Fary Memorial Scholarship Application 2026

The Thomas Peterson and Alvin Jenettie Roane Fary Memorial Scholarship Fund was established in 1997 by the estate of Thomas Franklin Fary in memory of his parents to help worthy high school students from a rural area obtain a college education. Four scholarships will be awarded on a competitive basis to graduating high school seniors from eligible areas. Awards of up to $6,000 each will be available to help cover the costs of tuition, fees, room and board and other required educational expenses. Winners will be notified before May 1 in order to assist a student’s college decision.

The Fary Memorial Scholarship Fund awards four college scholarships of up to $24,000 to graduating high school seniors.

Applications open January 8, 2026. The deadline to apply is February 24, 2026 at 5:00 P.M. EST

Application includes:

One written essay

One video response

One School Counselor Report with transcript and letter of recommendation

FAFSA Submission Summary containing your Student Aid Index (SAI). You must submit proof of submission of your FAFSA application by February 24. Please see the Financial Information section of our application for more information.

Important Notice About AI Use

We value your authentic voice and want to hear your ideas and experiences.

For this reason, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools—such as text generators, writing assistants, or rewriting software—is not permitted for any part of this scholarship application. This includes essays, short-answer questions, and video responses.

All applications will be reviewed for AI use. If any portion of an application is found to have been created or assisted by AI, the application will be disqualified from scholarship consideration.

By submitting this application, you confirm that all responses are your own original work and that no AI tools were used.

All application materials, recommendations, transcripts, reports and other supporting documentation must be submitted no later than February 24, 2026 at 5:00 PM EST. The deadline will not be extended under any circumstances. Please be certain to apply for the FAFSA and request your references, transcripts and counselor reports well in advance of the application deadline. Follow up with your references and counselors to ensure that they have ample time to complete their forms prior to the deadline.

Special Notice: Applicants who are granted an interview by a District Committee will be required to attend an interview on March 29, 2026. Applicants selected for a Finalist Committee interview must also be available on April 26, 2026. The format for the interviews is in-person, subject to change at the discretion of the Trustee. Any applicant unable to attend in the format selected by the Trustee will be disqualified from consideration for a scholarship.

Fary Memorial Scholarship candidates must:

• Demonstrate outstanding leadership, character, school and community involvement, communication skills and academic achievement
• Demonstrate strong academic performance (minimum 3.5 grade point average/4.0 scale or equivalent)
• Be citizens of the United States of America
• Reside for at least the past two years in any of the following Virginia counties: Caroline, Charles City, Essex, Gloucester, James City (Stonehouse District only), King and Queen, King George, King William, Lancaster, Mathews, Middlesex, New Kent, Northumberland, Richmond, Westmoreland, York (1st District only)
• Be a graduating high school senior during the current academic year (home-schooled high school seniors are eligible)
• Plan to enroll in a full-time undergraduate course of study at an accredited four-year college or university in the United States for the entire upcoming academic year
• Have demonstrated financial need (see the FAQs at www.faryscholarship.org for details)
• Must not be fully funded for tuition, room and board, required fees, books, etc. from other sources.

Questions? Please contact us at [email protected]