American Legion Department of Iowa High School Oratorical Scholarship Program
Offered by The American Legion of Iowa · Free to apply
This constitutional speech competition is for high school students in Iowa in grades 9 through 12. Students prepare and deliver an original speech on the U.S. Constitution as well as a short assigned topic discourse, advancing through local, district, and area rounds. Finalists at the Iowa Department contest receive college scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $2,000, with the winner advancing to the national finals.
Other deadlines near this one
How hard is the American Legion Department of Iowa High School Oratorical Scholarship Program to win?
A large applicant pool chases this award. Apply if the student is a genuinely strong fit, but build the plan around better-odds awards first.
- Estimated odds
- roughly 1 in 560 applicants
- Modelled applicant field
- ~1,500 students
- Awards each cycle
- 3
- Payoff per hour of work
- $3 / hr
What drives the odds here
Odds on a scholarship are mostly a question of how many students can enter. Each rule below changes the size of that field.
- Fewer rivalsOpen only to Iowa residents
How Solyo estimates this: We model the applicant field from how narrow the eligibility rules are, then divide the awards available by that field. Requirements such as essays and recommendation letters improve a serious applicant’s odds, because most browsers never complete them. These are estimates derived from each award's published structure, not reported acceptance rates, which almost no scholarship provider discloses. Treat them as a way to rank where the hours go, not as a guarantee.
Who can apply for the American Legion Department of Iowa High School Oratorical Scholarship Program?
These are the eligibility rules Solyo verified against the official award page, translated into plain English. Your student must meet each one.
- Must be a resident of Iowa
- Open to high school freshmen, high school sophomores, high school juniors, and high school seniors
- Open to U.S. citizens or permanent residents (green card)
- Must be under the age of 20 on the date of the national contest.
- Must be legally domiciled in Iowa or attending a high school located in Iowa.
- Cannot enter the oratorical competition in more than one department (state).
- Previous national top-three finalists are ineligible to compete.
- Local American Legion post contests must be completed by December 7, 2026 to qualify for advancement to county, district, area, and state contests.
Personalized matching
Does your student actually qualify?
Not sure your student clears every rule above? Solyo checks 20+ criteria against their real profile: GPA, state, grade level, intended major, and more, across every award in this directory at once.
What the application takes
No essay, recommendation letters, or transcript are required. This is one of the lighter applications in the directory.
Deadline and application cycle
The current deadline is December 7, 2026. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around December 7 each year.
- Applications close
- December 7, 2026
Free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge a fee. We use your student's information only to build their plan.
Common questions about the American Legion Department of Iowa High School Oratorical Scholarship Program
How much is the American Legion Department of Iowa High School Oratorical Scholarship Program worth?
The American Legion Department of Iowa High School Oratorical Scholarship Program awards $1,000 to $2,000. 3 awards are made each cycle.
When is the American Legion Department of Iowa High School Oratorical Scholarship Program deadline?
The current deadline is December 7, 2026. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around December 7 each year.
Who is eligible for the American Legion Department of Iowa High School Oratorical Scholarship Program?
Key requirements: Must be a resident of Iowa; Open to high school freshmen, high school sophomores, high school juniors, and high school seniors; Open to U.S. citizens or permanent residents (green card).
Does the American Legion Department of Iowa High School Oratorical Scholarship Program require an essay?
No essay is required. The application is light on requirements. Expect to spend about 1 hour on it.
How hard is it to win the American Legion Department of Iowa High School Oratorical Scholarship Program?
Solyo estimates the odds at roughly 1 in 560 applicants, against a modelled field of ~1,500 students. The pool stays that size because open only to Iowa residents. At 1 hr of work, that is about $3 of expected value per hour. This is an estimate from award structure, not a published acceptance rate.
Is the American Legion Department of Iowa High School Oratorical Scholarship Program free to apply?
Yes. The American Legion Department of Iowa High School Oratorical Scholarship Program is free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge an application fee, and Solyo verifies every listed award against its official page.
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Lists this award appears on
Award details are curated by Solyo and verified against the official scholarship page. Deadlines and requirements can change between cycles, so always confirm on the provider's site before applying.