Opening Roads for 
Tomorrow’s Leaders

Two $5,000 scholarships are awarded.

• You must be a freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, or graduate student at an accredited university (four-year university/college or junior college).
• You must have a declared major or course of study relevant to the transportation, travel, and tourism industry.
• You must have a minimum GPA of 3.4 on a 4.0 scale.
• You must submit a short essay on how your major or course of study is relevant to the transportation, travel, and tourism industries.

The diversity scholarships focus on broadening the number of traditionally underrepresented groups in the management and operation ranks of the transportation, travel, and tourism industries. One diversity scholarship is awarded for $5,000.

• You must be a freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, or graduate student at an accredited University (four-year university/college or junior college).
• You must have a declared major or course of study relevant to the travel and tourism industry.
• You must demonstrate your diversity (this includes varying cultures, socioeconomic backgrounds, nationality, minorities, age, race, or ethnicity) to evaluators.
• An impartial selection committee of educators ranks and chooses the winners. Winners are judged on their high academic achievement, character, leadership, financial need, and commitment to advancing the transportation, travel, and tourism industry.
• Applicants affiliated with ABA-member companies receive additional consideration.
• Applicants must submit a 500-word essay discussing how they hope to advance the future of the transportation, motorcoach, travel, and tourism/hospitality industries.

The Tony Orlando Yellow Ribbon Scholarship focuses on broadening the number of traditionally underrepresented groups in the management and operation ranks of the transportation, travel, and tourism industries. One scholarship of $5,000 is awarded.

• You must be a citizen or a permanent United States or Canada resident.
• You must be a freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, or graduate student of a college, university, or professional training school in the fall of the upcoming year.
• You must have a declared major or course of study relevant to the transportation, travel, or tourism industry.
• You must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
• You must either:
  • Have a physical or sensory disability, as defined by the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act; or
  • Be a child of a wounded U.S. or Canadian military veteran; or
  • Be a veteran of the U.S. or Canadian military
• You must submit a short essay on how your major or course of study is relevant to the travel and tourism industry.

The Survivor Scholarship is open to ABA and non-ABA members. It was established to provide financial assistance to survivors of human trafficking. One $5,000 scholarship is awarded.

• You must be a citizen or a permanent United States resident.
• You must submit a statement, no less than 1,000 words, as to how this scholarship will benefit you. Personal details are prohibited.
• You must provide contact information on two references from an agency, counselor, service provider, social worker, and/or employer who can vouch for your determination, strength, and potential.
• The scholarship can be used to support your livelihood, including but not limited to education, housing, food assistance, daycare services, treatment recovery, or rehabilitation needs.
• As a condition of accepting this scholarship, the selected recipient must agree to participate in brief check‑ins with American Bus Association (ABA) staff on a quarterly basis for one (1) year following the award. These check‑ins are intended to provide supportive touchpoints, allow the program to understand the recipient’s progress, and help ensure the scholarship continues to meet the recipient’s needs.
• The ABA Foundation reserves the right to post the scholarship winner’s name, in whole or in part, on its website, social media accounts, annual events, or in a press release. Permission to share the names of scholarship winners will be requested from all applicants. Denial of the request will not affect the application decision.

(Note: this is a separate scholarship offering from the ABAF’s academic offerings; it will not show up in the general scholarship list on the application site. Use this link to apply for this opportunity.)