ExpressVPN Scholarship 2027, Requirements & Application

Key facts

Status: Applications closed Closed 31 August 2026
Provider: ExpressVPN
Study level: Undergraduate, High school
Academic year: 2027
Last checked: September 2026

The 2026 round closed on 31 August 2026 and winners are announced on 14 October 2026.

Written by Keagan HendricksStaff Writer (Unisa Alumnus)

Reviewed & verified by Naledi KhumaloSenior Admissions and Bursaries EditorVerified

Closed · applications closed on 31 August 2026 The competition runs every year, so a 2027 round is expected to open around mid-2027. Latest update ↓

The ExpressVPN Future of Privacy Scholarship is an annual essay competition run by the VPN company ExpressVPN. It awards US$5 000 towards tuition to the writer of the best essay on a set theme about online privacy, security or internet freedom. It appears on many South African bursary lists, so this page explains who can actually enter.

About the ExpressVPN Scholarship

Prize: US$5 000, paid towards the winner’s tuition.
Format: a single essay in English on the year’s theme. Recent themes have covered the rules of the metaverse, artificial intelligence and privacy, and surveillance.
Judging: originality, argument and writing quality. Plagiarised or AI-generated essays are disqualified.

ExpressVPN Scholarship eligibility requirements

Currently enrolled at a high school, or in an undergraduate or graduate programme at a college or university, in the United States.
Any age and any nationality.
Able to provide proof of enrolment if selected.

How to apply

Read the current theme and rules on the ExpressVPN scholarship page.
Write your essay in English within the stated word limit.
Submit it through the entry form or email address given on the page, with your name, institution and contact details.
Winners are notified by email after the closing date and must supply proof of enrolment.

ExpressVPN Scholarship closing date

The 2026 round closed on 31 August 2026. The 2027 deadline has not been announced; recent rounds have closed in late August or mid-September.

Contact details

Email: scholarship@expressvpn.com
Website: expressvpn.com/scholarship

Essay competitions open to South African students

If you are studying in South Africa, this competition is not for you. Look instead at the Open Window Scholarship Competition and the leadership scholarships on our high school bursaries and scholarships list.

FAQs

1. Can South African students enter? +

Only if they are enrolled at a high school, college or university in the United States. The 2026 rules require enrolment at a US institution; age and citizenship do not matter. Students at South African institutions are not eligible.

2. When is the next deadline? +

The 2026 round closed on 31 August 2026, with winners announced on 14 October 2026. ExpressVPN runs the competition annually, so expect the 2027 round to open around mid-2027 with an August deadline.

3. What is the prize? +

US$5 000, paid towards the winner's tuition.

4. What do I have to submit? +

An essay in English on the year's privacy or internet-freedom theme, submitted through the form or email address on the ExpressVPN scholarship page. Plagiarism or AI-generated text disqualifies the entry.

5. Do I need proof of enrolment? +

Yes. The winner must provide proof of enrolment at a US institution before the prize is paid.

6. Are there similar competitions open to South Africans? +

Yes. See our list of scholarship essay competitions in South Africa, including the Open Window and Allan Gray Orbis programmes.

Update note (checked September 2026): the 2026 round closed on 31 August 2026 and winners are announced on 14 October 2026. The competition runs every year, so a 2027 round is expected to open around mid-2027. Important: the current rules require entrants to be enrolled at a high school, college or university in the United States. Age and citizenship do not matter, so a South African studying in the US can enter, but students at South African institutions cannot.

Student funding in numbers

2025811 011students funded by NSFAS580 000 at universities, 231 000 at TVET colleges, on a budget of R48.7 billion.

20261 026 091students approved for NSFAS funding609 403 first-year applicants qualified and 416 688 continuing students met the progression criteria, out of 893 847 applications.

2027 projectedR53.4bnbudgeted for NSFASThe allocation rises from R48.7 billion in 2025 to R51 billion in 2026 and R53.4 billion in 2027. Student numbers for 2027 are not published yet.

Figures from the Minister of Higher Education’s Budget Vote of 3 July 2025 and the NSFAS statement of 2 January 2026. NSFAS is the largest funder, not the only one – we track the rest.