William, Juanita, & Edward James Scholarship Application
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Application Requirements

  1. Completed applications with: 
    1. a current official transcript or a diploma, and/or 
    2. a copy of the acceptance letter from the college where the applicant will be studying.  
    3. a résumé that includes a list of awards, church and/or community service activities
  2. Three (3) Letters of recommendation are required from:
    1. Your Pastor
    2. Local Church leader and 
    3. Teacher/Professor 

These letters must be sent independently of your application. Recommendations must be received by May 11, 2026.

       3. Essay- A minimum of 500 words.

You must write an essay about your aspirations to become a leader for the transformation of your community, society, or the world.  It should include what experiences have transformed you and how important your church has been in nurturing your leadership. 

       4. If applying for the financial need-based scholarship:  

Please complete the attached financial statement and attach the first two pages of your or your guardian’s 2025 1040 tax forms (Social Security numbers should be removed).  Please also submit your FAFSA Submission Summary. 

Application Submission

Candidates must complete all required parts of the application. 

  • All documents MUST be uploaded in PDF, Word, Excel, and/or Google documents. 

NO PICTURES OR SCREENSHOTS OF DOCUMENTS ARE ACCEPTABLE.

  • The applicant must be a member of a United Methodist Church in the New York Annual Conference.
  • The applicant must be between 16 and 25 years old and have a minimum 2.75 GPA at the time of application to qualify for a scholarship.
  • The applicant must be a current HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR or a CURRENTLY ENROLLED student in an UNDERGRADUATE program at an accredited higher education institution.  Post-secondary degree students are not eligible.
  • There are three scholarship opportunities: Academic merit-based, Community service-based, and Financial need-based.  You can only submit one application and select one type of scholarship.