals.
Can I apply for the scholarship if I have not yet finished high school?
No. This scholarship is for post-secondary education only.
Are post-graduate programs eligible for scholarships? (Masters, Ph.D., M.D. etc)
Yes.
Do you grant scholarships to students outside the US?
Yes.
I am much older than a traditional college-age student. Am I eligible?
Yes.
Do I need to be enrolled full-time in order to be eligible?
No. We expect that some students will not be able to be enrolled full-time due to work and family obligations.
How are scholarship recipients chosen? Are there specific criteria?
Scholarship recipients are chosen by an independent selection committee who evaluate and award scholarships based on the student's essay, vocational or educational plans, quality of the institution, student's character and financial need.
How will I know if I was selected as a scholarship recipient?
You will be notified via email if you have been awarded a scholarship.
Will I be notified if I am not awarded a scholarship?
Due to the amount of applications we receive, we will only notify those who have been awarded a scholarship.
What if my tuition expenses are already covered by government or other financial aid? Can I use the scholarship for other needs?
The funds will paid directly to your school for tution only. If your tuition is already covered by other financial aid, you will not be considered eligible for this scholarship.
Can you further explain the 30 credit hours or the equivalent 480 hours of classroom/instruction time minimum requirement needed for a course t o be eligible for this scholarship?
The following explanation is taken from http://www.usaeducation.us/EduSystem/credit/
Credit hours are the number of hours of instruction that are scheduled per week. Accumulation of minimum number of credit hours is a graduation requirement. On successful completion of a course, a student's performance is judged with both the course grade and a set number of credit hours.
Most colleges and universities follow either a quarter-based calendar system or a semester-based calendar system. In a quarter systems, the academic year is divided into three sessions called quarters. Each quarter lasts about 12 weeks.
In the semester system, academic year is divided into two semesters – the fall and the spring. Students usually take up 16 credits each semester i.e. 32 each year. On an average, each course has 3 credits or more depending upon the number of hours per week. (end of excerpt)
On the US system, a years worth of schooling (either two semesters or three quarters) generally amounts to 30 credit hours. The reason the IROS scholarship requires 30 credit hours or the equivalent 480 hours of classroom/instruction time is because this amounts to roughly a year's worth of schooling. Any equivalent system outside of the US which offers a college or university degree is eligible. Certificate/vocational courses must amount to a minimum of 30 credit hours or 480 hours of classroom/instruction time (not counting homework) – which constitutes roughly a year's worth of schooling in order to receive a degree or certificate in the course.
Note that it is not necessary for you to complete the schooling in only one year. We understand that many applicants will have family or work obligations that will require them to move through the course/certificate/degree program at a slower pace.
Do you accept applications in languages other than English?
No. All application materials, including essays and recommendation letters must be in English in order to be eligible.
