United States scholarship
The Albert Baker Scholarship
Tuition support of $1,000 to $7,500 per academic year for eligible Christian Scientists pursuing college, graduate, or vocational education.
Applications are currently closed. The next application period opens November 1, 2026.
Award
$1,000–$7,500
Per academic year, based on financial need.
Next opening
November 1, 2026
Until then, check the requirements and gather your documents.
Award payment
Made out to your school
Scholarship funds may be used for tuition and fees.
On this page: Overview Deadlines Eligibility How to apply Documents Apply
Overview
About the scholarship
The Albert Baker Fund provides tuition scholarships to Christian Scientists who meet our academic and Christian Science requirements and are pursuing degrees or certificates at accredited post-secondary institutions.
What the scholarship covers
- Tuition and required fees at an accredited college, university, graduate school, community college, or vocational training program.
- Awards from $1,000 to $7,500, determined using your Student Aid Index and other financial-need information.
- Funds made payable to your educational institution.
School requirements
Your school must be accredited by an eligible U.S. regional accrediting organization. ABF will not knowingly send an award to a school that practices scholarship displacement.
If you attend school outside the United States, the school must accept an international wire transfer directly to your student account. You are responsible for providing the bank details to ABF.
Accreditation: See the Council for Higher Education Accreditation’s regional accrediting organizations.
Application calendar
Three application periods each year
| Application opens | Application closes |
|---|---|
| November 1 | December 20 |
| January 5 | January 30 |
| May 15 | August 29 |
Please note: You may apply for an ABF scholarship once per academic year. Allow at least four to six weeks for application processing.
Eligibility
Who can apply
- You are a student of Christian Science and a current member of The Mother Church, The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts.
- You can provide a Christian Science reference from an active Christian Scientist who is not an immediate family member or peer and who has personally witnessed your practice of Christian Science within the past year.
- You earned at least a 2.5 GPA in your most recently completed academic term, or at least a 2.0 GPA in a vocational training program.
- You are a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident.
- You are enrolled, or about to enroll, in an eligible accredited post-secondary institution in the United States or another country where ABF operates.
- You are in good academic standing, making satisfactory progress toward your degree or certificate, and enrolled at least half-time.
Questions about your eligibility?
Libby Scheiern, PhD
Scholarships and Student Success
Libby.scheiern@albertbakerfund.org
How to apply
Steps to apply
1
Request your form
Request your personalized online application form during an open application period.
2
Write your statement
Prepare a new student statement in your own voice, using the prompt below.
3
Gather documents
Save each required document as an individual PDF before you begin.
4
Submit by the deadline
Complete the form and attach every required document in one session.
Plan ahead: You cannot save your progress during the application. Have every attachment ready before you begin.
Required documents
Documents you’ll need
Save each attachment as an individual PDF. Your application cannot be processed until all required documents are properly submitted.
All applicants
1. Christian Science reference
Provide contact information for an active Christian Scientist who is not an immediate family member or peer and who has personally witnessed your practice of Christian Science within the past year. ABF will send your reference a separate online form after you submit your application.
2. Student statement
Write a new statement each year, one to two double-spaced pages. Tell us about your academic and non-academic interests, why you are furthering your education, your chosen career field, what you hope to accomplish, your future plans, and specific ways you use Christian Science in daily life. Include any circumstances you would like ABF to consider. Add your name, date, school, and year in school at the top.
Use of AI: You may use AI to help draft an outline, but your final statement must be authentic and written in your own voice.
3. Academic transcript
Submit your most recent official or unofficial academic transcript. It must also show your registration for the upcoming term.
4. Tuition and fee confirmation
Provide a cost-of-attendance document or school invoice showing tuition, fees, room and board, other expenses, and any grants, scholarships, or loans awarded.
5. Student Aid Index from your FAFSA Submission Summary
Submit a PDF showing your official Student Aid Index (SAI), including if you are enrolled in a graduate program. If you do not submit an SAI, the maximum Albert Baker Scholarship you may receive is $1,000. Learn where to find your SAI in your FAFSA Submission Summary.
6. High-resolution photo
Provide an original-size or high-resolution photo of yourself, framed from the waist up against a simple background, with good lighting and sharp focus on your face.
New students or returning students who changed schools
Include these four additional items:
1. Verification of membership in The Mother Church
Request verification from clerk@christianscience.com and include your name, address, phone number, and membership number if available. Save the verification email as a PDF. You may submit your most recent per-capita form instead. If your membership application has already been received by the Clerk’s Office, contact Libby Scheiern directly.
2. Enrollment or admission letter
Provide a letter showing enrollment or acceptance for the upcoming term at your accredited institution.
3. Official financial-aid letter
Submit the letter from your school’s financial-aid department explaining all scholarships, grants, and loans the school is offering you.
4. Estimates of educational expenses
Prepare estimates for tuition, housing, supplies and books, equipment such as a computer, required fees, meals, and travel. You will enter these amounts in the online application; no attachment is required.
Special donor-funded scholarships
Some applicants may qualify automatically for an additional award. No separate application is required.
- University of California, Davis students: Eligible undergraduate and graduate students may receive an additional $1,000 annual scholarship and may reapply each year.
- Students studying music: The Jean Burgdorff Memorial Endowed Scholarship supports one student each academic year who is pursuing an academic music degree, professional-development seminar or class, apprenticeship or internship, or master class.
Applications are currently closed
Get ready to apply
Applications reopen November 1, 2026. You can check the requirements and gather your documents now.
Questions? Email Libby.scheiern@albertbakerfund.org.