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 initial scholarships in 2021 for BIPOC, LGBTQ+, individuals identifying as Women, and individuals experiencing financial hardship for the CMS-A Introductory Sommelier Course & Examination.
The Q3 scholarship application period will open June 1, 2021 at 9:00 AM PST and close August 31, 2021 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 October 1, 2021 to March 30, 2022. 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 the initial round of recipients being notified on September 15th. Individuals that do not receive a scholarship may re-submit an application during future application periods.
*An initial screening by the Scholarship Chairperson will be completed to determine eligibility prior to Committee review.
**Wine tasting kits take 5-7 days to process plus shipping time. Additional shipping rates may apply for expedited options or orders to AK or HI. ADULT SIGNATURE REQUIRED UPON DELIVERY. At this time, wine cannot be shipped internationally, outside of the continental US (with the exception of AK or HI), or to the following US states: AL, AR, DE, KY, MS, RI, SD, UT.