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

We talk about “letting the ingredient shine,” as though the carrot is competing for a prestigious academic scholarship.

From Salon ● Sep. 15, 2026

“I knew that my family couldn’t afford it and the scholarship made me feel like the token inner-city sponsored kid. There was a lot of pressure on me not to mess up,” Elsesser says.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2026

Obviously, many factors affect couples’ home-buying and family-size decisions, and K-12 scholarship programs alone probably won’t solve America’s housing-affordability and fertility challenges.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026

Gunn gained a scholarship at the New South Wales Institute of Sport in February 2024, which allowed her to begin a strength and conditioning programme.

From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026

“There’s most definitely a scholarship with your name on it.”

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

“It’s been fun to watch his growth, following him through high school, and watching him earn those scholarships and opportunities,” Hitschler said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026

The rules also allow schools to continue using religious criteria for admissions and scholarships, as long as they don’t base those decisions on ancestry or ethnicity.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026

Each college provides its own set of scholarships.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 31, 2026

Eighty percent of those with scholarships are at 200% of poverty or less.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026

“I’m training for a big meet in the spring. You should come to that one. There’s even a couple of scholarships available. Coach says I have a pretty good chance.”

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

Related Words

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