ALA has general scholarships that are open to all applicants who have applied for admission to a formal program of library and information studies leading to a master's degree. ALA also has scholarships people from underrepresented groups, for library support staff, and scholarships for speciality or practice area. All ALA Scholarships can be applied for through the ALA Scholarship Program.
ALA General Scholarships include:
- David H. Clift - this general scholarship of $3,000 was named for a former director of the American Library Association.
- Christopher Hoy/ERT - this general scholarships of $5,000 was named for a long time ALA staff member who was Director of ALA Conference Services for over 20 years. This scholarship was established with donations from Christopher J. Hoy and the Exhibits Round Table (ERT) to honor his memory.
Applicants for ALA General Scholarships must be a U.S. or Canadian citizen or permanent resident; must attend an ALA accredited master's program; must not have completed more than 12 semester hours or one-third of the required semester hours towards MLS/MLIS/MIS prior to June 1 of the year awarded; and must submit a complete application.
Factors considered in making these awards include:
- academic excellence;
- leadership; and
- evidence of commitment to a career in librarianship.
Achievement in these areas may best be demonstrated by statements indicating the nature of library and other experience, by professional references, and by the personal statement included in the online application. PLEASE NOTE: for all general scholarships you will be asked to complete only one (1) personal statement during your online application. All ALA Scholarships can be applied for through the ALA Scholarship Program.
If you have questions or concerns, please contact the ALA Scholarship Clearinghouse at 1-800-545-2433 ext. 4279 or scholarships@ala.org.