scholarship

American  

[skol-er-ship] / ˈskɒl ərˌʃɪp /

noun

• scholarships
  plural

1. learning; knowledge acquired by study; the academic attainments of a scholar.

2. a sum of money or other aid granted to a student, because of merit, need, etc., to pursue their studies.

3. the position or status of a student who has been granted money or other aid to pursue their studies.

4. a foundation to provide financial assistance to students.

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scholarship British  

/ ˈskɒləʃɪp /

noun

1. academic achievement; erudition; learning

2. 1. financial aid provided for a scholar because of academic merit

   2. the position of a student who gains this financial aid

   3. ( as modifier )

      a scholarship student

3. the qualities of a scholar

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Synonym Usage

See learning.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• scholarships
  plural

Etymology

Origin of scholarship

First recorded in 1525–35; scholar + -ship

Explanation

Scholarship is the research done by academics. Or if you receive a scholarship, you're getting an award that will help pay the cost of tuition at school. If you're getting ready for college, chances are you're also looking to see if any scholarships are available. A scholarship is a great thing to get: it means you don't have to pay full tuition to go to a school. Scholarships are awarded for good grades, athletic success, and other accomplishments. Once you get in to school, you'll be engaged in another kind of scholarship — the kind that has to do with research, studying, and higher learning.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

scholarship scholarships

Claire was also active in helping fund research — he and his wife, Sheryl, set up a scholarship fund with the USC Keck School of Medicine for research in head and neck cancer.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026

He wanted that college scholarship as a defensive back.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2026

Students can test competing interpretations, locate original citations and explore bodies of scholarship that many of us first encountered in graduate school.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

It’s a scholarship fundraiser for the foundation and requires an advance ticket purchase.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 24, 2026

In return for his scholarship, Fuller had agreed to work for at least one year for the Urban League.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

Pearlman supports campus efforts to create foundations for scholarships and lobbying Sacramento and Washington to keep funding, including student aid, at necessary levels.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

Carleton College said this month it would eliminate loans from financial packages starting in fall 2027, promising to meet students’ needs through grants, scholarships and employment.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026

Radcliff had accumulated about $16,000 in cash from scholarships paid directly to him, in addition to his full ride at Tulane.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 24, 2026

Kao and his team settled on donating scholarships to women in STEM.

From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2026

Several trophy cases commemorate the school’s mostly unsuccessful athletic teams, and a big bulletin board lists the colleges that current seniors have been admitted to, along with the dollar amounts of scholarships they were awarded.

From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove

Related Words

• assistance
• award
• charity
• donation
• fellowship
• financial aid
• reward