Scholarships
The Meyerhoff Center for Jewish Studies and the Gildenhorn Institute for Israel Studies are pleased to support undergraduate study through a variety of scholarship funds and prizes.
JWST Majors and Minors
The Meyerhoff Program and Center is privileged to have several sources of scholarship funding available to our students. Although restrictions apply, scholarships can be used internally at Maryland or at fully accredited study abroad programs.
Major and minor scholarships
Meyerhoff Center minors and majors in their first year of enrollment in the program are eligible to apply for one of five $2,000 scholarships to advance their studies.
Meyerhoff Center majors in their third year are eligible to apply for one of three $4,500 scholarships.
These scholarships may also be applied to accredited study abroad and other academic programs.
Visit Scholarship Universe or contact jwst-contact@umd.edu.
Harlan and Sally Weisman Scholarships in STEM and Jewish Studies
Pursuing a degree in a STEM field along with your Meyerhoff or Gildenhorn major or minor? You are eligible to apply for the newly established Harlan and Sally Weisman Scholarships in STEM and Jewish Studies. Up to two $1,000 Weisman scholarships will be awarded each spring semester. Visit Scholarship Universe or contact jwst-contact@umd.edu.
Charlotte Brozer Shapiro Prize for Excellence in JWST and WMST Research
Your academic work may be eligible for the newly-established Charlotte Brozer Shapiro paper prize!
The Meyerhoff Center for Jewish Studies will award up to four paper prizes of $500 by mid-June, for papers that meet the criteria for excellent scholarly research at the intersection of Jewish Studies and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at the undergraduate level. Please visit Scholarship Universe or contact jwst-advise@umd.edu.
Please Note: These funds are for students enrolled at the University of Maryland and may not be used for pre-university gap years.
Israel Studies Minors
The Joseph and Alma Gildenhorn Institute for Israel Studies (GIIS) is grateful to Michael and Catherine Gildenhorn and Carol and Michael Winer for their generosity in creating an annual scholarship for an outstanding UMD student pursuing a minor in Israel studies. This merit-based scholarship of $2,000 will be awarded as follows.
Eligibility
- All applicants must be registered as UMD undergraduates and Israel studies (ISRL) minors at the time they apply.
- All applicants must have taken at least two ISRL courses at the time of application and completed at least one. Any courses not taken at UMD must have been accepted for UMD credit.
- All courses cross-listed with ISRL may be included, even if the student was registered through another department, since they fulfill the requirements for completing the Israel Studies minor.
Award
- The scholarship will be awarded to a student in the Israel studies minor program.
- The award will be based on academic excellence and will be determined by members of the GIIS faculty and their designees, who may be affiliated with the Meyerhoff Center for Jewish Studies.
- A student who has won the scholarship may not be selected again.
- Winning students agree that their names will be published on the GIIS website and social media pages, and that they will also attend a presentation ceremony.
- Winning students agree that they will complete their minor in Israel Studies.
Please contact israelstudies-contact@umd.edu, or visit Scholarship Universe.
For other students
The Meyerhoff Center and Gildenhorn Institute have limited funds available to support study abroad or specialized language study at fully accredited programs. While preference is given to majors and minors other students are encouraged to apply.
Please visit Scholarship Universe or contact jwst-contact@umd.edu.
Other Scholarship Sources
National Scholarships Office
The University of Maryland maintains staff whose goal is to help students find and win national scholarships. For more information, please visit the National Scholarship Office’s website at scholarships.umd.edu.
According to the NSO’s website, “National scholarships are highly competitive, prestigious awards that provide support for a wide range of enriching experience, including study abroad, graduate study, federal employment, language learning, teaching, research, and public service.” Many of these experiences probably appeal to JWST’s students and we encourage them to contact the NSO for relevant scholarship opportunities.
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
Although the Office of Undergraduate Admissions caters to incoming students, its webpage for scholarships contains useful information and links for all students. Please visit the webpage at https://www.admissions.umd.edu/finance/freshman-merit-scholarships for more information.
The Office of Undergraduate Admission also offers information on scholarships for transfer students: https://www.admissions.umd.edu/finance/transfer-merit-scholarships.
The College of Arts and Humanities
Jewish studies is a part of the university’s College of Arts and Humanities (ARHU). ARHU, too, offers scholarship opportunities. Please visit ARHU’s scholarship webpage at https://arhu.umd.edu/academicsundergraduate-studies/scholarships-academic-honors for more information.
Please note that there are many other sources for scholarships, especially for students of Jewish studies. Local Jewish communities may offer some, for example, and others can be found by searching online.