DAR Academic Works Opens for Applications on November 1^st

We need your help again this year to share the word about our national scholarship opportunities available through DAR Academic Works, our online scholarship platform. November 1^st marks the opening of our online application period for students wanting to apply for scholarship opportunities offered by our National Society’s DAR Scholarship and American Indians Committees.  The scholarship application window for our national scholarships is open from November 1, 2022, through January 31, 2023, at 11:59 pm (Hawaii Time).  Please note, the Hawaii time zone for submissions is new this year. The change was made to help decrease confusion and frustration for applicants and members regarding the actual time the portal closed. The direct URL link to DAR Academic Works is: https://dar.academicworks.com. 

This year, the DAR Scholarship Committee offers 24 national scholarship opportunities for graduating high school students, college undergraduates, and graduates. A wide array of scholarships is available for students majoring in American history, American studies, history, historic preservation, chemistry, education, English, horticulture, math, law, business administration, nursing, medicine, and physical/occupational therapy.  There is even a scholarship for the children or stepchildren of dues-paying DAR members! We also are thrilled to offer the America 250! Scholarship again this year.  This scholarship is a $5,000 one-time award intended for up to four students each year who are already in college and pursuing the study of American history. Using the DAR Academic Works platform, the American Indians Committee also offers two scholarships for applicants who can provide proof of membership in a state or federally recognized tribe.

Please remember, all applicants must use our secure and confidential platform to submit their applications and to upload and submit all the requested information and documents.  Mailed or emailed information is no longer accepted.  For more information regarding our National Society’s scholarships and for answers to commonly asked questions, please refer to the DAR Public Website scholarship information pages here.

At this time, the DAR Academic Works platform is not used for scholarships or contests offered and administered by chapters and state societies, or the following Commitees: the DAR School Committee, the DAR Good Citizen Committee, and the American History Committee.  Members should contact their local chapters or state societies for information regarding their scholarships and members should visit the DAR Members' Website regarding other committee’s scholarships and contests.

Members, and chapter and state chairs, please consider using our one-page Scholarship Fact Sheet Flyer (SCH-WP-1004) to spread the word about our national scholarships.  The flyer can also be found in several places on the Members' Website: in the DAR Scholarship Committee section of Forms & Publications, on our Committee webpage, or in the National Information Packet. There is even a place on the form to add your local contact information!

DAR Scholarship Committee’s Eligibility Criteria

Who is eligible to receive a scholarship offered by the DAR Scholarship or American Indians Committees?

- Applicants must be citizens of the United States and must be able to provide proof of their citizenship in their application. 
- Applicants must plan to attend or be currently enrolled in an accredited college or university in the United States.  
- Applicants who are United States citizens and currently living abroad may apply for our national scholarships, however, they must plan to attend an accredited college or university in the United States.
- Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria and submit the requested information via the online application platform, by the deadline to be considered. No exceptions.
- Applicants wanting to apply for American Indians Committee scholarships must provide proof of tribal membership that is recognized at a state and/or federal level, as well as proof of United States citizenship.
- Only two of our scholarships require applicants to be DAR members or have a relationship to a DAR member: The Lillian and Arthur Dunn Scholarship is for the children and stepchildren of dues-paying DAR members. Please note, according to the gifter’s wishes, the grandchildren of DAR members are not eligible to apply., The Madeline Pickett (Halbert) Cogswell Nursing Scholarship is for members or descendants of DAR members accepted or enrolled in an accredited nursing program. This scholarship is open to both male and female students.
- Chapter endorsement of applicants is no longer required for eligibility.

An Opportunity for Sparkling Volunteer Service

Would you be interested in serving as a volunteer reviewer for our national scholarships?  Or do you know a businessperson, educator, community leader, spiritual leader, or a family member or friend who could serve as a one of our reviewers? To assure that each of our online scholarship applications is reviewed by three reviewers, we need almost 250 volunteers! To perform the reviews, judges must have basic computer skills, be able to open online documents, make ratings using a standardized rubric, and be available during the review period of Monday, February 1 through Sunday, March 13, 2023. Depending on the scholarship, each judge may receive from 3 to 35 applications to review.  If you are a DAR member, your sparkling service counts towards Service to America hours. Please submit the name(s) and email contact information of interested reviewers to the National Chair's email address at scholarships@nsdar.org.     

Rejoicing in our DAR ties of service and friendship, this National Chair would like to extend her heartfelt thanks and gratitude for the sparkling service of countless DAR members and appointed leaders at the chapter, state, division, and national level who help to further the educational mission of the DAR Scholarship Committee.