Library and Information Science Scholarship Resources

Originally complied by Lisa Peck in 2021. Last updated 6/28/21

Pratt School of Information Opportunities

School of Information Fellowships

The highly competitive fellowship program supports 2-semester practicum-internships that are designed to provide students with exceptional professional-level experience in NYC’s great cultural institutions.
$7,000 award ($3,500/semester)
Application deadline: mid-April

School of Information Student Committee Representatives

Positions available yearly to serve on the SI Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee and SI Faculty Council.
$1,200 award ($600/semester)
Announced on the SI listserv in late March

Pratt Institute Graduate Student Engagement Fund

Encourages and supports the professional development and advancement of graduate students through their work on original and creative projects.
Application deadlines: October 15, March 15, May 1

Archives Scholarships

SAA Josephine Forman Scholarship

Provides financial support to minority students pursuing graduate education in archival science, encourages students to pursue a career as an archivist, and promotes the diversification of the American archives profession.
Also includes registration to the SAA Annual Meeting.
$10,000 award
Application deadline: February 28

SAA F. Gerald Ham and Elsie Ham Scholarship

Supports the graduate archival education of a student who is studying at a United States university program.
Also includes registration to the SAA Annual Meeting.
$10,000 award
Application deadline: February 28

SAA Mosaic Scholarship

Provides financial and mentoring support to students of color pursuing graduate education in archival science, encourages students to pursue a career as an archivist, and promotes the diversification of the American archives profession.
Also includes one year’s SAA membership and registration to the SAA Annual Meeting.
$5,000 award
Application deadline: February 28

Association of Moving Image Archivists Scholarships

Funding specifically for students wishing to pursue careers in moving image archiving.
$4,000 award
Application deadline: May 18

Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference Graduate School Archival Education Scholarship

Provides financial assistance to a student in the MARAC region and promotes the study of archival administration.
Also includes a MARAC membership.
$1,000 award
Application deadline: October 31

Midwest Archives Conference Archie Motley Memorial Scholarship for Students of Color

Provides financial assistance to minority students pursuing graduate education in archival administration.
Also includes 1-year membership to MAC.
$750 award
Application deadline: March 1

LIS and Librarianship Scholarships

ALA Scholarship Programs

Provides financial assistance for study in a master’s degree in library and information studies from an ALA accredited program. General scholarships are available as well as a number of scholarships for individuals in underrepresented groups or those working in special areas of support.
Awards range $1,500-$8,000
Application deadline: March 1

NYLA Dewey Scholarship

Provides financial assistance to enable an interested and deserving student to pursue a Masters Degree in Library Science at an ALA-accredited library school in New York State.
Also includes attendance at the NYLA Annual Conference.
$1,000 award
Application deadline: September 30

NASIG Fritz Schwartz Education Scholarship

Provides an aspiring library student who has prior experience with managing information resources the opportunity to enhance their educational opportunities.
Also covers conference registration and one year’s membership in NASIG.
$3,000 award
Application deadline: March

Black Caucus of the ALA E. J. Josey Scholarship

Supports African American students enrolled in ALA accredited programs.
$2,000 award
Application deadline: December 20

Beta Phi Mu Sarah Rebecca Reed Scholarship

Awarded annually to a student beginning library/information studies in an ALA accredited program.
$2,250 award
Application deadline: March 15

Asian/Pacific Islander American Libraries Association Scholarship

Provides financial assistance to a student of Asian or Pacific background who is enrolled in a master’s or doctoral degree program in library and/or information science at a school accredited by the ALA.
$1,000 award
Application deadline: April 1

Coalition for Networked Information Paul Evan Peters Fellowship

Assists students pursuing graduate studies in the information sciences, librarianship, or closely related field, that advance the frontiers of digital information and technology.
$5,000 award ($2,500/year)
Application deadline: Summer

American Indian Library Association Virginia Mathews Memorial Scholarship

Provides tuition assistance to an American Indian individual who lives and works in the American Indian community and is enrolled in an accredited library and information sciences program.
$4,000 award
Application deadline: June 15

Chinese American Library Association Scholarships

Encourages professional and leadership development in Chinese American librarianship. Open to full-time students of Chinese heritage who are currently enrolled in an ALA-accredited master’s or doctoral program of library and information science in North America.
$500-$1,000 award
Application deadline: April

Nassau County Library Association Andrew Ippolito Scholarship Award

Provides financial assistance to interested and deserving students who are pursuing a Master’s Degree in Library or Information Science at an ALA accredited library school in the New York Metropolitan area.
Must be a NCLA member.
$2,000 award
Application deadline: October 1

New Jersey Library Association Scholarships

Funding for students attending or accepted to an ALA-accredited library school. Applicants must live or work in the state of New Jersey.
Application deadline: March 5

California Library Association Scholarship For BIPOC Students in Memory of Edna Yelland

Encourages and supports students in the attainment of a graduate degree in library or information studies and encourages commitment to the improvement of library services to BIPOC communities.
Applicants must be permanent California residents and intend to work in a California library upon graduation.

Southern California Community of the Special Libraries Association Karen Gersten-Sternheim Memorial Scholarship

Supports a student member of SLA-SCC pursuing a career in special librarianship.
Applicants must be permanent residents of California or Nevada.
$3,000 award
Application deadline: April 1

Alaska Library Association Graduate Library Studies Scholarship

Provides funding to an Alaskan resident pursuing graduate studies, and encourages graduates to return to Alaska to work in professional library positions.
$4,000 award
Application deadline: January 15

Special Interests in Librarianship

NYLA Youth Services Section Ann Gibson Scholarship

Provides assistance to a person who has chosen to pursue graduate studies that will lead to New York State certification as a youth specialist in a public library or school media center.
$1,000 award
Application deadline: May 31

Children’s Librarians Association of Suffolk County Barbara Flescher Scholarship

Supports a resident of Suffolk County with exhibited interest in the field of children’s librarianship in a public library.
Includes one year paid membership to CLASC.
$2,000 award
Application deadline: March 26

California Library Association Begun Scholarship

Supports continuing library school students who have demonstrated a commitment to becoming children’s or young adult librarians in a California public library.
$3,000 award

Music Library Association Diversity Scholarship

Provides tuition support for master’s-level LIS education for underrepresented groups in music librarianship.
Includes one year MLA membership, conference registration, and career guidance.
Application deadline: July 12

ALA deg farrelly Memorial/Alexander Street Press AMIA/FMRT Media Librarian Scholarship

Funding for a Masters degree candidate in Library Science who intends to work professionally with media collections in libraries.

Beta Phi Mu Blanche E. Woolls Scholarship for School Library Media Service

Awarded to a student beginning Library and Information Studies at an ALA-accredited school or an AASL-recognized school with the intention of pursuing a career in school library media service.
$2,250 award
Application deadline: March 15

REFORMA Scholarship

Provides financial assistance to encourage and enable Latinos and/or Spanish speakers to pursue or advance a career in Library and Information Science.
up to $1,500 award
Application deadline: March 15

REFORMA Northeast Lillian Marrero Scholarship

Funding to encourage library science students who are committed to serving the Latino community by providing financial assistance to them and to help recruit and nurture more diverse and multilingual library staffs.
$1,000 award
Application deadline: April 1

REFORMA Rose Treviño Memorial Scholarship

Provides financial assistance to encourage and enable Latinos and/or Spanish speakers to pursue or advance a career in Library and Information Science, particularly those interested in children’s or young adult librarianship.
up to $1,500 award
Application deadline: March 15

American Chemical Society Lucille M. Wert Student Scholarship

Designed to help persons with an interest in the fields of Chemistry and Information to pursue graduate study in Library, Information, or Computer Science.
$1,500 award
Application deadline: February 1

Atla Diversity Scholarship

Provides scholarship to a student from an underrepresented population with an open willingness to explore the possibility of a vocation in library information science and religious studies and/or theology.
Also includes the option of a travel grant to attend Atla Annual.
$4,000 award
Application deadline: May 31

American Association of Law Libraries Scholarship Programs

Assistance for individuals studying to become law librarians as either a library or law school student, or to library school graduates seeking an advanced degree in a related field.
Application deadline: May 1

ALA Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services Bernard Vavrek Scholarship

Awarded annually to a student who is currently enrolled and has completed at least one semester in a Library and/or Information Science graduate degree program, and who is interested in this particular field within the library profession.
$1,000 award
Application deadline: mid-July

Alaska Library Association School Library Media Specialist/School Librarian Jo Morse Scholarship

Provides funding to an Alaskan resident pursuing graduate studies leading to a library media specialist/school librarian certificate, and encourages graduates to return to Alaska to work in professional school library positions.
$4,000 award
Application deadline: January 15

Medical Library Association Scholarship

Awarded annually to a student who shows excellence in scholarship and potential for accomplishment in health sciences librarianship.
Also includes a one-year membership to MLA and registration to annual conference.
up to $5,000 award
Application deadline: December 1

Medical Library Association Scholarship for Underrepresented Students

Awarded annually to a student who shows excellence in scholarship and potential for accomplishment in health sciences librarianship.
Also includes a one-year membership to MLA and registration to annual conference.
up to $5,000 award
Application deadline: December 1

Internship Support

ARLIS/NA Wolfgang M. Freitag Internship Award

Provides support for students preparing for art or architecture librarianship or visual resources curatorship.
Also includes a one-year membership in ARLIS/NA.
$3,000 award
Application deadline: December 13

Visual Resources Association Foundation Internship Award

Provides financial support for graduate students preparing for a career in visual resources and image management. The award supports a period of internship in archives, libraries, museums, visual resources collections in academic institutions, or other appropriate contexts.
Also includes a one year membership in the VRA.
$3,000 award
Additional $1,000 award for conference attendance or attendance at the Summer Educational Institute
Application deadline: July 24

The Association of Dress Historians Madeleine Ginsburg Grant

Funds for a student who is undergoing an unpaid, voluntary role in a museum or archive that specifically focuses on dress or textiles. The student’s voluntary work must not form part of their study, ie, is not supported by their university.
£300 award

Professional Development Funding

Visual Resources Association Foundation Professional Development Grant

Supports professional development in the field of visual resources and cultural heritage information management. The grant can be used to participate in a professional development opportunity of the grantee’s choosing.
$500 award

Beta Phi Mu Frank B. Sessa Scholarships for Continuing Professional Education

Support for Beta Phi Mu members in pursuing continuing professional education in LIS, archival studies, or other approved information-related studies.
$150 award
Application deadline: March and September

Nassau County Library Association Education Grant

Reimburses recipients for tuition and/or costs for library related conferences that will not be reimbursed by a library or any other agency.
up to $500 award
Application deadline: October 1

Conference Specific Funding

SAA Donald Peterson Student Travel Award

Supports students and recent graduates from graduate archival programs within North America to attend SAA’s Annual Meeting.
up to $1,500 award in support of registration, travel, and accommodation expenses
Application deadline: February 28

SAA Oliver Wendell Holmes Travel Award

Enables international archivists, who are currently training or studying in the United States or Canada, to augment their experience by traveling to the Annual Meeting of the Society of American Archivists.
$1,000 award
Application deadline: February 28

SAA Harold T. Pinkett Student of Color Award

recognizes and acknowledges graduate students of color who, through scholastic and personal achievement, manifest an interest in becoming professional archivists and active members of the Society of American Archivists.
Covers full registration and related expenses for hotel and travel.
Application deadline: February 28

AMIA Travel Grants

help defray costs and encourage attendance for those who might not otherwise be able to attend the annual Conference.
Covers up to $1,000 towards travel.

ARLIS/NA Student Conference Attendance Award

Encourages participation in ARLIS/NA by assisting students considering a career in art librarianship or visual resources to attend the annual ARLIS/NA conference.
Application deadline: April

ARCL Rare Books and Manuscripts Section Conference Scholarships

Encourages conference attendance by students; introduces attendees to RBMS and ACRL with the aim of promoting participation; and fosters greater diversity in RBMS and the profession.
Waiver of the conference registration fee plus a travel stipend.
Application deadline: January

NYLA Youth Services Section Spring Conference Scholarships

Encourages continuing education in the field of library youth services by participating in the annual YSS Spring Conference.
up to $250 reimbursement for hotel charges, meals, and transportation costs
Application deadline: February 1

Visual Resources Association Travel Awards

Awarded to assist member attendance at the VRA Annual Conference.
$250-$800 award as reimbursement

Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference Scholarships

Supports attendance and participation at the MARAC conferences held twice a year.
Funds may be used for conference registration, workshops, lodging, conference meals, and other travel expenses.
$250-$400 awards for conference attendance

Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Diversity and Inclusion Session Scholarship

Promotes themes of diversity & inclusion and social justice at MARAC conferences and is awarded to the presenters of a session dedicated to topics of inclusion and diversity within the profession.
$1,200 award for travel, hotel and conference attendance

Asian/Pacific Islander American Libraries Association Travel Grant

Provides assistance for APALA members’ attendance at ALA Annual Meetings.
$250 award
Application deadline: March 14

NASIG John Riddick Student Grant

Encourages participation in the information supply chain by students who are interested in pursuing some aspect of information resource management.
Covers conference registration and one year’s membership in NASIG
Application deadline: March

American Indian Library Association Travel Grant Scholarship

Provides financial assistance to library professionals currently working in a tribal library of any kind to attend the ALA Annual Conference.
$1,200 award for registration and travel expenses

Librarians, Archivists, and Museum Professionals in the History of the Health Sciences Travel Scholarships

Supports attendance at the LAMPHHS Annual Meeting.
$300-$500 award for travel
Application deadline: February 28

Seminar on the Acquisition of Latin American Library Materials Conference Attendance Scholarship

Encourages professional and leadership development in Latin American, Caribbean, and Iberian studies academic librarianship and recognizes the academic work of promising master’s candidates enrolled in an ALA accredited (or equivalent) library, information or archival studies program. Recipients are invited to attend the SALALM annual conference.
Includes a one-year membership in the organization.
$1,000 award
Application deadline: March 23

Atla Annual Conference Grant

Grant recipients will receive a coupon to apply toward full conference registration.
$75 award
Application deadline: May 14

Workshop Specific Funding

Summer Educational Institute for Digital Stewardship of Visual Information Scholarships

Recipients will receive complimentary registration to SEI, which presents an overview of the digital life cycle in a broad range of topics.
Application deadline: March

Rare Book School Scholarships

Supports participation at Rare Book School, which provides innovative and outstanding educational opportunities to study the history, care, and use of written, printed, and digital materials.
Scholarships are awarded without reference to admission to any particular course.
Application deadline: November 1

Center for Book Arts Nancy Norton Tomasko Scholarship

Provides financial support for individuals wishing to learn more about the book arts. Award scholarships covers the full tuition and materials for one course per individual.
Application deadline: at least 3 weeks before the start date of the workshop

Publication, Project, or Research Funding

ARLIS/NA Gerd Muehsam Award

Annual recognition for an outstanding graduate student paper or project relevant to art librarianship.
Also includes a one-year membership to ARLIS/NA.
$500 award
Application deadline: December 13

ALA Carnegie-Whitney Grant

Provides grants for the preparation of popular or scholarly reading lists, webliographies, indexes and other guides to library resources that will be useful to users of all types of libraries in the United States.
up to $5,000 award
Application deadline: November 5

Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference C. Herbert Finch Online Publication Award

Honors online publications, including virtual exhibitions, web sites and web pages devoted to the promotion and use of archival materials, created by individuals or institutions in the MARAC region.
$250 award
Application deadline: July 31

Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference Finding Aids Award

Recognizes outstanding achievement in the preparation of finding aids by institutions within the MARAC region.
$500 award
Application deadline: December 31

Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference Arline Custer Memorial Award

Recognizes the best books and articles written or compiled by individuals and institutions in the MARAC region.
$100-$200 award
Application deadline: July 31

Laura Bassi Scholarship

Provides editorial assistance to postgraduates and junior academics whose research focuses on neglected topics of study, broadly construed, within their disciplines.
$750 award for master’s candidates
Application deadlines: November 27, March 31, July 31

Association of Jewish Libraries Judaica Reference Award

Encourages the publication of outstanding Judaica reference materials.

Medical Library Association Eugene Garfield Research Fellowship

Supports research in the discoverability and dissemination of information, particularly in the health sciences. The research may incorporate topics such as informatics, expert searching, systematic reviews, critical appraisal, scholarly communication, data science, reference management, or other areas focused on ways to improve discoverability and dissemination of information.
$5,000 award
Application deadline: December 1

Other Funding Opportunities

AAUW Career Development Grants

Provides funding to women who hold a bachelor’s degree and are preparing to advance or change careers or re-enter the workforce in education, health and medical sciences, or social sciences.
$2,000–$12,000 award
Application deadline: November 15

Critical Language Scholarship Program

An intensive overseas language and cultural immersion program for American students enrolled at U.S. colleges and universities. The program includes intensive language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences designed to promote rapid language gains.
The CLS Program covers most of the costs of participating in its overseas institutes.