Hall/McElwain Merit Scholarships

The Hall/McElwain merit scholarships for Eagle Scouts provides 80 sholarships (20 are awarded in each region). Each scholarship is for $1,500 for tuition, books, and/or room and board expenses.

• Download and complete the application form (PDF)
• Applications must be postmarked after November 1 but no later than February 28.

Other Scholarships

A separate application is available for scholarships that are provided through the Mabel and Lawrence S. Cooke Scholarship Endowment, the Elks National Foundation, and the National Eagle Scout Scholarship Fund. Following is a brief outline of each scholarship and its requirements.

Mabel and Lawrence S. Cooke Scholarship

This scholarship, the largest awarded by NESA, was established by Lawrence S. Cooke in memory of his late wife, Mabel Cooke. One scholarship of up to $48,000 (up to $12,000 per year) and four $20,000 scholarships ($5,000 a year for four years) are given annually. The Eagle Scout offered the scholarship must agree to the following conditions before accepting it.

1. During the life of the scholarship, you will register and maintain status as a full-time student at the college/university you select.
2. Through your college/university, you will provide NESA with verification of your status as a full-time student. (Work co-op programs are not an acceptable means of meeting full-time-student status.)
3. All funds are paid directly to your college/university for tuition, room, board, and books for only so long as you remain a full-time student during the life of the scholarship, which is four consecutive years.
4. The scholarship is limited to use at a four-year college/university that is accredited by recognized accreditation agencies and offers at least a bachelor's degree upon completion of the course of study offered.
5. The scholarship is not available to students attending any of the United States of America military academies, because at these academies, expenses covered by NESA scholarships are already paid by the United States government.
6. The scholarship is paid in four installments covering one year each. Payment will be made by NESA upon receipt of an itemized bill from your college/university.
7. To maintain the scholarship, you must maintain a GPA that places you in the upper third of your class. Your college/university must furnish confirmation of this status.

Elks National Foundation Scholarships

Four scholarships of $8,000 ($2,000 per year) and four scholarships of $4,000 ($1,000 per year) are given annually. These scholarships are awarded by the NESA selection committee and forwarded to the Elks National Foundation. Funds are distributed through the Elks National Foundation based on its own criteria.

National Eagle Scout Scholarship Fund

Scholarships provided vary each year, depending on the funds available. The Eagle Scout offered the scholarship must agree to the following conditions before accepting it.

1. NESA pays all funds directly to your college/university once NESA has received a payment form that you have filled out.
2. These funds are for tuition, room, board, and books for only so long as you remain a full-time student during the life of the scholarship.
3. Funds are distributed based on your college/university's guidelines. Any variation on these guidelines is between you and the college/university. NESA will not be involved with distribution of funds other than payment to the school.
4. The scholarship is limited to use at a four-year college/university that is accredited by recognized accreditation agencies and offers at least a bachelor's degree upon completion of the course of study offered.

Procedures

To ensure that your application is reviewed and processed as quickly and accurately as possible, please read and follow these procedures and requirements as written.

The Eagle Scout applying for a scholarship must

• Complete the application personally.
• Enclose only the items requested in the requirements (no biographies, resumés, or supplementary lists of activities). Items should not be attached to the application.
• Answer all questions on the application. ("See attached" is not an acceptable answer.)
• Attach no more than eight pages to the application (i.e., financial statement, recommendation, and high school transcript).
• Include on each attachment the applicant's name and Social Security number.
• Submit all attachments with the application form to ensure that all items are available for review at the same time. (The Eagle Scout Service cannot assume responsibility for matching items that come in separately.)
• Address complete applications to: Eagle Scout Service, S220; Boy Scouts of America; 1325 West Walnut Hill Lane; P.O. Box 152079; Irving, TX 75015-2079. The Eagle Scout Service is not responsible for lost or misdirected applications. FAXES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED FOR CONSIDERATION.
• Be advised that only those applications postmarked after November 1 but no later than midnight on February 28 and received by March 5 will be considered.
• Be advised that applications become the property of the selection committee and will not be returned to the applicant. Between June 1 and June 15, the selection committee will, in writing, inform all applicants of its decision.
• Understand that applicants cannot specify which scholarship(s) they wish to apply for, and that submitting this application is in no way a guarantee that a scholarship will be granted.

Requirements

All applicants must

1. Have been granted the Eagle Scout rank, or have verified that their application for Eagle Scout rank has been received at the national office. (Applicants may verify this by having their local council contact the national Eagle Scout Service, 972-580-2034.)
2. Submit applications that are postmarked after November 1 but no later than midnight on February 28 and are received by the Eagle Scout Service by the March 5 deadline. Use sufficient postage.
3. Be a graduating high school senior entering college in the year a scholarship is applied for. Scholarships are awarded only to those who graduate from high school in the calendar year in which scholarships are presented. Exception: Those Scouts whose Eagle Scout boards of review are held between March 1 and July 31 of their high school graduating year may apply in the following year.
4. Provide a transcript of high school grades covering six semesters only. (The transcript need not be "official.")
5. Have an SAT score of at least 1090 and/or an ACT score of 26. These scores must be on an official test sheet or on the high school transcript in No. 4 above, and must be submitted with the application. Applications will not be considered if the minimum scores are not met.
6. Have demonstrated leadership ability in Scouting and a strong record of participation in activities outside of Scouting.
7. Provide a statement by the applicant clearly stating why he believes he needs financial aid, and signed by the applicant and countersigned by the parent.
8. Provide one signed recommendation letter from a volunteer or professional Scout leader who knows the applicant personally. This is the only endorsement required. Endorsements from teachers, counselors, etc., should not be included.

Application Form

An application form may be printed or downloaded from this Web site: APPFORM.PDF [206 K].

(You will need Acrobat^® Reader to view and print the form. This free software may be downloaded from Adobe.)

Please be sure to use only this form when applying. Application forms with a printing date before 1994 are no longer usable. To be sure you are using the correct form, call the national Eagle Scout Service, 972-580-2431