ASPEN SUMMER WORDS
Scholarships

With the generous support of several patrons, every Aspen Summer Words participant is in part financially underwritten. This year, we are offering more scholarship opportunities than ever before, including some full-tuition scholarships. This is in addition to two outside sponsorship opportunities we promote, courtesy of Writers’ Conferences & Centers.

Scholarship Underwriters
Many thanks to the following individuals for their support of the Aspen Summer Words Writing Retreat. The 2008 scholarships have been underwritten by:

By invitation only:
   • Bedell Scholarship for Literature (Fiction or Poetry)

Open application:
   • Bedell Scholarship for Literature (Fiction or Poetry)
   • James Boyle Scholarship (Workshop for Young Writers)
   • Susan H. Horsey Scholarship (Advanced Fiction)
   • Gerri Karetsky Scholarship (Writing for Young Adults)
   • Shaw Family Scholarship (Fiction)
   • Vaughn Family Scholarship (Poetry)
   • Wyly Family Scholarship (Creative Nonfiction)

Guidelines for Submission
The Aspen Writers’ Foundation offers a limited number of scholarships on a competitive basis. All scholarships are based on merit and need. Most scholarships cover half-tuition. For particularly outstanding candidates, the Aspen Writers’ Foundation may elect to cover full tuition, at the discretion of the Aspen Summer Words Admissions Committee.

Scholarships are available to students of the juried workshops only. The symposia, classes and Literary Festival do not have scholarships.

The manuscript is by far the most important part of any application. No particular style of writing is required, but rather judging will be based on strong work that shows evidence of talent, promise and individuality.

Scholarship applications for Aspen Summer Words 2008 will be accepted online February 1 through April 1.

To apply for a scholarship, please submit both the Basic Application and a brief letter describing your financial circumstance and how this workshop will benefit you (both of which you may do through our online application process).

The $25 non-refundable reading fee and any tuition balance are the responsibility of the scholarship recipient. The reading fee is due at the time of application; any tuition balance is due upon acceptance to the workshop to secure both the scholarship and the workshop spot.

Writers’ Conferences & Centers Scholarships
Each year, the Writers’ Conferences & Centers, a nonprofit literary organization of which we are a member, offers two $500 scholarships for emerging writers of fiction or poetry who wish to attend a writers’ conference.

The deadline for application coincides with ours: March 30, 2008. The WC&C will notify its scholarship winners by May 15, 2008.

WC&C Guidelines for submission