ICAF is proud to hold each year the John A. Lent Scholarship in Comics Studies competition. The Lent Scholarship, named for pioneering teacher and researcher Dr. John Lent, is offered to encourage student research into comic art. ICAF awards the Lent Scholarship to a current student who has authored, or is in the process of authoring, a substantial research-based writing project about comics. (Preference is given to master’s theses and doctoral dissertations, but all students of comics are encouraged to apply.)

The Scholarship is subject to the condition that the recipient present a half-hour talk, based on her or his research, during ICAF. The award consists of up to US$750 in kind to offset the cost of travel to and/or accommodations at the conference. A commemorative letter and plaque are also awarded. No cash is awarded.

Applicants must be students (or have been students since the last ICAF was held), or show acceptance into an academic program at the time of submission. The application for the 2023 Lent Scholarship is now open. The deadline to apply is December 20, 2022. 

The Scholarship competition is adjudicated by a three-person committee chosen from among the members of ICAF’s Executive Committee. To apply, please submit the following to icafcomic@gmail.com.

• A self-contained excerpt from the project in question, not to exceed twenty (20) double-spaced pages of typescript.
• A brief cover letter, introducing the applicant and explaining the nature of the project.
• The applicant’s professional resume.
• A brief letter of reference, on school letterhead, from a teacher or academic advisor (preferably thesis director), establishing the applicant’s student status and speaking to her/his qualifications as a researcher and presenter.

PLEASE NOTE that applications for the Lent Scholarship are handled entirely separately from ICAF’s general Call for Proposals. Students who submit abstracts to the general CFP are welcome to apply separately for the Lent Award.