Scholarships in Broadcasting & Electronic Media
Scholarship Sponsored by Broadcast Education Association
Overview
BEA administers annual scholarships that honor broadcasters and support the electronic media profession. These awards fund students pursuing excellence in media production, research, and education. Scholarships are intended to recognize achievement and to promote continued professional development in academic media fields.
Description: Scholarships are administered by BEA, an international academic media organization, and are awarded annually to students at member institutions.
- Scholarships support production, research, and education in electronic media.
- Awards are distributed annually and intended to advance academic and professional development.
- BEA administers the program and sets eligibility and selection criteria.
Scholarship Eligibility
Eligibility is based on institutional membership and student standing rather than individual BEA membership. Awards are available to students who will be juniors, seniors, or graduate students at BEA member colleges or universities. Students enrolled at two-year institutions who plan to transfer to BEA four-year colleges or universities may apply for undergraduate scholarships.
Eligibility: Applicants must attend a BEA member institution; individual undergraduate or graduate student membership is not required.
Application process: Applicants are automatically considered for every scholarship for which they qualify; no additional forms are required.
- Institution must be a BEA member to nominate or support applicants.
- No separate scholarship application form is required beyond the general application process.
- Two-year students transferring to BEA four-year institutions are eligible for undergraduate awards.
Scholarship Notifications and Timeline
Recipients are formally announced in mid-December. Award funds are scheduled to be disbursed in the summer of 2027 and applied to the 2027–2028 academic year. This timeline allows recipients and institutions to plan for the upcoming academic year and for financial aid packaging.
Application Timeline: Recipients announced by mid-December; awards applied in summer 2027 for the 2027–2028 academic year.
- Selection results communicated by mid-December.
- Monetary awards are applied to the following academic year.
- Follow institutional procedures for applying awarded funds to tuition or fees.
Scholarship Recipient Benefits
In addition to financial awards, selected recipients receive professional development benefits to enhance their academic and networking opportunities. All recipients receive a complimentary convention registration to attend BEA events. Recipients are also granted membership in BEA’s Honor Society, AERho.
Benefits: Complimentary convention registration and membership in the AERho Honor Society accompany the monetary awards.
- Complimentary registration to the BEA convention for networking and professional development.
- Membership in AERho, BEA’s Honor Society.
- Benefits are provided in addition to the scholarship monetary awards.
Available Scholarships
BEA offers multiple named scholarships across several categories, including awards for study in any electronic media area, for careers in radio/audio media, and for research in broadcast history. Award amounts vary by named scholarship and range from $1,000 to $4,000. Applicants are considered automatically for each scholarship for which they meet the eligibility criteria.
Award Value: Individual scholarship amounts are listed below by category.
For study in ANY electronic MEDIA area
- Vincent T. Wasilewski Award - $4,000
- Peter B. Orlik Award - $3,500
- Richard Eaton Foundation Award - $4,000
- Edward O. Fritts Award - $1,000
- Bob Freeman Award - $1,000
For study toward a career in RADIO / AUDIO MEDIA
- Abe Voron Award - $3,500
- John Bayliss Award - $4,000
For research interest in BROADCAST HISTORY
- Library of American Broadcasting Foundation Award - $3,000
- Multiple named awards cover broad and specialized areas of electronic media study.
- Monetary values range from $1,000 to $4,000 depending on the award.
- Applicants are automatically considered for all eligible awards—no separate entries required.