The John Lennon Scholarship competition is open only to U.S. college students between the ages of 17 and 24. Three scholarships with prizes totaling $20,000 will be awarded to the best original songs submitted to the competition. Established in 1997 by Yoko Ono, this scholarship program honors the memory of one of the preeminent songwriters of the 20th century, John Lennon. Lennon’s enormous creative legacy includes such songs as, “I Want To Hold Your Hand,” “Strawberry Fields,” “Imagine,” “I Am the Walrus,” “All You Need Is Love,” and “Come Together” and continues to inspire and uplift new generations of music lovers around the world. More than $340,000 in scholarships have been awarded over the past fifteen years.
Specific Eligibility Criteria
- Must be between the ages of 17 and 24 as of the deadline.
- Must be in residence in the United States or its territories.
- May only submit one application per BMI Foundation awards program.
- May not submit the same musical work to more than one BMI Foundation awards program.
- May only submit works that have not been assigned to any major music publisher or major record label.
- May only apply if they have not previously won the John Lennon Award. (Honorable mention may apply again.)