Scholarship
Phi Beta Kappa Society scholarships from the Gamma chapter at WSU recognize and foster excellence in liberal learning at the undergraduate level. Qualified, successful applicants can receive a generous award for their senior academic year at WSU. The scholarship covers full resident/in-state tuition and mandatory fees for the academic year following application.
Application Requirements and Procedures
The Gamma chapter of the Phi Beta Kappa Society typically offers scholarships in spring for the upcoming academic year. These awards cover full resident/in-state tuition plus mandatory fees for the coming academic year. The following guidelines can be downloaded as a PDF.
Application Period and Deadline
Applications are typically sought from WSU students in spring semester. The deadline for the application has closed. All materials to be considered as part of a full application packet must be received by then.
Eligibility Requirements
Students applying for an award must:
- Have senior class standing for the next academic year following the application submission
- Have certified a major in the College of Arts and Sciences, the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication, the School of Economic Sciences, the Department of Human Development, the Program in Neuroscience, or the School of Molecular Biosciences
- Have a cumulative GPA of 3.6 or higher through the fall semester preceding the spring application
- Submit a completed application packet by the closing date listed
Selection, Interview, and Award Notification
The Scholarship Committee consists of faculty and staff members in the local Gamma Chapter at WSU and is responsible for awarding the scholarship.
Applicants judged most eligible for scholarships will be interviewed personally by the Phi Beta Kappa Scholarship Committee. Awardees are typically notified before the end of the current spring semester.
Required Application Steps
Eligible applicants have responsibility to make sure all parts of their application packet are complete when they are submitted to the PBK Scholarship Committee for review. Applicants prepare and submit two (2) parts themselves, and must request others prepare and submit two (2) additional parts of the packet–recommendation letters and transcripts.
The applicant must use our online scholarship form to enter information that includes:
- Current information (e.g. full name, address, etc.)
- An uploaded Personal Statement no longer than two (2) pages double-spaced about you and your education that addresses the following three points:
- Phi Beta Kappa stands for freedom of inquiry and expression, disciplinary rigor, breadth of intellectual perspective, the cultivation of skills of deliberation and ethical reflection, the pursuit of wisdom, and the application of the fruits of scholarship and research in practical life. What is the value of a liberal education that fosters these ideals?
- In what way(s) is your education preparing you for a career?
- How have you financed your education to this point?
- The names, titles, and email contact information for three (3) faculty members or others who will be sent an automatic email request for a Recommendation Letter to be submitted by the application deadline. The email will detail the types of information to be included. At least two recommenders should be able to comment on your academic performance and capabilities. The recommenders will upload their letters to this website.
- Granting of your consent for the committee to request transcript(s) from the WSU Office of the Registrar.
Questions?
Haylee Hansen, Gamma Chapter administrative contact, will respond to questions about the Phi Beta Kappa Scholarship application and process. Send an email to her at haylee.hansen@wsu.edu, or phone her at 509-335-5581.