Nationally competitive award

Beinecke Scholarship

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The Beinecke Scholarship Program provides funding for college juniors to pursue a research- or creative-focused master's or doctoral program in the arts, humanities, or social sciences.

Deadline
March 27, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. (UTC-05:00)
Award amount
  • Total award of $35,000 for graduate education: $5,000 awarded directly before graduate school and $30,000 while attending graduate school.
  • Scholars must utilize all funding within six years of completing undergraduate studies and within five years of beginning graduate studies.
  • Up to 16 new scholarships will be awarded this year.

Overview

Academic level
College junior pursuing a bachelor's degree expecting graduation between December 2026 and August 2027
Discipline
  • Arts
  • Social sciences (excluding neuroscience and clinical psychology)
  • Humanities
  • Social sciences
Citizenship
U.S. citizen or U.S. national from American Samoa or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Eligibility
  • Attend a Beinecke Scholarship participating institution.
  • Have a documented history of being eligible to receive need-based financial aid during undergraduate years (such as need-based institutional, state, or federal grants-in-aid).
  • Plan to enter a research- or creative-focused master’s or doctoral program in the arts, humanities, or social sciences (excluding neuroscience or clinical psychology).
Requirements
Must be nominated by a participating institution (limited to one nominee per institution).
Application materials
  • Current C.V. listing all collegiate activities and awards.
  • Statement of 1,000 words or fewer describing research or creative interests for graduate study, career aspirations, and relevant formative experiences.
  • Endorsement letter from the Beinecke campus liaison summarizing reasons for selection.
  • Three letters of recommendation from faculty members or advisors assessing intellectual curiosity, character, and potential for advanced graduate study.
  • Unofficial copy of undergraduate transcript(s).
  • Financial Aid Data Sheet submitted online by the nominee.
  • Artist's supplement for MFA candidates (maximum five pages of text for creative writers
  • up to 10 images for visual artists
  • or up to five minutes of video/audio sample for performing artists).
How to apply
Participating institutions submit nomination packages through the online portal.
Important dates
  • March 27, 2026: Deadline for receipt of all nominations
  • April 1, 2026: Deadline for nominee to submit Financial Aid Data Sheet (5:00 PM EST)
  • June 1, 2026: Deadline for announcement of awards
Contact
Program Director: Matthew Loar, PhD, beineckescholarship@sperryfund.org, 240-381-7467