2026–27 applications are open through December 31, 2026. Apply now
WeekendBio Scholarship Program

Policies

Terms of Service and Official Rules

Effective September 28, 2026 · Applies to the 2026–27 award cycle

These Terms of Service and Official Rules (the "Terms") govern your use of this website and your participation in the Accelerated Academic Award Scholarship (the "Scholarship"). By using this website or submitting an application, you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree, do not use this website or apply.

The Scholarship is sponsored and administered by WeekendBio ("WeekendBio," "we," "us"). The award is funded by The Joseph Coolidge Giving Association (the "Association").

2. No fee or purchase required

There is no fee to apply, and no purchase or payment of any kind is required to apply or to win. WeekendBio will never ask an applicant for bank account, credit card, or other payment information.

3. Eligibility

To be eligible, an applicant must, at the time of application:

  • Be currently enrolled in a high school (grades 9 through 12), college, or university, including homeschool programs at the high school level;
  • Be a legal resident of the United States;
  • Be at least 13 years of age; and
  • If under 18, have permission from a parent or legal guardian to apply.

Employees of WeekendBio and of the Association, members of the selection committee, and the immediate family members and household members of each, are not eligible. The Scholarship is void where prohibited or restricted by law.

4. Application period

The application period for the 2026–27 cycle begins September 28, 2026 and ends at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on December 31, 2026. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered for any reason. The time an application is received by WeekendBio's systems is the official time of submission.

5. How to apply

Applicants must complete the online application at the application page, which requires a full name, expected graduation year, email address, essay of at least ten words, and certification. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Each person may submit one application per cycle. If more than one application is received from the same person, only the first will be considered. Applications cannot be edited, replaced, or supplemented after submission.

6. Essay requirements

Each essay must:

  • Contain at least ten (10) words, as counted under the rules published on The Essay page. There is no maximum length. An essay containing fewer than ten (10) words is disqualified immediately, will not be read or scored, and may not be revised or resubmitted;
  • Be written in English;
  • Respond to the 2026–27 prompt: "In ten words or more, describe the future you are working toward.";
  • Be the applicant's own original work, not written or substantially edited by another person or produced with an artificial intelligence writing tool;
  • Be plain text, without a title, emoji, links, or formatting; and
  • Not contain material that is obscene, defamatory, discriminatory, or that infringes the rights of any other person.

Essays that do not meet every requirement are disqualified before scoring.

7. Selection

After the application period closes, applications are reviewed for eligibility and compliance with these Terms. Eligible essays are reviewed by a selection committee appointed by WeekendBio, with applicant names and email addresses removed. Essays are scored on originality (30%), precision (25%), clarity (25%), and responsiveness to the prompt (20%). The highest-scoring eligible essay is selected. Ties are resolved by a second vote of the full committee.

Decisions of the selection committee are final. WeekendBio is not required to make an award if no eligible applications are received.

8. Winner notification and verification

The potential winner will be notified by email at the address provided in the application no later than January 29, 2027. To receive the award, the potential winner must respond within fourteen (14) days of notification and provide a mailing address in the United States. WeekendBio may request proof of enrollment and age. If the potential winner is under 18, a parent or guardian must also confirm the winner's eligibility and consent.

If the potential winner does not respond in time, cannot be verified as eligible, or does not comply with these Terms, the award may be forfeited and an alternate winner selected from the remaining eligible essays.

9. The award

One (1) award will be made for the 2026–27 cycle. The award consists of one dollar and thirty-nine cents ($1.39), paid as one hundred thirty-nine (139) United States one-cent coins.

The award is paid only in one-cent coins. It will not be paid by check, direct deposit, gift card, or in any other denomination or form, and no substitution, cash equivalent, or transfer is permitted. The award will be delivered in person or by mail, at WeekendBio's discretion, no later than February 26, 2027. WeekendBio is not responsible for an award that is lost, delayed, or damaged by a mail carrier after it has been sent.

10. Taxes

The winner is solely responsible for any federal, state, or local taxes that may apply to the award. WeekendBio does not provide tax advice.

11. Publicity

With the winner's written consent, and the consent of a parent or guardian if the winner is under 18, WeekendBio may publish the winner's name, class year, and essay on this website and in related announcements. Consent is not a condition of receiving the award. WeekendBio will not publish the name or essay of any applicant who is not selected.

12. Ownership of essays

Applicants keep ownership of their essays. By submitting an application, you give WeekendBio a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to copy, store, and review your essay for the purpose of administering the Scholarship. If you win and consent to publicity under Section 11, this license also covers publishing your essay as described there.

13. Disqualification

WeekendBio may disqualify any applicant who submits false or misleading information, submits more than one application, submits an essay that is not their own work, attempts to interfere with the application or selection process, or otherwise violates these Terms.

14. Use of this website

You agree to use this website only for lawful purposes. You may not submit an application on behalf of another person, submit automated or bulk entries, attempt to disrupt or gain unauthorized access to the website or the systems behind it, or upload malicious code.

The text, design, and graphics on this website are owned by WeekendBio and may not be copied for commercial purposes without permission.

15. Disclaimers and limitation of liability

This website is provided "as is" and "as available." To the fullest extent permitted by law, WeekendBio and the Association make no warranties about the website and are not responsible for technical failures, lost or late submissions, or errors in transmission.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, WeekendBio and the Association will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from your use of this website or participation in the Scholarship. The total liability of WeekendBio and the Association to any applicant will not exceed the value of the award.

16. Changes and cancellation

WeekendBio may update these Terms or modify, suspend, or cancel the Scholarship if circumstances beyond its reasonable control prevent the Scholarship from running as planned. Any changes will be posted on this page with a new effective date. Changes will not reduce the award for a cycle that has already closed.

17. Privacy

Information submitted through this website is handled as described in our Privacy Policy.

18. Contact

Questions about these Terms can be sent to scholarship@weekendbio.com.