Money Metals Exchange has teamed up with the Sound Money Defense League to help qualified students pay for the ever-rising costs of tuition, fees, books, and supplies. These groups have just introduced the first gold-backed scholarship of the modern era, setting aside 100 oz of physical gold for scholarships to outstanding undergraduate and graduate students who display deep understanding of economics and monetary policy.

To apply for this scholarship, students should fill out the application form, provide proof of current attendance at a high school, college, or university (by submitting, for example, a transcript) and upload their current resume and their essay. Essays should be roughly 1,000 words in length and should answer ONE of the following questions:

1. How has the Federal Reserve System helped or hurt the American economy?
2. Discuss the concept and advantages of sound money and its historical significance. How does it contrast with today's monetary system, and how could sound money be restored?
3. What is a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)? Compare and contrast a CBDC with the currency system now in place as well as a gold-backed system. How would a CBDC impact the lives of American citizens?
4. If BRICS nations establish their own currency, how might that affect the United States, the Federal Reserve System, and the value of our currency? Consider the economic, geopolitical, and monetary consequences of such a development.

This scholarship will be open to high school seniors, undergraduate students, and graduate students with an interest in economics, specifically the tradition of the Austrian school. You DO NOT have to be an economics major to be eligible to receive this scholarship.

Scholarship Amount: $1000-$2500

Application Deadline: October 31, 2025