Classics Scholarships

Explore classics scholarship opportunities at Holy Cross.

High school seniors who plan to major in classics may be eligible for the College's two full-tuition scholarships.

Classics Full Tuition Scholarships

Every year, the Department of Classics awards four-year, full-tuition scholarships to high school graduates who will major in Classics (the art and archeological remains, languages, history, and literatures of the ancient Mediterranean, North African, and West Asian worlds) at Holy Cross.

We seek students who have the potential:

  • to think critically and reflectively about the ancient world, and its place in today’s societies;
  • to succeed in ancient language courses (including Greek, Latin, and Hebrew);
  • to fully participate in the life of the department, to contribute to a welcoming environment for all members of the Classics community, and to make connections with other fields of study; and
  • to grow and contribute within the context of the College and its mission. (You can read our Mission Statement here.)

Prior to January 15, 2026 (the deadline for scholarship applications), we are delighted to set up an informational meeting about the scholarship and/or an opportunity to meet members of our community and learn more about the department. If you would like to arrange any one of these sorts of meetings either in person or on Zoom, please email or call the classics department's academic coordinator, Karen Paquin (508-793-2547, kpaquin@holycross.edu). Also, for more news and information about our community, please see the classics news section at the bottom of our main page.

How to Apply

To apply, it is necessary by January 15, 2026, to complete:

  • Either the Common Application or Coalition Application for admission to Holy Cross.
  • An additional application, specifically for the Full-Tuition Classics Scholarships.
  • Two short essays:
    • Describe a time or circumstance when your study of the ancient world made you think differently about the world you live in today. How might this changed perspective influence your approach to the study of the ancient world at Holy Cross? (To learn more about Holy Cross, here is a link to our Mission Statement.) (600 words)
    • Choose either a short passage of an ancient text or an ancient artifact or work of art that you want to tell your friends or family about, and explain why it is meaningful for you to an audience that is unfamiliar with the ancient world (500 words; if you choose to write about a text, please include only a citation of the passage of ancient text in your essay, not the passage itself).
  • A name of one recommender who taught you an ancient language and who can write a letter specifically in support of your application for this scholarship (required). This recommender, who will receive an automated recommendation request when you submit your application, will have until January 23, 2026 to submit their recommendation. (Please feel free to ask a recommender who has submitted a letter of recommendation for your Holy Cross Common Application or Coalition Application to also submit a letter of recommendation for your Scholarship application as well, and please note that they may submit the same letter in both places.) If you have not studied an ancient language, provide the name of one recommender who can speak to your interests in the ancient world and potential to succeed in the study of ancient languages.
  • A name of one additional recommender who can write a letter specifically in support of your application for this scholarship (optional). This recommender, who will receive an automated recommendation request when you submit your application, will have until January 23, 2026 to submit their recommendation.
  • Optional AP scores (if taken).

After January 26, 2026, we will contact a short list of applicants with requests for interviews.

Apply Here

About the Scholarships

The Henry Bean, S.J., Scholarship

Each year the department awards two Rev. Henry Bean, S.J., Scholarships. The Bean Scholarship was instituted in 1973 by Rev. John Brooks, S.J., president of the College from 1970 to 1994. Fr. Brooks named the scholarship after Rev. Henry Bean, S.J., who had taught him Latin and Greek at Holy Cross in the 1940s. Now our faculty expertise has expanded to include ancient Egypt, ancient Israel/Palestine and Mesopotamia. We are therefore widening our search beyond ancient Greece and Rome to include engaged students who have a proven interest in any of the areas our faculty teach.

The William Fitzgerald, S.J., Scholarship

Every four years, the department also awards a Rev. William Fitzgerald, S.J., Scholarship, also a full-tuition merit scholarship. The Fitzgerald Scholarship is named after Rev. William Fitzgerald, S.J., who taught in the department from the 1960s to the 1980s. The Fitzgerald Scholarship will next be awarded for an entering member of the class of 2031.