There are four categories in which students can demonstrate merit: AFS family, academic merit, community involvement, and intercultural involvement. Scholarship staff awards AFS family scholarships based on the information in your cover sheet, and we assess the other three categories based on the information submitted in your reference forms (you must score highly on these forms to qualify—simply submitting a reference form does not automatically give you merit credit in that category). A student can be credited for up to three merit categories.
Once you have submitted your preliminary application and scholarship application cover sheet, download the appropriate forms below or guide your reference writer(s) to this site to access the forms directly.
- Academic reference: may be filled out by a high school educator (teacher, school counselor, or school administrator). Please note that you will also be required to submit a Letter of Recommendation as a part of your AFS application if you are going on a year or semester program. If you like, you may ask your teacher to write this letter at the same time you hand him or her this reference form.
- Community service reference: may be filled out by an educator, AFS volunteer, or community leader
- Intercultural involvement reference: may be filled out by an educator, AFS volunteer, or community leader
Please note that your parent is not eligible to submit a reference for any category.
Completed forms should be submitted directly to AFS. The student may want to provide a stamped envelope for this purpose, addressed to:
AFS-USA, attn: Scholarships
506 SW 6th avenue, 2nd floor
Portland, OR 97204
