Scholarship application form

Mensa Membership or Dependent Status
You must also specify the national Mensa country if you chose 'Yes'.
You must also specify the national Mensa member name or ID if you chose 'Yes'.
You must also specify the American Mensa member ID if you chose 'Yes'.
Personal Information
First name is required.
Last name is required.
Gender is required.
Phone number is required.
Email is required.
Legal Address
Address line 1 of your legal address is required.
City of your legal address is required.
State is required for US legal addresses.
Country of your legal address is required.
ZIP or postal code of your legal address is required.
Present Address
Address line 1 of your present address is required.
City of your present address is required.
State is required for US addresses.
Country of your present address is required.
ZIP or postal code of your present address is required.
Education Information
School You Plan to Attend

Please provide the information on the school that you plan to attend in the next academic year.

The name of the school you will be attending is required if you chose 'Yes'.
Address line 1 of the school you will be attending is required if you chose 'Yes'.
The city of the school you will be attending is required if you chose 'Yes'.
The state of the school you will be attending is required for US addresses.
The country of the school you will be attending is required if you chose 'Yes'.
The ZIP or postal code of the school you will be attending is required if you chose 'Yes'.
Scholarship Awards

General scholarships for which you are eligible have been checked. Review the criteria for the other scholarships listed below and check those for which you meet the requirements. (If you do not meet the criteria, you are not eligible for that specific scholarship.)

Study of STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics for a female or transgender female

Female pursuing a degree in the Natural Sciences or Mathematics

For natural and applied science, technology, engineering, and math majors (including medical and health sciences majors)

Study of aeronautical engineering or an aerospace field

Restricted to the natural sciences (e.g., biology, chemistry, physics, astronomy, geology, environmental science, forestry, pre-med, pre-dent)

Restricted to graduate level studies (accepted in, or already attending veterinary school) or continuing education of an established veterinarian.  (No pre-vet degrees).

Pursuing a degree in information technology

Study for an undergraduate liberal arts degree (B.A. or A.A.)

Interpersonal communications, mediation, or related study

For a student pursuing a degree in the fine arts

Fine arts, including applied arts (e.g., architecture, photography, ceramics, and textiles)

For a student pursuing a degree in the arts, including creative writing and journalism

For a student in journalism

Graduate student who plans a career in professional writing or teaching English grammar and/or writing

Applicant must openly identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender

Applicant must be a person of color

Affirm and declare that applicant is the first person in family to have earned in excess of twelve college credits.

For a student who has been out of formal education for a period of six or more years

For a female returning to school after any absence of seven or more years - may be re-enrolled at time of application

Must be a U.S. military veteran or spouse of a veteran

For a U.S. military veteran

Self-identification as both BIPOC and LGBTQ+;  Demonstrated record of positive service to the BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities. 

Education (pre-school through grade 12) including special education and gifted education.

Study of natural sciences (e.g., biology, chemistry, physics, astronomy, geology, environmental science, forestry, pre-med, pre-dent)

One award per region.

One award per region.

Must be American Mensa Member or IRS dependent of an American Mensa member.

Restricted to Region 6 - Academic focus of Education grades 1-12

Restricted to local group area 02/200

Must be from local group area 02-080 and foreign language oriented

Restricted to Medicine, Pharmacy, Veterinary Science, Nursing ,Respiratory Therapy, Physical Therapy, or other Allied Health Fields

Preference to member/dependent of Central New Jersey Mensa first. Additional restriction of Engineering, Architecture, Natural Sciences & Mathematics and Computer Science, Computer Technology, Information Systems.

Restricted to local group area 06-770. Additional restriction for residents of Clear Lake area pursuing degree in areas of economics, theater, or philosophy.

Eligible students must be a member of Mensa (except American Mensa), or a child/dependent of a member, and will be pursuing a degree program in an accredited U.S. college or university in the next academic year

Awarded to one region each year on a rotating basis

Reading Education, English Education, Special Education, or Gifted Education.

Eligible students must be a member of Mensa (except American Mensa), and will be pursuing a degree program at an accredited college or university other than the United States during the next academic year

Region 6 - an applicant that has been homeschooled

Study of physics or chemistry OR someone who has been out of formal education for a period of five or more years

Restricted to local group area 05/356

Must be from local group area 01-100 and major in Performing/Theater Arts

Restricted to local group area 09-920

Applicant must studying Nursing, in a degree program that is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission and has a nursing license (either RN or LPN/LVN)

Restricted to local group area 06-750

Restricted to local group area 06-750

Restricted to local group area 09-920

Restricted to local group area 06-750

Qualifying Essay

Essay length is limited to 550 words; anything in excess of this limit will be truncated. DO NOT include information in your essay that would clearly identify you. Submissions are stored and reviewed as plain text with no additional markup. Include a blank line between paragraphs.

Emphasis in judging is placed on a goal statement that includes specific information on experience or steps taken toward the goal, persuasiveness (e.g., how your past achievements/experiences and your future planning increase the probability of reaching your goal), why you think that you will succeed, and also grammar, spelling and punctuation.

Since your scholarship application will be judged solely on the basis of this essay, it's important that your essay accurately and fully describe your life, academic, career and/or vocational goals and how you plan to achieve them.

0 / 550 words
Rules and Guidelines
  • Only one application is allowed per student in this scholarship competition.
  • Applicants must intend to enroll in an accredited educational institution for the 2024 - 2025 academic year.
  • Applicants must complete all required information on the entry form.
  • Essays must be the applicants' original work, and written without the use of artificial intelligence (AI), such as ChatGPT.
  • Essays may be entered via cut/paste on our scholarship application form on this website and no more than 550 words in length. Essays will be truncated to the limit specified.
  • Essay submissions are stored and reviewed as "plain text" without additional markup.  Please make note of this when crafting your essay.
  • Applicants' names, addresses, and other identifying information MUST NOT be included in their essays.
  • By submitting the form electronically via our website, applicants provide their digital signature certifying that their information and essays are their own original work and that they have read these rules and guidelines. Please contact Director@mensafoundation.org if you are unsure of the status of your application.
  • Applications must be submitted online on or before 11:59 p.m., CST (Central Standard Time) or 05:59, GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), on January 15, 2024.
  • Application judging is done anonymously. The judges do not know who has entered the competition. If, by chance, you know a scholarship judge, do not contact that individual regarding the competition or your application may be disqualified. Instead, questions regarding the competition should be directed to Director@mensafoundation.org.

The decision of the judges is final.

the accompanying essay is solely my own work, that I have read and understand the rules and conditions set above, and that I meet all of them. I agree to accept the judges' decisions as final. I understand that any award may be revoked for failure to provide appropriate documentation regarding educational status. I also understand my information will be retained and can be used by the Foundation consistent with the Foundation's privacy policy.

All essays become the property of the Mensa Foundation. I agree that Mensa or the Foundation may publish my essay in or on any Mensa publication or website; may submit appropriate publicity releases to the media; and may post results on any Mensa website.

Parental Consent

For applicants under the age of 18, the applicant's parent or guardian hereby certifies to the content of this application on behalf of the applicant and consents to the applicant's participation in the scholarship program.

Parent or guardian name is required.
Additional Information