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The application will be live on or after January 6, 2025. Please return then and navigate to the Scholarship America Hub to register your account and begin your application process!

SMART 18 Scholarship Program
Live application window: January 6, 2025 through March 3, 2025 3:00 pm Central Time

Sheet Metal Workers International Union Local No.18 has established a scholarship program to assist children or spouses of union members who plan to continue their education in college or vocational school programs.

The program is administered by Scholarship America®, the nation’s largest designer and manager of scholarships and other education support programs for corporations, foundations, associations, and individuals. Eligibility for individual programs is determined at the sole discretion of the sponsor and eligible applications are reviewed by Scholarship America’s evaluation team.

Applicants to the SMART 18 Scholarship Program must be:

  • A dependent* child, age 25 and under, of a full-time SMART Local No.18 dues-paying-member who has a minimum of 2 years of membership as of the application deadline date.
    *Dependent children are unmarried children and claimed as a dependent on the Plan Participant’s (eligible member’s) Federal income tax return.
    OR
  • A legal spouse, age 25 and under, of a full-time SMART Local No.18 dues-paying-member who has a minimum of 2 years of membership as of the application deadline date.
  • High school seniors or graduates, or current postsecondary undergraduates, who plan to enroll in full-time undergraduate study at an accredited two-year or four-year college, university, or vocational-technical school for the entire upcoming academic year.

Grandchildren of members are not eligible.

Awards

If selected as a recipient, the student will receive an award as follows:

  • A SMART Local 18 Award of $4,000. Nine (9) awards will be granted.
  • An Essay Impact Award award of $6,000. One (1) award will be granted to the student with the best response to the essay question.

Awards are not renewable, but students may reapply to the program each year they meet eligibility requirements.

Awards are for undergraduate study only.

Notification

All applicants will be notified in late April.

Payment of Scholarships

Scholarship America processes scholarship payments on behalf of Sheet Metal Workers International Union Local No.18.

Payment is made in August.

Selection of Recipients

Scholarship recipients are selected on the basis of:

  • Academic record
  • Demonstrated leadership and participation in school and community activities
  • Work experience
  • A 1,000 character essay
  • Unusual personal or family circumstances
  • An online recommendation

Financial need is not considered.

Selection of recipients is made by Scholarship America. In no instance does any officer or member of Sheet Metal Workers International Union Local No.18 play a part in the selection.

Not all applicants to the program will be selected as recipients. All applicants agree to accept the decision as final.

As part of your application, you must upload the following:

  • A current, complete transcript of grades. Grade reports are not accepted. Transcripts must display:
    • Student name
    • School name
    • Grades
    • Credit hours for each course and term in which each course was taken

NOTE: If you are providing SAT or ACT test scores, and those scores are not listed on your high school transcript, you will need to upload a copy of your test score report(s) separately. If you are uploading a college transcript, those scores are not required.

One online recommendation form must be submitted on your behalf no later than March 6, 2025 3:00 pm Central Time.

Your application is not complete unless all required materials are submitted electronically.

Sheet Metal Workers International Union Local No.18 has partnered with Scholarship America. Selecting the button below will redirect you to the Scholarship America Student Hub!

Please make sure to add studentsupport@scholarshipamerica.org as well as the program email address provided below in the footer as safe senders in your email contact list.