Note: Students who are already receiving other financial aid are advised to contact the Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA) prior to submitting an application to these scholarships in order to verify how these awards may impact their ability to receive the full amount of the scholarship.
The following scholarships are administered via the CAS Dean's Office.
College-wide Scholarships
Mary Katherine Mackenzie and Mary Ann Whitmore Endowed Scholarship
These are $5,000 scholarships given to two undergraduate students from each of the four divisions (Arts, Humanities, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences), for a total of eight awardees per academic year. This award is completely open to nominations - the only criteria is excellence in field of study. Applications are limited to one per department/school. The call for nominations goes out in late January. Nominations are due March 14, 2025. Nomination form coming soon.
Application Checklist:
- Candidate’s brief statement (no more than 250 words)
- Curriculum vitae
- Current transcript (need not be official/sealed)
Natural Sciences Scholarships
Aaron-Peterson Undergraduate Scholarship in the Arts and Sciences
This is a rotating $5,000 scholarship for Washington State resident undergraduate students. This scholarship is merit based (as opposed to financial need based). Applications are limited to one per department/school, and cycle through the four divisions (Arts, Humanities, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences). In 2025-26, this award will go to the Natural Sciences Division. The call for nominations goes out in late January. Nominations are due March 14, 2025. Nomination form coming soon.
Application Checklist:
- Letter from undergraduate advisor
- Candidate’s brief statement (no more than 250 words)
- Curriculum vitae
- Current transcript (need not be official/sealed)
Humanities Scholarships
Humanities scholarships are awarded to students majoring in the humanities, as broadly defined by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).
The term ‘humanities’ includes, but is not limited to, the study and interpretation of the following: language, both modern and classical; linguistics; literature; history; jurisprudence; philosophy; archaeology; comparative religion; ethics; the history, criticism and theory of the arts; those aspects of social sciences which have humanistic content and employ humanistic methods; and the study and application of the humanities to the human environment with particular attention to reflecting our diverse heritage, traditions, and history and to the relevance of the humanities to the current conditions of national life. (National Foundation of the Arts and Humanities Act, 1965, as amended).
Alvord Endowed Fellowship in the Humanities
The College’s most prestigious graduate student award in the Humanities is awarded every other year. For the academic year of 2025-26, the Alvord Fellow received a stipend of $27,000, a tuition-waiver provided by the Graduate School, and a benefits package. This fellowship is a GSA, on payroll, and once awarded, is to be administered by the administrator of the recipient’s home department. Nominations are due March 14, 2025. Nomination form coming soon.
- Nomination letter from department chair or dissertation chair
- Additional faculty letter of recommendation
- Candidate’s brief statement (no more than 1000 words) of research project(s) and plans for 2025-2026.
- Curriculum vitae
- Current transcript (need not be official/sealed)
The "Group" of Humanities Scholarships
A group of scholarships (Fritz, Hunter, Macfarlane, Lederman) for graduate and undergraduate students in the humanities, $2,000 - $5,000 each, distributed evenly across three quarters. All scholarships require students to be enrolled full-time and pursuing a degree/major in the humanities. There is little distinction among the funds, so nominations are made to the group, but designated as part of the award process. The Lederman scholarships are limited to undergraduate students only; the Hunter scholarships are limited to graduate students; the Fritz, and Macfarlane scholarships may be awarded to both graduates and undergraduates. The call for nominations goes out in late January. Nominations are due March 14, 2025. Nomination form coming soon.
- Transmittal letter from departmental chair, to provide rankings
- Letter of recommendation from departmental chair, advisor, or dissertation chair
- Additional faculty letter of recommendation
- Candidate’s statement (no more than 250 words) of educational objectives and plans for 2025-26.
- Curriculum vitae
- Current transcript (need not be official/sealed)
The Antoinette Wills Endowed Fund for Graduate Students
These $2,000 scholarships are designed to provide research/travel assistance for graduate students in the divisions of the Humanities and the Arts. Applications are limited to one per department/school. The call for nominations goes out in late January. Nominations are due March 14, 2025. Nomination form coming soon.
Application Checklist:
- Letter from graduate advisor
- Candidate’s brief statement (no more than 250 words)
- Curriculum vitae
- Current transcript (need not be official/sealed)
The Míċeál F. Vaughan Scholarship for Textual and Manuscript Studies
These are two $1,500 scholarships to be used for graduate students majoring in the Humanities (or secondarily, untenured faculty) for a project/travel involving European texts before 1600. The call for nominations goes out in late January. Nominations are due March 14, 2025. Nomination form coming soon.
Application Checklist:
- Candidate’s brief statement (no more than 250 words) of educational objectives/research plans/travel plans for 2025-26
- Curriculum vitae
- Current transcript (need not be official/sealed)
Arts Scholarships
The Howard P. Dallas Endowed Fellowship
The Dallas scholarships are two $5,000 scholarships, evenly distributed across three quarters, for graduate students in the Arts. The call for nominations goes out in late January. Nominations are due March 14, 2025. Nomination form coming soon.
Application Checklist:
- Transmittal letter (or email) from Chair or GPC ranking your applicants (if applicable)
- Two faculty letters of support
- Statement of educational objectives by the nominee stating how the fellowship would further their research (250-500 words)
- Curriculum vitae
- Current transcript (need not be official/sealed)
Peeler-Horan Scholarship for the Performing Arts
A $1,500 scholarship that provides financial assistance to undergraduate majors in the performing arts (Dance, Drama, and Music). This award rotates annually and will be awarded in 2025-26 to the School of Music. The call for nominations goes out in late January. Nominations are due March 14, 2025. Nomination form coming soon.
Application Checklist:
- Ranking Letter from department chair
- One recommendation/Nomination letter for each student from department chair or faculty
- Candidate's educational plan statement (250 words or less)
- Current transcript (need not be official/sealed)
Irene Dickson McFarlane Endowed Scholarship
Two $5,000 tuition-only scholarships for Washington State resident undergraduate students. This scholarship is merit based (as opposed to financial need based). Students who have achieved "Junior" status will be considered first. Applications are limited to one per department/school, and cycle through the four divisions (Arts, Humanities, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences). In 2025-26, these awards will go to the Arts Division. The call for nominations goes out in late January. Nominations are due March 14, 2025. Nomination form coming soon.
Application Checklist:
- Letter of support/nomination from the Chair
- Faculty letter of recommendation
- Candidate educational statement (250 words)
- Candidates brief statement (no more than 250 words)
- Curriculum vitae
- Current transcript (need not be official/sealed)
Social Sciences Scholarships
The Howard and Imogene Burton Memorial Scholarship
This $5000 scholarship is designed to provide financial assistance to a highly deserving Washington State resident undergraduate student who is majoring in either the Social Sciences or the Natural Sciences. The award rotates between the two Divisions. The award is based on academic merit and financial need. In 2025-2026 it will be awarded to a student pursuing a Social Science major. Applications are limited to one per department/school. Call for nominations goes out in late January. Nominations are due March 14, 2025. Nomination form coming soon.
Application Checklist:
- Candidate's brief statement (no more than 250 words) of educational objectives/research plans
- Two letters of recommendation
- Curriculum vitae
- Current transcript (need not be official/sealed)
Other Scholarships
The Allan and Mary Kollar Endowed Fellowship
A $5,000 scholarship, evenly distributed across three quarters. For graduate students in English or Art History with preference given to students who study both American Art History through the 1970’s and American Literature. The call for nominations goes out in late January. Nominations are due March 14, 2025. Nomination form coming soon.
Application Checklist:
- Candidate’s brief statement (no more than 250 words) of educational objectives/research plans
- Two letters of recommendation
- Curriculum vitae
- Current transcript (need not be official/sealed)