The Sebastian Herbstein Memorial Scholarship in Fiction Writing will be awarded to an undergraduate student engaged in any major or discipline of study at the University of Maryland who shares Sebastian’s passion for fiction writing and excellence in storytelling.

Cash prizes of $1,000 for first prize and sometimes a $600 for second prize, will be awarded for works of short fiction of 5,000 words or less. The award winners may list the honor their resumes and will be recognized at a campus-wide spring 2026 event.  Learn more about the Herbstein scholarship on the BSOS College website.

 Applications are due by March 1, 2026.

Questions regarding the scholarships or the application process can be directed to bsos-scholarships@umd.edu. Please include “Herbstein Scholarship” in the subject line when sending an e-mail inquiry.