JSSA Educational Scholarship Fund

Scholarship Sponsored by Jewish Social Service Agency

Intro and purpose
JSSA manages a variety of scholarship funds donated by generous members of the Jewish community to help students pursue higher education. The 2026–2027 scholarship application is now available. Note: one single application covers consideration for all scholarships listed on our site.

Who may apply
The scholarships administered by JSSA (including those on behalf of private benefactors and the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington) are intended for students whose permanent address is in Montgomery County, MD; Fairfax County, VA; or the District of Columbia. Awards are restricted to tuition costs only.

How to apply — key details
- Deadline: Sunday, May 17, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. (applications received after this time will not be considered).
- Only fully completed applications will be reviewed. Incomplete submissions are not eligible for award.
- All eligible applications will be evaluated after the deadline, beginning Monday, May 18, 2026. Do not submit until your application is complete.
- When uploading documents, begin each filename with your initials. Example: JD_Resume.
- Questions? Email scholarships@jssa.org.

FAFSA guidance
If you plan to file the FAFSA, please submit your FAFSA first and include the SAI Submission Report with your scholarship application. The FAFSA is not required for submission, but the Scholarship Committee relies on it heavily when making decisions, so we strongly encourage eligible applicants to complete it. Noncitizens should also fill out the FAFSA, choosing “No, I am not a citizen or eligible noncitizen” — while that status disqualifies federal aid, the FAFSA can still be useful for state and private scholarship consideration.

Available scholarships and eligibility requirements

Undergraduate scholarships

1) Morton A. Gibson Memorial Scholarship (funded by the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington)
- Award amount: $875 – $2,500
- Eligibility: must be a high school senior; Jewish resident of Montgomery County, MD, Fairfax County, VA, or Washington, DC; U.S. citizen or pursuing citizenship; admitted full-time to an accredited four-year undergraduate program; has completed substantial volunteer service within the local Jewish community (beyond any high school graduation service requirement).

2) Max and Emmy Dreyfuss Jewish Undergraduate Scholarship
- Award amount: $1,500 – $4,000
- Eligibility: Jewish resident of Montgomery County, MD, Fairfax County, VA, or Washington, DC; first-generation college student; U.S. citizen or pursuing citizenship; accepted full-time to an accredited four-year undergraduate institution. Note: funds may not be used for community college or study abroad programs.

3) JSSA Educational Scholarship for Undergraduate Students
- Award amount: $2,000 – $6,000
- Eligibility: senior in a Montgomery County public high school; U.S. citizen or pursuing citizenship; accepted to an accredited four-year undergraduate program, vocational school, or community college. Note: recipients may apply for a second year of funding.

Graduate scholarships

1) Hyman P. Moldover Scholarship for Communal Service (funded by the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington)
- Eligibility: Jewish resident of Montgomery County, MD, Fairfax County, VA, or Washington, DC; U.S. citizen or pursuing citizenship; enrolled full-time in a graduate program in Jewish communal service; intends to work professionally in the Jewish community after graduation.

2) JSSA Educational Scholarship for Graduate Students
- Award amount: $1,000 – $3,000
- Eligibility: under age 30; Montgomery County resident; U.S. citizen or pursuing citizenship; accepted into an accredited graduate program.

Scholarship for study in Israel

Sahm/Goldman Scholarship (funded by the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington)
- Award amount: $250 – $2,500
- Eligibility: Jewish resident of Montgomery County, MD, Fairfax County, VA, or Washington, DC; U.S. citizen or pursuing citizenship; completed at least two years of undergraduate study; participating in study, research, or career-development activity in Israel. Priority is given to applicants traveling to Israel for the first time.

Reminder: One application is used to be considered for all scholarships listed online. Please ensure your application is complete and that all required documents (including the FAFSA SAI Submission Report, if available) are uploaded and named correctly. For assistance, contact scholarships@jssa.org.