External Education and Scholarship Resources
Looking for financial support for college? Each year the AFSCME Family Scholarship Program provides ten $2,000 scholarships to graduating high school seniors that will be renewed for $2,000 each year for a maximum of four years, provided the student remains enrolled in a full-time course of study. The scholarship may be used for any field of study.
Are You Eligible?
To be eligible, you must:
- At the time of application, be a graduating high school senior whose parent, legal guardian or financially responsible grandparent is a full dues-paying AFSCME member;
- At the time the scholarship is awarded, be enrolled in a full-time degree program either at an accredited four-year institution or at a two-year institution that will transfer credits to a four-year institution; and
- In 2022, AFSCME adopted a test-optional policy. Applicants are not required to submit SAT or ACT scores, but the selection committee may consider them.
- Return complete application with all required documentation postmarked by the December 31 deadline.
How to Apply
Please make sure your complete application and all support documentation (essay, transcripts, letters of recommendation, optional SAT or ACT scores, AFSCME membership info, etc.) are mailed together in one envelope, POSTMARKED NO LATER THAN DECEMBER 31, 2025, to:
AFSCME Family Scholarship Program
Attention: AFSCME Advantage
1625 L Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20036-5687Union Plus Scholarship - Applications Due by 12:00 PM EST on January 31, 2026
Award amounts: $500 to $4,000. One-time cash awards for study beginning in the Fall of 2026. Students may re-apply each year.
Award date: May 31, 2026. During the first week of June 2026 award recipients will be notified by postal mail, and all applicants will be sent email notification.
Eligibility criteria:
- Current and retired members of unions participating in any Union Plus program, their spouses and their dependent children (as defined by IRS regulations) are eligible. Grandchildren are not eligible unless a legal dependent (as defined by IRS regulations). At least one year of continuous union membership by the applicant, applicant's spouse or parent (if applicant is a dependent). The one year membership minimum must be satisfied by May 31, 2025.
- Members of participating unions from the U.S., Puerto Rico, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada are eligible.
- The applicant must be accepted into a U.S. accredited college, university, community college, technical or trade school at the time awards are issued. Awards must be used for the 2026 - 2027 school year.
- Undergraduate and graduate students are eligible to apply.
See list of FAQs at the bottom of the Union Plus Scholarship webpage.
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