Q: How do I apply for an ASSP Foundation scholarship?
A: Applications are accepted October 15, 2026 through February 15, 2027 through the online application.
Q: Do I need to be an ASSP member in order to be eligible?
A: ASSP membership is not required, but preferred and in most cases, ASSP members will receive priority for certain scholarships. A one-year student membership costs only $15 and can be secured through assp.org/membership.
Q: Can I apply for both a scholarship and a grant?
A: Yes, if you are seeking support for your college coursework through the scholarship program as well as support for conference or certification expenses through the grant program.
If you are enrolled in an EHS-related degree program and are planning on supporting your career in the EHS profession with your degree, you should apply for an academic scholarship. College coursework is not covered by professional education grants.
Both environmental health and safety students and environmental health and safety professionals are eligible for ASSP Foundation professional education grants. If you are seeking support for certification expenses, conference attendance, webinar attendance, workshop attendance, and similar professional development support, you should apply for a professional education grant.
Q: What are the minimum requirements to apply for an ASSP Foundation scholarship?
A: You must be enrolled in an EHS-related degree program and taking courses in the 2026-2027 academic year, with at least three (3) credit hours in progress. You may be earning your associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s degree, or be enrolled in a doctorate program.
Q: What does “EHS-related degree” mean?
A: The core degrees required for eligibility are those specifically related to environmental health and safety (EHS). There is a list of common degree programs included within the application. If your degree is not specifically an EHS-related degree, you are still eligible to apply for ASSP Foundation scholarships. You will be asked to make the case about how you will utilize your degree to support the environmental health and safety profession as an EHS professional. Demonstrating a vested interest in environmental health and safety will establish your eligibility for our scholarships.
Q: I'm a senior in high school, am I eligible for any of the ASSP Foundation scholarships?
A: No, you must be enrolled in an EHS-related degree program with at least three (3) credit hours in progress for this academic year.
Q: Are ASSP Foundation scholarships offered to individuals who are not United States citizens?
A: Citizenship is not a requirement for any scholarship. All academic scholarships are available to students enrolled in EHS-related degrees who are studying and living in the United States.
Q: Are ASSP Foundation scholarships offered to students studying outside of the United States?
A: Due to federal and international taxation and regulations, scholarships are not available to students studying outside of the United States.
Q: If I already received an ASSP Foundation scholarship in previous years, am I eligible to apply again?
A: Yes, you can apply for scholarships every year that you are enrolled in an EHS-related degree at the college level.
Q: If I want to apply for more than one scholarship, do I need to fill out more than one application?
A: No, by completing the online application, you will automatically be considered for all scholarships for which you are eligible.
Q: What materials must I submit as a part of this application?
A: You will need to collect the following items and submit them directly through the online application.
- Transcript(s): A transcript is required for every level of education you have received, as well as a current transcript showing your current academic status. Transcripts do not need to be the official transcripts and may be the transcript downloaded from your university's student portal. If you are enrolled in a graduate or doctorate program, you will need to include your undergraduate transcript that reflects your undergraduate GPA and graduation status.
- Letter of Recommendation (optional): You may submit one letter of recommendation, though it is not required. A strong letter can improve your score. Ask someone who knows you well and has personally seen your initiative, your learning, or your involvement in safety or your community. This could be an instructor, professor, mentor, or supervisor, and the person does not need to work in EHS or belong to ASSP. The most useful letters describe specific things the recommender has observed about you, rather than offering general praise or restating your application. The letter must be current, written for this scholarship, and signed, and it should say who the recommender is and how they know you. Request your letter early, and share your goals with your recommender so they can speak to your potential. You are responsible for requesting, collecting, and uploading your letter. Only a letter submitted through the online application will be accepted.
Q: I am currently enrolled but have no GPA or transcript yet. What should I do?
A: Please submit in-progress transcript from your fall coursework. You can find this in your university’s online student services portal. Make sure you have at least three (3) graduate credits in-progress.
Q: How does my recommender submit their letter of recommendation?
A: You will collect your letter and submit it yourself through the online application. Your recommender will not have access to the portal.
Q: May I mail or email my application or materials required for my application?
A: No, you must complete and submit your application materials through the online application.
Q: Are there essay questions on the application?
A: Yes. There are at least six required short answer pieces, with a limit of 500 words each.
- Identify one safety, health, or environmental problem or need you have encountered, studied, become curious about, or grown invested in. Who is affected, why does it matter to you, and how do you hope to use your education to contribute?
- Describe one specific class, conversation, incident, work experience, mentor interaction, or other experience that deepened your interest in environmental health and safety. What did it make you notice, question, or understand differently about safety?
- Identify one academic or professional goal you hope to pursue within two years of completing your current program. Describe one concrete step you have already taken toward it and one next step you plan to take. How does each step move you toward the goal?
- Describe one volunteer, service, or other experience in which you contributed to or supported others. This could be through work, school, home, or your community. What need did you respond to, what did you personally do, and what did the experience teach you about working with or supporting others?
- Describe one specific situation at work, school, home, in your community, or in everyday life where something you learned about safety influenced what you noticed or how you approached the situation. What did you notice, what learning informed your thinking, and what did you do, question, or consider as a result?
- Describe one experience that reveals something important about you that your grades, résumé, or activity list would not show. What did you do, and what does the example demonstrate about the perspective, strengths, or qualities you would bring to the work of safety?
Take your time, and answer each question thoughtfully and clearly. Most of your score comes from your short-answer responses. Reviewers are looking for specific examples from your own experience that show your purpose, curiosity, growth, and initiative, and how you notice and respond to safety in the world around you. Describe the situation, what you did, and what you learned. You do not need impressive titles or a long list of accomplishments. One real, well-described example is stronger than a general statement. This is your chance to show who you are.
Q: How are applications reviewed?
A: Applications are rated based on:
- Academic performance such as GPA and curriculum rigor (based on your transcripts)
- Your purpose, curiosity, and growth, shown through specific examples from school, work, home, or your community (based on your answers to essay questions)
- Your initiative and your emerging ability to notice risk, support others, and apply safety thinking within your own circumstances (based on your answers to essay questions)
- An optional letter of recommendation that offers independent, specific observations about you (you may submit one letter)
Q: If I am selected for a scholarship, how will I be notified and when will I receive the funds?
A: All applicants will be notified by email of awarding status by early summer 2027. Please note: awarding notifications and confirmation requests will be sent via email to the address used in your application. Be sure you have used an email address that you use on a regular basis. Those selected for an academic scholarship will be required accept the award, submit thank you letters to the donor(s) of their scholarship, and must confirm current mailing address through the awarding portal. Payment is made directly to the awardee, not the university. Additional details will be included in the confirmation email. If you are awarded and do not complete the requirements within the timeframe allotted, you risk losing the award completely.
