Beinecke Scholarship Program Grant

Beinecke Scholarship Program Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: The Sperry Fund
Amount: US $35,000
Last Updated: February 18, 2026

Summary

The Beinecke Scholarship Program, established in 1971, supports exceptional college juniors pursuing graduate studies in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. Nominations are made by participating U.S. colleges and universities, with up to 20 scholarships awarded annually. Eligible candidates must demonstrate intellectual ability and have a documented history of need-based financial aid. The program encourages scholars to begin graduate studies immediately after their undergraduate education, with funding to be used within six years.

Overview

NOTE: Nominations are made by the college or university. Students should contact their campus liaison for information. Nominations are due by 5pm EST on the last Friday in March. The Beinecke Scholarship Program was established in 1971 by the Board of Directors of The Sperry and Hutchinson Company to honor Edwin, Frederick, and Walter Beinecke. The Board created an endowment to provide substantial scholarships for the graduate education of young men and women of exceptional promise. The program seeks to encourage and enable highly motivated students to pursue opportunities available to them and to be courageous in the selection of a graduate course of study in the arts, humanities and social sciences. Since 1975 the program has selected 739 college juniors from 122 different undergraduate institutions for support during graduate study at any accredited university. There are no geographic restrictions on the use of the scholarship, and recipients are allowed to supplement the award with other scholarships, assistantships and research grants. Scholars are encouraged to begin graduate study immediately following graduation and must utilize all funding within six years of completing their undergraduate studies, and within five years of beginning graduate studies. Process Each year approximately 135 U.S. colleges and universities are invited to nominate a student for a Beinecke Scholarship, and up to 20 new scholarships will be awarded. Each school invited to participate in the Beinecke Scholarship Program is permitted to make a single nomination each year. Students enrolled at a participating institution who are interested in applying for a Beinecke Scholarship should contact their campus liaison for information regarding the procedure to be followed in selecting the school’s nominee.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. To be eligible for a Beinecke Scholarship, a student must:Demonstrate superior standards of intellectual ability, scholastic achievement, and personal promise during their undergraduate career.Be a college junior pursuing a bachelor’s degree during the 2024-2025 academic year. “Junior” means a student who is currently enrolled, plans to continue full-time undergraduate study, and expects to receive a bachelor’s degree between December 2025 and August 2026.Plan to enter a research- or creative-focused master’s or doctoral program in the arts, humanities, or social sciences.Be a U.S. citizen or U.S. national from American Samoa or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.Have a documented history of being eligible to receive need-based financial aid during their undergraduate years. Other evidence of meeting this criterion is a student’s history of receiving need-based institutional, state, or federal grants-in-aid. The nominated student will be required to complete and submit a Financial Aid Data Sheet outlining how the student meets this criterion. During the selection process, the amount of financial need will be one of the factors considered, with preference given to candidates for whom the awarding of a Beinecke Scholarship would significantly increase the likelihood of the student’s being able to attend graduate school.

Ineligibility

Students in the social sciences who plan to pursue graduate study in neuroscience or clinical psychology should not apply for a Beinecke Scholarship.