REMINDER: The Board for Certification of Genealogists is sponsoring three scholarships this year:

1. A scholarship for an applicant under the age of 40 (must be under age 40 on 15 March).
2. A scholarship for an individual who is currently “on the clock” as a preliminary applicant to obtain the Certified Genealogist® credential.
3. The Paul Edward Sluby Sr. Scholarship for African Americans.

Scholarships will be awarded to cover the cost of up to $1,700 of the tuition, travel, and lodging expense of attending one of the premier national institutes listed below. BCG will also waive its final application fee of $300 for scholarship recipients who submit portfolios of work to be considered for certification within three years of the announcement of an award.

Applicants are required to submit 1) the application, 2) the essay described in the application, 3) a sample of their genealogical research, and 4) a headshot (for use if an award is granted). Scholarship recipients will be announced in May of this year, so recipients can take part in institutes scheduled in 2025. Those wishing to apply should fill out the required application form (available on the BCG website) and submit with the required supporting materials to office@bcgcertification.org.

Four institutes are eligible for all three scholarships for tuition, travel, and lodging expenses (where applicable). The Sluby African American Scholarship is eligible for five institutes.

Eligible Institutes are:

  • Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed), held annually at the National Archives in Washington, DC. The 2024 session is scheduled for the week of August 4th.
  • Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP), held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, provides two separate week-long sessions in June and July.
  • Institute of Genealogy & Historical Research (IGHR), held in July, by the Georgia Genealogical Society.
  • Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG), sponsored by the Utah Genealogical Society, Salt Lake City, held in January each year.
  • The Sluby Scholarship is also eligible for the Midwest African American Institute (MAAGI), in July each year.

Applicants should exhibit intermediate or higher skills that have prepared them for an in-depth learning experience. With the exception of the under-40 scholarship, there is no age limit.

Download the application from the BCG website at https://bcgcertification.org/pdf-library-downloadable-documents/. Submit it with the supporting materials on or before March 15th 2024 to office@BCGcertification.org.

The words Certified Genealogist and letters CG are registered certification marks, and the designations CGL and Certified Genealogical Lecturer are service marks of the Board for Certification of Genealogists®, used under license by board certificants after periodic evaluation.