You probably know already that literally millions of dollars worth of scholarships go unclaimed every year. Many of these scholarships, obviously are easy to obtain due to the lack of competition - and quite often, their unusual criteria. Take the Burger King scholarship, for instance. Burger King is probably not the first name which comes to mind when you're thinking about sources of funding for a college education, but the Burger King scholarship is very real and has helped many students to pursue a college degree.

Also known as the BK scholarship, the scholarship awarded by this fast food chain is like any other in that there are specific eligibility requirements which students must meet in order to be considered.

Burger King is of course a well known fast food franchise with thousands of locations worldwide. While its burgers, fries and other offerings are well known, the Burger King Scholarship is not nearly as famous. The company awards this $1,000 scholarship to more than 700 students annually. In order to qualify, students must reside and attend school in Canada or the United States and have a GPA of at least 2.5.

Founded to honor the memory of late Burger King co-founder James McLemore, the program is administered by Burger King's Have It Your Way Foundation. In order to be eligible for the scholarship, applicants have to have worked at a Burger King in the US or Canada for at least 15 hours a week for the last 12 months.

It's a simple application process, with applicants able to register online. Any Burger King employee who wishes to apply can visit the website for the scholarship and fill out their application there.

The company's website also provides you with the information on the winners' database and students who have actually earned this scholarship. The basis of this scholarship is the circular activities you are involved in, the leadership skills and of course your academia record. Your work experience can also be an important feature that can get you this scholarship.

Burger King has stated that they would like to award a minimum of 10,000 of these scholarships to qualifying students by the end of 2010; a goal which looks well within their reach. This is a scholarship which is readily available to any Burger King employee who meets the basic requirements and is interested in earning a college degree. If you're currently employed by this company, you would do well to look into this scholarship and apply for some welcome aid with the expenses of your college education.