VFW Voice of Democracy

About this scholarship

VFW Voice of Democracy is a national audio-essay competition for students in grades 9–12. Approximately 26,000 students enter annually, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars distributes more than $2 million in educational scholarships and incentives at local, state, and national levels. The national first-place winner receives a $35,000 college scholarship. For 2026–27, entrants respond to “What a Veteran Taught Me About America” in an original three-to-five-minute audio recording and submit both an MP3 file and typed essay with the official entry form. Video entries are not accepted. The contest is open to eligible students at public, private, parochial, or home schools in the United States, its territories, and possessions, as well as qualifying dependents of U.S. military or civilian personnel attending overseas schools. U.S. citizenship is not required, but the rules limit noncitizen eligibility to lawful permanent residents and applicants for permanent residence who have not been denied and intend to become citizens. Foreign-exchange students, students age 20 or older, and participants enrolled in GED or adult-education programs are not eligible. Entries must reach a participating local VFW Post by midnight on October 31, 2026; students should use the official post finder linked from the program page to identify their submission Post.

Eligibility

• Be enrolled in grades 9–12 by the October 31, 2026 deadline
• Attend an eligible public, private, parochial, home, territorial, or qualifying overseas school
• Be younger than age 20 and not enrolled in a GED or adult-education program
• Meet the official citizenship or qualifying permanent-residency rule
• Not participate as a foreign-exchange student
• Create an original audio essay on the 2026–27 theme lasting three to five minutes within the allowed tolerance
• Submit the audio as MP3 plus a typed essay and completed official entry form
• Deliver the entry to a participating local VFW Post by midnight October 31, 2026