BUWG Scholarship Application

The following describes the eligibility criteria and application requirements for BU Women’s Guild and BU Women’s Council awards. Learn more about the history of BUWG and BU Women’s Council awards.

Application Period:  The 2024 Application period closed on February 29, 2024.  The 2025 Application period will be open from January 15 – February 27, 2025.

Average Award:  Up to $5,000.

Award Criteria:  The BUWG awards a variety of scholarships with different criteria, including those available to women and those who identify as female and others, with preference to those who identify as female.

• Applicants will be considered for all award(s) they are eligible for:
  • BUWG awards for graduate students aged 30 years old or over by May 1 of the application year.
  • BU Women’s Council awards for graduate students of any age.
• These awards do not require U.S. citizenship.
• Students must be enrolled at least half-time (6 or more credits) OR certified full-time each semester to qualify for the award, per the Office of Financial Assistance.
• Eligible applicants must have completed at least one semester and be currently enrolled in a graduate program.
• Eligible applicants may not graduate before August of the application year.
• Awards may be used to pay expenses included in the Cost of Attendance, such as child care, tuition, production costs for thesis films, books, travel, and other research needs.
• Priority is based on academic excellence and/or (with a preference for) financial need.

A Note on Recommendations:

• Do NOT Wait to ask your recommenders for their support.  Give them the link, provided below, ASAP. 
• If you wait to apply for the application on or just before the deadline, they won’t have time to respond to the automatic notification. 
  • The automatic notification is a courtesy and should not take the place of your having a conversation with them in advance.
    
  • Sometimes the automatic email goes to spam/clutter/junk and they miss it. 
• The application and recommendation deadline is the same.  We cannot accept late submissions.

 Common Application Requirements:

1. A complete application form with a clear statement of need/use of the award (i.e. tuition, books/supplies, personal, and travel expenses), indicate if program is residential or online, and date of anticipated graduation (must be no earlier than August of the year of the award), and list 2-3 recommenders; when you submit your application the recommenders will be automatically notified by email which will provide the recommendation link and submission deadline.
2. One letter of recommendation is required from a BU faculty member.
3. A second letter of recommendation is required from a BU faculty member, work supervisor, or personal friend.
4. No more than three letters of recommendation will be accepted, from a BU faculty member, work supervisor, or personal friend.
5. BU transcript showing one semester enrollment and GPA.

Notification and Disbursement of Award:

• Recipients will be informed by early May.
• Awardees will be invited to the Annual Awards Lunch.
• Awards are disbursed to the awardee’s Student Account, usually in two equal installments in Fall and Spring.
• If the student has a credit, they may request a refund on the Student Link.