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Spring Awards Cycle

The Sigma Tau Delta Spring Awards Cycle is our largest cycle of the year, offering a wide array of scholarships, awards, grants, internships, and publishing opportunities. Applications for the Spring Awards Cycle are accepted through AwardSpring March 16 – April 13, 2026, 4 p.m. CT.

Scholarships

Annually, Sigma Tau Delta offers a variety of scholarships valued at up to $6,000 each. Members who submit a carefully written, complete application that adheres closely to the application instructions for each section are significantly more likely to receive an award. Completing the application process is also excellent practice for those planning to attend graduate school or apply for a job. Applications are judged based on academics, service both to the community and to Sigma Tau Delta, and quality of writing.

Required Materials

Plan ahead to ensure you submit a well-prepared scholarship application. Learn what materials are required of all applications as well as which special materials are required for select opportunities.

View: Required Materials

Application Essay Prompt

All scholarship applications must be accompanied by an essay addressing the prompt written for that year by the Scholarship and Academic Awards Committee.

View: Application Essay Prompt

Frequently Asked Questions

Check out answers to commonly asked questions about eligibility, application essays, sample papers, reusing materials, disqualification, the judging process, runners up, Regent Scholarships, and notifications.

View: FAQ

Available Spring Scholarships

Junior Scholarship
Senior Scholarship
First-Year Graduate Scholarship
Graduate Scholarship
William C. Johnson Distinguished Scholarship
The 1924 Scholarship
Continuing Education Scholarship
Long-Term Study Abroad Scholarship
Short-Term Study Abroad Scholarship
Regents’ Scholarship
Regents’ Equity Scholarship

Awards

Sigma Tau Delta offers a variety of awards for both individuals as well as chapters, and now also offers new summer program opportunities that allow both current student members as well as alumni and faculty to participate in study abroad programs.

Available Spring Awards

P.C. Somerville Award for Future Teachers
Student Leadership Award
Service Award
Scholarly Paper Awards for Undergraduate Students
Scholarly Paper Awards for Graduate Students

Grants

Available Spring Grants

Lambda Iota Tau (LIT) Research Grant

Internships

Sigma Tau Delta offers a variety of direct internships, co-internships, and affiliate internship opportunities through our many partners.

Available Spring Internships (for summer 2026)

MLA Summer Internship
Internship Stipends
Priority Selection for W. W. Norton

Publications

Annually, Sigma Tau Delta publishes two journals to distribute the best writing and criticism produced by active members of the Society.

Undergraduate and graduate students who are enrolled through the spring semester and are members of active Sigma Tau Delta chapters are invited to submit their work to the Sigma Tau Delta Review and the Sigma Tau Delta Rectangle. Chapter Advisors, faculty members, alumni, and honorary members are not eligible to submit.

Sigma Tau Delta Rectangle (founded in 1931) is an annual journal of creative writing—fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Submissions should not exceed 2,500 words.

Journal Submission Guidelines

Learn more about guidelines for submissions including eligibility, formatting, and acceptance notification.

View: Submission Guidelines

Journal Submission Instructions

Find out what application materials you must have prepared when you begin the submission process.

View: Submission Instructions

Journal Submission FAQs

Learn tips about successful journal submissions as well as specifics for each journal and information about the publication in general.

View: Submission FAQs

Publication Archive

View: Current and Past Publications

Publication and Awards

These two journals are refereed, with faculty reviewers from around the world selecting works to be published. The journals have had illustrious head judges including Jane Brox, Henri Cole, Jim Daniels, W. D. Earhardt, CJ Hribal, Kyoko Mori, Lisa Russ Spaar, and Mako Yoshikawa.

The Sigma Tau Delta journals are catalogued with the Library of Congress.

The best writings in each category are acknowledged with five awards (each $500):

  • E. Nelson James Poetry Award
  • Eleanor B. North Poetry Award
  • Frederic Fadner Critical Essay Award
  • Herbert L. Hughes Short Story Award
  • Elizabeth Holtze Creative Nonfiction Award

More from Footnotes: March 24, 2026

2026 Convention Program
Graduation Regalia & Spring Merchandise Sale
Lambda Iota Tau (LIT) Research Grants
Journal Submissions

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