Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
Voice of Democracy Audio Essay Competition
The Voice of Democracy is the Veterans of Foreign Wars' premier scholarship program for high school students. Participants compete by writing and recording an original audio essay on an annual patriotic theme.
Award
Grand Prize: $35,000
Deadline
October 31, 2026
Level
Undergraduate
Status
18 days left
All majors
Your Scholarship Score
See how well this award fits your profile, how much competition to expect, and how much work the application takes.
Who is eligible
- Must be a high school student in grades 9-12 by the October 31 deadline
- Must be enrolled in a public, private, or parochial high school, or home study program in the United States, its territories and possessions, or a dependent of U.S. military or civilian personnel in an overseas school
- Must be a lawful U.S. permanent resident or have applied for permanent residence (application not denied) and intend to become a U.S. citizen at the earliest opportunity
- Foreign exchange students, students age 20 or over, and GED or Adult Education students are ineligible
What you'll need
- Audio Essay: 3-5 minute (+ or - 5 seconds max) original audio recording in MP3 format (no videos) in your own voice and in English
- Typed Essay: Written transcription of the recorded essay
- Essay Topic: "What a Veteran Taught Me About America"
- Official Entry Form: Completed and signed (parent/guardian signature is required even if the student is 18 or over)
- Anonymity: The audio and typed essay must be anonymous (no names, addresses, school names, race, sex, religion, or national origin should be mentioned in the essay)
How to apply
- Write and record your original 3-5 minute audio essay on the theme "What a Veteran Taught Me About America".
- Complete and sign the official Voice of Democracy entry form, ensuring your parent or guardian also signs.
- Find a local participating VFW Post by visiting vfw.org/FindaPost.
- Submit the recording (on a flash drive, via email with permission, or through Scholars App), typed essay, and completed entry form to your local VFW Post by midnight on October 31, 2026.
Add the deadline to:Google Calendar
Sources & verification
- Official listing:
- https://www.vfw.org
- How this listing was added:
- Discovered automatically and summarized from the source page
- Last checked:
Deadlines and amounts change. Always verify details with Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) before submitting.
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