Teamsters Scholarship Fund

The Teamsters Scholarship Fund is the union's own scholarship program for the children and financial dependents of Teamster members, including members of the BLET, BMWED and TCRC divisions. For the 2027-28 school year the fund plans to give at least $1.2 million through 600 one-time scholarships of $2,000 each, which makes it one of the largest union-family programs in the country. The parent must be a member in good standing (retirees who qualified count); spouses and the children of full-time local officers and union staff are not eligible. Graduating high school seniors heading to a four-year college can apply, as can community college students and students entering trade or vocational associate programs tied to a Teamsters-represented industry. Home-schooled students and GED holders are eligible. Applications for the Class of 2027 open online November 1, 2026 and close April 1, 2027, and an outside administrator (ISTS) picks the winners. Families can also apply to the separate James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund in the same year.

Other deadlines near this one

• All Iowa Opportunity Scholarship (AIOS)
  Due April 1, 2027 · Up to $5,646 a year (2027-28)
• Arizona Promise Program
  Due April 1, 2027 · Full tuition & mandatory fees at Arizona public universities (last-dollar)
• Florida Farmworker Student Scholarship
  Due April 1, 2027 · Full tuition and specified fees at Florida public institutions

How hard is the Teamsters Scholarship Fund to win?

Real competition, but not a lottery. The time cost is low enough relative to the award that a qualified student comes out ahead by applying.

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 official transcript is required
• Fewer rivalsOpen to a single grade level only

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 Teamsters 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

What the application takes

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

Deadline and application cycle

The current deadline is April 1, 2027. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around April 1 each year. Applications open November 1, 2026.

Application opens (Class of 2027)

November 1, 2026

Application deadline

April 1, 2027

Common questions about the Teamsters Scholarship Fund

More merit-based scholarships

• Tennessee General Assembly Merit Scholarship (GAMS)
  Up to $500 per semester on top of HOPE (including summer) · due September 1, 2027
• Texas 4-H Opportunity Scholarship
  $1,000 to $30,000, paid through the college over four or eight semesters · due February 15, 2027
• Texas FFA Scholarship
  $2,000 to $20,000, disbursed over multiple semesters · due April 1, 2027
• Texas Farm Bureau Scholarships
  $5,000, $3,000 and $1,500 tiers depending on the award · due March 2, 2027
• Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision
  $2,500 to $5,000 per student (or a $5,000 to $10,000 EE savings bond at maturity) · due January 27, 2027
• Tri-County Electric Cooperative Power Your Future Scholarship
  $5,000 · due January 15, 2027

Lists this award appears on

• No-Essay Scholarships
• Merit Scholarships
• Scholarships With April Deadlines