Scholarships for undergraduate history majors
Apply January 15 - March 15
January 15, 2026 to March 16, 2026 EST
Online Location
A number of scholarships are available for history majors and applications are open!
You must apply by March 15, 2026 through the Academic Works portal.
Below is a summary of the available scholarships and awards, which typically range in value from $500 to $2000. Please do not apply directly to the department. We cannot accept these applications directly from students.
Please note that for scholarships you must be continuing at Mason in Fall 2026 in order to apply. Rules for awards may vary. Eligibility details will be available in Academic Works.
Best Senior History Paper
Presented for an outstanding paper from a section of the capstone course, History 499: Senior Seminar, or History 491: Honors Directed Research during the previous calendar year (Spring and Fall of 2025).
Outstanding Public and Digital History Project Award
Presented for the best digital or public history project by a history major during the previous calendar year (Spring, Summer, and Fall 2025). Applicant should submit a brief description of the project (about a page in length), as well as any accompanying material to illustrate the work (screen-shots of relevant parts of the project, pictures of the public history exhibit, etc).
Donald R. Barr Memorial Endowed Scholarship
To provide scholarships for history majors.
George Mason Memorial Society Endowed Scholarship
To provide an annual scholarship for an undergrad history major at GMU to supplement tuition costs for the recipient's senior year. Recipients will qualify based on his or her cumulative GPA, academic record within the history major, and the student's program as a reflection of the study of the legacy of George Mason and the nature of human rights in society. The student shall be chosen during his/her junior year and receive the scholarship during his/her senior year.
Robert K. Hedrick Jr. and Walter F. Huxley Endowed Scholarship
To support student scholarships for those earning a degree in History or Art History, under the following criteria: the recipient may be an in-state or out-of-state resident, be a full-time undergraduate student who must show evidence of satisfactory academic progress, and must apply on a competitive basis factoring in academic merit and demonstrated need for financial assistance without which the individual would find it difficult to attend GMU.
Charles and Polly Webber American History Endowed Scholarship
Established to encourage the study of American History including intellectual and cultural history of the United States, the development of American institutions from the formation of the American Republic, or allied subjects as determined each year. Recipients shall be a student pursuing an undergraduate education but is also a bona fide resident of Northern Virginia and who is actively pursuing a degree in American History; with such award premised upon merit.
Gary and Eleanor Shumaker Endowed Scholarship for High School History Instructor/Scholar
To provide undergraduate scholarships for students majoring in History and intend to pursue their graduate work in History at Mason in order to obtain certification as a secondary school social studies teacher. Recipients may be full or part-time students and may be in or out-of-state residents. Recipients will qualify on the basis of academic merit; a minimum GPA of 3.0 is required. Applicants must have 90 completed credits to be considered and must submit a 500-word purpose statement.
Historic City of Fairfax (HFCI) Scholarship Fund
To provide support for undergraduate and graduate students pursuing a history degree. Undergraduate applicants must have completed 75 credits; at least 12 of those credits must have been completed at GMU. Graduate applicants must have completed 6 credits at GMU. May be full-time or part-time students, must be residents of Fairfax County or City, and must qualify on basis of financial need and academic merit (3.0 GPA).
Peter N. Stearns and Donna L. Kidd Endowed Scholarship in History
The purpose of the fund is to provide scholarship support for undergraduate students who are pursuing a degree in History, with preference for students concentrating in Global History. Applicants may be full-time or part-time students and may be in-state or out-of-state students. As part of the application process, students will be asked to provide a short statement of two to three sentences discussing their interest in Global History. Recipients will qualify on the basis of academic merit and financial need.
Sandman and Stearns Achievement Scholarship in History
To provide support for undergraduate students who are majoring in History. Recipients may be full-time or part-time students and must be in-state students. Recipients will qualify on the basis of academic merit with a minimum 3.8 GPA.
