The James Beard Foundation announced that its 2022-2023 scholarships — an annual program aimed at supporting aspiring culinary students, future restaurateurs, researchers, and more — will be accepting applications starting Feb. 15. This year, the Scholarship Program will award more than $464,000 to recipients.

Established in 1991, the Scholarship Program assists aspiring and established culinary professionals who plan to further their education at a licensed or accredited culinary school or hospitality institution, college, or university. Since then, the program has grown in visibility and financial scope, as well as in the array of subjects its recipients have embraced.

As of 2022, the Foundation will have awarded nearly $9 million in financial aid to over 2,000 recipients, thanks in part to new partnerships with Mondelēz and Caviar.

“The James Beard Foundation is committed to supporting the innovative and driven culinary industry leaders of tomorrow,” Anne E. McBride, PhD, vice president of Programs at the James Beard Foundation, said in a news announcement. “We’re proud to encourage and advance up-and-coming talent by providing funding and scholarship opportunities that will enrich their impact and dedication to the food industry.”

Award amounts range from $2,000 to $20,000, and eligibility requirements vary by opportunity. Applicants, generally, must be enrolled or planning to enroll in a program at a licensed or accredited culinary school, hospitality institution, college, or university in fall 2022. International students may also qualify for many of the scholarships and are encouraged to apply.

This year, the James Beard Foundation will offer three basic types of Awards in the categories of culinary and pastry arts, wine studies, and food systems. The types of awards are as follows:

• Scholarships: cash grants applied to tuition and on a case-by-case basis, other school-related expenses
• Tuition Waivers: tuition waivers granted by educational institutions, which are renewable in some cases
• Work Study Grants: grants for working culinary professionals that cover expenses from programs offering experiential learning at farms, fisheries, wineries, and other venues of food production, under the auspices of the Jean-Louis Palladin Professional Work/Study program

Below is a selection of scholarships the James Beard Foundation will be offering for the 2022-2023 year:

• Debbie Lewis Women in Wine Scholarship: Debbie had a lifelong passion for mastering the business of wine and set an inspiring example of dedication and hard work to all those around her. Up to one [1] scholarship of $5,000 will be granted.
• The JBF Caviar Chefs of Tomorrow Scholarship Fund: This scholarship was established in partnership with Caviar with the mission to increase diversity in the premium restaurant industry and aims to support BIPOC individuals who reside in the United States who are planning to pursue culinary or pastry training at an accredited institution. Up to two [2] scholarships of $20,000 will be granted.
• The JBF Mondelēz International Scholarship Fund for Equity in Leadership: This program is open to Women-Identifying and BIPOC individuals who are planning to enroll, or are currently enrolled, at an accredited institution, focusing on culinary arts, pastry and baking, culinary science, or food business, and who reside in the United States. Up to three [3] scholarships of $10,000 will be granted.
• The JBF National Scholars Scholarship: Launched in 2016, this scholarship provides ten high-impact scholarships of $20,000 each to food-focused candidates of exceptional talent. Candidates for the ten [10] National Scholarships are selected according to academic merit, as well as personal and professional recommendations. To ensure regional diversity of this national program, one awardee will be selected from each of the ten geographic regions defined by the James Beard Foundation Awards. The program awards $20,000 scholarships to ten [10] candidates from across the U.S., who demonstrate the potential for leadership roles in culinary arts, food studies, agriculture, hospitality management, and related fields.

Previous recipients of James Beard Foundation Scholarships are eligible to apply again, and interested applicants are eligible to apply for more than one scholarship. There is no application fee required.

The Scholarship Program is administered by International Scholarship and Tuition Services, Inc. (ISTS), an independent company that specializes in managing sponsored educational assistance programs. ISTS hosts the online application process, selects and disburses awards to recipients. The James Beard Foundation’s Scholarship Selection Committee reviews the semifinalists, and approximately 40 recipients are selected. The deadline to apply is April 1, 2022.

For more information about the program and to begin the application process, visit jamesbeard.org/scholarships.