Scholarship FAQs

Please visit the Manage Student Roster page. You can also watch a quick tutorial video here.

Once a student creates their account on the NHS website, a notification is sent to the student’s adviser to verify that they are an NHS member in good standing. Advisers can also review the instructions and tutorial video here. Once verified, the student can login to complete and submit the NHS Scholarship application online. Unverified students will not have access to the NHS Scholarship application.

Tip: Provide your students with your school ID # so that they can easily find their school and create an account! You can locate your School ID in your profile after you log in to your account and view “My Institutions.”

NHS seniors “in good standing” are active members of the current graduating class who are up to date on their NHS chapter obligations (GPA, service activities, meeting the chapter’s expectations for character and leadership). Students should refer to their NHS chapter’s bylaws for what constitutes “good standing” and check with their NHS advisers to confirm they meet all membership obligations.

An ideal applicant for the NHS Scholarship will:

• Demonstrate a service mindset by seeking out and voluntarily fulfilling needs to help others.
• Commit to learning, growing, and making the most of educational opportunities.
• Take ownership and responsibility as a leader, in title or in action, in school and community.
• Display perseverance, honesty, integrity, and ethical and compassionate decision-making.

While completing the application, applicants will be asked to:

• Provide detailed information about activities and experiences related to scholarship, service, leadership, and character.
• Request an Adviser Certification from their NHS Adviser, which acts as a short recommendation form and confirms the applicant is currently in good standing with a local NHS chapter. The adviser certification must be completed in the application portal and no external documents or communications will be accepted.
• Request a Recommendation from one non-adviser, non-family member adult who can speak to the applicant’s commitment to the pillars of NHS. The recommendation must be completed in the application portal and no external documents or communications will be accepted.

A strong essay should: 

• Start with a compelling hook that captures the reader’s attention and draws them into your story. See the following examples: 
  • “Quiet, pleasant, people pleaser.” That’s how someone would’ve described me in sixth grade. I grew up thinking that staying small made life easier, for others and for me, so I avoided conflict, spoke only when asked, and said what I thought people wanted to hear instead of what I actually believed. When I entered high school, that silence finally caught up with me. As my family pushed me to try new activities, little by little, my timidness began to crack. Every uncomfortable conversation made me feel braver. Through the new activities I joined, I found leaders who believed in me, and I started to believe in myself. Those moments are why the pillar of Leadership resonates most deeply with me 
  • I was the only kid at the adult table, a misfit- literally. At the Capitol Hill Building, I sat in a bright blue chair, shorter than the rest of the professional “all-mesh office rolling chairs.” It had been pulled out of storage after I had entered a room where I wasn’t intended to be. 
  • “We NEEEED the deposit…” That was the sentence the hospital staff repeated while my grandfather lay on a stretcher, with no effort to stabilize him. My mother pleaded for help while a nurse watched the monitor and then looked back at us. His life waited behind a payment. That moment stayed with me and defined my understanding of what happens when leadership is absent and responsibility drifts into a routine. 
• Showcase your authentic voice and personal perspective. 
• Focus on showing, not just telling, the impact you’ve made through specific examples and experiences. 
• Reflect on meaningful experiences and explain why they matter to you. 

Ask one or two trusted teachers, counselors, or mentors who can provide constructive feedback to review before you submit. 

Tip: After drafting your essay, read it aloud to ensure it sounds natural, personal, and engaging. 

Choose someone who knows you well and can speak to your character, leadership, growth, and impact. A strong recommendation comes from someone who has worked closely with you and can provide specific examples of your accomplishments and contributions.  

If you remove your recommender and select a new one, make sure to respectfully inform your past recommender! 

To help your recommender submit a strong recommendation form: 

• Ask early and provide them with the submission deadline.  
• Choose a teacher, counselor, coach, or mentor who knows you beyond grades alone. Your recommender cannot be your NHS adviser! 
• Share your resume, activities, achievements, and scholarship goals. 
• Remind them of specific projects, leadership experiences, or accomplishments they have observed. 
• Confirm that the recommender’s email address entered in your application is correct and monitored regularly.   
• Follow up respectfully if the recommendation form has not been completed as the deadline approaches.   
• Thank them for their time and support. 

Tip: A detailed recommendation from someone who knows you well is often stronger than a generic one from someone with a prestigious title. 

The NHS Adviser Certification is a requirement during the NHS Scholarship application. Students complete a request in the scholarship application by entering the name and e-mail address of the NHS adviser. This will then send the adviser an e-mail from [email protected] with instructions and a unique link to complete for that student. Advisers should click on the link, answer the four multiple choice questions about the student’s role in the chapter and school, and leave any comments in an open-ended response field.    

The NHS Adviser Certification can only be accessed via these e-mail notifications. Students have the option to send a reminder using the application platform up to once per day. Advisers cannot access these e-mails or links on the NHS website as they are generated from our scholarship platform. We recommend that advisers check their spam folder and/or contact their IT if they do not receive the e-mail. Students should coordinate the sending of this request with the adviser so that the adviser expects it and can confirm receipt. We will not accept e-mails or attachments in place of this certification.

Account verification is necessary for any student who creates an account on the NHS website and can be completed by any NHS member at your school as soon as they are inducted. We recommend that students create accounts and get them verified by the adviser as early as possible so that they receive updates from the NHS national office. Verification allows the adviser to confirm membership of these students so that they can access these member-exclusive benefits and communications, including access to the NHS Scholarship. Students cannot log into the NHS Scholarship until they are verified.

If a verified NHS student decides to apply for the NHS Scholarship, they must enter the NHS Adviser Certification request into the scholarship platform. This allows the adviser to provide feedback on the individual student, including up-to-date reflections on standing and contributions to the school and chapter, which are not part of the basic account verification process.

The Adviser Certification helps reviewers better understand your leadership, contributions, and involvement. Preparing your adviser ahead of time can help them provide thoughtful and accurate responses. 

Here are a few ways to support your adviser: 

• Notify them early that they will receive an Adviser Certification request and provide them with the submission deadline. 
• Review the FAQ, “What is an ideal candidate?” with them so they understand what reviewers are evaluating. 
• Share a summary of your activities, leadership roles, accomplishments, and service experiences from the past year. 
  • Provide any relevant dates, project details, or examples that may help refresh their memory. 
• Confirm that the adviser’s email address entered in your application is correct and monitored regularly. 
• Follow up respectfully if the certification form has not been completed as the deadline approaches. 
• Thank them for their time and support. 

Tip: Your adviser should provide honest, independent responses based on their observations of your work and impact. 

First, check your spam or junk folder to ensure the email wasn’t filtered. If you still don’t see it, make sure the following domains and IP’s are approved by your school’s technology team:

• [email protected] – for portal “forgot password” resets and bulk emails
• [email protected] – for system notifications
• [email protected] – for auto emails
• 192.254.120.205
• 167.89.33.220

For the 2025-2026 cycle, scholarship recipients and chapter advisers were notified on February 4, 2026. Recipients must complete a Scholarship Acceptance Form in order to receive their award.

Applicants who were not selected also received an email notification on February 4. In the off chance that an applicant has not received an email update, that means they were not selected for an award.

• 575 National Semifinalists will receive $3,200.
• 24 National Finalists will receive $5,625 and an all-expense paid trip to DC for NELA.
• 1 National Finalist will receive $25,000 and an all-expense paid trip to DC for NELA.

Scholarship checks are mailed to recipients’ college/university, and made payable to the designated institution in late July/early August. Checks or unused funds cannot be made payable to the individual recipient.

The NHS Scholarship is a non-renewable award for undergraduate educational expenses.

Funds may be used at a U.S. college or university, military institute, or trade school towards qualified education expenses for undergraduate studies. Funds can be used for tuition and fees required for enrollment, as well as course-related expenses, such as fees, books, supplies, and equipment. 

Yes, international students may apply for the scholarship, but scholarship funds must be used at a U.S. college or university.

Contact us at [email protected].