Fund your future

Eligibility

Current and retired members of participating unions, their spouses and their dependent children (as defined by IRS regulations). At least one year of continuous union membership by the applicant, applicant's spouse or parent (if applicant is a dependent). The one-year membership minimum must be satisfied by May 31 of the scholarship year. See more details on eligibility in the tab below.

Evaluation Criteria

This is a competitive scholarship. Applicants are evaluated according to academic ability, social awareness, financial need and appreciation of labor. A GPA of 3.0 or higher is recommended. The required essays can account for up to half your total score. Scholarship applicants are judged by a committee of impartial post-secondary educators.

Application Timeline

Applications are available starting in mid-June, and a complete application must be received on or before 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on January 31 of the scholarship year. Applications received after this deadline will not be considered.

Scholarship Award Amounts

Amounts range from $1,000 to $4,000. These one-time cash awards are for study beginning in the fall of the awarded year. Students may re-apply each year.

VAL COLE Award - NEW IN 2026

This year, we are dedicating a special Union Plus scholarship award in honor of our colleague Valerie "Val" Cole. Val devoted her life to the service of union members and their families. She had a special connection to all labor unions, especially her brothers and sisters in the trade unions.

This award honors Val's legacy, her lively spirit, and her passion for service. A $2,500 scholarship has been awarded to Ainsley Orr, the daughter of a BMWED-IBT member.

Isaiah's Award

Isaiah's Award was created to honor the exceptional life of Isaiah C., a beloved child, fostered and adopted by a current, long-time employee of Union Plus. Isaiah was a smart, talented, spiritual, generous and kind young man. It is our wish that his gentle spirit live on, in part, through this namesake scholarship.

Applicants for Isaiah's Award must have a special connection to the foster care system, and will be asked in their application to describe their personal, employment, volunteer experiences, or career goals related to the foster care system.

Award Date

The Scholarship Committee will determine recipients of scholarship awards by May 31 each year. During the first week of June award recipients will be individually notified by mail, and all applicants will be sent an email with notification that the award list is posted. Please note that due to the volume of applications we cannot provide any information on the status of an application before award announcements are made.

Outstanding Scholarship Recipients

The students selected for university, college, trade or technical school scholarships represent a wide sampling of backgrounds, union affiliations, goals and accomplishments. The selection process is very competitive since we receive over thousands of applications each year.

The Union Plus Education Foundation

The Union Plus Education Foundation has awarded more than $6.2 million in scholarships to students of union families. Over 4,400 union families have benefited from our commitment to higher education.

With the help of donations from union supporters, the Foundation can help even more union families attain their education goals. Learn more about the Union Plus Education Foundation.

Need help?

If you have questions about the Union Plus Scholarship program, send an email to [email protected]

If you have started an application, be sure to check the FAQ button in the dashboard of your application.

If you are having trouble logging into your Scholarship application, click on the Forgot Password link on the Scholarship website's login page to reset your password.

To receive mobile text alerts about education-related deadlines and information, text STUDENT to 22555*

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