Art students may be eligible for scholarships based on merit or need.
Talented art students may be eligible for scholarships granted by companies and colleges. In some cases, financial need is taken into consideration as well as artistic excellence. Scholarships can range up to tens of thousands of dollars.
Scholastic Art Awards
Students in grades seven through 12 are eligible for the Scholastic Art Award. Winning students receive a share of $155,000 in cash prizes on the regional and national level. More than 40 organizations provide the money for the scholarships. Applicants must present portfolios of at least eight examples of their work. Categories for the art award include animation, ceramics, computer art, digital imagery, photography and film. The Scholastic Art Award honors 800 artists nationwide. National winners are invited to attend an awards ceremony at New York City's legendary Carnegie Hall, and winning artwork is displayed at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
Create a Greeting Card
High school, college and graduate students can compete in the annual Create a Greeting Card Scholarship contest. The winner receives a $10,000 scholarship, and the winning greeting card design is incorporated into the Scholarship.com greeting card line and sold online. Submissions must illustrate the front of a greeting card using original artwork, photos or computer graphics. Birthday cards, holiday cards, thank-you cards and get-well cards are all eligible.
University of Arizona College of Fine Arts
The University of Arizona College of Fine Arts, School of Art offers undergraduate tuition waivers. Eligible students must maintain a 3.0 grade point average, complete 30 units a year and be U.S. citizens. Tuition waivers cover a portion of tuition. Awards are granted on the basis of merit or need. To apply for a need-based waiver, students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. All applicants must major in a study area from the School of Art such as studio art, art history or visual culture education.
Cornish College of the Arts
The Cornish College of the Arts in Washington state offers a scholarship to its students. Eligible students must demonstrate financial need as well as merit. Cornish College reviews portfolios of visual artist applicants and may ask performing artist applicants to audition. Forty percent of tuition is covered by the Cornish College scholarship.
UMW Mary Baker Emerick Art Scholarships
The Mary Baker Emerick Art Scholarships are awarded by the University of Montana---Western. Students who are art majors and art minors at the school are eligible. Scholarships up to $2,000 are given to talented art students who compete against one another.
