Emily Lester Vermont Opportunity Scholarship

The Emily Lester Vermont Opportunity Scholarship is a State of Vermont scholarship, paid from a state-funded trust, for young people who have been in the custody of the Vermont Department for Children and Families and are starting college. A student qualifies if they are currently in DCF custody, or if they are 18 to 24 and were in the custody of the DCF commissioner for at least six months between ages 16 and 18. The student must seek an associate or bachelor's degree, show financial need and attend an accredited Vermont college approved for federal student aid; there is no minimum credit load. Awards generally range from $1,000 to $2,000 and may not exceed $3,000, limited to tuition, fees, room and board minus the Student Aid Index and other gift aid. It can be combined with the federal Chafee scholarship. Students apply through VSAC's Unified Scholarship Application together with the FAFSA and Vermont Grant application, all due February 10, 2027 for the 2027-28 year. Funding depends on yearly legislative approval.

Other deadlines near this one

How hard is the Emily Lester Vermont Opportunity Scholarship 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. The provider does not publish applicant or winner counts, so Solyo shows no odds figure for this award.

Odds: not published by the provider
Paperwork: ~3 hrs to file

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 Vermont residents
Fewer rivalsRequires a specific life circumstance
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 Emily Lester Vermont Opportunity Scholarship?

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 Vermont
Must attend a college in Vermont (the award does not travel out of state)
Open to high school seniors
For current or former foster youth
Age 24 or younger

Confirm these before applying

Must be in Vermont DCF custody now, or be 18 to 24 and have been in DCF custody for at least six months between ages 16 and 18
Must attend an accredited Vermont college and show financial need

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 February 10, 2027. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around February 10 each year. Applications open October 1, 2026. Ask the DCF caseworker to help confirm custody dates; submit the USA, FAFSA and Vermont Grant application before February 10.

2027-28 FAFSA and Unified Scholarship Application open: October 1, 2026
USA, FAFSA, Vermont Grant application and documents due (submission/postmark): February 10, 2027
VSAC begins notifying scholarship recipients: Beginning May 1, 2027

Remind me before Feb 10 Apply on the official site

Free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge a fee. We use your student's information only to build their plan.

Common questions about the Emily Lester Vermont Opportunity Scholarship

How much is the Emily Lester Vermont Opportunity Scholarship worth?

The Emily Lester Vermont Opportunity Scholarship awards $1,000 to $2,000 typical, up to $3,000 and is renewable in later years.

When is the Emily Lester Vermont Opportunity Scholarship deadline?

The current deadline is February 10, 2027. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around February 10 each year. Applications open October 1, 2026. Ask the DCF caseworker to help confirm custody dates; submit the USA, FAFSA and Vermont Grant application before February 10.

When do Emily Lester Vermont Opportunity Scholarship applications open?

Applications open October 1, 2026, and close February 10, 2027. Ask the DCF caseworker to help confirm custody dates; submit the USA, FAFSA and Vermont Grant application before February 10.

Who is eligible for the Emily Lester Vermont Opportunity Scholarship?

Key requirements: Must be a resident of Vermont; Must attend a college in Vermont (the award does not travel out of state); Open to high school seniors; For current or former foster youth. 1 more criteria are listed on this page.

Does the Emily Lester Vermont Opportunity Scholarship require an essay?

No essay is required. The application is light on requirements. Expect to spend about 3 hours on it.

How hard is it to win the Emily Lester Vermont Opportunity Scholarship?

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. The provider does not publish applicant or winner counts, so Solyo shows no odds figure for this award. What is known: open only to Vermont residents and requires a specific life circumstance. Plan on about 3 hrs of work.

Is the Emily Lester Vermont Opportunity Scholarship free to apply?

Yes. The Emily Lester Vermont Opportunity Scholarship is free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge an application fee, and Solyo verifies every listed award against its official page.