Frequently Asked Questions

The Sejong Scholarship Foundation of America (SSFA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1997. It awards need- and merit-based scholarships to high-school and college students in the Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area, and runs an annual K–12 art contest and a speech contest. To date it has awarded over $745,000 to 747+ students.

Full-time high-school and undergraduate college students in the DMV area are eligible, as well as students elsewhere in the U.S. whose parents live in the DMV and file taxes there. Graduate-school students and international students are not eligible. You do not need to be of Korean descent to apply.

Create an account on the Apply page, complete the application, and upload the five required materials before the deadline. The 2026 cycle is managed online, and you will receive an email confirmation after submitting. Visit the Apply page for the current deadline, required documents, and step-by-step instructions.

You submit five items, one file each: official verification of full-time enrollment for the Fall 2026 semester; official transcript(s) covering at least one year; your 2025 income tax return showing a DMV address; one combined file of evidence for service, leadership, employment, licenses, or certificates from the last two years; and a 3–4 minute video presentation titled "Making a Difference." Combine multiple proofs for one item into a single file, and do not exceed five files total.

For the video presentation you identify one real-world problem that matters to you based on personal experience — at your school, workplace, volunteer or religious organization, student group, neighborhood, or in society more broadly — and explain what causes it, what realistic solution you propose, why that solution makes sense, and the specific role you would personally play. It is 3–4 minutes long and is judged on both the quality of your ideas and how effectively and professionally you present them.

For the 2026 cycle the application closes on December 31, 2026 at 5:00 PM Eastern Time. Recipients are notified by email on November 12, 2026 and honored at the award ceremony on November 28, 2026. Deadlines change each year, so always check the Apply page for the active cycle.

The Art Contest is our annual competition for students in grades K–12, judged in four grade groups. It is free to enter, and winners receive trophies and cash prizes at an in-person awards ceremony and exhibition each spring in Baltimore. Winning artwork is displayed on our website.

You can give online through the Donate page; contributions are tax-deductible because SSFA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 41-2047979). Donations directly fund student scholarships. We also welcome sponsors for our annual charity golf tournament, art contest, and award ceremony.

Call (443) 928-9942, email info@ssfa.org, or use the contact form on our website. Our office is at 6705 Woodbury Rd., Baltimore, MD 21209. For scholarship questions, the Apply and FAQ pages answer most common questions, and we respond to messages within a few business days.