Quill and Scroll Scholarships

Quill and Scroll conducts three major competitions each year: Writing, Visual, Multimedia Contest

Currently enrolled students are invited to enter the Writing, Visual, Multimedia Contest. Sweepstakes winners receive a plaque. Individual winners receive are eligible to apply for a scholarship in their senior year. See last year’s winners here.

Yearbook Excellence Contest

Winners of the Quill and Scroll Yearbook Excellence Contest are eligible as seniors to apply for a scholarship.  Any member school is eligible to enter regardless of which company published the yearbook in any given year.

Private School Journalism Association

The PSJA Journalism Contest, co-sponsored by Quill and Scroll, seeks to honor the best journalism produced by private and independent school students. It is a “portfolio” contest, one that seeks not to reward single stories, but a pattern of excellence over the course of a year.

Applications for 2026 are open. Are you eligible?

National winners in Quill and Scroll contests  such as the Yearbook Excellence Contest, or the International Writing, Photography and Multimedia Contest and the Eye on Ivy Editorial Writing Contest – are eligible as seniors to apply for Quill and Scroll scholarships: the Edward J. Nell Memorial, or the George and Ophelia Gallup awards. The Richard P. Johns award is available to all Quill and Scroll seniors, including those who did not enter contests. The scholarships are awarded for the freshman year only and can be paid in two installments.

This year we awarded scholarships to three 2025 seniors.

The 2026 scholarship application will close May 8, 2026.

All scholarships can be used for tuition, room and board at any college or university. Recipients must major in journalism or a related area of communications. The scholarships are awarded for the freshman year only and are paid through the university or college bursar’s office.

Scholarships amounts can vary. The Quill and Scroll Scholarship Committee will determine the amounts based on the applicants’ qualifications and recommendations (See below).

Past winners have gone on to amazing careers in journalism.

What’s required in the online form?

Two letters of recommendation

• One from a journalism teacher/adviser, and
• One from a principal or counselor.

Recommenders should write a letter on official school or district letterhead, save it as a PDF and forward to the student to include in the online application form. IF YOUR SCHOOL OR DISTRICT DOESN’T ALLOW students to receive letters of recommendation, please send them to qscontests@studentpress.org. The letters should answer the following questions:

• Why does this student deserve to be awarded a Quill and Scroll Foundation Scholarship in Journalism?
• What are the student’s class rank, GPA, and ACT/SAT scores, if applicable?
• What other traits does this student possess that would convince the Q&S Scholarship Committee that this student will succeed as a college journalism student or journalist?
• What anecdote can you tell us to back up your assessment?

A personal statement of not more than 500 words

• The student applicant should address significant topics, including:
• Journalistic experience;
• Future plans;
• Activities;
• Honors;
• Volunteer service; or
• How college will be financed.

Three examples of journalistic work

These should provide insight into the applicant’s abilities and promise. Include links to stories, video, and/or photos published online. Include files of works published in professional and/or student publications.

A small color photo of the applicant

Please include a photo (preferably a headshot) of yourself. Make it a .jpg and not larger than 2 MB.