Undergraduate Scholarships, Grants and Awards

The 2024-2025 application deadline is Sunday, February 16, 2025 at 11:59 pm.

This annual award is designed to recognize critical and scholarly writing by undergraduates enrolled in upper-level courses offered by the Department of English at The Ohio State University. The winner of this award will receive a $500 scholarship, and they will be recognized at the English department’s annual awards ceremony in April. 

Eligibility

• All critical or scholarly essays must come from a Department of English undergraduate course at the 3000-level or higher.
• Submissions must come from courses taken in the past year: Autumn 2024, Summer 2024 or Spring 2024.  
• Students must have been enrolled as undergraduate students at Ohio State during the semester in which the essay was completed. 
• All majors are welcome to apply. 
• Students may only submit one essay.  

Application requirements

Students must complete this online application form and upload their essay as a Word document or PDF.

Important Note: Do not include your name, your professor's name, or the course title/number on the essay/project. Only include the essay/project title. Please name the file “[Your Last Name], [Your First Name] Reiter Prize" - the file name will be changed and anonymized during application sorting prior to review. 

Questions?

If you have any questions about this award, please contact Dr. Elizabeth Falter (falter.44@osu.edu).

The 2024-2025 application deadline is Sunday, February 16, 2025 at 11:59 pm.

The Genevieve M. Critel Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Composition honors outstanding writers and the compositions they create within English classes at Ohio State. Named posthumously for Dr. Genevieve Critel, whose dedication to undergraduate education and writing instruction was the basis for her scholarship and teaching, this award recognizes excellence in the areas of study in which Dr. Critel specialized: composition studies (i.e. the study of writing and writing instruction); digital media studies and digital literacy practices; professional and technical communication; and writing center theory and practice. The winner(s) of this award will receive a $300 scholarship,* and they will be recognized at the English department’s annual awards ceremony in April.

*Note that any group compositions will receive one $300 scholarship that will be equally divided among the group's members. 

Eligibility

Application requirements

Questions?

If you have any questions about this award, please contact Dr. Elizabeth Falter (falter.44@osu.edu).

The EXTENDED 2023-2024 application deadline is Monday, February 26, 2024 at 11:59 pm

The Digital Media Prize for Outstanding Undergraduate Work recognizes outstanding student digital media projects completed in undergraduate courses in the Department of English. Four Digital Media Prizes, each of which comes with a $100 scholarship,* will be awarded at the departmental awards ceremony in April.

* Note that any group submissions will receive one $100 scholarship that will be equally divided among the group's members.

Eligibility

• All submissions must come from a Department of English undergraduate course
• Submissions must come from courses taken in the past year: Autumn 2023, Summer 2023 or Spring 2023. 
• Additionally, all work submitted must meet at least one of the following criteria:
  • Must be constructed from original materials
  • Must be constructed from materials for which permission has been granted
  • Must be constructed from materials that were used appropriately according to Creative Commons or similar licensing
  • Must be constructed from materials found in the public domain
  • Must be a clearly defined parody of an already existing text
  • Must be constructed from a combination of the above materials
  • Note: Any use of material created by others must explicitly acknowledge the source of the materials and conditions of its use (e.g., permission, license, fair use or public domain) in a manner appropriate to the medium (e.g., spoken credits at the end of an audio piece, on-screen credits at the end of a video piece). Material created by others MUST be public domain, fall under fair use, or be material for which the submitter has permission or license. Simply citing the material does not mean that it falls under one of these categories.

Application requirements

Students must submit:

• A project in a deliverable digital format (e.g. .jpg, .mp3, .mov, .html, URL, etc.)
• A one-page cover letter explaining:
  • The course for which the assignment was completed
  • The assignment itself
  • How the project responds successfully to that assignment
• An online application form

Questions?

If you have any questions about this award, please contact Mike Bierschenk (.1)

The 2024-2025 application deadline is Sunday, February 16, 2025 at 11:59 pm.

The English Prize for Best Scholarship on Social Justice is given to the best academic paper or multi-modal project produced in a Department of English undergraduate course in the past year. Submissions should demonstrate a critical engagement with issues of diversity, justice, and/or equity in their study of literature, rhetoric, narrative, or folklore. Projects may take the form of written essay, digital essay, creative work, or any other mode of scholarly or creative expression. The winner of this award will receive a $100 honorarium, and they will be recognized at the English department’s annual awards ceremony in April. 

Eligibility

Application requirements

Questions?

If you have any questions about this award, please contact Dr. Elizabeth Falter (falter.44@osu.edu).

The 2024-2025 application deadline is Sunday, February 16, 2025 at 11:59 pm.

The Lord Denney’s Players Shakespeare Prizes recognize critical and scholarly writing by undergraduates enrolled in introductory and advanced Shakespeare courses in the English department. The winners of these awards will each receive a $200 scholarship, and they will be recognized at the English department’s annual awards ceremony in April. 

Eligibility: Introductory Shakespeare Award

• The critical or scholarly essay on Shakespeare must have been written for English 2220, 2220H or 2221.
• Submissions must come from courses taken in the past year: Autumn 2023, Summer 2023 or Spring 2023. 
• Students must have been enrolled as undergraduate students at Ohio State during the semester in which the composition was completed.
• All majors are welcome to apply.
• Students may only submit one essay. 

Eligibility: Advanced Shakespeare Award

• The critical or scholarly essay on Shakespeare must have been written for English 4520.01, 4520.02, 3398 or any other 3000-level-or-above English course.
• Submissions must come from courses taken in the past year: Autumn 2024, Summer 2024 or Spring 2024.    
• Students must have been enrolled as undergraduate students at Ohio State during the semester in which the composition was completed.
• All majors are welcome to apply.
• Students may only submit one essay. 

Application requirements

Questions?

If you have any questions about this award, please contact Dr. Elizabeth Falter (falter.44@osu.edu)

Named in honor of Ohio State Emeritus English Professor David Frantz, this annual award recognizes the most outstanding thesis completed by an English major during the previous three semesters. The writer of the winning thesis receives $500, and they are recognized at the English department’s annual awards ceremony in April.

Selection process

The Undergraduate Studies Committee collects copies of all theses written by English majors during the previous three semesters. Copies are typically retrieved from the university's Knowledge Bank.

Questions?

If you have any questions about this award, please contact Dr. Elizabeth Falter (falter.44@osu.edu)

The 2024-2025 application deadline is Sunday, February 16, 2025 at 11:59 pm.

This scholarship recognizes an excellent English major who demonstrates financial need. Preference is given to students who graduated from high schools in the Appalachia region and students who are first-generation college students, students who have overcome substantial educational or economic obstacles, or students who have experience living or working in diverse environments. The recipient of this award is recognized at the English Department’s annual awards ceremony in April and receives a $2250 scholarship.

Eligibility

Applicants must be English majors at The Ohio State University who demonstrate financial need.

Application requirements

There are two elements of this application process:

• Students must complete this online application form and include a personal statement (750 words, maximum) answering the following prompts: Why did you decide to become an English major? Which courses, texts, concepts, and/or methodologies in English studies have most interested you and why? What kind of critical or creative work have you done in the major, and why is it meaningful to you?
  • Please upload the statement as a pdf or Word doc with the file name “[Your Last Name], [Your First Name] Hairston Statement."

*Since preference for this award is given to is given to students who graduated from high schools in the Appalachia region; students who are first-generation college students; students who have overcome substantial educational or economic obstacles; and students who have experience living or working in diverse environments, please explain how any or all of these categories apply to you in your statement. They may be discussed in a prefatory paragraph to your statement, or they may be woven into your larger statement.

• A recommendation from a course instructor (500 words maximum, assessing the student's written expression; oral expression; class and/or extracurricular engagement and participation; originality of thought and analysis; seriousness as a student; and work ethic). Please ask your recommender to complete this form here.

Questions?

If you have any questions about this award, please contact Dr. Elizabeth Falter (falter.44@osu.edu)

The 2024-2025 application deadline is Sunday, February 16, 2025 at 11:59 pm. 

The Robert N. and Sharon S. Gandee Endowed Scholarship is awarded to a junior or senior English major with a declared Pre-Education concentration who is a graduate of public high school, who demonstrates financial need, and who demonstrates leadership abilities. The recipient of this award is recognized at the English Department’s annual awards ceremony in April and receives a $1000 scholarship.

Eligibility

Applicants must be English majors with a declared concentration in Pre-Education at The Ohio State University who graduated from a public high school and who demonstrate financial need.

Application requirements

Students must complete this online application form and include the following:

• A personal statement (750 words, maximum) answering the following prompts: Why did you decide to major in English and concentrate in Pre-Education? Which experiences in the English major (courses, texts, critical/creative work, etc.) have been most central to your time at Ohio State?
  • Please upload the statement as a pdf or Word doc with the file name “[Your Last Name], [Your First Name] Hairston Statement."
• A resume that highlights your leadership experience.
  • Please upload it as a pdf or Word doc with the file name “[Your Last Name], [Your First Name] Gandee Resume."

Questions?

If you have any questions about this award, please contact Dr. Elizabeth Falter (falter.44@osu.edu)

The 2024-2025 application deadline is Sunday, February 16, 2025 at 11:59 pm.

The Rosemarie Sena Scholarship for Excellence in English Studies is designed to recognize and encourage excellence in English studies at the undergraduate level. The winner of this award receives a $1500 scholarship, and they will be recognized at the English department’s annual awards ceremony in April.

Eligibility

Applicants must be English majors at The Ohio State University.

Application requirements

There are two elements of this application process:

• Students must complete this online application form and include a personal statement (750 words, maximum) answering the following prompts: What does being an English major mean to you? Specifically, which courses, texts, concepts, and/or methodologies in English studies have most interested you and why? What kind of critical or creative work have you done in the major, and why is it meaningful to you?
  • Please upload the statement as a pdf or Word doc with the file name “[Your Last Name], [Your First Name] Sena Statement."
• A recommendation from a course instructor (500 words maximum, assessing the student's written expression; oral expression; class and/or extracurricular engagement and participation; originality of thought and analysis; seriousness as a student; and work ethic). Please ask your recommender to complete this form here.

Questions?

If you have any questions about this award, please contact Dr. Elizabeth Falter (falter.44@osu.edu)

The 2024-2025 application deadline is Sunday, February 16, 2025 at 11:59 pm.

The Virginia Hull Diversity and Inclusion Award is given annually to an English major who has demonstrated resilience in overcoming educational, socio-economic, or personal barriers. Your application essay should explain the challenges you have overcome and describe the ways in which your academic and/or extracurricular work contribute to the excellence of the department and university. The recipient of this award will receive an invitation to the English department’s annual awards ceremony in April and a $2,000 scholarship. This award opportunity is available to all English majors without respect to race or ethnicity.

Eligibility

This award is open to all English majors who are not graduating in the semester in which the award is given.

Application requirements

• Students must complete this online application form and upload an essay of no longer than 750 words explaining how your achievements and efforts qualify you for this award.
  • Please upload the statement as a pdf or Word doc with the file name “[Your Last Name], [Your First Name] Hull Statement."

Questions?

If you have any questions about this award, please contact Dr. Elizabeth Falter (falter.44@osu.edu)

This award is named in honor of Joseph Villiers Denney, who was a distinguished teacher, scholar and administrator at Ohio State during the early part of the 20th century. This award recognizes the most outstanding senior English major scheduled to graduate during the current academic year. The winner of this award receives $500, and they will be recognized at the department's annual awards ceremony in April.

Selection process

Department of English faculty members nominate graduating senior English majors whom they feel are most deserving of this award.

Questions?

If you have any questions about this award, please contact Dr. Elizabeth Falter (falter.44@osu.edu)

About Joseph Denney

Joseph Denney was the first chair of the Department of Rhetoric and Literature, which later became the Department of English, and he served as dean of what was then known as the College of the Arts, Philosophy and Science from 1901–1921. Denney also was involved in establishing the undergraduate curriculum and the graduate school. The Department of English is still housed in Denney Hall today.

The 2024-2025 application deadline is Sunday, February 16, 2025, at 11:59 pm.

The R.L. Stine Scholarship is a scholarship for Ohio State undergraduate English majors who have demonstrated a serious interest in creative writing. This $13,000 scholarship may be used for tuition and fees, room and board, and other educational expenses. The recipient of this award will also be recognized at the English Department’s annual awards ceremony in April.

This scholarship has been generously provided by author R.L. Stine, an Ohio State English alumnus (BA, 1965) and award-winning author of children's horror stories including the famous Goosebumps series.

Eligibility

Applicants must be English majors who have completed at least one 4000-level creative writing workshop in the Ohio State Department of English. Preference will be given to students entering their junior or senior year who have demonstrated a serious interest in creative writing. Students graduating in Spring 2024 are not eligible for this competition, nor are students who have previously been awarded the Stine Scholarship. No story, poem or nonfiction piece may be used to apply for more than one creative writing award; you may apply for as many creative writing awards as you like, as long as you submit different work to each.

Application requirements

Students must complete an online application form and upload a Word or PDF document containing the following:

• A list of all creative writing courses taken at Ohio State.
• A writing sample in the genre(s) of the student’s choice—poetry, fiction and/or creative nonfiction—of no fewer than 15 and no more than 40 pages.

All writing samples should remain anonymous, so please do not put your name on this document.

Questions?

If you have any questions about this award, please contact Tess Cumpstone at cwMFA@osu.edu

The 2024-2025 application deadline is Sunday, February 16, 2025, at 11:59 pm.

This award honors the best short story by an undergraduate. First place $700, second place $350, third place $175.

Creative writing awards guidelines 

Students must complete an online application form and upload a Word or PDF document containing their writing sample.

• Do not put your name on the pages of your entries.
• No story, poem or nonfiction piece may be entered in more than one contest. Only one submission per contest is permitted. Entrants must specify the contest for which they wish their work to be considered. You may enter as many contests as you like, as long as you submit different work to each. 
• NOTE: Graduate students enrolled in undergraduate classes are not eligible for any of the undergraduate prizes but are eligible for prizes available to both graduate and undergraduate students.
• These contests are open only to Ohio State students enrolled in a degree-granting program.

Questions?

If you have any questions about this award, please email cwMFA@osu.edu.

The 2024-2025 application deadline is Sunday, February 16, 2025, at 11:59 pm.

This award honors the best piece of creative writing (any genre) by an undergraduate. First place $900, second place $450, third place $225.

Creative writing awards guidelines 

Students must complete an online application form and upload a Word or PDF document containing their writing sample.

• Do not put your name on the pages of your entries.
• No story, poem or nonfiction piece may be entered in more than one contest. Only one submission per contest is permitted. Entrants must specify the contest for which they wish their work to be considered. You may enter as many contests as you like, as long as you submit different work to each. 
• NOTE: Graduate students enrolled in undergraduate classes are not eligible for any of the undergraduate prizes but are eligible for prizes available to both graduate and undergraduate students.
• These contests are open only to Ohio State students enrolled in a degree-granting program.

Questions?

If you have any questions about this award, please email cwMFA@osu.edu.

The 2024-2025 application deadline is Sunday, February 16, 2025, at 11:59 pm.

$1,000 (first place) and $500 (second place) for the best groups of poems by an undergraduate and graduate student, not to exceed 10 pages. First and second places will be awarded to both undergraduate and graduate students. This contest is open to students enrolled in the Ohio State University. Undergraduate applicants must be English majors, and graduate applicants must be enrolled in the MFA in Creative Writing Program.

Creative writing awards guidelines 

Students must complete an online application form and upload a Word or PDF document containing their writing sample.

• If entering a contest for which multiple poems or stories are being considered together (i.e. up to 10 poems, a collection of stories, a body of work, etc.), please upload all pieces together in one attachment. In other words, do not attach 10 separate files for 10 separate poems that are being submitted to the same contest.
• Do not put your name on the pages of your entries.
• No story, poem or nonfiction piece may be entered in more than one contest. Only one submission per contest is permitted. Entrants must specify the contest for which they wish their work to be considered. You may enter as many contests as you like, as long as you submit different work to each. 
• NOTE: Graduate students enrolled in undergraduate classes are not eligible for any of the undergraduate prizes but are eligible for prizes available to both graduate and undergraduate students.
• These contests are open only to Ohio State students enrolled in a degree-granting program.

Questions?

If you have any questions about this award, please email cwMFA@osu.edu.

The 2024-2025 application deadline is Sunday, February 16, 2025, at 11:59 pm.

This $100 award, also called the Arthur Rense Prize, honors the best poem or group of no more than three poems. Submissions are open to graduate and undergraduate students. 

Creative writing awards guidelines 

Students must complete an online application form and upload a Word or PDF document containing their writing sample.

• If entering a contest for which multiple poems or stories are being considered together (i.e. up to 10 poems, a collection of stories, a body of work, etc.), please upload all pieces together in one attachment. In other words, do not attach 10 separate files for 10 separate poems that are being submitted to the same contest.
• Do not put your name on the pages of your entries.
• No story, poem or nonfiction piece may be entered in more than one contest. Only one submission per contest is permitted. Entrants must specify the contest for which they wish their work to be considered. You may enter as many contests as you like, as long as you submit different work to each. 
• NOTE: Graduate students enrolled in undergraduate classes are not eligible for any of the undergraduate prizes but are eligible for prizes available to both graduate and undergraduate students.
• These contests are open only to Ohio State students enrolled in a degree-granting program.

Questions?

If you have any questions about this award, please email cwMFA@osu.edu.

The 2025-2026 application deadline is Sunday, February 23, 2025 at 11:59 p.m.

The Chen Ya and Siuha Anita Liu Award for Professional Writing supports a student minoring in professional writing and majoring in a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) field. The recipient receives a $4500 scholarship and is selected based on academic excellence, professional writing abilities, and depth of connection between the Minor in Professional Writing and STEM career goals. Preference will be given to students who demonstrate financial need. Recipients may be reconsidered for scholarship renewal with reapplication. 

Eligibility

Students are eligible if:

• They have declared a Minor in Professional Writing.
• By the end of the term when they apply, they will have completed 3 of the 5 required courses toward the Minor. (Required course options: any 2367, Electives A and B, and English 4150.)
• They will be enrolled during the following academic year after the application deadline and will complete the internship capstone (English 4189) Fall or Spring in that timeframe.

Application requirements

Students must complete an online application form and upload a Word or PDF document containing the following:

1. Resume
   • A one-page writing-focused resume that highlights the writing achievements you’ve made through jobs, internships, activities, and/or coursework.
2. Writing Sample
   • 1 writing sample, ideally fewer than 500 words (though it may extend up to 800 words), that showcases your skills in producing clear, clean copy, with the appropriate tone and style suited to the audience and context. This sample is ideally an example of professional writing, but it may also be a portion of a longer academic paper.
3. Personal Statement
   • 500-750-word personal statement that addresses the connection between professional writing, your major in a STEM field and your post-graduation career goals in a STEM field. You should use these 3 prompts as guides:
     • Discuss why you chose the Minor in Professional Writing and how you have encountered the need for writing skills in your STEM field major courses.
     • Describe the STEM career path you intend to pursue, and explain how completing the Minor in Professional writing (including the writing-focused capstone internship) will help you to advance in that career path after you graduate.
     • Include include one paragraph introducing your writing sample and considering the following questions: What is the genre of this piece? The purpose? The audience? What context would it appear in to reach an audience? (For instance, even if you wrote a magazine feature article for a course, the hypothetical real-world context would be publication in a magazine that has a particular topic/focus.) What particular writing skills does the piece showcase? If you wrote the piece for a course, name the course, and if you completed it as part of a group project, address what role you played in the collaboration.

Questions?

If you have any questions about this award, please contact Yanar Hashlamon (.1).

The Arnold and Frances Shapiro International Scholarship was established by the late Arnie Shapiro, professor of English at The Ohio State University from 1962-1991, and his wife, Fran, to help English majors and minors study abroad through the department's study abroad programs. Individual awards are available up to $1,000, and scholarship recipients will be recognized at the English department’s annual spring awards ceremony in April.

Eligibility

• Applicants must be participating in either English 4400: Literary Locations or the four-week English 4450: Literature and Culture of London summer program held during May. More information about these programs can be found here.
• Applicants must be current undergraduate students majoring in English or minoring in creative writing, critical and cultural theory, disability studies, English, medical humanities, popular culture, game studies, and/or professional writing.

Application requirements

Eligible students will be contacted about this scholarship and about the deadline. To apply, students will complete an online application form and upload a statement (Word document or PDF file) of 500 words or fewer that addresses why your chosen study abroad program is important to you; how you expect to benefit from the experience; and how the award will help you financially afford to participate in the program.

Questions?

If you have any questions about this award, please contact english@osu.edu.

The English Undergraduate Studies Committee accepts applications on a rolling basis from undergraduate English majors who 1) Plan to work on a thesis project and who want funding to support their thesis work, or 2) Who need funding to enrich their undergraduate research experience, such as travel money to a research library or to present a paper at a conference. Students may apply for up to $1,000 to fund their projects.

Application requirements

To be considered for funding, students will need to complete this online application form and upload the following materials:

• A description of the proposed research project and when it will be undertaken (500-word maximum).
• A detailed explanation as to why and for what the student is seeking funding, including an itemized list of proposed expenses.

They will also need a statement of support from the student's thesis advisor or from a relevant faculty member who can speak to the student’s research ability and the value of the proposed project (500 words maximum). Applicants should request that their recommender submit their statement here.

Funding will be awarded on a competitive basis; please allow two weeks for the review of your application.

Questions?

If you have any questions about this award, please contact english@osu.edu.

Applications for this award are accepted on a rolling basis

If you have an unexpected financial emergency, the Department of English accepts applications on a rolling basis from meritorious undergraduate English majors who run up against an unanticipated, education-related expense. Students may apply for up to $1,000 to help them continue their enrollment at Ohio State.

To be considered for funding, students will need to complete this online form and upload the following materials:

• A description of the unanticipated, education-related expense (500-word maximum).
• A detailed explanation as to why and for what the student is seeking funding, including an itemized list of proposed expenses.

Funding will be awarded on a competitive basis and is dependent on monies available; please allow two weeks for the review of your application.

Questions?

If you have any questions about this award, please contact english@osu.edu.