Christian Missionary Scholarship Foundation

Name: Christian Missionary Scholarship Foundation (CMSF) Scholarship

Award Amount: Varies by recipient (renewable for up to four years for qualifying students)

Information And Eligibility:
The Christian Missionary Scholarship Foundation (CMSF) Scholarship is a mission-driven financial aid program designed to help children of Christian missionaries pursue a quality undergraduate education at a select group of Christian colleges. Founded in 1992 by Stanley and Harriet van Reken, the foundation was created in response to the growing challenges missionary families face in financing a college education for their children after years of service abroad. Since its inception, CMSF has supported hundreds of “missionary kids” (MKs) whose parents have devoted their lives to ministry, providing meaningful scholarship support that enables students to continue their academic journey with reduced financial burden and increased opportunity.

The CMSF Scholarship reflects a belief that the sacrifices missionary families make — often involving long periods of service in cultures and contexts far from home — deserve recognition in the form of educational support that equips the next generation of Christian leaders. Rather than restricting awards to specific academic majors, the program encourages recipients to pursue a broad range of fields while maintaining a heart for service and community impact. The scholarship is also structured to be renewable: students who remain enrolled full-time and in good academic standing may receive continued financial support throughout their undergraduate career.

Applicants to the CMSF Scholarship are assessed based on their background as missionary children and their prospects for success in higher education. While the foundation does not publicly disclose a fixed number of awards or a single award figure — scholarship amounts vary annually depending on funding and applicant need — the program collectively distributes substantial aid that has helped numerous students attend Christian colleges with strong academic reputations. The selection process is grounded in both financial need and the unique experiences missionary families bring to the collegiate environment.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Applicants must be children of parents currently serving, or recently returned from serving, in full-time Christian missionary work.
• Must be pursuing an undergraduate degree at an eligible Christian college or university, such as Calvin University, Dordt University, Hope College, Kuyper College, Trinity Christian College, or Wheaton College.
• Must demonstrate the financial sacrifices associated with family missionary service.
• Recipients must maintain full-time enrollment and satisfactory academic progress to retain scholarship renewal eligibility.
• Eligibility extends regardless of academic major, emphasizing the importance of broad educational development and vocational calling.

Application Requirements:

• Completed student scholarship application submitted through the CMSF website during the open application period.
• Completed parent application, which verifies missionary status and family background.
• Documentation explaining the nature and duration of missionary service, often required in the parent portion of the application.
• Academic transcripts showing current enrollment status and satisfactory progress if renewal is sought.
• Any additional materials (such as essays or statements) outlined by the CMSF selection committee in the application packet.

Deadline: February 1

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