McNicholas & McNicholas UFLAC Education Scholarship

Geographic Scope: Los Angeles, California (UFLAC members and families)

Award Details: $12,500 per quarter award

• Four scholarships available throughout 2026 ($12,500 each)
• One eligible student awarded each quarter in 2026

Funder Background

McNicholas & McNicholas is proud to support the first responder community and believes that education is the key to personal prosperity and the prosperity of society. Partner Matthew McNicholas started his career without student debt and has since represented hundreds of firefighters, police officers and first responders across California. The firm recognizes how expensive higher education can be for working families.

Eligibility Requirements

• Parent or Grandparent Requirement: Student must have a parent or grandparent who is a current member of UFLAC in good standing OR was a UFLAC member who has retired from the fire service within the last year
• Age: Between 15 – 25 years old at time of submission
• Student Status: Full-time student attending high school or college
• Academic Transcripts: Required beginning with high school transcript (unofficial copies acceptable)
• One-Time Award: Students can only win one scholarship over the course of their life (if you win Q1, you will not be eligible for Q2, Q3, Q4, or future awards)
• Continuous Consideration: Students need to submit only once to be considered for all four 2026 scholarships (applications remain in pool through all quarters)

Award Announcement

Winner of each quarterly scholarship announced at General UFLAC Meeting (last or second-to-last Wednesday of each month) and posted to McNicholas & McNicholas social media.

Application Requirements and Process

Submission Method: Online application portal

Required Documents:

1. Video Submission (no longer than 4 minutes)
   • Tell about yourself
   • Describe your educational endeavors and goals
2. Academic Transcripts
   • Beginning with high school transcript
   • Unofficial copies acceptable
3. Photo of Applicant
   • Will be shared on social media when winner is announced
4. Waiver and Release Form
   • Must be executed/signed

Deadlines and Timeline

Quarterly Submission Deadlines for 2026:

• Quarter 1 (Q1): March 31, 2026
• Quarter 2 (Q2): June 30, 2026
• Quarter 3 (Q3): September 30, 2026
• Quarter 4 (Q4): December 31, 2026

Rolling Basis: Submissions accepted at any time leading up to quarterly deadlines

Winner Announcement Schedule:

• Q1 Winner announced April 29, 2026
• Q2 Winner announced July 30, 2026
• Q3 Winner announced October 29, 2026
• Q4 Winner announced January 28, 2027

Key Notes

• Submit only once to be considered for all four 2026 scholarships
• If not selected in earlier quarter, application remains in pool for subsequent quarters
• Only one scholarship can be won per applicant over their lifetime