How to Apply

Who may apply and how does one apply?

The scholarship is open to undergraduate and graduate students (Masters or Ph.D.) of accredited colleges or universities.

Applicants must demonstrate a commitment—through coursework or experience—to any combination of at least two of the following fields:

• early childhood education
• child development/child psychology
• film/television production
• music
• animation
• production of cross-platform entertainment

Applicant must have the ultimate goal of working in children’s media.

Particular attention will be given to applicants from inner city or rural communities.

Applicants may apply for support for one of the following areas:

• Research on the relationship between children’s use of media and learning or children’s use of media and personal growth.
• Development of program concepts or extended development of creative elements of an existing concept: e.g. design of puppets, scripts, storyboards, characters, music, etc.

Additional Information for
Pittsburgh-Area Students/Schools:
Regional Interactive Media Scholarship

The scholarship is open to undergraduate and graduate students (Masters or Ph.D.) of accredited Pittsburgh-area colleges or universities. (See application for eligible area/schools when application downloads become available.

Applicants must demonstrate a commitment—through coursework or experience—to Interactive Media plus at least one of the following fields:

• early childhood education
• child development/child psychology
• film/television production
• music
• animation
• production of cross-platform entertainment

Applicants for the Pittsburgh-area regional interactive media scholarship may also apply for support for the:

• Development of an Interactive concept or project related to: mobile application, web based project,
  interactive toys, immersive experience, physical installation, etc.

Requirements for All Applicants

Applications are available on the Television Academy Foundation's site. Background information about the applicant and the applicant’s plan for the use of the scholarship money are required. The applicant must include a proposed detailed budget of how the scholarship funds will be used.

The applicant’s plan must include project goals and milestones that will help the committee in the selection of a mentor and help the mentor to guide the awardees.

The applicant must also include recommendations from two persons, either faculty members from two of the above referenced fields or professionals from the children’s media industry who have worked with the applicant.

How are successful Fred Rogers Memorial Scholarship applicants selected?

Applications are evaluated by a committee formed yearly by the two governors representing the Television Academy’s Children’s Programming Peer Group.

These governors will create a committee composed of their peer group members and representatives of other relevant disciplines.