Scholarship Search

General Rules and Criteria

1. All submissions must be typed, double-spaced with a minimum 12 point font size, and no longer than 10 pages.
2. All submissions with multiple pages must be numbered with a page number and total number of pages (Ex. 1/3, 2/3, 3/3).
3. A four-page minimum is recommended in the fiction genre.
4. All uploaded entries must be clear and legible.
5. You may submit only one entry to the competition.
6. All entries must be original works. We do not accept plagiarism or copyright infringement.

Literary compositions are judged by their technical merit (25%); artistic expression (25%); voice (25%); originality (25%). The top 100 scoring applications will be deemed the potential winners.  Penguin Random House and We Need Diverse Books committee will make the final selections. Odds of winning a prize depend on the number and quality of eligible entries received.  Penguin Random House will notify each potential winner in early June. To claim a prize, the potential winner must follow the instructions contained in the notification.  To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Penguin Random House may require each potential winner to sign and return, within seven days of being notified by Penguin Random House, an affidavit of eligibility, liability and publicity release, and other legal, regulatory or tax-related documents required at Penguin Random House’s discretion in order to claim a prize (“Affidavit and Related Documents”).  If (i) the attempted notification is returned as undeliverable; (ii) the Affidavit and Related Documents are not signed and returned within seven days of the date of notification email is sent by Penguin Random House; or (iii) if potential winner is otherwise unable to accept the prize as stated, the prize will be forfeited and will be awarded to an alternate winner in accordance with the judging criteria.

We are looking for writing with a strong, clear voice by authors who are daring, original and unafraid to take risks.

All judging will be under the supervision of We Need Diverse Books and Penguin Random House by a specially selected panel of judges. The decision of the judges will be final. In the event there is an insufficient number of entries in any category which meet the minimum standards established by the judges, Penguin Random House reserves the right not to award any prize. Winners agree to the use by Penguin Random House or any of its subsidiaries, divisions or affiliates of their names, addresses, likenesses, photographs and entries for promotional and similar purposes without further compensation or notification. Winners are solely responsible for any applicable state, federal or other taxes. Penguin Random House and Scholarship America cannot be held responsible for lost, late or misdirected mail or e-mail communications. No entries will be returned.

By competing and/or accepting a prize, applicants agree that Penguin Random House, and its respective parent companies, assigns, subsidiaries and affiliates, and advertising, promotion and fulfillment agencies and all of their respective employees, officers and directors will have no liability whatsoever, and will be held harmless by entrants for any liability for any injuries, losses, or damages of any kind to person and property resulting in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from the acceptance, possessions, misuse, or use of the prizes, or participation.