Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA) conducts an annual essay writing contest to promote the literature of Jane Austen within the new generations. These contests are divided into three divisions for high schools students, college/university students and graduate students. The 2021 Essay Contest is linked to their upcoming theme for their Annual General Meeting: “Jane Austen in the Arts.” The participants must write an essay on the following prompt: “discuss how Austen uses the arts, whether to reveal character, address social standing, advance the plot, or otherwise make a point”. High school students can discuss this prompt by just using one of her novels although they are always welcome to refer to more. On the other hand, Undergraduate and graduate students should discuss Austen’s use of the arts in more than just one novel. The students under this division can use the same art form in each or contrast different arts.
Scholarships are for students who are unable to pay for their schools, colleges and universities. These awards can be used for paying the tuition costs and other education-related expenses. Moreover, they are given to outstanding students who have demonstrated high skills and achievements in their respective fields of interest.
Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA), a non-profit organization was founded by and for Jane Austen admirers. This society appreciates, enjoys and discusses all of Austen’s literary works. Founded in 1979 by Joan Austen-Leigh, Henry G. Burke, and J. David Grey, JASNA now have around 80 regional groups in the United States and Canada. Each autumn more than 800 members participate in the JASNA Annual General Meeting (AGM), which is a three-day conference with a contemporary Jane Austen theme. They also engage in publications and news bulletins to keep their members updated about their upcoming themes and other miscellaneous information.
Brief Description
Refer to the below table for more details of the scholarship:
| Organization | Jane Austen Society of North America |
| Educational Level | All |
| Subjects | All |
| Amount | Varies |
| Access Mode | Online |
| Number of Awards | 3 |
| City | Multiple |
| Nationality | International |
| Country | United States |
| Application Deadline | June 2, 2022 |
| Application Fees | N/A |
| Requirement | 6-8 pages essay excluding references |
Who May Be Eligible
To be eligible, the candidates must be following the eligibility criteria:
- Students who were either homeschooled or are enrolled in high school during the contest year.
- Students who are enrolled in a college/university with at least six credit hours of course work completed during the contest year.
- Students in graduate schools with at least three credit hours of graduate course work completed at a college or university during the contest year.
How to Apply
- The participants must complete an online form and attach an essay in MS Word format answering the following prompt: “discuss how Austen uses the arts, whether to reveal character, address social standing, advance the plot, or otherwise make a point”.
Supporting Documents
- The participants must write an essay on the following prompt: “discuss how Austen uses the arts, whether to reveal character, address social standing, advance the plot, or otherwise make a point”.
- High school students can discuss this prompt by just using one of her novels although they are always welcome to refer to more.
- Undergraduate and graduate students should discuss Austen’s use of the arts in more than just one novel. The students under this division can use the same art form in each or contrast different arts.
- The essay must be in English and must be six to eight pages long excluding the references
- The essay must follow all the submission guidelines posted on the official JASNA website
Benefits
JASNA has always supported Jane Austen’s literary works and the people who admire and aspire to her. These scholarships are a way for JASNA to promote the literature of Jane Austen within the new generations. Moreover, this essay contest has three divisions so that any type of students can apply for this scholarship by submitting their work online.
Application Deadline
The application deadline for the Essay Contest conducted by JASNA is Tuesday, June 2, 2022.
