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  1. Home
  2. School of Humanities and Social Sciences
  3. Academic Programs
  4. Creative Writing

Creative Writing Scholarships

The Bachelors of Fine Arts program at Penn State Behrend is the only undergraduate creative writing major in the Penn State system and one of only a handful of such programs in the region. In its existence, it has graduated writers who are finding success placing their work with publishers, earning fellowships and assistantships at top-notch graduate writing programs, and building careers in publishing, editing, higher education, and other related fields.

Incoming first-year students and transfer students intending to enter the B.F.A. in Creative Writing Program can apply for four different $500 scholarships/awards made possible by the Kenneth J. Sonnenberg Poetry Award and the Clarence A. and Eugenie Baumann Smith Funds. Two Sonnenberg Awards will be awarded for poetry, and two Smith Scholarships will be awarded for fiction.

Student Support

As you begin your academic career in the B.F.A. program, one of your courses, ENGL 006 Creative Writing Common Time, will be especially important to your success. In this 1-credit course, which you will enroll in every semester, you will receive guidance from faculty and staff regarding academic advising, career and graduate school preparation, and publishing your work in the ever-changing literary marketplace. You also will be able to consult with and hear presentations from celebrated visiting writers and participate in a variety of other on-campus literary events.

The B.F.A. majors at Penn State Behrend have a reputation of being especially collegial and supportive of one another, and B.F.A. faculty are wholly dedicated to their students’ academic, artistic, and professional success.

How to apply for Creative Writing scholarships:

  • Indicate an intention to major in Creative Writing on your Penn State application.
  • Gain admission to Penn State Behrend.
  • Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by December 1 prior to the start of your first academic year.
  • Complete the Smith Fiction Scholarship application and/or the Kenneth J. Sonnenberg Poetry Award application by March 1 prior to the start of your first academic year. (Each applicant may apply for and is eligible to win both a Smith Scholarship and a Sonnenberg Award.)

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Tom Noyes, chair of the B.F.A. in Creative Writing, at 814-898-6209 or [email protected].

Creative Writing Scholarships

  • Clarence A. and Eugenie Baumann Smith Scholarship in Fiction
  • Kenneth J. Sonnenberg Poetry Award

See Also

  • Creative Writing
Pennsylvania map showing Penn State's campuses with Penn State Behrend highlighted

Penn State Behrend

Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, offers the learning opportunities of a major research university in a welcoming, student-centered campus environment.
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