Here at EF, our goal has been Opening the World Through Education for over 55 years. And within EF Explore America, we believe that every student should have the opportunity to discover the history, culture, and beauty of North America for themselves. The Explorer Scholarship is one way we help make this possible. Every year we award $50,000 in travel scholarships to select students from around the country.

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How to apply

  1. The student traveler should reference this rubric and write a brief essay (no more than 250 words) answering the question: Why do you want to go on this EF Explore America class trip?

  2. The parent/guardian must complete the application.

  3. The application must be submitted by the deadline specified below.

Have questions?
Check out our Help Center for more details.

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Application deadlines


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All students traveling between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2026 are eligible to apply for the 2025 and 2026 Explorer Scholarships. Deadline dates for applications vary depending on your travel date:


Travel dates Deadline Winner Announcement
Jan.-Feb. 2025 Jul. 31, 2024 Aug. 15, 2024
Mar.-Apr. 2025 Sep. 30, 2024 Oct. 15, 2024
May-Jun. 2025 Nov. 30, 2024 Dec. 15, 2024
Jul.-Aug. 2025 Jan. 31, 2025 Feb. 15, 2025
Sep.-Oct. 2025 Mar. 31, 2025 Apr. 15, 2025
Nov.-Dec. 2025 May 31, 2025 Jun. 15, 2025
Jan.-Feb. 2026 Jul. 31, 2025 Aug. 15, 2025
Mar.-Apr. 2026 Sep. 30, 2025 Oct. 15, 2025
May-Jun. 2026 Nov. 30, 2025 Dec. 15, 2025
Jul.-Aug. 2026 Jan. 31, 2026 Feb. 15, 2026
Sep.-Oct. 2026 Mar. 31, 2026 Apr. 15, 2026
Nov.-Dec. 2026 May 31, 2026 Jun. 15, 2026

Looking for more details about the Explorer Scholarship?

Visit our Help Center