Union Plus Scholarship Application

This blog is a well-detailed guide on how to apply for the Union Plus Scholarship, so you will get all the information on the requirements and application process for the Union Plus Scholarship.

Scholarships are a great option to offset college tuition and this is because it is free money that you do not ever have to pay back and you can apply for as many as you can to get even more funds for college. With the ever-increasing college tuition, you should not miss an opportunity to apply for scholarships.

Union Plus scholarship is one among the numerous scholarships in the US set up to support students with the cost of college. There are also many others like the Verizon scholarship and the Zeta Phi Beta scholarship, all of which you can apply for if you meet their requirements.

I promised you a well-detailed guide on how to apply for the Union Plus scholarship, right? I am still keeping up on that promise but before we get into the main icing on the cake let’s know what union plus scholarship is all about first then proceed from there, shall we?

union plus scholarship

About Union Plus Scholarship

We cannot talk about the Union Plus scholarship without first talking about the providers of the scholarship – Union Privilege.

Union Privilege is a nonprofit organization founded by the AFL-CIO in 1986 to provide excellent consumer Union Plus benefit programs exclusively to union members (current and retired) and their families. The mission of this organization is to improve the quality of life for working families through its unique products and services.

Now, as you can see, the Union Plus scholarship is just one of the benefits of the Union Plus program.  

So, the Union Plus Scholarship is an annual scholarship program set up by the Union Privilege to help union families with the cost of college.

The Union Plus Scholarship Program was established in 1991 and has awarded over $5.4 million to students of working families who want to pursue higher education. Nearly 4,000 families have benefitted from this scholarship.

The scholarship is offered through the Union Plus Education Foundation and partly supported by contributions from the provider of the Union Plus Credit Card (you do not need to be a Union Plus Credit Card holder to apply for the Union Plus scholarship).

The union plus scholarship amount ranges from $500 to $4,000 and it is awarded one time to a selected individual who wants to begin or continue post-secondary education, this includes college, university, community college, vocational institution, and technical or trade school. Students may re-apply each year and may be selected to receive another award.

Even before we get to the requirements of the Union Plus scholarship, you can easily indicate from here that one of the key requirements to apply for the Union Plus Scholarship is that a family member must be a member of a labor union in the US.

Union Plus Scholarship Requirements

The following are the requirements and eligibility criteria for the Union Plusplus scholarship:

  • Current and retired members of participating unions, their spouses, and their dependent children (as defined by the IRS regulation) are eligible to apply for the scholarship.
  • At least one year of continuous union membership by the applicant, applicant’s spouse, or parent (if the applicant is a dependent). The one-year membership minimum must be satisfied by May 31 of the scholarship year.
  • Applicant must demonstrate academic ability, social awareness, financial need, and appreciation of labor.
  • Applicant must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 or higher.
  • Undergraduate and graduate students are eligible to apply.
  • The applicant must have been accepted into an accredited postsecondary institution in the US at the time the award is issued and the award must be used for the academic year it was provided.
  • Members of participating unions from the US, Puerto Rico, Guam, the US Virgin Islands, and Canada are eligible.
  • You do not have to purchase any Union Plus product or participate in any Union Plus program to be eligible.
  • One letter of reference from a teacher or other adult who is familiar with your achievements and abilities.
  • Two required essays of approximately 350 words each.

Students enrolled in any degree program in any year can apply for the Union Plus scholarship, whether you are a freshman or in your last year in graduate school including medical and law school, you can apply for this scholarship.

Union Plus Scholarship Application Process

To apply for the Union Plus scholarship, you will be required to create a new application account or login if you already have an account.

Creating a new account will require you to fill in your details like your name, cell phone number, email, and password. Ensure you are applying before the deadline which is usually at the end of January then results will be announced in the first week of June each year. New applications are available in mid-June.

The application will require you to submit all the documents from the requirements above and when you submit your application, you will get a screen message confirming your application was received. You will be notified by email when the award list is posted on the website by mid-June.

Conclusion

Just as promised, you have all the information regarding the Union Plus scholarship including details on the requirements and how to apply. Always check out the essay topics as they could change each year and, due to the large number of applicants, take your time writing a quality essay to give you an edge over competitors and, most of all, apply for the Union Plus scholarship early.

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