Scholarships

National Leadership Grants – General Information

Through the Sons of Italy Foundation^® (SIF), and tens of thousands of family members located in all fifty states and the District of Columbia, the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America^® (OSDIA) has awarded tens of millions of dollars in scholarships to date. In past years, the SIF has offered 10 to 12 merit-based scholarships (National Leadership Grants), ranging from $4,000 to $25,000 in a nationwide competition. These figures and the number of scholarships may vary according to funding each year.

General Eligibility: Individuals of Italian descent* (at least one Italian or Italian-American grandparent) enrolled in a four-year undergraduate program or a graduate program at an accredited academic institution for the Fall 2024 term.

* U.S. citizens and Green Card holders.

Previous SIF scholarship winners are not eligible. Additional eligibility requirements may apply to specific scholarships.

General Requirements: Please see each scholarship description for its specific requirements. The following general requirements apply to all scholarships:

• Application Fee: A $35 non-refundable processing fee is required to process your scholarship application. The fee includes a one-year At-Large Membership to OSDIA, with all At-Large Membership benefits.
• Online application: upon receipt of the $35 application fee, the applicant will receive an email with the link to complete the application.
• For each scholarship, recommendation letters and transcripts provided must be through the December 2023 term.

Deadline: The deadline for the 2024 Scholarship program is March 7, 2024. All requirements for a given scholarship must be met or the application will not be considered. All scholarship materials and completed applications must be submitted online by March 7, 2024.
No exceptions will be made. The SIF takes no responsibility for incomplete or late applications.

Process: Applications are screened by education professionals. The final selection is made by OSDIA’s Scholarship and Grants Committee. Monetary awards are presented directly to the student’s academic institutions in accordance with eligibility requirements.

Results: All scholarship applicants will be notified of their outcomes in April 2024.

The 2024 scholarship cycle has ended.  Please check back for the 2025 scholarship cycle.

Click Here to Begin Your Application

In addition to the National Leadership Grants, state and local lodges may offer scholarships. Please contact those lodges directly. View the list of lodges.