The Laura Bassi Scholarship, established in 2018 by Editing Press, provides postgraduate students (master’s and PhD) and early-career academics with valuable editorial assistance for their research projects. Named after Laura Bassi, a pioneering 18th-century scientist and the first woman to hold a professorship in Europe, this scholarship aims to support researchers exploring underrepresented topics within their fields.
Open to all disciplines, including literature, history, science and engineering, the scholarship offers editorial aid for theses, dissertations and academic articles. Awards are distributed three times a year and applicants can receive up to $750 (master’s students), $2,500 (PhD students) or $500 (early-career academics) in editing services.
Eligibility for the scholarship is broad, with applicants welcome from all nationalities and academic backgrounds. Current master’s and PhD students, as well as early-career academics within five years of full-time work, can apply.
The application process involves submitting an online form and CV, with an optional $10 USD fee, which can be waived for those unable to pay. Scholarship deadlines occur in March, July and November, offering flexibility for applicants at different stages of their research. By providing professional editorial support, the Laura Bassi Scholarship helps scholars refine their academic writing, ensuring their research is presented in a clear and polished manner.
Scholarship Overview
The Laura Bassi Scholarship is open to scholars across all academic disciplines, including but not limited to literature, history, the sciences and engineering. Unlike many other scholarship programs that provide direct financial awards for tuition or research costs, this program focuses on offering editorial services, which can be an invaluable resource for scholars working to polish their academic writing. The scholarship funds are used entirely for this purpose, enabling recipients to access professional editorial services such as thesis editing, dissertation editing or academic article editing.
One of the distinguishing features of the Laura Bassi Scholarship is that it is offered three times a year, making it accessible to a wide range of applicants with various research timelines. The scholarship cycle includes three rounds with deadlines in December, April and August, allowing flexibility for those interested in applying.
Degree Level and Fields of Study
The Laura Bassi Scholarship for 2024 is available for postgraduate students (master’s and PhD) and early-career researchers working in the United States, though it is not limited to any specific country of study. It offers support for academic work across all disciplines, making it an inclusive opportunity for students and scholars from diverse academic backgrounds. The fields of study eligible for this scholarship include any academic subject, whether it falls within the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences or engineering fields.
Scholarship Benefits From Laura Bassi Scholarship
The primary benefit of the Laura Bassi Scholarship is that it offers editorial assistance tailored to the needs of the recipients, whether they are master’s students, PhD candidates or early-career academics. The awards are given in the form of editorial support rather than direct financial grants, but this assistance can be extremely valuable for scholars seeking to improve the clarity, coherence and overall quality of their research documents.
- Master’s students: Eligible to receive up to $750 in editorial support. This amount typically covers the cost of editing services for a master’s thesis or other substantial academic writing projects.
- PhD students: Eligible to receive up to $2,500 in editorial assistance. This support is particularly helpful for doctoral candidates who are in the process of completing their dissertations, as the editorial process for such large, complex documents can be both time-consuming and costly.
- Early-career academics: Those who are within the first five years of their full-time academic careers can receive up to $500 in editorial assistance. This amount is generally intended to support the editing of academic journal articles, book chapters or other scholarly works that are crucial for establishing a career in academia.
The funding amounts offered by the scholarship reflect the typical costs associated with professional editing services for academic documents. The services provided can cover a range of editorial needs, from basic copyediting to more intensive structural editing, depending on the recipient’s requirements.
Eligibility Criteria For Laura Bassi Scholarship
The Laura Bassi Scholarship is open to applicants from all nationalities and is designed to be as inclusive as possible. Anyone who is currently enrolled in a master’s or PhD program, regardless of their specific university or department, is eligible to apply. Additionally, early-career academics, defined as those who are within their first five years of full-time academic work, are also eligible.
There are no restrictions based on the nationality or geographic location of the applicant, making the scholarship accessible to students and academics from all over the world. The only key requirement is that the applicant must be actively engaged in scholarly work, either as a student working towards a degree or as an academic professional. This inclusivity ensures that scholars from all over the world and from various academic fields have an equal chance to apply for and benefit from the scholarship.
Laura Bassi Scholarship Application ProcessÂ
To apply for the Laura Bassi Scholarship, candidates must follow a straightforward application procedure that involves submitting an online application form through the scholarship’s official portal. Below is a step-by-step outline of the application process:
- Complete the Online Application: Applicants must first click on the “Apply” button available on the scholarship website, which will lead them to the online application portal. Once there, they will find a form that needs to be filled out with personal information, academic background and details about their research project.
- Upload Supporting Documents: In addition to the application form, applicants are required to upload their CV or resume. This document provides the scholarship committee with an overview of the applicant’s academic and professional background, including their qualifications, research experience and any relevant publications.
- Application Fee: An optional fee of $10 USD is charged to help cover the administrative costs of managing the scholarship program. However, this fee is voluntary and applicants who are unable to afford the fee have the option to request a fee waiver. Instructions for requesting a waiver are available on the application portal, ensuring that the fee does not present a barrier to those who would otherwise be eligible to apply.
- Submit Through the Portal: To ensure the impartiality and validity of applications, all materials must be submitted through the online portal, not via email. If applicants need to update their application after submission, they can do so by uploading revised documents using the same email address they used for their initial submission. This process automatically updates their application in the system.
It is important to note that all application materials must be uploaded together in a single submission. Applicants are encouraged to gather all required documents and information before starting the application process to avoid incomplete submissions. Applications that are submitted in multiple parts or through different platforms may not be considered.
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Application Deadlines For Laura Bassi Scholarship
The Laura Bassi Scholarship is awarded three times a year and applicants are encouraged to apply in the cycle that best aligns with their research timeline. The deadlines and result announcement dates for the 2024 scholarship cycles are as follows:
- Spring 2024 Cycle:
- Deadline: March 31, 2024 (extended)
- Results announced: April 10, 2024
- Summer 2024 Cycle:
- Deadline: July 24, 2024
- Results announced: August 10, 2024
- Winter 2024 Cycle:
- Deadline: November 24, 2024
- Results announced: December 8, 2024
These cycles allow applicants to choose a timeline that suits their academic progress and research needs. For example, a master’s student nearing the completion of their thesis might choose to apply for the summer or winter cycle, depending on when they plan to submit their final document. Similarly, PhD candidates can apply at any stage of their dissertation writing process, whether they are just starting to draft their chapters or are in the final stages of revision.
The Laura Bassi Scholarship offers a unique form of support to postgraduate students and early-career academics by providing editorial assistance tailored to their specific research needs. With awards available in three cycles throughout the year, the program is flexible and accessible to scholars from all over the world, regardless of their nationality, academic discipline or institutional affiliation.
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Named in honor of Laura Bassi, a trailblazer in the world of academia, this scholarship reflects her legacy by encouraging the exploration of under-researched topics and empowering scholars to contribute new knowledge to their fields. Whether you are a master’s student seeking to edit your thesis, a PhD candidate working on your dissertation or an early-career academic looking to polish a research article, the Laura Bassi Scholarship provides the resources you need to succeed.
FAQs
What types of academic disciplines are eligible for the Laura Bassi scholarship?
The scholarship is open to all academic disciplines, including but not limited to literature, history, science, engineering and social sciences. Researchers from any field can apply.
What does the Laura Bassi Scholarship award cover?
The scholarship provides funding for editorial services such as thesis, dissertation and academic article editing. Recipients receive assistance based on their needs, with up to $750 for master’s students, $2,500 for PhD students and $500 for early-career academics.
How often is the scholarship awarded?
The scholarship is awarded three times a year, with application deadlines in March, July and November. This gives applicants multiple opportunities throughout the year to apply.
Can applicants from outside the USA apply?
Yes, the Laura Bassi Scholarship is open to applicants of all nationalities and there are no geographic restrictions for applying.
Is there an application fee?
There is an optional $10 USD application fee to help cover administrative costs. Applicants who cannot afford the fee can request a fee waiver through the application portal.
How do I apply for the scholarship?
To apply, applicants must complete the online application form, upload their CV and submit all materials through the official application portal. Materials submitted via email will not be considered.
Can I update my application after submitting it?
Yes, you can update your application by uploading new documents using the same email address you used for your initial submission. This will automatically update your existing application.
What are the selection criteria for the scholarship?
Applicants are evaluated based on the quality of their academic work, the clarity of their research focus and the potential impact of the editorial support on their project. The scholarship committee aims to support underexplored research topics in various fields.
