American Bus Association Foundation Scholarships

Scholarship Sponsored by American Bus Association

Overview
The ABA Foundation Scholarship Program awards scholarships across eight categories to support students pursuing studies related to transportation, travel, and tourism. The eight categories are:
- ABA Member Scholarship
- Motorcoach & Tour Operator Scholarship
- Academic Merit Scholarship
- Driving the Future Scholarship
- Diversity Scholarship
- Peter L. Picknelly Honorary Scholarship
- Ron Cornell Memorial Scholarship
- Tony Orlando Yellow Ribbon Scholarship

General note about “immediately related”
When a scholarship references someone who is “immediately related” to an eligible employee, that includes: mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, aunt, uncle, brother, or sister.

Who should read this
If you are a student (freshman through graduate level), or the child/dependent of a full‑time employee in the industry, these scholarships may apply to you. Read the individual eligibility rules below carefully — some awards are open to non‑members, some are reserved for ABA members or specific operator companies, and GPA and employment‑status requirements vary.

Eligibility by scholarship

1) ABA Member Scholarship
- Who’s eligible: Full‑time employees or dependents of full‑time employees of ABA member companies (member status as of February 1, 2025).
- Employment requirements: The employee must have been employed by an ABA member company in good standing for at least one year as of January 1 of the award year, and must still be employed in the spring when winners are selected.
- Student requirements: Open to freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors, and graduate students with a declared major relevant to transportation, travel, or tourism.
- Minimum GPA: 3.0 cumulative (B average).

2) Motorcoach & Tour Operator Scholarship
- Who’s eligible: Full‑time employees or dependents of full‑time employees of ABA bus and tour member companies (in good standing as of February 1, 2025).
- Employment requirements: Employee must have at least one year of employment with an ABA bus or tour member company as of January 1 of the award year, and still be employed in the spring when winners are selected.
- Student requirements: Open to college/university or professional training students (freshman–graduate level).
- Minimum GPA: 3.0 cumulative.

3) Driving the Future Scholarship
- Who’s eligible: Full‑time employees or dependents of full‑time employees of ABA member companies in the motorcoach travel industry (member status as of February 1, 2025).
- Employment requirements: Employee must have been employed in good standing for at least one year as of January 1 of the award year, and still be employed in the spring when winners are selected.
- Student requirements: Freshman–graduate students.
- Minimum GPA: 3.2 on a 4.0 scale.

4) Academic Merit Scholarship
- Who’s eligible: Open to both ABA members and non‑members.
- Student requirements: Freshman–graduate students at an accredited junior college, college, or university with a declared major relevant to transportation, travel, and tourism.
- Minimum GPA: 3.4 cumulative.

5) Diversity Scholarship
- Who’s eligible: Open to both ABA members and non‑members.
- Student requirements: Freshman–graduate students at an accredited university with a declared major relevant to travel and tourism.
- Minimum GPA: 3.0 cumulative on a 4.0 scale.

6) Peter L. Picknelly Honorary Scholarship
- Who’s eligible: ABA members (bus drivers, mechanics, or maintenance personnel, or their dependent children).
- Student requirements: Freshman–graduate students planning to study at a technical school, trade school, or in a transportation‑related program.
- Minimum GPA: 3.0 cumulative on a 4.0 scale.

7) Ron Cornell Memorial Scholarship
- Who’s eligible: Full‑time employees or dependent children of full‑time employees of ABC Companies or ABA bus/motorcoach operator companies in good standing.
- Additional requirement: Applicants must demonstrate financial need.
- Minimum GPA: 3.0 cumulative on a 4.0 scale.

8) Tony Orlando Yellow Ribbon Scholarship
- Who’s eligible: Open to ABA and non‑ABA members.
- Student requirements: Freshman–graduate students in college, university, or professional training school in the upcoming fall with a declared major relevant to travel and tourism.
- Citizenship: U.S. or Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
- Minimum GPA: 3.0 cumulative on a 4.0 scale.
- Additional eligibility (must meet at least one):
- 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.

Important dates and timeline
- Application opens: December 2, 2025
- Application deadline: April 30, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. PST
- Notification of selection results: June 2026
- Funds disbursed: August 2026

Other details
- Renewal: These scholarships are one‑time awards and are not renewable.
- Administration: The program is administered by International Scholarship and Tuition Services, Inc. (ISTS), an independent company that manages sponsored educational assistance programs to ensure impartiality and professional handling of applications.

If you’d like, I can:
- Help you pick which scholarships you should apply for based on your situation, or
- Turn this into a one‑page checklist you can print and use while preparing your application. Which would you prefer?