Clara Carter Higgins Summer Environmental Studies Scholarship
Offered by The Garden Club of America
About This Scholarship
Most scholarships pay for the academic year. The Clara Carter Higgins Scholarship pays for your summer — specifically, $3,000 per recipient toward summer coursework in environmental studies, from field programs to research stations to intensive courses that do not fit the regular semester calendar.
The award is open to undergraduate students at the time of application who can show a keen interest in environmental betterment. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents enrolled at U.S.-based institutions. One application does extra duty here: the Higgins Scholarship is reviewed together with three sibling awards — the Elizabeth Gardner Norweb, Mary T. Carothers, and GCA Awards for Summer Environmental Studies — so a single submission is considered across the whole summer environmental studies pool.
Applications are due February 5 and can be submitted electronically through the form linked on the award page or by mail to GCA headquarters in New York City. Remember the program-wide rule: only one GCA scholarship, fellowship, or award may be applied for annually, though for this cluster of summer awards that single application already covers all four.
Eligibility
- Undergraduate college student at the time of application
- Proposed summer coursework or field study in environmental studies
- Demonstrated interest in environmental betterment
- U.S. citizen or permanent resident enrolled at a U.S.-based institution
How To Apply
- Identify the summer environmental studies program, course, or field station you want to attend
- Complete the GCA summer environmental studies application (one application covers the Higgins, Norweb, Carothers, and GCA SES awards)
- Submit electronically or by mail so materials reach GCA headquarters by February 5, 2027
Frequently Asked Questions
What can the money be used for?
The scholarship provides $3,000 toward summer coursework in environmental studies — for example, field ecology programs, research station sessions, or intensive summer courses.
Should I also apply for the other GCA summer environmental awards?
No — and you can't. Your Higgins application is automatically reviewed alongside the Elizabeth Gardner Norweb, Mary T. Carothers, and GCA Awards for Summer Environmental Studies, so one application covers all four.
Are graduate students eligible?
No. This award is for students who are undergraduates at the time of application.