FAQ

Can I apply at any time?

No. The HWA, Mary Shelley, Dark Poetry, Dennis Etchison, and Rocky Wood Scholarships and the Diversity Grants will be open to applications for three months of each year, usually from May/June to August. The Scholarship From Hell will be open around the beginning of each year.

Applications are open and I’d like to apply, so do I just send in a writing sample?

No. For the HWA and Mary Shelley Scholarships, our Committee will base their evaluation primarily on the Education Plan. If you want to include a writing sample, you are welcome to do so, but it’s not a requirement.

What’s the absolute cut-off time for submitting my application?

Applications will close to submission at 12:00 am EST on the deadline date. In other words, if the deadline is August 1st, we will rejecting anything that comes in at or later than midnight EST on August 1st.

I don’t get it – don’t you choose the scholarship winners on the basis of their writing?

Our Scholarship Committee will consider the quality of the writing in the education plan, and may look at a writing sample as well, but please understand: THIS IS NOT A WRITING COMPETITION. Any applicant who submits only a short story, essay, screenplay, poem, or any other form of writing WITHOUT an accompanying education plan will be immediately declined.

Can I send multiple writing samples?

It’s not recommended. Please limit your total word count on all writing samples to 3,000 words.

I’m not interested in horror writing. Can I still apply?

Sorry, no.

Do you have a format or template for the Education Plan?

No. Just follow the requirements for the plan as laid out on this page. We’re less concerned with how your document is formatted than what’s in it.

Can you offer any tips on how to avoid having my application rejected?

Yes! Please click here to read an article prepared by one of our Scholarship Committee members, discussing some of the reasons that applications are declined.

I’d like to pursue an education in non-fiction writing. Should I apply for the Rocky Wood Scholarship?

The Rocky Wood Memorial Scholarship Fund for Non-fiction Writers is designed to aid a writer in finishing a non-fiction book or shorter work exploring some aspect of horror. If you’re seeking funds to further your education, please apply instead to either the HWA or Mary Shelley Scholarships.

I just want to write. Can I still apply?

Only if you are writing a non-fiction book, in which case you should apply for the Rocky Wood Memorial Scholarship Fund. Our other scholarships exist to help those who are pursuing an educational path in regards to horror. We do NOT offer grants to writers just to pursue writing.

Will the scholarships cover my general college tuition?

No. Please visit the General Application Info page to see what’s covered.