By Unigo
You always hear that there are scholarships for just about everything, so I decided to test that theory. I know all about the duct tape scholarship and the one for speaking Klingon, but I wondered if there was one for natural redheads. I suffered a lot of teasing growing up as a ginger and thought it would be nice to receive some type of payment for enduring that torture. I have to admit that I was pretty skeptical, but I actually found one. Although ScholarshipRed is only $250, it still proves that I can win a scholarship for just being me. Of course, this piqued my interest, so I started to look for other unusual and weird scholarships that I might be able to use. Here are five of the strange scholarships, but very true, awards I came across.
1. MyProjectorLamps Scholarship
First strange scholarship is MyProjectorLamps. Do teachers still use projectors in their classroom? I haven’t seen one in years, but apparently someone is still using them because MyProjectorLamps.com is ponying up some of their profits to fund a new scholarship program. High school students (16 or older) and current undergraduate students can apply by submitting an essay about the use of multimedia in the classroom and how teachers can integrate modern teaching methods to improve learning outcomes. One $500 scholarship will be awarded in the fall (October 12 deadline) and in the spring (April 13 deadline).
2. Gamers Helping Gamers
Second in the list of strange scholarships is gamers helping gamers. Years ago, there used to be a Magic: The Gathering Scholarship Series, but it was discontinued in 2008. Now, a new group of diehard fans have come together to form a nonprofit organization called Gamers Helping Gamers and they are handing out scholarships to those who play this fantasy card game. This year’s winner received a $20,000 scholarship (paid over four years), so if your parents give you grief for wasting your time role-playing, tell them you are working on winning money for college. Be sure to mark your calendars because the next scholarship cycle opens on October 15.
3. Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship
Another strange scholarship is the Zombie Apocalypse scholarship. Are you a fan of The Walking Dead? Maybe you are one of those Doomsday Preppers and fully expect the dead to walk the Earth one day. If so, this zombie scholarship has your name written all over it! Just explain what five items you would use to survive if zombies attacked your school or college, and you could win $1,500. Better hurry, though; this scholarship ends on October 31.
4. Sh*t You Can’t Say to Your Teacher (Scholarship Slam)
Power Poetry always has some interesting scholarship prompts, but this one definitely made me giggle. A strange scholarship called scholarship slam. I guarantee the entries for this program will be fun to read! Basically, you just have to write a poem that tells your teacher what you care about in education or who you really are as a person, not just as a student. It’s your chance to vent and get everything off your chest. So, have some fun and submit your two cents worth before December 13, if you want a shot at the $1,000 prize.
5. Play! Pokémon Scholarship
Another strange scholarship is this Pokemon scholarship! Here’s another chance to get paid for spending time playing cards or online video games. Of course, it’s not as easy as submitting an application or creating a new character; you’ll actually have to win some real Pokémon battles. Winners of both the Pokémon TCG U.S National Championships and the Pokémon World Championships will receive scholarships (amounts vary) that are good for up to ten years and can be used to cover tuition, books, fees and other college-related expenses. The next tournament is in July, so you have plenty of time to catch all the Pokémon you need to win.
Clearly, being a nerd or sitting around in your basement role playing is a money-maker these days, but who has that kind of time in college? If you’re like me, and barely find enough time to get some sleep, consider using a free scholarship search to locate other weird scholarships and awards that might not take as much time as a Pokémon tournament; I know they are out there. Who knows? Maybe you can find a strange scholarship for sleep-deprived students. Now that’s one I could definitely win!