ACES Scholarships and Aubespin Scholar Award
Offered by ACES Education Fund
About this scholarship
The ACES Education Fund awards five scholarships to students who excel at critically evaluating written material and intend to build careers involving editing. Four recipients receive $1,500 each, while the applicant selected as the Aubespin Scholar receives $2,500. All five winners are also eligible for assistance to attend the ACES national in-person conference. The competition is open to students in any field and from any country, provided they have completed at least one year of higher education and remain enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree program at the deadline. Applicants should show that they can make writing clearer, more accurate, engaging, and useful, and that editing is a genuine career interest rather than a casual skill. Selection occurs in two stages: review panels choose finalists in December, and finalists then take a timed editing test in early January. A student may also apply for the separate Bill Walsh news-editing scholarship but may win only one ACES award. Previous scholarship recipients, ACES board members or administrators, and their families cannot apply. The current application is open through November 15, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time.
Eligibility
- Have completed at least one year of higher education
- Be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree program at the deadline
- Demonstrate an interest in editing as a career
- Show critical thinking and effectiveness in making written material clear, accurate, and engaging
- Submit the ACES Scholarships application and requested supporting materials
- Complete a timed editing test if chosen as a finalist
- Not be a previous ACES scholarship winner or an excluded ACES insider or family member
- Apply by 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on November 15, 2026