Are you a graduating senior and a member of Kiwanis International, the Key Club or Circle Kay? You probably qualify for a few different Kiwanis scholarship opportunities. Read on to see what Kiwanis International has to offer.

Kiwanis Scholarship

Kiwanis International is a volunteer and outreach organization with efforts spanning the globe. Almost the entire staff of the international group is made up of volunteers, and the organization receives donations for its funding.

Through their multiple sub-groups, Kiwanis International focuses on the development of young people across the world. They offer community outreach and advancement opportunities to its members, who include over 600,000 individuals.

There are multiple scholarship offerings from Kiwanis International – both at a local and national level. Take a look at some of the opportunities we’ve listed below and see if you would qualify for any of them as a Kiwanis International member.

Key Club Scholarship Offerings

There are currently three different Kiwanis scholarship opportunities for graduating members of the Key Club International organization. To apply, you need to be a graduating senior and a member of Key Club International.

These scholarships vary from year to year, both in their amount and their overall offerings. The scholarships we included below are up-to-date for the 2018-2019 school year. You should check back every year to make sure these scholarship openings include the same names, amounts, and guidelines as you see here.

If you’re interested in applying for a Kiwanis scholarship for the next school year, you should note that these scholarship applications don’t become available until December first. Check the Kiwanis scholarship website for periodic updates on their scholarship and grant offerings.

Cunat International Scholarship

Brian and Miki Cunat established the Cunat International Scholarship in 1993 while Brian CUnat was working as governor of the Illinois-Eastern Iowa Kiwanis District. Their award goes to Kiwanis family members who strive to make a difference in their community and the world.

This scholarship values community service and ambition to make the world a better place. The amount of the scholarship may vary from year to year, but only one applicant will receive funding from the Cunat International Scholarship. This Kiwanis scholarship currently sits at $2,500 for a year of schooling. It is available to graduating high school seniors are members of Key Club International.

Harry S. Himmel Scholarship

The Harry S. Himmel Kiwanis Scholarship is in memory of the man whose name the scholarship bears. Harry S. Himmel was a member of the Kiwanis family since 1928. His family established the scholarship in his name upon his death in 1989.

Himmel was a hallmark of the Kiwanis family during his lifetime. He held multiple leadership roles in the organization, including serving as president of the Kiwanis Children’s Fund for ten years.

Like all of the scholarships in this category, the Harry S. Himmel Scholarship is available to graduating high school seniors who are members of the Key Club International. This scholarship currently offers $500 to the single applicant who the organization accepts.

Linda Canaday Memorial Scholarship

The Linda Canaday Memorial Scholarship, as the name suggests, was created in the memory of influential member Linda Canaday. Canaday was the 2008-09 First Lady, and her commitment to the wellbeing and development of children was unmatched.

Her memory lives on in this scholarship, which awards $2,500 to Key Club International members who have belonged to the organization for at least two years. Canaday was a teacher and had a strong passion for helping children, and this scholarship lends itself to the best and the brightest in the classroom.

Unlike the other two Key Club scholarships, the Linda Canaday Memorial Scholarship has a GPA requirement that candidates have to meet to be accepted. You must score at least a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for the scholarship to consider you. If your school doesn’t observe a 4.0 scale, you must maintain a grade or GPA that is equivalent to 3.0.

Circle K International Scholarships

Circle K is the student-run collegiate branch of the Kiwanis organization, which focuses on community service and outreach. There are presently four different scholarships that allow Circle K members to benefit from the hard work they’ve put into the group. You can apply for these scholarships through the same means as the Key Club International Scholarships.

Cunat International Scholarship and Harry S. Himmel Scholarship

The same background and stipulations apply to these scholarships as they do to the above-listed scholarships. Both the Cunat International Scholarship and the Harry S. Himmel Scholarship provide the opportunity for Circle K members to receive funding for their continuing education.

Applicants who the organization accepts from Circle K International and the Key Club will both be awarded an amount of either $2,500 or $500, depending on which scholarship allows them. Take a look at our section above you’re a member of Circle K International and want to know a bit more about these scholarship specifics.

John E. Mayfield Circle K Scholarship

The John E. Mayfield Circle K Scholarship is the first Circle K-specific scholarship that the Kiwanis organization offers. You will only be eligible for this scholarship as a Circle K member, so those who are members of the Key Club need not apply.

The John E. Mayfield Circle K Scholarship gives one Circle K member a $1,000 scholarship a year. You need to be a member in good standing of Circle K to receive this scholarship. There is also a GPA requirement with this grant, but it’s very attainable. You only need to receive a 2.5 GPA on a 4.0 Scale.

If your high school does not observe the traditional 4.0 scale, then you should receive the 2.5 equivalent on whichever scale you use.

John E. Mayfield established the John E. Mayfield Circle K Scholarship himself in 2015. Mayfield has been a member of the Kiwanis Children’s Fund since 2007 and has been generously donating money to help their cause. It’s clear that Mayfield has a passion for philanthropy, and his scholarship displays his generosity.

Circle K International Past Presidents’ Scholarship

The Circle K International Past Presidents’ Scholarship is the last Circle K scholarship that is currently available. Like the John E. Mayfield scholarship, this grant awards one student with $1,000 in funds every school year.

There aren’t any GPA requirements with this grant. The only requirement is that you’re in good standing as a member of Circle K. As the name suggests, you also have to be or have been a club president to apply for this scholarship.

The Circle K International Past Presidents’ Scholarship recognizes the leadership skills and community outreach of the Circle K presidents of the past. It is dedicated to continuing the tradition of excellence by awarding those who embody the heart and soul of what Circle K International stands for.

Application Information

The scholarships we listed above are open to any high school seniors who are graduating, and is in good standing with either Circle K or Key Club International. You may not apply preemptively, which means you cannot apply for a scholarship that you won’t receive for a year or more in the future.

You must also be a member of Circle Kay or the Key Club to apply for any of these scholarships. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t any options for non-members. You can check with your school or local club to find out if they offer any smaller scholarships for students outside of their organization.

There are several offerings from districts and local clubs that you won’t find on the Kiwanis website. It’s worth checking on these because there’s a chance you’ll be able to receive both scholarship opportunities from the group.

The same is true for children of members. Unfortunately, there are no scholarship offerings for the offspring of long-time members. They must be a member themselves before they can apply for one of the scholarships listed here.

Application Process

The Kiwanis organization posts their scholarship documents on December 1st of each year. You can check the website for previous application forms so you can get an idea of what documentation and information you need to include. Any questions regarding scholarship applications will likely go unanswered until the applications open in December.

Once you can view the new application forms, you can download a PDF and fill it out. Print your application and send it to the appropriate address – which varies depending on your scholarship type.

Make sure you don’t send any extra documents or photos at this time. Anything that you include in your application that doesn’t follow the guidelines will lead to disqualification.

Send your applications by March 15 for consideration. You will receive a notification if any of the funds accept your application by May 31, and you can view a full list of the scholarship recipients on July 1.

Since all of these scholarships receive so many responses, only those who are selected will receive a notification.