VFW Voice of Democracy Scholarship
Offered by Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
About This Scholarship
Voice of Democracy is a patriotic audio-essay competition the Veterans of Foreign Wars has run since 1947. Students in grades 9-12 write and record a spoken essay on an annual theme — for 2026-27, "What a Veteran Taught Me About America" — and submit the recording with an entry form through a local VFW Post by midnight October 31. Nearly 28,000 students enter each year, and the VFW awards more than $1.6 million in scholarships and incentives annually.
The national first-place winner receives a $35,000 scholarship paid directly to their U.S. university, college, or vocational/technical school, with other national awards running up to $21,000. Every state-level (VFW Department) first-place winner takes home at least $1,000 plus a paid trip to Founding Forward's four-day Spirit of America Youth Leadership experience at Valley Forge, featuring mock congressional debates and historical site visits.
Because entries funnel through local Posts before advancing, your real competition starts at the community level — with roughly 28,000 entrants spread across thousands of Posts nationwide, the first round is far more winnable than the national numbers suggest.
Eligibility
- U.S. high school student in grades 9-12
- Record an audio essay (3-5 minutes) on the 2026-27 theme: 'What a Veteran Taught Me About America'
- Submit through a participating local VFW Post by October 31
- No fee to enter
How To Apply
- Download the 2026-27 entry form from vfw.org and write your themed essay
- Record it as an audio file (3-5 minutes)
- Deliver the recording and entry form to your sponsoring local VFW Post by midnight October 31, 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find a VFW Post to sponsor my Voice of Democracy entry?
Use the post locator on vfw.org or call posts near you — entries must go through a local participating post, and post staff can also tell you about local-level prizes.
Can freshmen and sophomores enter?
Yes, all students in grades 9-12 are eligible, which makes this a rare big-dollar scholarship you can attempt multiple years in a row.