P.E.O. STAR Scholarship

P.E.O. STAR Scholarship

Status: Active program for high school seniors

Geographic Scope: United States and Canada

Focus Areas: High school seniors entering postsecondary education

Program Purpose: Merit-based scholarship for graduating women in their final year of high school to recognize and encourage academic excellence, leadership, and community service.

Award Details: Non-renewable $2,500 scholarship that must be used in the academic year following graduation or it will be forfeited.

Eligibility Requirements

• Must be recommended by a local chapter of the P.E.O. Sisterhood
• Must be a citizen or legal permanent resident of the United States or Canada
• Must have a minimum cumulative unweighted GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• Must exhibit excellence in:
- Leadership - Academics - Extracurricular activities - Community service - Potential for future success
• Must plan to attend an accredited postsecondary education institution in the United States or Canada full time or part time in the fall of the academic year following high school graduation
• Applications evaluated on nondiscriminatory basis without consideration of race, age, national origin, religious affiliation, disability or P.E.O. connection

Award Timeline

• Awards announced annually by April 30
• Notification sent to all applicants and recommending chapters

Contact

P.E.O. International

Application Process

1. Chapter Interview and Recommendation: Members of a local P.E.O. chapter will interview a student before deciding to recommend her. After a local chapter recommends a student, the chapter votes to recommend.

2. Online Application Access: The P.E.O. Executive Office will email the applicant instructions for logging into an online account to complete her portion of the application.

3. Application Deadline: Must be submitted no more than 30 days after receiving the email from P.E.O. Executive Office

4. Application Components:
- Information about the student
- Extracurricular activities
- Community service/volunteer activities
- 700-word essay
- Two letters of recommendation
- Unofficial high school transcript (through 11th grade/junior year)

5. Award Notification: Awards announced annually by April 30. Notification sent to all applicants and recommending chapters.

How to Apply

• Students cannot apply directly; they must be recommended by a local P.E.O. chapter
• Local P.E.O. chapter members interview potential applicants
• If a student does not know a P.E.O. member, contact a local P.E.O. chapter for consideration