WELLS MOUNTAIN INITIATIVE SCHOLARS PROGRAM 2025

About the scholarship program:

The Wells Mountain Initiative (WMI) is a public charitable foundation based in Bristol, Vermont, USA, which has been approved under the United States Internal Revenue Service under Section 501(c)(3). WMI works to create social change through education and community building by providing bright young people in the developing world with student scholarships and skills training, building a network of grassroots leaders who are catalyzing community transformation.

Each year WMI provides support to students as they pursue various educational objectives. Support is provided for post-secondary school (university, polytechnic, trade school).Since 2005, WMI have supported more than 700 students worldwide. Please note that in our recent years, we have only been able to select approximately 5% of applicants to become a part of this program. The number we select is based solely upon limited funding, as nearly all applicants are extremely deserving. As our organization grows, so will the number of WMI Scholars we can accept each year. We encourage you to apply AND to continue searching for additional ways to finance your education.

Eligibility criteria/Ideal candidate for the scholarship program:

Our Ideal Candidate – A student, male or female, from a country in the developing world who:

• Successfully completed a secondary education, with good to excellent grades
• Is 35 or under on March 1, 2025
• Will be studying in his or her country or another country in the developing world*
• Is pursuing his or her first bachelor’s degree or diploma
• Will be enrolled in a program of study that will benefit the community and/or contribute to the continued growth and advancement of his or her home country 
• Plans to live and work in his or her own country after graduation
• Has demonstrated his or her commitment to giving back and has volunteered prior to applying
• May have some other funds available for his or her education, but will not be able to go to pursue his or her tertiary degree without financial assistance
• Family members of WMI Staff and of WMI Scholars are not eligible to apply.

Please note: Use of uncredited ideas and content created by other persons and use of uncredited AI-generated content is plagiarism and goes against the policies and ideals of WMI. Any applicants found to have plagiarized their essays will be considered ineligible for a scholarship.

*Scholars planning to study in the United States, Canada, Australia, UK or Western Europe will not qualify for a WMI Scholarship

Supporting documents:

The following are required elements for an application to be considered complete:

• Clear personal photo
• Essay (topic is stated on application form)
• 2025 application form
• Personal essay statement
• Two recommendation letters*
• Official transcript of grades from secondary school
• Official grading key to interpret secondary school grades**
• Official transcript of grades from tertiary studies (if applicable)
• Official grading key to interpret tertiary grades**
• Official results from your national exam
• Official grading key to interpret scores on your national exam**

*Recommendation letters vary throughout cultures. We have created Guidelines for Effective Application-Recommendation Letters to assist applicants in seeking letters that will be supportive of their application. Read this document and share it with the individuals who will be writing your letters of support.

**Official grading keys must be provided by the school issuing the grades or the government issuing the national exam. Grading keys tha

Tips for Becoming a Competitive Applicant:

The following are suggestions to enhance your application:

• Record all of your service activities (dates, activities, time spent, photographs, etc.)
• Collect your secondary school transcript, national exam results and grading keys to interpret your results
• Request two letters of recommendation on official stationery from two people who know you professionally/personally and can showcase the reasons you deserve this scholarship
• Have all of your documents translated into English

Scholarship benefits:

• Tuition and fees
• Books and course materials/supplies
• Accommodation and meals
• Transportation

Important Dates:

• December 1, 2024 – The 2025 WMI Scholars Program application will be available on our website. Completed 2025 applications will start to be accepted on this date.
• March 1, 2025 – The 2025 WMI Scholars Program application deadline.

Applications from qualified applicants will be accepted until March 1, 2025. Before applying, we strongly encourage you to read the WMI Scholar Program Information Sheet and also the Frequently Asked Questions for Prospective Scholars document. These two documents will assist you in determining your eligibility and guide you in the application process. 

Applications must be received by March 1 of each year to be considered for the following academic year. WMI Scholars are selected through an in-depth multi-step review process. The selected WMI Scholars will be emailed on August 1. Their names will also be published on our website homepage and the WMI Facebook page. Those who are not selected will also be notified after August 1.

t are not official will result in your application being disqualified. Contact your secondary school, university, or government for this document.

Application process:

If you qualify, now is the time to apply for this exciting opportunity! Since 2005, WMI have supported more than 700 students worldwide. Please note that in our recent years, we have only been able to select approximately 5% of applicants to become a part of this program. The number we select is based solely upon limited funding, as nearly all applicants are extremely deserving. As our organization grows, so will the number of WMI Scholars we can accept each year. We encourage you to apply AND to continue searching for additional ways to finance your education.

There are two ways to apply: Online, or by mailing in a completed application packet to our office.

APPLYING ONLINE: You will be redirected to a portal where you will be asked to create a free account (username and password), fill out information and upload documents. We strongly suggest that you apply online as it will provide you with the opportunity to save your work and return multiple times. You will also guarantee that your application, once submitted online, will be received and reviewed.

File format types accepted are: JPG, PNG, GIF, DOC, DOCX, PDF (version 10 or newer).

MAIL-IN: You will need to print the 2025 application form below (available December 1, 2024) and it is your responsibility to clearly complete it and attach all required supporting documents before sending it to us. Applications must be received by March 1, 2025 in our office. Applications that arrive after March 1, 2025 will not be reviewed. This means that you must allow at least three weeks to mail your application to us from abroad. Only send one completed application. Incomplete or additional mailings with supporting documents will be discarded. We highly encourage applicants to apply online to ensure the delivery of their completed application. DO NOT email us completed applications with multiple attachments; we do not accept applications sent via email.

Additional information for applicants:

No matter what you may be told there are NO FEES required to submit a scholarship application to the Wells Mountain Initiative! You only need to submit a complete application through our website, by our one deadline each year of March 1. If someone contacts you saying a fee is required, please forward that email to info@wellsmountaininitiative.org. We would very much like to prosecute this fraud.

We wish everyone luck in preparing their applications. We encourage all applicants to remember that acceptance in the WMI Scholarship Program requires a dedicated interest in community service, improving your nation, and working within your country after graduation.

Questions can be directed to info@wellsmountaininitiative.org