The Bee Conservancy (TBC) is offering six (6) scholarships to eCornell's Master Beekeeping Certificate program for the 2026-27 academic year. These scholarships will be awarded to established beekeepers with a minimum of three (3) years of beekeeping experience whose work with bees advances environmental stewardship/education, community resilience, and/or food security.
This program was made possible through a donation from Texas Roadhouse.
Recipients of TBC’s Master Beekeeper Program will:
Be enrolled in the course that begins in March 2026, at no cost to the recipient.
Receive ongoing mentorship from The Bee Conservancy’s certified Master Beekeeper staff members.
Cornell’s Master Beekeeping Certificate Program:
Starts in March of 2026 and lasts until August 2027.
Consists of 4 online courses in Honey Bee Evolution, Biology, and Behavior; The Science and Art of Beekeeping; Managing Pests and Diseases; The Rewards and Contributions of Beekeeping
Culminates in a written, oral, and field exam series.
Scholarship awardees are required to:
Complete and receive a passing grade on all program coursework, including oral, written, and field exams, and provide a certificate of completion to TBC.
Provide a minimum of one (1) educational experience for TBC’s community.
Provide images, videos, and/or other formats of their beekeeping story and course experience for TBC channels, and the channels of program funder, Texas Roadhouse.
A Cornell University Master Beekeeping Certificate from Cornell University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Department of Entomology will be awarded to individuals who successfully complete the required coursework and receive a passing grade on all portions of the exam series. Learn more about the program here.
Deadline to Apply: November 29th, 2025 at 11:55 PM EST
For questions about this opportunity please reach out to hello@thebeeconservancy.org.
Eligibility
In order to be eligible for The Bee Conservancy’s Master Beekeeper Program you must:
Be at least 18 years of age.
Live in the United States of America.
Have at least 3 years of hands-on beekeeping experience.
Have access to a honey bee hive in your community.
Commit to completing and passing all course and fieldwork, exams, and other activities required by Cornell to earn your Master Beekeeping Certificate.
Be able to cover any expenses outside of the $300 travel stipend to take final exams in Ithaca, NY, if unable to complete the exams digitally.