Columbia Central

Tom Shirley Endowed Photography Scholarship

for continuing undergraduate and graduate students

The Tom Shirley Endowed Photography Scholarship was established to support a talented student studying photography.

Deadline to Apply: February 01, 2026

• How to Apply

  Visit Internal Scholarships and click on APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS to access the Tom Shirley Endowed Photography Scholarship. Only complete scholarship applications submitted by the deadline will be reviewed by the scholarship committee.

  Please follow all directions carefully. Students must submit the following materials to make a complete Tom Shirley Endowed Photography Scholarship. There are three parts to the application:

   

  PART 1: PORTFOLIO

  A submitted digital portfolio of work is required:

  • 10 images taken within the last year. A portfolio that demonstrates an ambitious commitment to exploring one subject or idea is an important plus.
  • All images may be submitted in one file, but additional upload space will be provided.

  Upload your sample in .pdf, .doc, .docx or .jpg format.

  Note: Upload size limit is 50MB.

   

  PART 2: WORK STATEMENT

  In 250 words provide a brief description of your work.

  Your essay must be double-spaced and must include your name and MyColumbia ID number in the upper right-hand corner of each page. Please upload your response in .pdf, .doc, or .docx format. 

  Access online applications through Internal Scholarships.

  PART 3: FAFSA SUBMISSION SUMMARY

  A current FAFSA Submission Summary must be on file. To receive a FAFSA Submission Summary, students must complete a 2026-27 financial aid application (FAFSA) by February 1, 2026.

   

  Access online applications through Internal Scholarships.

• Scholarship Terms
  • Application must be submitted by February 1, 2026 (11:59 pm) for review by the committee
  • Up to $1,000 for the 2026-27 academic year, awarded half in Fall and half in Spring
  • Scholarship is applied toward tuition only
  • Students' scholarships that are applied toward tuition may not exceed the amount of their tuition costs
  • Recipients must maintain full-time enrollment during the 2026-27 academic year
  • Graduate students enrolled in a 0 credit hour thesis continuance course are not eligible to receive award.
  • Outstanding documents to Columbia Central before the scholarship can be disbursed. Students can review missing documents in the MyColumbia portal under Missing Documents
  • Scholarship may be used toward a study abroad program through one of Columbia's student exchange programs, excluding Summer sessions. Please note: Recipients who enroll in an independent study abroad program will forfeit their scholarship during the semester spent abroad
  • The rules and regulations governing other sources of financial aid (federal, state, institutional and other grants, gifts, or loans) will apply
  • Columbia College Chicago reserves the right to withhold the award in any year in which, at the sole discretion of the scholarship committee, suitable candidates cannot be found among applicants

IMPORTANT DATES

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