High School Student Council Scholarships

Getting involved with your high school's student council is an extracurricular activity that can help improve your chances during the college application process. Often, student council involvement can even pay off in the form of scholarship funding that can help defray the costs of tuition. Scholarships designed to reward students for their involvement with student council are available from national associations, state organizations or even directly from the high school.

Many national and state associations for student council organizations offer grant and scholarship programs to qualifying students. The Missouri Association of Student Councils (MASC) offers a number of scholarship opportunities to students exhibiting leadership qualities, such as the Mel Guemmer Memorial Scholarship and the Excellence Through Leadership Scholarship. The National Association of Student Councils (NASC) also offers leadership scholarship opportunities, including the NASSP/Herff Jones Principal's Leadership Award and the Prudential Spirit of Community Award.

Some local high schools give small scholarship grants, typically ranging from $250 to $750, for students who have served on student council. Contact your high school's guidance office to find out how to apply for these awards.

Eligibility for high school student council scholarships is typically extended only to student council members, although not all schools demand it as a prerequisite. Criteria for scholarship eligibility typically focus on a student's leadership ability, grade point average, volunteer service and activities; financial need is sometimes considered on a case-by-case basis. Often, students must be graduating seniors who plan on attending a two- or four-year college directly after graduation.

Students are typically required to fill out a one- to two-page scholarship application. Application forms ask for basic biographical information, including name and address, as well as career objectives, extracurricular activities and any awards or honors earned while in high school. Scholarship applications also generally include a few questions on your high-school experiences and contributions to school life, or one larger essay of 1,000 words or more detailing your qualifications for the award. An application may also need to include a high-school transcript, a letter of recommendation and signed forms to indicate volunteer service.