SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS AND FORM

There is a single application for the SAG-AFTRA Foundation Scholarship Program with two tiers of scholarships offered: the John L. Dales Scholarships and the George Heller Memorial Scholarship.

The SAG-AFTRA Foundation staff shall determine which scholarship criteria (Dales or Heller) the applicant meets. An applicant may qualify for only one scholarship per year.

Member applicant or parent of dependent applying must be paid current with their SAG-AFTRA dues to April, 2018.

Recipients may receive a total of five (5) John L. Dales Standard Scholarships in a lifetime.  Recipients may receive a total of two (2) John L. Dales Transitional Scholarships in a lifetime.  Recipients may receive a total of one (1) George Heller Scholarship in a lifetime.

First, if you did not apply online for a scholarship last year, you MUST sign up for a new account here.

Apply Now!

If you applied for a scholarship last year or are returning to work on this year’s application, use the link below to sign into your existing account.  Then click “Resume Application” on your dashboard to submit yourself for an eligibility check.  Once your eligibility has been determined and your account has been approved, log in again and fill out the scholarship application.

Continue your application

PLEASE NOTE: The scholarship application requires a separate user account from the user account you may already have with our website to sign up for our events. Only use the links to the left of this page to create an account or log into your scholarship application.  Do not use the “Sign In” tab at the very top of the page.

The scholarship application will be available on November 15, 2017.  The deadline to complete the scholarship application is March 15th, 2018 ; federal tax returns by April 30, 2018.

If you have any questions please contact us here.

JOHN L. DALES STANDARD SCHOLARSHIP

Applicants for the John L. Dales Scholarship will be selected in accordance with the following criteria:

  • An applicant must be a SAG-AFTRA member or dependent of a member.
  • A SAG-AFTRA member under 22 applying for the Standard Scholarship must have been a member in good standing for five years and have a lifetime earnings of $40,000 within SAG-AFTRA jurisdiction.
  • The member parent or guardian whose dependent is applying for the Standard Scholarship must have 10 years of vested pension credits OR a lifetime earnings of $225,000 within SAG-AFTRA jurisdiction.
  • Dependents of members on Honorable Withdrawal or Deceased are eligible to apply, providing their member parent meets the basic eligibility requirements.
  • Dependents of SAG-AFTRA members who are 26 years of age and older are not eligible to apply.
  • Terminated, Suspended Payment or Fee-Paying-Non-Member are not eligible to apply for the scholarship; nor are their dependents.

GEORGE HELLER STANDARD SCHOLARSHIP

Applicants for the George Heller Standard Scholarships will be selected in accordance with the following criteria:

  • A member whose dependent is an applicant or an adult member applicant must have lifetime earnings of at least $50,000 but no more than $225,000 within SAG-AFTRA Jurisdiction.
  • A member under the age of twenty two (22) must be paid-up and have been a member in good standing for at least five (5) years and have a lifetime earnings of at least $10,000 but no more than $40,000.
  • Dependents of SAG-AFTRA members who are twenty-six (26) years of age and older are not eligible to apply.
  • Dependents of members on Honorable Withdrawal or Deceased are eligible to apply, providing their member parent meets the basic eligibility requirements.
  • Terminated, Suspended Payment or Fee-Paying-Non-Members are not eligible to apply; nor are their dependents.

Standard Application Requirements:

  • A dependent applicant shall submit a transcript of all high school, college and university courses and evaluations, SAT or ACT scores, and any other relevant information regarding prior academic history and achievement, including extracurricular activities.  (Note:  If an applicant is a junior in college and has previously received a Dales scholarship, they need not submit their high school transcripts and SAT or ACT scores.)
  • An applicant shall submit a copy of the 2017 Federal Income Tax Returns for applicant and parents, including Schedules A, B & D.
  • If either applicant or parents are incorporated, the Corporate Tax Return must be submitted as well including “S” Corp IRS Form, and the 529 Education Savings Plan, if applicable.  All submitted tax returns must be complete.
  • An applicant and parents must include a detailed disclosure of current assets, liabilities and expenses.
  • An applicant shall submit a personal essay of 350 to 750 words on a topic of their personal choice. A new essay is required each time an applicant applies.
  • An applicant shall submit two personal letters of recommendation.  (Letters should not come from family members or relatives.) New letters of recommendation are required each time an applicant applies.

JOHN L. DALES TRANSITIONAL SCHOLARSHIP

Applicants for the SAG-AFTRA Foundation Transitional Scholarships will be selected in accordance with the following criteria:

  • An applicant applying for the Transitional Scholarship must be a SAG-AFTRA member with at least 10 years of vested pension credits OR a lifetime earnings of $225,000 within the SAG-AFTRA jurisdiction.
  • An applicant shall submit a transcript of all high school, college and university courses and evaluation, SAT or ACT scores, and any other relevant information regarding prior academic history and achievement, including extracurricular activities.
  • An applicant shall submit a copy of their 2017 Federal Income Tax Returns for applicant and spouse, if applicable, including Schedules A, B & D.
  • If either applicant or spouse is incorporated, the Corporate Tax Return must be submitted as well as “S” Corp IRS Form.  All submitted tax returns must be complete.
  • A detailed disclosure of current assets, liabilities and expenses is also required.
  • Members on Honorable Withdrawal are eligible to apply, providing they meet the basic eligibility requirements.
  • Terminated, Suspended Payment or Fee-Paying-Non-Member are not eligible to apply for the scholarship; nor are their dependents.

GEORGE HELLER TRANSITIONAL SCHOLARSHIP

Applicants for the George Heller Transitional Scholarships will be selected in accordance with the following criteria:

  • Member applicant must have lifetime earnings of at least $50,000 but no more than $225,000 within SAG-AFTRA Jurisdiction.
  • Members on Honorable Withdrawal are eligible to apply, providing they meet the basic eligibility requirements.
  • Terminated, Suspended Payment or Fee-Paying-Non-Members are not eligible to apply; nor their dependents.

Transitional Application Requirements:

  • An applicant shall submit a transcript of all high school, college and university courses and evaluations, SAT or ACT scores, and any other relevant information regarding prior academic history and achievement, including extracurricular activities.
  • An applicant shall submit a copy of the 2017 Federal Income Tax Returns for applicant and spouse, including Schedules A, B & D.
  • If applicant is incorporated, the Corporate Tax Return must be submitted as well including “S” Corp IRS Form, and the 529 Education Savings Plan, if applicable.  All submitted tax returns must be complete.
  • Applicant must include a detailed disclosure of current assets, liabilities and expenses.
  • An applicant shall submit a personal essay of 350 to 750 words on a topic of their personal choice. A new essay is required each time an applicant reapplies.
  • An applicant shall submit two personal letters of recommendation from persons in the new field who can speak to the applicant’s aptitude in the area and ability to fulfill the outlined educational requirements. New letters of recommendation are required each time the applicant applies.
  • Applications for universities, colleges, specialty adult schools, and trade/vocational schools will be considered, but any such institutions must be fully accredited and licensed.

Recipients

  • Awards will be made by check payable directly to the selected recipients.
  • Recipients must be enrolled in an accredited institution of higher learning, i.e., a college, junior college, or university in the United States, and provide documentation of full-time enrollment before the scholarship can be awarded.

 

The SAG-AFTRA Foundation Scholarship Committee reviews all applicants and determines all awards.

SAG-AFTRA Foundation Scholarship Committee members, their families, their relatives, SAG-AFTRA Foundation board members and employees of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation are not eligible for Standard Scholarships.

Please read the FAQ for additional information.