Scholarship Program for School Year 2011-2012

The Foundation endeavors to identify and reward the best and brightest of the hospitality and tourism industry’s next generation of leaders. To do so, twice each year it asks students meeting certain basic requirements to complete and submit an application and other required information, write a short essay, and, if selected, appear before an industry interview panel.

Basic requirements to apply for a HARF scholarship are:

• Students must be attending an accredited 2 or 4-year college or university in California and pursuing an associate or bachelor degree.
• Must have been a designated culinary arts or hospitality and tourism management major for at least one semester or quarter prior to applying for a scholarship.
• Enrolled in at least 12 units at the time application is made.
• Have earned a 2.75 overall GPA for all semesters or quarters completed and/or a 3.0 GPA for all completed culinary arts or hospitality and tourism management courses completed.
• Must have verifiable hospitality industry work experience beyond required internships.
• For 4-year students only, a current verifiable extra-curricular activity.

How to apply for a HARF scholarship: 

• To be considered, all materials should be submitted   here.
• The application form must be completed and submitted with the following attachments:

1. A current resume of education, work experience, and other relevant information normally found on a resume used when applying for a job.
2. A copy of the transcript of classes completed and grades at your current school and the classes currently being taken. The transcript may be down-loaded from the school website.
3. An essay of no more than 500 words on the following topic – What inspired me to pursue a career in the hospitality industry.

 Applications must be received by Friday, February 24, 2012 to be considered.

The scholarship process

All communications between the Foundation and the student concerning the scholarship process will be via e-mail.

Qualified applicants will be notified of the date, time, and place of their interview. In some instances, the interview will be held at the applicant’s school, otherwise at a local hotel.

Interviews will be conducted by a panel of two hospitality industry leaders. Applicants will be judged on leadership capabilities, industry experience, extra-curricular activities (4-year school students), clarity of personal and career goals, and both written and verbal communication skills.

Not all persons selected to be interviewed will receive a scholarship. Those that are awarded a scholarship will be notified via e-mail. Scholarships are awarded on a semester or quarterly basis during the school year. Payments will be made when evidence of current registration in the applicable semester or quarter of at least 12 units has been received by the Foundation.

HARF scholarship recipients will be introduced to donors and the industry at an awards event to be held in San Francisco in either September or October.

For more information please visit Scholarship's FAQ section.