PDK International Scholarship Program

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Who is eligible to apply for PDK International scholarships?

A: To be eligible to apply, you must be:

  1. A member in good standing of one of the associations: Educators Rising, Educators Rising Collegiate, Pi Lambda Theta, and/or PDK Association; and
  2. Pursuing a career in education; and
  3. Enrolled in an institution of higher education full- or part-time for the fall semester of the application year. If you will not be enrolled and paying tuition and fees in the fall, then you are not eligible.

Q: How many scholarships do you award and how much are they?

A: Every year, PDK International awards about 100 scholarships across all membership types. One-time and renewable awards range from $500 to $4,000. Our application is designed to capture any specific eligibility criteria designated by the donor(s) and you will be considered for all scholarships for which you are eligible.  

Q:  I’m not a member.  How do I join?

A: Please visit the links below for more information about member eligibility and benefits to determine which membership type is right for you:

– Educators Rising, a membership organization for high school students exploring the path to becoming effective educators. If this sounds like you, you are invited to join Educators Rising for just $10 a year. Educators Rising wants to make sure that membership fees are not a barrier to access to scholarships for high school seniors pursuing a career in education. If your financial circumstances prevent you from paying the $10 membership fee, you may request a fee waiver by calling Educators Rising at 800-766-1156 to speak with our Member Services staff.

Educators Rising Collegiate, a new addition to the continuum of supports offered to aspiring educators. By becoming an Educators Rising Collegiate member for just $25, future educators gain access to an additional level of supports and content to ensure they are ready for the classroom.

- Pi Lambda Theta, a prestigious honor society that recognizes outstanding preservice and practicing educators.  If you’re pursuing a career in education and have an undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.5 or above, you’re eligible and can apply for membership today. A one-time initiation fee of $74 makes you a member for life and includes a number of special benefits.

- PDK Association, a professional association for educators that works to cultivate great educators for tomorrow while continuing to ensure high-quality education for today. Undergraduate and graduate students are invited to join us in this important work. Options include lifetime or multi-year membership.

Q:  When do applications open and close?

A:  The application process is now open with an application deadline of April 2, 2024. Connect with us on social media so you’re sure to receive updates and information about the 2024 scholarship application.

Q: What are PDK’s privacy policies?

A: PDK’s Privacy Statement applies to all information collected or submitted as part of the Scholarship application process. In addition:

Any information you provide in your scholarship application about past or current child abuse and/or neglect may be subject to mandatory reporting to law enforcement or other appropriate authorities under relevant state law.  PDK reserves the right to disclose all information available to law enforcement or other appropriate authorities in situations where an applicant discloses past or current child abuse and/or neglect.

Certain demographic information is compiled and tracked for statistical purposes only, so that PDK may continue to improve its programming. Other information is collected so that PDK can match applicants to scholarships with specific criteria designated by the donor(s).

In addition, in accepting a scholarship, all recipients are giving permission to be identified by full name, hometown, school, and scholarship award 1) on our website; 2) in individual recipient profiles shared with the scholarship establisher; and 3) possibly in other public materials, including promotional and/or development materials, potentially using your photographic image and/or information submitted to PDK in the application process.

Q:  What can I use my scholarship funds to pay for?

A:  Scholarship awards are sent to your school to be posted to your account and applied to tuition, fees, room, and board for the academic year starting in the fall.  Awards announced in the spring are for the academic year starting in the fall. Funds are not applicable to spring or summer tuition & fees, are not for classroom supplies, cannot be applied retroactively, and cannot be deferred.

Q: If I am awarded a scholarship, how do I receive the award money?

A: If you receive a scholarship, we will ask you to complete PDK’s Scholarship Recipient Questionnaire to provide us with a variety of follow-up information, including your school’s address. Scholarship award checks are mailed over the summer directly to your educational institution, to be posted to your account and applied to tuition, fees, room, and board for the academic year starting in the fall semester. Funds are not applicable to spring or summer tuition & fees, are not for classroom supplies, cannot be applied retroactively, and cannot be deferred. PDK issues checks only once/year – in the summer.

Q: I checked my account, but it looks like PDK didn’t send my school the entire award.

A: PDK always sends the entire award, however institutions may divide the total award across semesters. For example, if you received a $2000 scholarship, your school may have posted $1000 for the fall semester and $1000 for the spring semester. Please check with your bursar’s office to see if this happened to you and make any alternate arrangements directly with your academic institution.

Q: How do renewable awards work? A:  A few awards have been designated by the donor as renewable up to four years. If you are selected to receive a renewable award, you will receive an annual payment while you are in school (up to four years) and pursuing a career in education. Each year, PDK staff will reach out to you to confirm your continued eligibility and send a check to your school to be posted to your account.

Q: What happens if I receive a scholarship and it more than covers my tuition and fees?  Do I have to send it back?

A: No, you do not need to send it back to PDK. In rare instances, the scholarship funds posted to your account for the academic year starting in the fall semester may cover more than the cost of tuition & fees and room & board. If this is the case, any remaining balance of the award may be refunded by the academic institution directly to you for related educational expenses. However, any overage refunded to you may be taxable.

Q:  I’m going to school part-time.  Am I eligible to apply for a scholarship?

A: Yes. There is no minimum credit hour requirement for part-time students. You can be taking as little as one class.

Q: I am not a U.S. Citizen.  Am I eligible to apply for a scholarship?

A:  Yes.  PDK is an international organization; there is no U.S. citizenship requirement.

Q: I received an award last year.  Can I apply again?

A:  Yes.  Even if you received an award in the past, you may re-apply every year that you meet the eligibility requirements.

Q: What are the transcript requirements?

A: Please submit your most recent transcript. Typically, the transcript should include the fall semester immediately preceding the application’s January opening. If you are working on an advanced degree, you may submit up to three transcripts, including your undergraduate record. Transcripts do NOT need to be official.

Q:  Who should write my letter of recommendation?

A: The person who writes your letter of recommendation should be familiar with your academic abilities and school activities and should be able to address your interest in teaching and the qualities that will make you a successful educator. Usually this person is a teacher, counselor, or supervisor. Your letter may not be written by a family member.  The letter does not need to be sealed. If, by the writer’s policy, the letter must be sealed, please have them send it to scholarships@pdkintl.org and staff will attach it to your application. Please request this letter early, as we cannot extend the deadline or make exceptions for applications that are incomplete.

Q: What is Slayte?

A:  Slayte is our application management system and applications are only accepted online through Slayte. You will need to login to your Educators Rising, Educators Rising Collegiate, Pi Lambda Theta, or PDK Association member account in order to access the scholarship application in Slayte.  You do not need to complete the application in one sitting; you can save your work and go back to it later. Once you submit your application, you will receive a confirmation email from Slayte. Please keep your login credentials after you submit your application, as you will need to re-access the system if you are selected to receive a scholarship.

Q: How are scholarship recipients selected?

A: Members and staff of PDK International serve on volunteer review committees and select scholarship recipients.

Q: How and when will I hear if I received an award?

A: All applicants will be notified of their status in mid-to-late June by email from scholarships@pdkintl.org.  Make sure you provide an email address that you check regularly and add scholarships@pdkintl.org to your address book so our communications don’t get lost in a spam folder. We do not send notifications to applicants via text or regular mail, so please check your email!

Q:  Do you know of any other scholarship opportunities?

A: Yes!  Many local PDK Chapters offer their own scholarships – and you may be able to use the same application.  Check directly with your local chapter to see if they have a scholarship program.

Additional questions? Contact us at scholarships@pdkintl.org.