Civics and Liberty Studies Scholarships

$15,000 – Up to Five Awarded Per Academic Year 

Eligibility:  
- 3.5 College GPA 
- Declared CLS major 
- 60 college credits at the time of application 
- Required to attend 8 IGC events a year

Info:  
- IGC will renew this award for a second year for recipients who are in good standing in the CLS major and maintain an overall 3.5 GPA. 
- Scholarship to be paid out end of the Academic Year 
- Application Deadline: October 1, 2026

Requirements: 
-- Two Letters of Recommendation (from faculty or non-faculty) that address how your record of civic responsibility indicates a capacity to excel in the CLS major. 
- Essay on what liberty means, importance of founding principle. Define liberty clearly and precisely, show that liberty is not costless or simple, use founding principles as tools, apply those ideas to real problems without becoming partisan. Applicants cannot use AI to assist with the writing of this essay.

Essay must respond to the following prompt: 
What does liberty mean within the American constitutional tradition, and why does it matter? “Liberty” is among the most celebrated ideas in American civic life. At the Institute for Governance and Civics, liberty is understood as a principle grounded in a framework of law, rights, and institutional design. The American Founders treated liberty as something to be secured through careful architecture—through consent, separation of powers, federalism, and the rule of law. In this sense, liberty is not self-executing. It depends on institutions as well as the character and judgment of citizens. In your answer to the essay prompt, you should define liberty with precision and clarity, engage the tensions inherent in a free society (e.g., liberty vs. order, rights vs. majority rule), ground your arguments in founding-era principles and texts, and apply those principles thoughtfully to contemporary questions. 

$5,000 – One awarded per academic year 

Eligibility: 
- Honorably Discharged Veteran of US Armed Services
- 3.0 College GPA 
- Declared CLS major 
- 60 college credits at the time of application 

Info: 
- Scholarship to be paid out end of Academic Year  
- Required to attend 4 IGC events a year
- Application Deadline: October 1, 2026

 Requirements: 
- Two Letters of Recommendation (from faculty or non-faculty) that address how your record of civic responsibility indicates a capacity to excel in the CLS major.
-  Essay on leadership. In your answer to the essay prompt, define leadership with precision and nuance, engage the tensions inherent in leadership (e.g., authority vs. restraint, decisiveness vs. deliberation), ground your analysis in civic and founding principles, and apply those principles thoughtfully to real-world contexts. Applicants cannot use AI to assist with the writing of this essay.

Essay must respond to the following prompt: What does responsible leadership require in a constitutional republic? Leadership is one of the most frequently invoked—and least carefully defined—concepts in civic life. Too often, it is reduced to charisma, authority, or personal success. This essay prompt is designed to push students beyond those superficial understandings and toward a more demanding discussion. Effective leaders do not simply act; they act within limits, guided by principles such as consent, the rule of law, and respect for the rights of others. In this sense, leadership in the American tradition is inseparable from citizenship itself. 
 
 

$1,776 – Up to 30 will be awarded during the 2026-27 academic year in celebration of America250 

Requirement:  
- Declared CLS major 
Info: 
- Required to attend 4 IGC events a year 
- Must maintain a 2.5 GPA 
- Scholarship money to be paid out end of Academic Year