Arlington County Sheriff's Office and Virginia Sheriffs' Institu

Published on February 13, 2019

• Scholarships open to Arlington residents studying criminal  justice


• Applications due by May 1, 2019

The Arlington County Sheriff's Office is helping the Virginia Sheriffs' Institute raise college scholarship funds for Virginia residents majoring in criminal justice.

The VSI Scholarship program was established to provide an opportunity for residents across Virginia to study law enforcement or criminal justice. The scholarships are only available to students in jurisdictions where sheriffs participate in scholarship fundraising efforts, as they do in Arlington.

Students who are permanent residents of Arlington and are planning to attend or are currently attending a Virginia college or university are eligible to apply for the 2019-20 school year. Only majors in the criminal justice field will be considered; students majoring in pre-law or pursuing a career as a lawyer are not eligible.

Students 18 and older must be registered Virginia voters. Students under the age of 18 are required to provide a copy of a government issued picture ID with their home address, providing proof of residency.

Although the amount of the awards has not yet been determined, in 2018, selected students were awarded $500 - $1000 each.

Details about the program and application requirements, which include a letter of recommendation from a Virginia sheriff, an essay, and transcripts, can be found on VSI's website. Applications must be submitted via the VSI website's online portal by May 1, 2019.