Currently, three scholarships are offered by BCG:

  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” having submitted the preliminary application to become a Certified Genealogist. 
  3. The Paul Edward Sluby Sr. Scholarship for African Americans.

Applications for scholarships to participate in national genealogical institutes are due annually on 15 March. In addition to the Sluby Scholarship for African Americans, one scholarship will be awarded to an under-40 applicant and one to an individual who has submitted a preliminary application.

Scholarships will award up to $1,700 of the tuition, travel, and lodging expense of attending one of four premier national institutes. 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 an essay and a sample of their genealogical research. Scholarship recipients will be awarded in May, so that recipients can take part in institutes scheduled for the following year. Those wishing to apply should fill out the required application form (available in the PDF Library) and submit with supporting materials as required to office@bcgcertification.org.

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

  • Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed), held annually at the National Archives and other locations in Washington, DC, and College Park, Maryland. 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 Athens, Georgia, in July, under the auspices of the Georgia Genealogical Society.
  • Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG), sponsored by the Utah Genealogical Society, Salt Lake City held in January 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 or income requirement.

Download application form here and submit with the supporting materials to office@bcgcertification.org.