2024 PBKNCA Graduate Scholarships Announced

$10,000 Scholarships Available to Phi Beta Kappans at UC Davis

  • by Sharon C Knox

UC Davis graduate students who are members of Phi Beta Kappa are encouraged to apply for a $10,000 scholarship from the Phi Beta Kappa of Northern California Association (PBKNCA). PBKNCA offers several awards each year. Our campus has had strong representation since the awards were created, with students from a wide range of disciplines receiving awards. 

In 2023, Plant Biology student Reagan Reed and Ecology student Cody Pham received awards. Previous years have seen recipients in disciplines from English and History to Medicine and Animal Science. 

Application Instructions - Quick Summary

The application form and instructions are available here. ​​​​​

Please review the eligibility requirements and selection criteria. 

Send your application materials in PDF format via email to Professor Michael Subialka (msubialka@ucdavis.edu).

Confidential letters of recommendation should be emailed directly to Prof. Subialka by the letter writer.

No transcripts or financial aid documentation required.

Apply by our internal deadline of February 9, 2024.

Criteria and Eligibility

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must have been elected to Phi Beta Kappa by a chapter in the United States. The applicant's PBK number (available from PBK national) must be included on the application.

Applicants must be currently enrolled in a graduate or professional program at a PBK-NorCal member university (including UC Davis).

Students who have previously been awarded a PBKNCA scholarship are not eligible.

Selection Criteria

Applicants can be in any discipline (see our previous recipients). The following will be considered by the PBKNCA Scholarship Committee: 

  • Demonstrable evidence that the applicant has discovered something significant in the field of study, has found an original concept, has made an original contribution, or has found an innovative way to apply existing knowledge.
  • Applicant's description of major accomplishments.
  • A serious plan for future innovative endeavor with reasonable expectation of being able to fulfill it.
  • See our previous year's recipients for inspiration!
How to Apply

Complete the application form (here) and send to the UC Davis Scholarship Committee for review. Be mindful of the word limit, and please write your description with a general audience in mind.

Our UC Davis chapter’s Scholarship Committee reviews the applications and chooses several to forward to PBKNCA. Questions and application materials, including confidential letters of recommendation, should be submitted via email to Professor Michael Subialka, msubialka@ucdavis.edu not later than February 9, 2024. Ask your letter writers to send their recommendations by email directly to Michael Subialka. 

Send all applications via email, in PDF format. Do not send hard copies. See the Northern California PBK website for complete information about the scholarships and to download the application form. 

See the Northern California PBK website for complete information about the scholarships and to download the application form.