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.
This award is available for U.S. citizens have been living in Washington state, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, or Alaska for at least one year. Applicants must be enrolled or planning to enroll in a postsecondary program studying visual arts and design. Preference is given to self-identified LGBT students, members of LGBT families, and straight allies who have been supportive of the LGBT community.
Current college juniors or seniors with 60 or more credits and a 3.5 grade point average who attend Edward Waters College, Jacksonville University, Flagler College, or the University of North Florida are eligible to apply for this award. Students must major in the humanities, social/behavioral sciences, or natural sciences.
This scholarship is for college juniors, seniors and graduate students currently majoring in the field of health, physical education, recreation or dance. The student must have a grade point average of 3.5 or higher to be eligible.
This scholarship is available for Hawaii undergraduate and graduate students who are majoring in art. Students must have a grade point average of 2.7 or higher.
This award is available for permanent residents of Maryland with an interest in a teaching career. Candidates must have an undergraduate degree in the liberal arts, sciences or mathematics and be pursuing a master’s degree in education.
This award is for U.S. and international undergraduate students who are studying a computer-related field at a North American university. Selections are primarily based on the quality of research projects. Unless a student has completed significant research in the computing field, they are not eligible for this award and should not seek nomination.
This scholarship is available to graduate and undergraduate students studying in the United States and enrolled in a degree program in elementary or secondary education.
This award is for U.S. students who have attended at least four of the six secondary grade school years at a southern Santa Barbara County school and will be seniors graduating from a southern Santa Barbara County high school . Applicants must plan to major in art or an art-related field and be willing to submit a portfolio of their works.
This award is available for U.S. students under the age of 25 who graduated from any West Seattle high school or are studying music. Applicants must be residents of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon or Washington but may study elsewhere. Preference is given to students who are self-identified lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT), members of LGBT families, or straight-allies who have been strongly supportive of the LGBT community.
This award is available for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) students studying choral conducting with preference given to those committed to creating social change through music.
