Beinecke Scholarship

Scholarship Sponsored by Sperry Fund

Here’s a clearer, teacher-friendly version of the information with the important points grouped so it’s easier to follow.

Important deadlines and submission rules
- Campus liaisons must scan all nomination materials into a single PDF and email that file to the Beinecke Scholarship Program Director by 5:00 p.m. EST on the last Friday in March.
- After nomination, students must email a copy of the Financial Aid Data Sheet to the Program Director within 72 hours of the application deadline.
- Your college will have its own internal deadlines for choosing a nominee that are earlier than the March deadline. Check with your campus liaison—don’t wait until the campus deadline passes.
- Students: do not send any Beinecke application materials directly to the Program Director unless your school has named you as its official nominee.

How to apply / who can nominate
- About 145 colleges and universities are invited to participate each year. Each invited school may nominate one student.
- Up to 20 Beinecke Scholarships are awarded each year.
- If you attend a participating institution and want to be considered, contact your campus liaison to learn that school’s process for selecting its nominee.

Student eligibility (summary)
To be eligible a student must:
- Show strong intellectual ability, solid scholastic achievement, and clear personal promise based on their undergraduate record.
- Be a college junior during the 2025–2026 academic year. That means you are currently enrolled, will continue full-time undergraduate study, and expect to receive your bachelor’s degree between December 2026 and August 2027.
- Plan to enter a research- or creative-focused master’s or doctoral program in the arts, humanities, or social sciences. Important exception: if you are in the social sciences and plan to pursue graduate study in neuroscience or clinical psychology, do not apply.
- Be a U.S. citizen or a U.S. national from American Samoa or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
- Have a documented history of eligibility for need-based financial aid during your undergraduate years. There is a slight preference for students who have received Pell Grants; other acceptable evidence includes need-based institutional, state, or federal grants-in-aid. The nominated student must complete and submit the Financial Aid Data Sheet. During selection, demonstrated financial need is a factor—preference is given to candidates for whom a Beinecke Scholarship would substantially increase the likelihood of attending graduate school.

Quick checklist for interested students
- Contact your campus liaison now to learn your school’s internal nominating process and deadline.
- If nominated: make sure nomination materials are scanned into one PDF and emailed by 5:00 p.m. EST on the last Friday in March.
- If nominated: submit the Financial Aid Data Sheet to the Program Director within 72 hours after the application deadline.
- Don’t submit anything to the Beinecke Program unless you are your school’s official nominee.

If you want, I can turn this into a printable one-page handout for students or a short email template they can send to their campus liaison. Which would help you more?