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VFW Auxiliary Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest

Offered by VFW Auxiliary · Free to apply

The VFW Auxiliary's Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest invites high school students to create a two-dimensional work of patriotic art. More than 4,000 students enter each year, and they do not need any family connection to a veteran or the VFW. Students in grades 9 through 12 submit their artwork to a participating local VFW Auxiliary by March 31. Local winners advance to the state (Department) level, and each state's first-place winner competes for national awards totaling $37,000: $15,000 for first place, $7,500 for second, $4,500 for third, $4,000 for fourth, $1,500 for fifth and sixth, $1,000 for seventh through tenth, $750 for eleventh, and $500 for twelfth through twenty-third. A separate 3-Dimensional Patriotic Art Contest follows the same timeline with $5,500 in national awards. Students attending public, private, parochial or home schools in the US, its territories, or overseas military schools may enter. US citizenship is not required, but students must be permanent residents or have applied for permanent residence.

Other deadlines near this one

How hard is the VFW Auxiliary Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest 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.

Published odds: roughly 1 in 174 applicants
Reported applicant field: ~4,000 students
Awards each cycle: 23
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.

More rivalsOpen nationwide, so the field is large
Fewer rivalsRestricted to specific intended majors
More rivalsA five-figure award attracts a bigger field

Where this number comes from: This provider publishes its real applicant and winner counts, so the rate above is the actual published rate from a recent cycle, not a Solyo model. Rates shift a little from cycle to cycle, and nobody can promise a win, but this is as real as scholarship odds get.

Who can apply for the VFW Auxiliary Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest?

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 freshmen, high school sophomores, high school juniors, and high school seniors
Open to U.S. citizens or permanent residents (green card)
Planning to study the Arts

Confirm these before applying

Entry goes to a participating local VFW Auxiliary, which must sponsor it; find one near you on the Auxiliary site
Must be a US citizen, permanent resident, or have applied for permanent residence (application not denied)

Good to know

Two-dimensional art only; 3-D work goes to the separate 3-Dimensional contest

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.

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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 March 31, 2027. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around March 31 each year. Contact a local VFW Auxiliary early; it must accept and judge the entry before March 31.

Local winners due to state chairman: April 15, 2026
State winners due at national headquarters: May 5, 2026
Student entries due to local VFW Auxiliary: March 31, 2027

Remind me before March 31 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 VFW Auxiliary Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest

How much is the VFW Auxiliary Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest worth?

The VFW Auxiliary Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest awards $500 to $15,000 (national awards). 23 awards are made each cycle.

When is the VFW Auxiliary Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest deadline?

Who is eligible for the VFW Auxiliary Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest?

Key requirements: 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); Planning to study the Arts.

Does the VFW Auxiliary Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest require an essay?

No essay is required. The application is light on requirements. Expect to spend about 15 hours on it.

How hard is it to win the VFW Auxiliary Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest?

Solyo estimates the odds at roughly 1 in 174 applicants, against a modelled field of ~4,000 students. The pool stays that size because restricted to specific intended majors. At 15 hrs 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 VFW Auxiliary Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest free to apply?

Yes. The VFW Auxiliary Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest 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.