American Library Association (ALA) Scholarships

A comprehensive PDF table comparing eligibility, award amounts, and specific requirements for various ALA-affiliated scholarships.

Add to watchlist Official homepage

DeadlineMarch 1 st; Next year's application will be available September 1, 2026

Award amount$2,500; $5,000; $3,000; $8,000; $6,500; $1,500; $6,000; $7,000

Last checkedJun 24, 2026

FAQ

American Library Association (ALA) Scholarships FAQ

Frequently asked questions regarding eligibility, application requirements, personal statements, references, and transcript submission for ALA scholarships.

Official source Source page

Deadline

March 1st

Eligibility

Must attend an ALA-Accredited MLIS program or a Nationally Recognized NCATE-AASL Reviewed & Approved School Library Media Education Program; Applicants must not have completed more than 1/3rd of credit requirements toward their degree by June 1st; Residency restrictions apply to most scholarships, except the LITA Christian Larew Memorial Scholarship; Undergraduate degrees are not eligible

Requirements

Personal statement (max 300 words); Three professional references; Official transcripts from bachelor's degree-granting institutions and relevant master's level work; Professional Activities and Leadership Skills sections (highly recommended)

Application materials

Personal statement; Three professional references; Official transcripts

How to apply

Submit online application including personal statement; Provide contact information for three professional references who will receive an online form; Mail official transcripts in a sealed envelope to the ALA Scholarship Clearinghouse by March 1st

Important dates

March 1st: Deadline for reference submissions and transcript receipt; June 1st: Credit completion threshold date

Documents

Official transcripts

Contact

Kimberly L. Redd (klredd@ala.org); ALA Scholarship Clearinghouse, 225 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 1300, Chicago, IL 60601

Recent changes on this page

Plain-English summaries of meaningful source-page updates.

No meaningful updates have been recorded yet.