2026 National Scholarship Program

The Kolping Society of America is proud to announce its 2026 Scholarship Program. Below is an overview of the program. Please review it to see if you and/or an immediate family member is qualified to apply. We welcome applicants and wish you good luck.

Program Overview and Qualifications:

Qualifications:

1. Candidates must be in or entering:
   1. senior year of high school in the Fall of 2026;
   2. an accredited college or university;
   3. an accredited trade school
2. Candidates must be active Kolping members or an immediate family member of an active Kolping member.
   1. Immediate family will be defined as spouse, child, grandchild or great-grandchild.
   2. “Active” is defined as a member who is current with their dues for at least two years.
3. There is no age requirement.
4. College students who were awarded a scholarship in 2025 will not be eligible until 2026. High school seniors who were awarded a scholarship in 2025 can apply for the college-level scholarship.

Scholarship details:

Seven (7) scholarships of $3,000 will be available for qualified college, university and/or trade school candidates andfour (4) $1,000 scholarships will be available for high school applicants.

Timeline:

March 31, 2026 — Scholarship program posted and applications are available
April 30, 2026 — Scholarship applications due
By May 30, 2026 — Scholarship reviewed and winners selected
By June 30, 2026 — Recipients contacted and money awarded

Instructions:

1. Essays must be submitted in either Calibri, Times New Roman or Helvetica, 12pt font.
2. Essays will be rated as follows: Question 1 = 5 points, Question 2 and 3 = 10 points each.
3. No word count, but keep each answer at no more than one-page. Shorter is better.
4. Essays should be in a format that you can upload to the application site.

Essay Questions:

Question 1:

Why did you choose the university/college/trade school you are/will be attending and how do you see yourself using your education?

For High School Students: Where would you like to attend school next year and what do you think you would like to do with your education?

Question 2:

After reading The Life and Work of Fr. Kolping, how do you think his idea that, “No obstacles are too great to overcome if we have faith, work hard, and are willing to make sacrifices” applies to you as you pursue your chosen career?

Question 3:

“Father Kolping guided people in a time of economic uncertainty and social evolution to be their best, happiest, most God-trusting selves. Today, we see change in career paths, economic shifts, and societal change with the rise of AI technology. What are your feelings about navigating this technology in a way that honors the people-first values of Kolping? “