“I was so honored to be chosen as one of the scholars in the Writers’ Program. I’ve never been in classes with such writing talent, and with people with such ability to articulate helpful feedback.”

– Jessie Lanoil, 2012-2013 Scholarship Recipient

It’s that time of year again: air conditioning units rumble to life after months of disuse, short-shorts start appearing, and scholarship applications begin pouring into the Writers’ Program’s office. Don’t let another deadline pass you by—read on for all the information you’ll need on how to qualify and apply for the 2013-2014 scholarship.

First off is the “what”: the Writers’ Program scholarship provides up to 10 deserving students (based on need and merit) with 3 creative writing or screenwriting classes, over the course of four quarters (fall 2013-summer 2014). If awarded, you can choose to take these classes online, onsite, or in any combination. (Master classes, the Writers’ Studio, mentorships, and manuscript consultations excluded.)

Who can apply for the scholarship? All applicants must first meet our financial parameters–a gross income not to exceed $2500 a month per individual. (For households with more than one individual, add 10% for each additional person.) You must also be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen with a green card to apply. Click here to see a full list of eligibility requirements.

The scholarship application also requires short responses to two essay questions and two letters of recommendation. Which brings us to “how.” Once we’ve verified that students meet the eligibility requirements, we look for students who meet a variety of criteria. We strive to promote diversity in our selections, as well as find students who are not only deserving, but demonstrate—through their essays and recommendation letters—how the scholarship will help them reach their short- or long-term writing goals. The more specific you can be about how the scholarship will help you reach your goals, the better.

We recommend a careful read through of the application and checklist to make sure you meet all the criteria and have gathered all relevant material. There is also a $10 application fee which can be paid online.

The application deadline is Friday, June 28th at 5pm.

If you have any questions about financial requirements or paperwork, please contact the Financial Aid Office directly at finaid@uclaextension.edu or 310-825-4246. For other scholarship questions, please contact Katy Flaherty at kflaherty@uclaextension.edu or 310-206-0951.

Katy Flaherty is the Program Representative for Creative Writing (Onsite). Write to her at kflaherty@uclaextension.edu.

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