Merit-Based ScholarshipsLong shot

NALC William C. Doherty Scholarship Fund

Offered by National Association of Letter Carriers · Free to apply

Award

$16,000 ($4,000/yr over 4 years)

renewable in later years

Deadline

December 31, 2026

deadlines recur around December each year

Estimated odds

1 in 2,000

Solyo estimate, not a published rate

Application effort

~5 hrs

about $2 of expected value per hour

The Doherty Scholarship pays $4,000 a year for four years, a total of $16,000, to children of NALC letter carriers. Applicants must be high school seniors at the time of applying and the parent must have been a member in good standing for at least a year, including retired and deceased members. The honest picture on odds matters here: only five awards are made each year against a union of roughly 280,000 members, so this is a long shot despite the clean eligibility gate. The total value is high enough that it is still worth the application for a family that qualifies.

How hard is the NALC William C. Doherty Scholarship Fund 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 2,000 applicants
Modelled applicant field: ~10,000 students
Awards each cycle: 5
Payoff per hour of work: $2 / 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.

More rivalsOpen nationwide, so the field is large
Fewer rivalsAn essay is required, which filters out casual applicants
Fewer rivalsAn official transcript is required
Fewer rivalsOpen to a single grade level only
More rivalsA five-figure award attracts a bigger field

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 NALC William C. Doherty Scholarship Fund?

These are the eligibility rules Solyo verified against the official award page, translated into plain English. Your student must meet each one.

Open to high school seniors

Confirm these before applying

Must be the son, daughter or legally adopted child of an NALC letter carrier in good standing (active, retired or deceased) who has been a member for at least one year.

What the application takes

Essay required.
Transcript required. Request it from the school registrar ahead of the deadline.

Deadline and application cycle

The current deadline is December 31, 2026. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around December 31 each year.

Applications close: December 31, 2026

Apply on the official site →Free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge a fee.

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Common questions about the NALC William C. Doherty Scholarship Fund

How much is the NALC William C. Doherty Scholarship Fund worth?

The NALC William C. Doherty Scholarship Fund awards $16,000 ($4,000/yr over 4 years) and is renewable in later years. 5 awards are made each cycle.

When is the NALC William C. Doherty Scholarship Fund deadline?

The current deadline is December 31, 2026. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around December 31 each year.

Who is eligible for the NALC William C. Doherty Scholarship Fund?

Key requirements: Open to high school seniors.

Does the NALC William C. Doherty Scholarship Fund require an essay?

Yes. The application requires an essay and a transcript. Expect to spend about 5 hours on it.

How hard is it to win the NALC William C. Doherty Scholarship Fund?

Solyo estimates the odds at roughly 1 in 2,000 applicants, against a modelled field of ~10,000 students. The pool stays that size because an essay is required, which filters out casual applicants and an official transcript is required. At 5 hrs of work, that is about $2 of expected value per hour. This is an estimate from award structure, not a published acceptance rate.

Is the NALC William C. Doherty Scholarship Fund free to apply?

Yes. The NALC William C. Doherty Scholarship Fund 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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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.