National Scholarships

To be eligible for Phi Psi Foundation scholarships, members must be initiated (or an active colony member) in good standing with the Fraternity by the date the award is announced.

In addition to the membership eligibility guidelines, many scholarships are designated for candidates with certain qualifications. Available scholarships and criteria are outlined in the National Scholarship Awards listing. Applicants will need to select the individual scholarships for which they would like to apply.

All eligible applicants with complete applications and letters of reference submitted by the application deadline will be considered for scholarships.

Open your application
All applications and recommendations must be completed and submitted via a secure third-party online application and recommendation system.

Applicants can save their application and return to complete it at a later time and upload official transcripts and letters of recommendation to their application, prior to submitting it for review.

To open an application during the application season, navigate to the National Scholarship Awards page and select the “apply” link for the scholarship(s) you choose, which will redirect you to the application. Follow the instructions to create an account or sign in using an existing account.

Review instructions, tips & FAQs
After you have opened your scholarship application, but before you begin entering information, be sure to read all the instructions to help you prepare for the process. The scholarship application outlines all instructions required to successfully complete the application process.

Gather information
Locate all the information you need to complete the application, including, but not limited to:

• Current Cumulative GPA
• Student ID number
• Contact Information for references
• Campus/Community activities & leadership positions
• Unofficial college/university transcript (Unofficial transcript is acceptable at the application phase)
• Resume (to send to your references to help them write their recommendation for you)

Prepare to answer additional narrative questions
After you have completed the initial application questions, you will see many scholarship options. You can select the applications that best suit you and, often, complete an additional essay question to be eligible for that award. Again, it is often helpful to answer the narrative questions in a word processing software application, then copy and paste into the application.

Get started early
The application window is open from October 28 until March 1 each year. Applicants who take time early in the process to gather information, outline and write narrative essay answers, and contact their references (and provide them with resume, etc.) typically submit high caliber applications. Don’t wait until the last minute – take time over weekends, study breaks, and school holidays to work on your application.

Get help when you need it
As you’re working on your application, if you have questions about the application process, please contact scholarships@pkpfoundation.org.

Test technology
Become familiar with the application and how to use it. See how it works with different browsers, computers, mobile devices, etc. Phi Kappa Psi Foundation is not responsible for lost application information. Phi Kappa Psi Foundation WILL NOT extend the deadline for any reason, including problems with technology or with submission of the application. Please complete and submit your application well in advance of the deadline in case of any issues.

Draft responses in word
Before you type your responses in the online application, it is a good idea to draft them in a word processing application, like Microsoft Word. You will easily be able to check word count, spell check, and copy and paste your answers into the scholarship application.

Select references and contact them early
It is up to your best judgment to select an appropriate scholarship reference. You will need to ask two people to serve as references. After you confirm they are willing to submit recommendation forms on your behalf, verify their contact information and send the recommendation requests via the REFERENCES page of your application form as soon as possible. You do not have to complete your application before sending recommendation requests.

Proofread, proofread, and proofread again
You are responsible for editing your application for accuracy prior to submission. When entering information into your application, particularly the narrative components, remember that the application is your only chance to make a good impression with evaluators. Phi Kappa Psi Foundation’s scholarship program is competitive and we have high standards. Make sure your responses are well-written and free of errors. Poorly written personal statements will negatively affect your application score and incorrect or incomplete answers may result in disqualification.

Stay informed
Be sure to regularly check your email and Phi Kappa Psi Foundation social media pages for messages and information related to your scholarship application and the application process.

Submit on time
Phi Kappa Psi Foundation will not accept late materials for any reasons. There will be no exceptions to this requirement. Be sure to note that applications are to be received by March 1 at 11:59 p.m. EASTERN STANDARD TIME. Also, please remember that all references must be received by that time as well.

Monitor the status of your recommendations
Submitted applications without complete recommendation forms from references will not be considered for Phi Kappa Psi Foundation scholarships. The applicant is solely responsible for ensuring references submit complete recommendation forms by the deadline, even if a reference does not initially receive a recommendation request message or forgets to submit a completed form.

• If you are concerned about the status of a recommendation form, follow up with your reference and review the instructions in the scholarship application for resending and canceling recommendation requests, including how to send a recommendation request to someone else if a reference is unable to submit a recommendation form by the deadline.

To have your application reviewed, it must be received by March 1 at 11:59 p.m. EASTERN STANDARD TIME.

A completed application includes:

• Application form
• Recommendation form submitted by a Phi Psi reference
• Recommendation form submitted by a non-Phi Psi reference

You may submit your application before your references submit their recommendation forms, but your application will only be considered if all components are submitted by the deadline.

Confirming your submission
When you successfully submit your application form, you will receive two confirmation messages:

• An on-screen confirmation.
• An email with a confirmation. Please save this message for your records.

If your submission is not successful, the page will refresh and you will see an error message at the top of the page.

• Revisit the questions/fields highlighted in the navigation pane to identify any errors. After you have corrected the errors, attempt to submit your application again.

If you continue to have trouble, try submitting your application on another browser or device. You may also contact scholarships@pkpfoundation.org for limited assistance.

If you successfully submit a complete application, selection committees comprised of Phi Psi alumni and interfraternal volunteers will review your scholarship application(s) and will consider you for scholarships.

In addition to eligibility, evaluation and selection criteria may include, but are not limited to:

• Strength of Cumulative Grade Point Average
• Demonstrated commitment to the Fraternity, campus, and community
• Demonstrated effort in personal statement responses, fully developed responses to narrative prompts, and strength of writing.
• Recommendations from references who are appropriate for a scholarship application, who highly regard the application, and can speak clearly about the applicant’s strengths.

Phi Kappa Psi Foundation will notify each applicant via email April 15, whether or not he was selected as a scholarship recipient. The email used when creating the application will be used for the notification. In the event the award status notifications will be delayed, an email will be sent to all applicants making them aware of the updated time frame. Please be aware of the award notification dates.

Scholarship recipients are required to complete the award acceptance process themselves. If you are selected to receive a scholarship, Phi Kappa Psi Foundation will provide complete information about acceptance requirements and deadlines in the official award status notification messages and subsequent mailings. Required acceptance documents may include, but are not limited to, an OFFICIAL college/university transcript, letters of gratitude to scholarship donors, headshot photo, and a completed Statement of Eligibility. Materials must be received by May 31 to receive the check. Checks will be issued to the college or university to be deposited in the student’s tuition account.