Scholarships

These scholarships are open to any worthy applicant, regardless of gender, school, degree, or affiliation with freemasonry.
All interested individuals are encouraged to submit their completed application either by email or by USPS postmarked no later than: March 31, 2024.

• • Scholarship Application: download form
  • Scholarship details: Three scholarships of $6,000.00 each
  • Deadline: March 31, 2024

Completed forms sent to:
Send to:
Austin Lodge No. 12
c/o Scholarships
P.O. Box 5150
Austin, Texas 78763
email: info@austinlodge12.com

About the Scholarship Process

Austin Lodge No. 12, A.F. & A.M., is awarding scholarships to worthy applicants who will be attending Texas institutions of higher education.

The scholarships are designed to assist individuals pursuing a post-secondary education at an accredited institution within Texas. This includes community colleges, universities and trade-schools. The scholarships may be used for any school related expense such as tuition, fees, and books.

Applicants need not have a Masonic connection, neither do race, creed, religion, color, sex, or national origin have any bearing in the selection process. Recipients are selected from the submitted applications that include all necessary information.

A broad-based criteria is used in the selection process. The principal criterion is service to school and community with special emphasis upon leadership roles in these areas. Austin Lodge No. 12 is looking for those students who exhibit the greatest potential to be not only of service to their communities in the future but also leaders in these communities. An applicant’s academic record, communication skills, and need for financial assistance are also carefully considered, as is an evaluation of the applicant by a school official. The organization, appearance, and completeness of the application are also factors considered by the selection committee.

Additional pages of narrative or supporting documentation may be added to any section. This can include copies of newspaper clippings, photos, letters of recommendation from people within your school and/ or community, and other materials, which will give the Committee a better insight about you, your school and your community activities. Submitted materials will not be returned.

Prospective candidates are encouraged to submit applications. These applications must be postmarked no later than March 31, 2024.

About the Scholarship Program

Masonry has long prized education. Our Founding Fathers knew that this experiment in Democracy could only survive with a well-educated populace, and so when Texas gained its independence, the Masons would frequently stress the need for education. All the Presidents and Vice-Presidents of the Republic of Texas were Masons, and when Mirabeau B Lamar succeeded Sam Houston as President, he convinced the Congress of the Republic of Texas to set aside land in every county for public education as well as 50 leagues of land for the State which would become the Permanent University Fund for the University of Texas and Texas A&M University. For this, Brother Lamar has been considered the founder of public education in Texas.

In the early days of the Republic when a Masonic Lodge was built in a community, it was usually a two- story structure. The building was designed to provide a lodge meeting room upstairs and a schoolroom for the children of the community downstairs. Masons provided the physical space for the school and, in many instances, paid all or part of the teachers’ salaries.

Austin Lodge No. 12, A.F. & A.M., was chartered on November 7, 1839 and continues its support of this important mission by offering scholarships to assist in the pursuit of learning through the establishment of a special endowment – the Ziller Fund. It is named after a previous member of the lodge who dedicated a large portion of his estate to the establishment of such a fund.

Questions regarding applications and the scholarship program as well as completed applications should be directed to the:

Austin Lodge No. 12
Phone: 512-454-8009
email: info@austinlodge12.com