In October 2020, we rolled out a new application and review platform, Survey Monkey Apply. We shifted to a quarterly application cycle and began offering the Open Forum as a Pay it Forward option for our recipients. There are several benefits for our applicants, review team, and administrators, as well as our overall membership that come with this fresh approach to Pink Boots Society Scholarships:
- Applicants will have three months to prepare their application instead of just one.
- Applications can be saved in progress and applicants can return to finish them at any time during the application period.
- Apply for multiple scholarships with one application! Simply select up to three scholarships you are interested in, and your application will automatically be sent to the proper review team for each scholarship. Please note, that if selected for more than one scholarship, the recipient will have to choose which one they will accept.
- Request a letter of recommendation from anyone from the application page. Once your recommender uploads their letter, it will automatically be added to your application.
- Reviewers will be able to review submitted applications in real time, which will in turn shorten the amount of time applicants are waiting to hear back about their applications. This also relieves the pressure on our volunteers’ time so that they can balance their schedule as busy professionals with hectic lives.
- Recipients will be able to fulfill their Pay it Forward requirement on our Open Forum. While many local, regional, and chapter meetings have been cancelled due to COVID-19, we are thrilled to provide a digital option that can be submitted from the safety of your home. Additionally, this will provide easy access to the information our recipients learned during their course to all our members, so we can all benefit together from the Pink Boots Society scholarships.
We hope that you will take advantage of all that Pink Boots Society has to offer, and that these improvements will make it easier than ever to further your career through education!
To log in and apply via the Survey Monkey Platform, visit this page and click the green MORE> button on the program you wish to apply for, or visit this page, and click the green LOG IN TO APPLY button. Your username and password will be the same as your Pink Boots membership.
To reset your password, visit this page and click on I don’t know my password.
*If you are having trouble logging into the scholarship platform, please try the following:
- Clear the cookies/cache from your browser.
- Close your browser.
- Try logging in with another browser.
If you continue to experience issues, please contact scholarships@pinkbootssociety.org
Current Scholarships – 2023 Q4
Beerology: Mastering Beer and Food Pairing
Course Format: Online
Course Dates: On-demand (online)
Course Information: Beerology: Beer and Food Pairing
Course Location: Your Computer (Anywhere in the world)
Scholarship Value: $199 USD
Seats available: 1
This online course is an easy to follow, step-by-step guide that will show you how to master pairing beer with food.
It comprises five sections, each of which is divided into short bite-size video lessons. Each section builds on the content of the previous one, increasing your understanding of food pairing theory and improving your ability to confidently pair beer with food.
The goal is to fill your beer and food pairing toolbox with all the information you need to consistently put together great pairings, so that this skill becomes second-nature. Lessons come with worksheets, activities, quizzes, homework and assignments that will help strengthen and confirm your understanding, along the way.
Having completed Mastering Beer & Food Pairing, brought to you by Beerology®, you will be able to find the perfect beer to compliment any food so you can create exceptional dining experiences.
*Terms and conditions apply. Please see below.
Cicerone BeerSavvy® Program
Course Format: Online
Course Dates: Any time, 5 – 8 hours to complete
Course Information: Cicerone Beer Savvy
Course Location: Your Computer (Anywhere in the world)
Scholarship Value: $199 USD
Seats available: 2
Cicerone Beer Savvy is a comprehensive self-paced online beer training course that can be started whenever and wherever. This scholarship is perfect for any brewery owner, beer bar manager, bartender, server, beer writer, beer educator, beer distributor, brewery sales representative or beer chef. Please see Required Applicant Qualifications below.
This course will enhance your knowledge of brewing techniques, beer styles, understanding flavors and off-flavors, food pairings and the language to clearly discuss beer. It is self-paced and should take 5 – 8 hours to complete with a final exam. This course includes the Level 1 Certified Beer Server exam and start you on your journey to Master Cicerone. Because this is an online course, it is easily available to PBS members in any nation and we encourage our International members to apply. There are two options for final exams: US-based exam and an International CBS exam for those members outside of the USA. Please visit Cicerone Beer Savvy for additional information. This course, as with all USA courses, will only be offered in English at this time.
*Terms and conditions apply. Please see below.
Road to Cicerone® Courses Educational Series
(Online Course Suite)
Course Format: Online
Course Dates: Any time
Course Information: Road to Cicerone
Course Location: Your Computer (Anywhere in the world)
Scholarship Value: $295 USD
Seats available: 2
Each online course is mobile-friendly and covers its topic with instructional text, learning activities, references to outside readings, and discussion questions. To complete each book, you can expect to spend about 6-12 hours on reading, study, and activities.
After completing an online course, you should be prepared to pass the included practice exam for that course. Passing the exam earns you an online badge and helps you assess your readiness for the Certified Cicerone® exam.
*Terms and conditions apply. Please see below.
Crafting A Strategy One Year Membership
Course Format: Online
Course Dates: 1-year from registration
Course Information: Crafting A Strategy
Course Location: Your Computer (anywhere in the world)
Scholarship Value: $99 USD
Seats available: 5
Crafting A Strategy (CAS) is a global online learning platform that will be available to the scholarship recipients from one year starting from award date. Used in universities and breweries all over the world, CAS has over 150 digital content pieces specific to the business needs of brewing entrepreneurs. These include podcasts, webinars, case studies, white papers, instructional videos, blogs, and a professional forum. Scholarship recipients will receive access to all CAS content and forums for one calendar year and they will also receive a weekly CAS newsletter with industry analysis, advice, and links to new content and forums. This scholarship is designed for those owning or planning a brewery, company presidents, CEOs, COOs, CFOs, marketing professionals, head brewers, and sales strategists. Please see below for Required Applicant Qualifications.
*Terms and conditions apply. Please see below.
Napa Valley Wine Academy
Wine 101 – Foundation Online Course
Course Format: 4-week online course with approximately 8 hours of studying
Course Dates: Depends on course
Course Information: Wine 101
Course Location: Your Computer (anywhere in the world)
Scholarship Value: $123.00 – $205.00 USD
Seats available: 2
Our online course will demystify wine for you! Get your foot in the door with a solid foundation – it’s never too late to start learning about wine. You’ll learn everything from how to pick out a bottle, how to read and write tasting notes, and what makes each grape unique. It doesn’t matter if you prefer red or white, sweet or dry – we have something for everyone!
We can help you take that first step towards becoming an expert on all things vino-related. With our interactive online course, you’ll be able to work at your own pace. Plus, we offer wine kits so that you can taste along with the instructor, learning while you taste.
By taking our online foundation course, you’ll gain access to all of the tools, resources, and knowledge necessary for improving your knowledge base in order to enjoy better wines with friends and family at home or, who knows, maybe you will even start your own successful wine business.
*Terms and conditions apply. Please see below.
Napa Valley Wine Academy
Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level 1 – Wines
Course Format: 4-week online course with approximately 6 hours of studying
Course Dates: Depends on course
Course Information: WSET Level 1 Wine
Course Location: Your Computer (anywhere in the world)
Scholarship Value: $383.00 – $423.00 USD
Seats available: 2
WSET Level 1 course gives you the basic skills to talk and taste like a professional.
This course is designed to be hands-on and fun. You will explore different styles of wines through sight, smell, and taste and learn the key principles involved in the storage and service of wine. To read the course nitty-gritty, CLICK HERE.
By the end of the WSET Level 1, you will:
- Gain the basic skills to describe wines accurately
- Have a systematic approach to tasting and identifying wine types
- Know the fundamental principles of food and wine pairing
*Terms and conditions apply. Please see below.
Napa Valley Wine Academy
Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level 2 – Wines
Course Format: 5-week online course with approximately 28-35 hours of studying
Course Dates: Depends on course
Course Information: WSET Level 2 Wine
Course Location: Your Computer (anywhere in the world)
Scholarship Value: $639.00 – $739.00 USD
Seats available: 2
If you’re ready to go beyond the basics, WSET Level 2 Award in Wine offers a deeper look at the world’s wine styles and regions. You’ll elevate your tasting skills with our 12-bottle (100 ml) wine tasting kit*, curated by our experts for this level. To read the course nitty-gritty, CLICK HERE.
This course is designed to be hands-on and fun. By the end of the WSET Level 2 Award in Wine, you’ll be able to:
- Identify the principal grape varieties grown around the world and the different styles produced from them, including sparkling and fortified wine
- Decode label information to understand a wine’s quality and style
- Calibrate your tasting skills to our NVWA instructors using the WSET’s Level 2 Systematic Approach to Wine Tasting (SAT)
A lot of wine schools offer WSET certification courses, and it can be confusing to choose the best one for you. After a decade of experience we know exactly what students need to prepare for the test, and have developed multiple modalities for your preferred way of learning. You’ll benefit from live webinars and video lectures, hands-on interactive activities, quizzes, a mock exam, and instructor support.
Sign up now on our website for this WSET Level 2 Online five (5) week program that promises to give you everything you need to achieve this intermediate-level certification!
For more information and full details on the course requirements, please download the Specification.
We are able to have wine kits shipped to the following states ONLY: AL, AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, MD, ME, MA, MN, MO, MT, NE, NH, NV, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WA, WI, WY, and Wash DC. NO SHIP LOCATIONS: International, AK, AR, CT, DE, HI, MI, MS, NJ, RI, SD, UT, VT, and WV.
*Terms and conditions apply. Please see below.
Napa Valley Wine Academy
Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level 3 – Wines
Course Format: 10 weeks with approximately 84+ hours of studying
Course Dates: Depends on course
Course Information: WSET Level 3 Wine
Course Location: Your Computer (anywhere in the world)
Scholarship Value: $1,165.00 – $1,399.00 USD
Seats available: 1
Earning this advanced certification isn’t easy, but we arm you for success. We teach our students the WSET way of thinking. You’ll not only know the material, but you’ll also understand what they are looking for so you can feel confident on test day. We also include a 24 bottle (100 ml) wine tasting kit*, curated by our experts for this level, for calibration with your instructor and homework exercises; each wine chosen from the WSET’s full list of recommended wines to taste for Level 3 success.
This course will help you develop an extensive understanding of wines and confidently explain wine style. You’ll learn all major grape varieties and wine styles produced around the world, and understand what influences their style and quality.
By the end of WSET Level 3 Award in Wine, you’ll be able to:
- Understand the key factors in wine production, including location, grape growing, winemaking, maturation, and bottling
- Identify key characteristics of still, sparkling, and fortified wines of the world
- Evaluate wines with blind tasting using WSET Level 3 Systematic Approach to Tasting® (SAT)
For more information and full details on the course requirements, please download the Specification.
We are able to have wine kits shipped to the following states ONLY: AL, AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, MD, ME, MA, MN, MO, MT, NE, NH, NV, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WA, WI, WY, and Wash DC. NO SHIP LOCATIONS: International, AK, AR, CT, DE, HI, MI, MS, NJ, RI, SD, UT, VT, and WV.
*Terms and conditions apply. Please see below.
Napa Valley Wine Academy
Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level 1 – Sake
Course Format: 4-week online course with approximately 28 hours of studying
Course Dates: Depends on course
Course Information: WSET Level 1 Sake
Course Location: Your Computer (anywhere in the world)
Scholarship Value: $357.00 USD
Seats available: 1
This is a four-week course with a fixed start date and includes 12 months of access to the online learning material.
A beginner-level introduction to sake for those starting a career in the industry or pursuing an interest in sake.
This qualification offers a hands-on introduction to the world of sake for individuals new to the subject. You’ll explore the main styles and types of sake through sight, smell, and taste to develop an understanding of the key factors affecting flavors and aromas. Upon successful completion, you will receive a WSET certificate and lapel pin.
To obtain the WSET Level 1 Award Certificate in Sake, you will need to successfully pass an online OR in-person exam that is made up of 30 multiple-choice questions.
For more information and complete details on the course requirements, please download the Specification.
You have 12 months from the start of your course to schedule your proctored EXAM. Exam orders are placed 21 days before the exam date, and you cannot change the date once that order has been placed with the WSET. Results take 4-5 weeks to be released by WSET.
*Terms and conditions apply. Please see below.
White Labs
Reusing Yeast (On-Demand Course)
Course Format: Online
Course Dates: On-demand (online)
Course Information: White Labs’ Reusing Yeast (On-Demand Course)
Course Location: Your Computer (Anywhere in the world)
Scholarship Value: $79 USD
Seats Available: 1
White Labs’ Reusing Yeast (On-Demand Course) is a 60-75 minutes on-demand course accessible at your convenience online. This scholarship is primarily designed for brewery cellar employees but also provides content that everyone working in a brewery setting should understand. Please see below for Required Applicant Qualifications.
Consistent fermentations and high-quality beer begin with healthy yeast and consistent pitch-rates. Join Joe Kurowski, White Labs head of brewing operations, in this course, which offers an in-depth look at how to best harvest and store yeast for optimal performance. Explore various fermentation-related topics such as pitch rates, best practices when looking at yeast health and ideal conditions for yeast storage. Five course modules will cover the following areas:
• Yeast Selection & Overview
• Yeast Harvesting
• Yeast Storage
• Yeast Health
• Pitching Yeast
*Terms and conditions apply. Please see below.
White Labs
Sour Beer: Alternative Microbes and Fermentation Techniques (On-Demand Course)
Course Format: Online
Course Dates: On-demand (online)
Course Information: White Labs’ Sour Beer: Alternative Microbes and Fermentation Techniques (On-Demand Course)
Course Location: Your Computer (Anywhere in the world)
Scholarship Value: $149 USD
Seats Available: 1
White Labs’Sour Beer: Alternative Microbes and Fermentation Techniques (On-Demand Course) is a 90-120 minute on-demand course accessible at your convenience online. This scholarship is primarily designed for brewers and cellarpersons but also provides content that is useful to everyone working in a brewery.
Ready to learn more about the microbes responsible for making sour and farmhouse beers? From traditional spontaneous fermentation to inoculation techniques and overviews of the major organisms used and found in sour beer we’ll review the behavior of select organisms and how to best utilize them in a sour program. Join us through our on-demand portal which covers the ins and outs of sour beer fermentation and culture management. Five course modules will cover the following areas:
• Module 1: Introduction and Organisms
• Module 2: Fermentation Control
• Module 3: Fermentation Techniques
• Breakout Module: Kettle Souring
• Module 4: Capturing Wild Cultures
• Module 5: Fermenting Sour Beer in a “Clean” Brewery
*Terms and conditions apply. Please see below.
White Labs
The Many Flavors of Fermentation (On-Demand Course)
Course Format: Online
Course Dates: On-demand (online)
Course Information: White Labs The Many Flavors of Fermentation (On-Demand Course)
Course Location: Your Computer (Anywhere in the world)
Scholarship Value: $79 USD
Seats Available: 1
White Labs’ The Many Flavors of Fermentation (On-Demand Course) is a 60-75 minutes on-demand course accessible at your convenience online. This scholarship is designed for all brewery industry employees.
The ability to effectively communicate fermentation attributes is crucial in the business of brewing. Through the use of video, slides, narration, and quizzes, this online class will explore ways to describe yeast influenced flavor/aroma compounds, how yeast can manipulate other ingredients, and ways to establish brand identity through sensory. Students will develop a comprehensive vocabulary and the ability to clearly communicate fermentation profiles to staff and customers alike. Five course modules will cover the following areas:
• Overview of fermentation
• Yeast driven flavors, aromas, and other attributes
• Ingredient interactions
• Application internally
• Application externally
*Terms and conditions apply. Please see below.
Terms & Conditions: All PBS scholarships have a “Pay It Forward” (PIF) requirement, where our scholarship recipients are required to pass on the specific knowledge they gained in their scholarship course to other PBS members and to the industry in general within 6 months of completing the program. This is accomplished through many means like publishing an article, publishing a blog on a reputable website, or giving a presentation at a local, regional or national professional seminar or conference. The details for the proposed PIF project must be submitted for approval to PBS prior to the event as well as a brief summary after to be posted on the Pink Boots Society Online Community Forum. Many recipients choose to PIF at their local chapter meetings, but you may also present at our annual CBC and GABF meetings.
All courses require successful completion of the course. Recipients will be billed 50% (up to $500) of the course value if they do not successfully complete the course. As a condition of accepting the scholarship, the recipient will be liable for these charges if the course is not completed with passing marks. Any stipend (if applicable) will also be reimbursed once valid receipts of travel expenses are submitted and approved. If the recipient fails to successfully complete the course, stipend (if applicable) will be forfeited and not reimbursed.
By accepting a Pink Boots scholarship, recipients will be ineligible to receive another scholarship for a period of one year from the acceptance date.
Please note that Scholarship Recipients are announced approximately eight weeks after the scholarship application window closes.