Samuel Robinson Award
Samuel Robinson Award supports students at Presbyterian-related colleges and universities, rewarding memorization of all 107 Westminster Shorter Catechism question-and-answer pairs to recognize completion.
This grant was recently updated
The next listed deadline is now December 21, 2026, and September 20, 2027 has been added to the quarterly schedule. The page no longer specifies a graduation year of 2026 or later; you must still be a junior or senior at a Presbyterian-related college or university. For questions, use the general contact page or call 800-728-7228, as the financial aid email is no longer listed.
Funder: Presbyterian Mission Agency
Due Dates: December 21, 2026 (Quarterly) | March 15, 2027 (Quarterly) | June 21, 2027 (Quarterly) | September 20, 2027 (Quarterly)
Funding Amounts: $2,000 award; up to 18 months from the start of recitation to complete memorization
Summary: Recognizes juniors and seniors at Presbyterian-related colleges and universities who memorize the complete Westminster Shorter Catechism.
Key Information: Applicants must memorize all 107 question-and-answer pairs; no essay or recitation partner is required.
Description
The Samuel Robinson Award, offered by the Presbyterian Mission Agency of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), recognizes memorization of the Westminster Shorter Catechism. It supports undergraduate juniors and seniors attending Presbyterian-related colleges and universities, with completion of the entire catechism as the central achievement recognized by the program.
The program centers on learning all 107 question-and-answer pairs rather than writing an essay. A dedicated Westminster Shorter Catechism memorization app provides flashcards and progress tracking to support students as they work toward completion. Students register through the app and, after completing memorization, are prompted to complete the award application on Kaleidoscope.
