Scholarship Application & Information

• Spring 2021 applicants must be enrolled in a program that starts in Fall 2021 to be eligible
• Member of an underrepresented racial/ethnic marginalized community
• Pursuing one of the following:
  • Degree or certificate from a college/university
  • Technical/Trade School Program
  • Certification/Licensing Program
  • Graduate/Post-Graduate Certificate
• U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or resident alien expecting citizenship by the date of the award
• Applicants must be pursuing education in the state of Missouri or a previous Veterans United Immersion intern
• Preference will be given to:
  • First-generation students
  • Non-traditional students (delayed enrollment into postsecondary education; attends college part-time; works full time; is financially independent for financial aid purposes; has dependents other than a spouse; is a single parent; or does not have a high school diploma.)
  • Students who identify as low-income and have unmet financial need

• The Spring 2021 Application will open March 1st.
• The application is open March 1-March 31. You must complete the online application and upload all required documents. Application close Wednesday, March 31st at 5:00 p.m. CST.
• All applicants will be notified by Monday, April 19th. Those that move forward will be scheduled for an interview.
• Interviews will be held April 21st-23rd and 26th-28th.
• All interviewed candidates will be notified about the scholarship decision by mid-May.

• Proof of enrollment for currently enrolled students or proof of acceptance for students starting a program in Fall 2021 is required
• Letter(s) of recommendation is required:
  • Please have a professional reference (i.e. teacher, professor, employee supervisor, club/organization leader) complete your recommendation letter. Here are some tips for asking for letters of recommendation.
  • Your writer(s) should submit their letter of recommendation to scholarship@allyouthflourish.org by Tuesday, April 6th by 5:00 p.m. CST. Please ensure the writer uses your full name in the email subject line. The writer should address the letter to: Flourish Initiative Scholarship Staff, 403 Dysart St., Columbia, MO 65201
  • 1 letter of recommendation for high school students or recently graduated high school students
  • 2 letters of recommendation for college students
• Unofficial high school or college transcript is required
• High school transcript is required for high school students or recently graduated high school students.
• College transcript is required for students enrolled in a school/university
• The transcript can be waived for students attending a certification/licensing program or trade/technical program.
• FAFSA and Student Aid Report (SAR) are strongly encouraged.
• Resume is strongly encouraged
  • Here are resume templates and resume tips!

We will review each student individually and develop a scholarship award on a case-by-case basis. Scholarship amounts will vary between $1,000-$15,000. The scholarship will be paid over the course of two semesters (i.e. one payment in the Spring and one payment in the Fall). The scholarship will be paid directly to the school and will cover tuition expenses. If a student has less than two semesters left, or their program does not fall within a semester schedule, adjustments to the disbursement schedule will be determined by the scholarship staff.

Some scholarships will be eligible for flexible spending for a portion of the awarded scholarship amount. We will use the MOST 529 qualified expenses as guidelines for reviewing flexible spending requests.

• Sign media release and enrollment release form
• Provide school or program’s financial aid/bursar/cashier’s office for the scholarship to be applied directly to tuition or program cost
• Attend monthly meetings or mentor meetings surrounding career informational topics
• Respond to scholarship staff communication in a timely manner
• Maintain a 2.5 GPA or equivalent satisfactory status in programs without GPA

• This scholarship cannot be used to pay off student loans
• This scholarship cannot be used to pay a prior student balance
• This scholarship will open twice a year, and applications are only accepted within that timeframe. However, if your program/institution does not follow a semester date, please reach out to our office