(Washington, February 2015) The American Hotel & Lodging Educational Foundation (AH&LEF) will dispense more than $725,000 for the 2015 academic year through their scholarship programs.

AH&LEF offers a wide array of scholarship opportunities for hospitality management students and lodging employees. Scholarships are available for incoming freshmen through graduate students. Awards range from $500 to $6,000, and unlike student loans do not have to be paid back. Applicants are judged based on a combination of factors, including hospitality work experience, academic performance, extracurricular activities, financial need, and personal attributes. The deadline for all academic scholarships is May 1st.

In addition to academic scholarships, AH&LEF offers professional certification scholarships to lodging employees seeking certification or distance learning opportunities through the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (EI). The deadline date for professional development scholarships is quarterly. 

In 2014, AH&LEF disbursed over $1 million to prepare promising college students for a career in hospitality, to attract and retain talented industry professionals, and to fund valuable research for lodging properties. Since the Foundation's inception, approximately $19 million has been distributed through its scholarship, education, outreach, and research programs.

AH&LEF is the not-for-profit affiliate of AH&LA and is funded solely by charitable donations from progressive hospitality leaders and companies within the industry. All AH&LEF contributions are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.