Art scholarships are for creative high school and college students who may qualify. Many accredited colleges and art schools offer art scholarships to students who’ve spent time cultivating their artistic talent. Some look at unmet financial need. Others require letters of recommendation, GPA, test scores and extracurricular activities. If you plan to enroll as a full time student and are a United States citizen or permanent resident, you may qualify.
You should first find scholarships for art at your current school. Your guidance counselor, and faculty in the art department may have scholarship information. Also, local publications may advertise creative art scholarships. Some awards may require your art portfolio or samples. Make sure you showcase a quality piece of art work and shows your passion for art.
10 Art Scholarships for Creative College Students in 2024
There are a wide range of college scholarship opportunities in art and design. To get you started, we curated a list of 10 scholarships for artists for you to check out. If you meet the eligibility rules, apply soon!
Design Circle Scholarship
Aluminum Extrusion Design Competition Scholarship
Stanfield and D’Orlando Art Scholarship
John F. and Anna Lee Stacey Scholarship Fund for Art Education
Lake Design Foundation Scholarship
Houzz Residential Design Scholarship
Black Design Leaders Grant
Phil Layton Award of Excellence in the Arts
Against the Grain Artistic Scholarship
Stop Painting.com Essay Scholarship
What Scholarships for Art Students Should You Apply for?
Art scholarships for college students often accept applications from a range of artistic majors. There are also awards for those majoring in visual arts, fine arts, graphic design, interior design, printmaking or performing arts. Apply to the ones you may qualify for to improve your odds.
For instance, if you draw/sketch or paint, apply for any drawing scholarship you may find. You may have to stick to a genre but you could show off your drawing skills.
There are also scholarships for artists tied to ethnicity, gender and race. Are you an artistic African American art student? The CBCF Spouses USA Performing Arts Scholarship may be one for you. Ten qualifying college students each get $3,000. Eligible applicants must have a 2.5 GPA and be a performing arts major.
Both undergraduate students and graduate students may qualify for the Henry and Chiyo Kuwahara Creative Arts Award. It is from the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL). To apply, you need samples of artistic works. These should show the Japanese American culture.
As a prospective art major, you should also submit a FAFSA to apply for standard financial aid packages. By submitting the FAFSA, you are able to apply for several scholarships for art from two year and four year colleges all at once.
Check on your college or art school’s website to see what they offer and if there is a separate form to fill out. Many colleges target high school seniors who enter as first time freshman and are renewable if you keep up the terms. Another option are easy scholarships and video or essay contests. You may find ones for creative writing, photography, mass communication, studio art and design.
Is Going to Art School Worth it?
Art school could be worth it at an accredited art program. You may gain more in depth knowledge and discipline from your art major. You may also develop networking opportunities with other artists and professors. There could also be valuable internships and potential career paths. More importantly, art students may learn to build a strong work ethic and dedication to your passion for art.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, many careers in arts and design require a bachelor’s degree (or BFA) for entry level roles. Graphic designers, multimedia artists, art directors, educators and some related fields require four year degree.
Also, the cost of a public four year college is on the rise. According to the NCES, the average total cost of attendance was at $24,900 in 2018 to 2019. Private for profit colleges average total cost of attendance was $33,200.
Because an art scholarship is not a loan, it works to make your studies more affordable. Once you graduate, you may have the knowledge and refined skills to go after your dream job. Also, the median annual wage for arts and design occupations was $51,150 in 2022. Salaries in creative fields usually vary.
The Fern Cousineau Duncan Art Scholarship is available for graduating seniors in north central Washington (Chelan, Douglas, or Okanogan counties) who are planning to pursue a career in art.
The Wendy Jackson Hall Scholarship Program will provide two-year scholarship to a student to study visual art. Applicants must be graduating high school seniors from a Washington public high school, have a 3.0 GPA or higher, and be accepted or admitted into the art program of an accredited U.S institution full time.
Tombow’s Create Your Best Work Art Scholarship is available to high school seniors and college freshman and sophomore students in the United States. To qualify, students must be currently enrolled or accepted and seeking a visual arts degree at a U.S. university, college or art school. Click here to learn more and apply today!
This scholarship is open to California undergraduate students who are enrolled in an arts program/major (i.e., visual arts, dance, music, film, etc.) at an accredited California four-year institution. Students must have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher.
This annual scholarship is available for U.S. students who are 14 years or older. To enter, students must create an original design for a greeting card. The winning student’s school will also receive $1,000 for helping to promote the scholarship contest. 100 entries will be made available online for public voting.
The annual Adobe Creativity Scholarships program provide college or university education tuition for up to U.S. $25,000.00 per academic year for required tuition and fees to young people pursuing study in a creative field and using creativity as a force for positive social impact.
Adobe, through the IIE offers the Design Circle Scholarship to support diversity. Each year, they will award 10 annual college scholarships of up to $25,000 per year for up to four years or $100,000 of undergraduate study. Click to learn more and apply today!
The Kier Memorial Scholarship is available for graduating seniors at Pacific Grove High School who have a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Applicants must plan to major in art or education. Click here to learn more and apply today!
The Dr. Roger and Kate Bartels Memorial Scholarship is available for graduating seniors from Carmel High School, Marina High School, Monterey High School, Pacific Grove High School, Seaside High School, Stevenson School, Santa Catalina School, Trinity Christian High School, and York School. Applicants must plan to major in healthcare, science, or the arts.
The Reat Griffin Underwood Memorial Scholarship is available for graduating high school students in the Kansas City area who are planning to major in a performing art. Click here to learn more about how to apply today!
