Elks Scholarships

Supporting education by recognizing excellence and hard work...

Each year the Elks National Foundation provides more than $4 million in college scholarships through its three scholarship programs. The application process and deadlines vary for each program.  Students should contact their high school counselor for more information or your local Elks Lodge. 

Most Valuable Student Scholarships

Applications for the 2025 Most Valuable Student Scholarship are open until November 12, 2024.

All high school seniors who are United States citizens are eligible to apply. Judged based on leadership, service, academics, and financial need, the Top 20 applicants receive $30,000 scholarships. The 480 runners-up receive $4,000

Legacy Awards

The 2025 contest opens on September 1, 2024.
Legacy Awards are $4,000 scholarships available to children and grandchildren of Elks members. Eligibility requirements are outlined below.

• The Elks National Foundation awards 500 four-year scholarships to the highest rated applicants in the annual competition.
• Male and female students compete separately.
• Ranging from $1,000 per year to $7,500 per year, Most Valuable Student scholarships are for students pursuing a four-year degree, on a full-time basis (minimum of 12 semester hours), in a U.S. college or university. 
• ​All scholarships are in the form of certificates of award conditional upon the full-time enrollment of winner in an accredited U.S. college or university.

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Emergency Education Grants

Emergency Educational Grants provide undergraduate college financial assistance to children of deceased or totally disabled Elks in the form of renewable, one-year grants of up to $5,000. The grant is for educational assistance only and is not intended to cover the entire cost of a college education. 
Grant amounts are based on the information submitted in the application and can range up to $5,000.

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• For the 2025 contest, any child or grandchild (or step-child, step-grandchild, or legal ward) of a living Elk who joined the Order on or before April 1, 2022, or a charter member of a Lodge that was instituted on or after April 1, 2022, is eligible to apply. The Elk must also be a paid-up member through March 31, 2025. Great-grandchildren are not eligible.
• The applicant must be a high school senior.
• The applicant must apply online only. The 2025 Legacy Awards application deadline is February 3, 2025, 11:59 a.m. Pacific Time. NOTE: This is NOON, mid-day, Pacific time.
• If the applicant's parent and grandparent are both Elk members, the applicant must apply through the parent's Elks Lodge.
• ​We have waived the standardized test requirement for the 2025 Legacy contest. You do not need to submit ACT and/or SAT scores.
• Students may apply for more than one ENF scholarship; however, they may win only one. In cases where the student wins more than one, we will award the scholarship with the greater value. Students can accept local and state scholarships, which are separate from the awards at the national level.
• Legacy Awards may only be applied to accredited US American schools, colleges or universities. (Note: Applicants from Panama, Puerto Rico and the Philippines may apply Legacy Awards toward schools, colleges or universities in their respective homes.)
• If you are selected as a 2025 Legacy Awards recipient, you will be required to perform three instances of service with an Elks Lodge during the four years you are receiving the scholarship. Click here for more information about serving with the Elks.

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Scholar Resource Center Search these free online databases to find other scholarships available for students.
Search our database of scholarship recipients!
Visit our Elks Scholars webpage!