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In 2025, EJI awarded $360,000 in scholarships to MPS seniors
Overview
This spring, the Equal Justice Initiative will award $10,000 scholarships to 36 MPS seniors. Multiple winners will be awarded from each MPS high school.
Eligibility | Applicants must be:
Graduating 12th graders in Montgomery Public Schools
Pursuing future study at a 4-year college, 2-year college, or trades program.
Note: The scholarship award is conditional upon proof of acceptance to a qualifying degree or trades program.
Two Pathways for Applicants
Two Pathways for Applicants
There are two pathways for seniors to apply for the 2026 Legacy Scholarship. Seniors can apply to just one pathway or both. Each school will have multiple winners from both pathways.
Applicants of this pathway will apply for the Legacy Scholarship by submitting an essay. The essay is a personal reflection piece about visiting EJI’s newest site: The Freedom Monument Sculpture Park. The full essay prompt and submission instructions are available on the essay page.
Essay submission deadline: Tuesday, March 31, 2026 at 11:59 pm
Pathway 2: School Site Interviews
Applicants of this pathway will apply for the Legacy Scholarship via an interview with their school site committee. These interviews will take place between February and March 2026 and include a presentation and portfolio submission. Learn more on the school interview page.
Interview winners will be selected on or before Tuesday, March 31, 2026
FAQ:
1. Can I apply through both pathways? Yes
2. Can I apply through only one pathway? Yes
3. Is the scholarship one-time only or recurring? One-time only
4. When will winners be notified? Mid April, 2026
5. Am I competing against seniors from every MPS school? No, your competition is other applicants from your own school. Applicant pools are created on a by-school basis. Multiple winners will be selected from each pathway at every school.
Have More Questions? Email both Mia and Lendria at EJI | mtaylor@eji.org, lglass@eji.org
What is EJI?
The Equal Justice Initiative is a private, non-profit organization that has provided free legal services to low-income people for over 30 years. It was founded and is directed by Bryan Stevenson, whose work was featured in the movie Just Mercy. We are located in downtown Montgomery, Alabama, and have historically represented condemned prisoners, people wrongly convicted or unfairly sentenced, and people impacted by the criminal legal system. We are also very active in educating the nation about the history of racial injustice and the need for economic justice. In 2018, EJI opened the National Memorial for Peace and Justice and the Legacy Museum in Montgomery. In March 2024, EJI opened the Freedom Monument Sculpture Park.
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