Scholar Chess Player Awards

The deadline for submitting the application is March 1st, 2024 at 11:59PM PT. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed by the selection committee.

If you are a current US Chess member and a high school junior or senior, you are eligible to apply for one of the following two awards:

• 2024 National Scholar Chess Player Award — total of five $1,500 scholarships awarded.
• 2024 The Scholar Chess Player Ambassador Award for players rated under 2000 — total of one $1,500 scholarship awarded.

The scholarships are provided by the US Chess Trust, with a generous, supporting contribution from the National Scholastic Chess Foundation (NSCF), to recognize and encourage outstanding high school students who promote a positive image of chess. Award winners will be first announced at www.uschesstrust.org.

The US Chess Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization supporting its vision that one day, every American, from schoolkid to senior citizen, will have the opportunity to learn chess and enjoy its many mental and social benefits.

To be considered for these awards, you must show that you have met the following criteria:

• You played in at least 25 regular-rated US Chess or FIDE games held from dates January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023. Games with a time Control less than G/30,d0 do not count toward the 25 game requirement.
• You have shown outstanding achievement in academics and chess.
• You have completed at least one year of chess-related community service since you started the ninth grade.
• You can demonstrate in an essay (of 500 words or less) how your being selected as a 2024 Scholar Chess Player enables you to further your education, improve your chess, and continue contributing to the chess community for the next five years of your life.
• For the Scholar Chess Player Ambassador: You have shown outstanding community service and leadership by being an exemplary ambassador of the game of chess.

Previous recipients of this award are not eligible.

Applications should be submitted using the online form available online. Documents (.docx, .pdf and other usual extensions) can be uploaded to your application via this form.

Your completed application must include the following:

• Submitted application form via the online form available here.
• Your uploaded high school transcripts showing all courses and grades.
• Your SAT or ACT scores.
• Evidence, listed in the form or uploaded separately, that you have played at least 25 US Chess or FIDE qualifying rated games held from dates January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023.
• A list and brief description of your best chess accomplishments.
• Examples of your chess-related community service since ninth grade or later.
• A letter of recommendation from a teacher in a current or former school you have attended in ninth, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade.
• A letter of recommendation from a chess coach or tournament director.
• A letter of support from someone other than a parent or guardian, bearing witness to the nature, duration and impact of your chess-related community service. We also encourage you to submit newspaper articles or web-based stories as evidence.
• Your essay uploaded in the application form of no more than 500 words describing how your being recognized as a Scholar Chess player would help you continue contributing to the greater US Chess community over the next five years.
• A recent color photograph of yourself, either a headshot or full-length.