The NAVUB Scholarship application is now open! NAVUB hosts one scholarship competition every year that is open to current and past VUB participants. Each NAVUB member program may nominate one person for this scholarship. Amounts vary and have ranged from $500 - $2,000 per winner.

Download the 2026 Nomination and Application Packet

It is with great pleasure that the National Association of Veterans Upward Bound Project Personnel announces its national scholarship competition. Veterans Upward Bound participants are invited to compete for a scholarship award for the 2026-27 academic year. The following information includes all materials necessary to apply for a scholarship.
If you have any questions, or need other assistance in this application, please contact Gerard Laborde
gerard.laborde@selu.edu  or Sarah Aultman saultman@gadsdenstate.edu

Nominations close Friday, May 29, 2026 11:59pm

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:
1.    The applicant must be a present or former participant of the Veterans Upward Bound Project from which the nomination is being made and must be admitted to or currently enrolled in an institution of postsecondary education seeking an undergraduate degree.

2.    The applicant must be nominated by a NAVUB staff person of a current (paid) member program.

3.    The Director (if different from the nominator) will approve the nomination, attest to the nominee’s good standing, and certify that the project is an active member of NAVUB.

4.    Prior to receipt of the award, the VUB Director of the scholarship recipient will provide NAVUB with verification of the student’s enrollment in a postsecondary institution in the following Fall.
Each institution is encouraged to conduct an internal competition to determine the worthiest applicant. However, only the official NAVUBPP Scholarship Application and required supporting documentation may be submitted for the national competition. 
Projects may send only one nomination.
All required application materials and supporting documentation must be completed as directed and postmarked, emailed, or submitted online by 11:59pm, Friday, May 29, 2026. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. 

SELECTION:
Each Nomination Packet will be reviewed and rated by members of the Scholarship Commission. The application will be scored on 5 categories: 1) nomination letter; 2) recommendation letter; 3) financial need; 4) academics; and 5) student essay. 
Each category will be rated on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest. The results will be tabulated to determine the winners, and the names will be submitted to the Education Chair and the President of NAVUBPP, following verification of the winners’ eligibility to receive the award.

MATERIALS TO BE SUBMITTED:
To be considered, the Veterans Upward Bound Scholarship Application must include:
1.    Page 1 (completed by Nominator; signed by Director)
2.    Page 2 (completed by Veteran – Achievements and Essay) 
3.    Nomination Letter (from VUB staff person)*
4.    Letter of Recommendation (from someone who knows the student well)*
5.    A color photo of the nominee 
*Letters must contain Nominee’s Name and Writer’s Contact Information 
Letters of support (Nomination and Recommendation) should include: 
***(Note: The information in these letters is a scored part of the application. Please be detailed!)

1.    Describe how you know the Nominee 
2.    The circumstances of his/her financial need
3.    Any known activities and achievements (community/public service, military and/or other honors/awards, VUB activities and awards)
4.    Educational progress and commitment to completion of PSE;
5.    Why the veteran is deserving
6.    Any other relevant information 

AWARD INFORMATION
Payment of the scholarships will be provided once proof of enrollment is received for the Fall 2026 semester. The scholarship will not be awarded to the student until verification of attendance is received by the NAVUB Treasurer. Checks will be made payable to the awarded veterans.

The award committee will review the nominees and send finalists to the NAVUB Board for final approval. Attendance by the nominee is not required to receive an award.

The student applying for the scholarship is responsible for completing the application, writing the essay, and securing a letter of recommendation from someone other than the Nominator. The student is to submit all documents to the Nominator who is to forward the complete application to the Scholarship Committee. 
The Director, if different from the nominator, will verify his/her approval of the nomination, certify that the nominee is in good standing, or has left the project in good standing, and that the project is an active member of NAVUB.
 
All materials must be emailed no later than 11:59pm, Friday, May 29, 2026 to: 
Sarah Aultman 
NAVUB Scholarship Commission
saultman@gadsdenstate.edu