Funding Opportunities

Animal Welfare Institute Scholarship

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Helping students pursue career opportunities focused on improving animal welfare

The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) seeks to improve the treatment of animals everywhere—in the laboratory, on the farm, in commerce, at home, and in the wild. Over the 75 years that AWI has been advocating for animals, much progress has been made. To ensure continued progress, we are investing in the next generation of animal welfare advocates through the Animal Welfare Institute Scholarship fund.

The application is not open at this time.

Eligibility and Requirements

  • High school seniors in the United States are eligible to apply for the AWI scholarship if they (1) have demonstrated a commitment to animal welfare through volunteer work and/or advocacy and (2) intend to pursue a career that will seek to reduce animal suffering and/or protect vulnerable species.
  • Applicants will be required to submit a letter of recommendation from someone (other than a family member) who is involved with or who has firsthand knowledge of the efforts by the student to help protect animals.
  • If selected as a finalist, the applicant will be required to supply confirmation of acceptance to a college or university prior to scholarship distribution.

Dates and Deadlines

  • The 2027-28 scholarship cycle will be open for applications November 2026 through March 2027.
  • Scholarship recipients will be announced by May 1, 2027.

Selection Process

A committee from AWI will review applications and choose recipients who have a strong track record of advocating for animals and an impressive and clear plan to continue working to improve the lives of animals. The committee will also review and confirm the required letters of recommendation.

Scholarship Award Value

  • All applicants will receive a subscription to the AWI Quarterly magazine.
  • Up to 12 applicants will be chosen to receive scholarships, worth $3,000 USD each*.

How to Apply

Beginning in November 2026, the application link will be accessible from this page through the submission deadline.

Please send any questions to scholarships@awionline.org.

*Scholarship committee decisions are final. We reserve the right to adjust the number and amount of awards based on the entries received.

  • Violet Allori – Banks, OR
  • Hanna Juma – Glassboro, NJ
  • Colleen Kielbania – Ipswich, MA
  • Sania Lee – Conyers, GA
  • Blake Lugosi – Palm Beach Gardens, FL
  • Kayla Mabry – Belmont, MI
  • Cora McCabe – Arlington, VA
  • Aashay Mody – Irvine, CA
  • John O’Connor – Tenafly, NJ
  • Daniel Onwudinanti – Midlothian, TX
  • Madison Villafane – Mount Pleasant, SC
  • Samantha Waldron – Pocatello, ID
  • Luke Andersen – Nevada, MO
  • Robert Berlage – Chicago, IL
  • Emily Comar – Washington, DC
  • Katherine Fourtner – St. Louis, MO
  • Siraj Gandhi – Monroe Township, NJ
  • Rylan Garrett – Charlottesville, VA
  • Julia Jackson – Durham, NC
  • Cathrine Lamprecht – Holmes Beach FL
  • Claire Lignore – Portland, OR
  • Claudia Metge – Greer, SC
  • Rebecca Rhodes – Lake Forest Park, WA
  • Janelly Villalobos – Columbus, IN
  • Samantha Thurston – River Falls, WI
  • Iris Price – Grapevine, TX
  • Amy Sheehan – Woodcliff Lake, NJ
  • Jae Lieberman – Dunwoody, GA
  • Cora Steichen – Bedford, NH
  • Liam Hopkins – Morrison, CO
  • Ellia Claffey-Hesseltine – Newington, CT
  • M. Mystique Stueck – De Pere, WI
  • Madison Kossow – Hollywood, FL
  • Grace Hannah – Brookville, PA
  • Riley Ramirez – Bakersfield, CA
  • Ava Banfich – Levittown, NY
  • Daniel Driessen – Cameron, NC
  • Haley Van Sloten – Fairfield, CA
  • Ariana Camacho – Hudson, NY
  • Meleah Eckels – Montgomery, AL
  • Iris Gillespie – Louisville, KY
  • Jesus Hadad – Katy, TX
  • Sage Hall – Gulf Breeze, FL
  • Emily Keller – Salt Lake City, UT
  • Weslyn McLaws – Hendersonville, NC
  • AnaVictoria Medina – Independence, MO
  • Alexis Meiklejohn – Centreville, MD
  • Skylar Nahouray – Los Angeles, CA
  • Cassandra Price – Lakeside, CA
  • Christopher Reigel – Cherry Hill, NJ
  • Lily Thomas – Eatonton, GA
  • Haley Walker – Madison, VA
  • Tylar Zingerella – Mount Pleasant, SC
  • Yaire Barboza – Pacoima, CA
  • Victoria Bonavita – West Babylon, NY
  • Amanda Brown – Darrington, WA
  • Amber Christensen – Falls Church, VA
  • Hayden Clary – Spartanburg, NC
  • Kylie Cocca – Buffalo, NY
  • Elise Glascock – Cedar Falls, IA
  • Ashlyn Gotori – Irvine, CA
  • Drake Hair – Charlotte, NC
  • Tia Joseph – Bowie, MD
  • Alexis Sanders – North Venice, FL
  • Alexis Wood – Fremont, NH
  • Tyler Wood – Williamsburg, VA
  • Hei Man Chui – Daly City, CA
  • Katja Erringer – Portland, OR
  • Sage Farrow – Golden, CO
  • Lien Ferry – Greensburg, PA
  • Makenna Owens – Holly Hill, FL
  • Chloe Quin – Crete, IL
  • Will Smith – Duluth, MN
  • Isabell Sydow – Rochester, NY