Investing In What Matters–You!
Since its inception in 1991, The Michaels Organization Educational Foundation has awarded over $16 million in scholarships to Michaels residents. Earlier this year, $2 million was awarded to residents living in Michaels’ affordable and military communities.
Residents of any age and non-traditional students, with a high school diploma or equivalent are encouraged to apply.
Scholarship recipients are eligible to receive grants up to $10,000, which can be used toward approved educational expenses at any accredited college, university, or vocational training school in the nation.
Scholarships are awarded annually, and students may reapply each year of their undergraduate education for continuing grants.
Have questions or need help with your application? Reach out to us at [email protected].
Affordable and Military Living
Scholarship Programs
Students who reside at an Affordable or Military community owned or managed by The Michaels Organization are encouraged to apply for this scholarship.
High school seniors with plans to continue their education, full-time or part-time undergraduate university and college students, or those studying at a trade/professional school are eligible to apply.
Applications are currently closed.
Student Living Scholarship Program
Students who reside at an on- or off-campus apartment community owned or managed by Michaels Student Living are encouraged to apply for this scholarship.
Undergraduate, graduate and doctorate students are eligible to apply.
Important dates and deadlines:
November 22, 2024: All applicants will be notified of the outcome status of their application.
December 13, 2024: Scholarship checks, made payable to post-secondary institutions, will be sent directly to the post-secondary institution via U.S. mail on behalf of the scholarship recipient to help pay for the student’s 2024/2025 school year costs.
Applications are currently closed.
Michaels Employee Scholarship Program
The Michaels Employee Scholarship Program is available to children of eligible Michaels employees. Dependents of eligible employees who are 26 or younger with a high school diploma or GED are all invited to apply.
The program offers financial scholarships to distinguished students who are pursuing post-secondary education by attending college or a trade/professional school.
This program is available to all children and dependents of full and part-time teammates with at least one year of service and whose household incomes are within the eligibility guidelines.
Applications are currently closed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Please note that there are 3 different programs available. Each program is for a different audience and will have different criteria and instructions to apply. Please ensure that you are applying for the correct program. If you are unsure or have any questions, please contact us at [email protected]
Who is eligible to apply?
Anyone currently residing at a Michaels community and in good standing pursuing higher education at an accredited college, university, or trade school.
All applicants must meet the GPA requirements for their program.
Each scholarship program has specific criteria that must be met. Please reference the instructions and “Eligibility Criteria” section to ensure you are eligible to apply.
MESP Applicants must be the child or dependent of a Michaels teammate who has been employed for at least 1 year from the date of the opening of the application program.
How are awards determined?
A Selection Committee reviews all applications. The Selection Committee determines awards on an individual basis, considering factors such as financial need, academic performance, and character.
What is the deadline to apply?
Each program has a specific deadline. The deadlines will never be extended. Please refer to the “Important Dates and Deadlines” section of your application for specifics.
If any submission materials are required to be physically mailed, we will honor the postmarked date.
How will I be notified about my application status?
You may be contacted via email or physical mail to alert you to the status of your application after the Selection Committee makes its determinations. To avoid delays in notification, please ensure the information on your application is accurate.
Please refer to the “Important Dates and Deadlines” section of your application for specifics.
How are the scholarship funds distributed?
All scholarship funds will be physically mailed directly to your college or university. Your college or university will determine how your award is applied. We do not make any specifications, unless requested by the student, before distribution.
The Michaels Organization Educational Foundation will never award any funds directly to a student. Your scholarship award can NOT be utilized to make any rent payments at a Michaels community.
A student’s scholarship award will only be applied to school expenses such as tuition, room & board, and other related fees. If you have any questions about how your funds can be used, please contact us at [email protected]
How much money will my award be?
The Michaels Organization Educational Foundation is honored to have awarded over $16 million in scholarship awards over the past 33 years.
Each student’s award amount will be determined based on the contents of their application submission including, but not limited to, academic performance, financial need, character, and proficiency or potential proficiency in their chosen field of study.
Previously, we have made awards ranging from $500 to $13,000. This is subject to change each year and no dollar amount will ever be guaranteed before an award is made.
How do I apply?
Each program is different so please ensure that you are following the more detailed instructions that are provided above. Use the “Apply Now” button in your program’s section above to begin your application process.
The Affordable and Military program requires you to physically mail in the contents of your submission to the Selection Committee.
The Student Living program is an online submission, but you will need to mail in your official transcript.
The Michaels Employee Scholarship Program is an online submission, but you will need to mail in your official transcript and required tax forms.
What else do I need to know?
We understand that post-secondary education can be extremely expensive. Our goal with The Michaels Organization Educational Foundation is to uplift and support the members of our community as best as we can.
In turn, we hope that you will follow all included directions. Please ensure that you are meeting all requirements, submitting all of the documentation that is requested, and utilizing a professional reference. All documentation that is submitted should be current. References and essays that have been recycled or previously submitted will result in a disqualification.
If you have any questions or need any assistance, please contact us at [email protected]
We Appreciate Our Supporters
Michaels Educational Foundation is supported by voluntary contributions from our business partners, families, private trusts, and individuals throughout The Michaels Organization’s corporate network, which are then matched $2 for every $1 by The Michaels Organization’s Founder and Chairman, Michael J. Levitt, and his wife, Pat Levitt, tripling the impact of all gifts to the foundation. We are deeply grateful to our donors for making the scholarships possible and for Lifting the Lives of thousands of our residents through their donations.