The CMS-A is firmly dedicated to creating and providing educational & advancement opportunities to individuals seeking to enhance their beverage knowledge that may be experiencing financial hardship or encountering barriers to wine education. The CMS-A is sponsoring 100 scholarships in 2024 for BIPOC, LGBTQ+, individuals identifying as Women, and individuals experiencing financial hardship for the CMS-A Introductory Sommelier Course & Examination.
The Q2 application period will open March 1, 2024 at 12:00PM PST and close May 31, 2024 at 11:59 PM PST. This scholarship is open to any student, restaurant, hospitality, or beverage education professional. The scholarship may be applied to any future in-person CMS-A Introductory Sommelier Course and Examination or the upcoming Online Course for the period of July 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024. Applications for those currently enrolled in the Course, or for those who have completed the Course within the past 3 years will not be eligible. Applicants must be 21+ years of age and awarded recipients opting for the online portion must be able to provide a valid **U.S. shipping address suitable for receiving alcoholic beverages related to the tasting portion of the programming.
Scholarships will be awarded by a committee consisting of: CMS-A Diversity Committee members, wine professionals, and D.E.I. experts. Committee members will assess applications blindly*, without knowledge of any identifying characteristics of applicants (Name, gender identity, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, or race). Each application will be assessed based on the merit of responses and applicant's financial need. Scholarship recipients will be selected on a quarterly basis, with this round of recipients being notified on by the end of June 2024. Individuals that do not receive a scholarship may re-submit an application during future application periods.