Veterans of Foreign Wars Scholarships and Essay Contest 

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Published:
July 30, 2024
Last Updated:
July 16, 2025
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If you are interested in politics and history, enjoy public speaking, and champion US democracy, you may have what it takes to win one of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Youth Scholarships   This post illustrates the main features of these prestigious scholarships and provides advice for a successful application.

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What is the Veterans of Foreign Wars Scholarship?

Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) is one of the most important associations of US military veterans. Its mission is to promote US democracy and patriotism amongst US citizens of any age but, above all, the younger generations. , ,. Each year, VFW awards scholarships ranging from £35,000 to £5,000 to US high school and middle school students (grades 9-12)  who share its values. To be awarded VFW scholarships, students must enter an essay competition organised by VFW itself called ‘Voice of Democracy’. This competition is based on a predefined essay question (prompt) which requires participants to write an essay addressing the themes of patriotism and US democracy. For instance, the prompt for 2025/26 is  ‘How are you showing patriotism and support for our country?’; the prompt for 2024/25 was  “Is America Today our forefathers’ vision”.

Unique Features of the Essay Contest    

Unlike most essay contests, which are generally open to students from across the world, ‘Voice of Democracy’ is open only to US citizens and US permanent residents due to the nature of the themes to be addressed which tend to require first-hand experiences of living in America.  Winning essays tend to express ideas that align with VFW’s founding values. In other words, ‘Voice of Democracy’ leaves little room for ideas that depart from its founding principles. 

Moreover, entries consist of a written and oral part. That is, participants must write an essay and then record a reading of the same essay in their own voice. The length of the recording should be 3-5 minutes (+ or – 5 second max.) and both parts must be submitted. In the spoken part, no music, singing, poetry or sound effects are allowed. However, the oral delivery of the essay forms part of the judging criteria (alongside ‘content’ and ‘originality’). Participants should read the essay in a ‘clear and credible manner’; in other words, as if it were a public speech. Up-to-date information about the application process and rules can be found here

Reasons To Partake In The VFW Competition

Although the ‘Voice of Democracy’ essay contest is not open to everyone, the awards offered by VFW are substantial and may make your educational journey easier finance-wise. There  are also two categories of winners – national and VFW departments (state) - and a winner for each participating state, which increases your chances of obtaining a  scholarship. For instance, the 2024-2025 national first place winner received a $35,000 scholarship. The second place winner received $21,000 while the third place winner was awarded $15,000. State winners received £1,000 each.        

Winning a VFW scholarship also constitutes an  an asset for  your college application since ‘Voice of Democracy’, as an essay competition,  demonstrates understanding of democratic values and history, an active commitment to civic duties as well as outstanding  oral and written communication skills.   Winners are in fact invited to read their essay at the VWF annual conference.   

Bonus: Tips to Win the VFW Scholarship

1. Understand the Theme and Criteria 

Familiarise yourself  with the essay prompt  and three VFW essay judging criteria. The essay must address  the theme head-on while fulfilling the criteria themselves:    originality, content, and  delivery. etc

2. Practice Your Delivery 

You need to practice delivering your speech several times because it will be recorded in audio format.  Speak clearly with good diction, neither too fast nor too slowly, and with conviction. Listen back to your recording   and be ready to record your delivery a few times  before submitting it. 

3. Seek Feedback 

Ask teachers, family members, or friends to read your essay and listen to your recording and to provide suggestions for improvement.   

4. Edit and Proofread

Set aside time for proofreading. After each full or partial draft, physically walk away from your work, take a break (ideally 24 hours if you can) and spend some time doing something completely different. Then reread your essay out loud. This, together with the break,  will allow you to look at your work with fresh eyes and to detect grammar mistakes, typos, and awkward sentences more easily.   Conclusion

To win a Veterans of Foreign Wars Youth Scholarships  is a great accomplishment. It can facilitate your education by providing financial support and increasing the chances of being accepted by prestigious colleges and universities. Always remember that a commitment to reading trustworthy sources, clear writing, and careful editing is essential.

If you are interested in writing high-quality papers and engaging with university-level research, consider joining Indigo Research programs. At Indigo, we help high school students create publishable papers and essays. If this scholarship is your goal, let us help you make it a reality. 

The Veteran of Foreign Wars scholarship fosters patriotism and public involvement while supporting educational goals. Similarly, the Indigo Research program helps you stand out by showcasing your dedication to academic and community engagement through meaningful research.

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About Co-Author
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Elena West
Elena Gerola West is a writer, academic mentor, and editor who earned her PhD in Comparative Literature from the University of Bristol. Elena's academic achievements, which include a first-class BA in French and English, an MA in Modern Languages with Distinction and the award of a scholarship to pursue her doctoral research, has led her to write about success in higher education. Elena has also taught academic writing in UK universities and is the author of the book Representations of Language Learning and Literacy: How to Read Literacy Narratives published by Routledge in the Literary Criticism and Cultural Theory series in 2024.
About the autor
Elena West
Elena Gerola West is a writer, academic mentor, and editor who earned her PhD in Comparative Literature from the University of Bristol. Elena's academic achievements, which include a first-class BA in French and English, an MA in Modern Languages with Distinction and the award of a scholarship to pursue her doctoral research, has led her to write about success in higher education. Elena has also taught academic writing in UK universities and is the author of the book Representations of Language Learning and Literacy: How to Read Literacy Narratives published by Routledge in the Literary Criticism and Cultural Theory series in 2024.
About the autor
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The Veteran of Foreign Wars scholarship fosters patriotism and public involvement while supporting educational goals. Similarly, the Indigo Research program helps you stand out by showcasing your dedication to academic and community engagement through meaningful research.

Learn More
Learn More

The Veteran of Foreign Wars scholarship fosters patriotism and public involvement while supporting educational goals. Similarly, the Indigo Research program helps you stand out by showcasing your dedication to academic and community engagement through meaningful research.

Learn More
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