America's 911 Foundation Scholarship

Scholarship Sponsored by America's 911 Foundation, Inc.

About the Scholarship Program

The Americas 911 Foundation supports first responders and honors the memory of September 11, 2001. The Foundation provides college scholarships for children of active first responders and for eligible first responders themselves. It also assists emergency organizations with funding, materials, equipment, and volunteers when requested or needed.

• The 2027 program will award twenty scholarships of $2,000 each.
• Scholarship funding is intended to support recipients’ college education.

Eligibility

Applicants must be high school seniors whose parent or parents are active first responders, or be active first responders themselves. First responders may be paid or volunteers. A retired or disabled parent does not meet the active-duty eligibility requirement.

Who qualifies as a first responder: This includes people with arrest authority; ambulance or rescue vehicle personnel; EMTs; paramedics; firefighters; police officers; sheriff’s office personnel; game wardens; Border Patrol agents; park rangers; marshals; correctional officers; and dispatchers serving any of these roles.

• You may be eligible if you or one or both of your parents is an active first responder.
• Paid and volunteer first responders are both included.
• If you have a financial need, follow the application instructions for submitting that information.

Application Process and Deadline

Create an account and complete all required application sections, including uploading your essay. When you create your account, the system will provide a special number; keep it with your password. After entering your basic information, you will be redirected to the login page, where you can access the application control page and complete the remaining steps.

Application deadline: Complete the application by the February 2027 deadline. Accounts will be suspended at 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the February due date, and account help will not be available after February 8, 2027. Extensions cannot be granted, so submit your application early.

• Complete all four required areas and submit the application before the deadline.
• After submission, you will receive a verification email with a timestamp confirming completion.
• You may update your application before the deadline; do not create multiple accounts.

Essay Requirements

Interview a parent, grandparent, or another adult who remembers the events of September 11, 2001. Ask where they were and what they were doing, how they reacted, how the events affected them, and how they feel about September 11 today. Applications are evaluated on grammar, spelling, punctuation, content, and appearance, with particular importance placed on grammar and spelling.

Format: Write 300–500 words using Times New Roman or Arial, 12-point font, and 1.5 line spacing. Upload the essay as a PDF, DOC, or DOCX file.

• Base the essay on an interview about the events of September 11, 2001.
• Check the essay carefully for spelling, grammar, and punctuation before uploading.

Selection and Scholarship Payments

Scholarship recipients will be notified by mid-June at the latest. Because of the volume of applications, only recipients will be notified. After all recipients have been contacted, their names will be posted on the Foundation website. Where possible, scholarships will be presented in person, and checks will be issued to the recipient’s attending school in mid-July.

• Only selected applicants will receive direct notification.
• Keep your college information current so the check is sent to the correct school.
• If you need to change your college information, sign in and update it before the deadline.

Privacy and Application Support

Application information is private between the applicant and the scholarship committee and will not be released without written consent. The application site works in all major browsers, but it will not tell you whether your username or password is incorrect. If you need help, first check that your login details and special number are accurate.

Technical support: Email [email protected] from the same email address you use as your login ID. If possible, include a screenshot of the issue. For suggestions or improvements, email Ted at [email protected].

• Check your username or login email, password, and special number before requesting help.
• Do not create duplicate accounts; contact the Foundation if you created one by mistake.
• Google may block emails from the Foundation, so check your spam or blocked messages if you do not receive one.