Modern culture thrives on media. Film, video, and photography are one of the many ways humanity both creates and preserves their identity as it stands in the modern world. But in order to create films and photography and make a career out of your passion, one must go to school. With the help of the following scholarships, attaining a degree in the field you love is possible.
1. Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest
DEADLINE: October 24, 2014
The Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest is open to any twelfth grade high school student, undergraduate student, or graduate student worldwide. Essays must be the entrant’s original work and be between 800 and 1,600 words in length. Topics are all related to the works of Ayn Rand and are provided on the website. To be qualified, entrants must write a compelling essay on one of the pre-determined topics, each of which is concerned with the philosophical meaning behind Atlas Shrugged. There is one first prize worth $10,000 USD. There are three second place prizes worth $2,000 USD. There are five third place prizes, each worth $1,000 USD. Finally, there are twenty-five $100 prizes for all finalists, and fifty $50 prizes for semifinalists. Winners, finalists, semi-finalists and all other participants will be notified via e-mail by December 20, 2014.
Contact Information
Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest
The Ayn Rand Institute
P.O. Box 57044
Irvine, CA 92619-7044
info@aynrandnovels.com
Link
2. Carole Fielding Student Grants
DEADLINE: December 15 of every year
Carole Fielding Student Grants are offered to undergraduate and graduate students who are sponsored by a faculty member who is an active member of the University Film and Video Association. The applicant is required to submit a one-page description of his or her project, a resume, a statement written by his or her sponsor, and a proposed budget. Each year, more than $5000 is awarded for production and research proposals. Production applicants are asked to submit a script for narrative projects, (up to 30 minutes); a detailed treatment for documentary (up to 45 minutes); or a treatment, storyboard/script for experimental/animation/multimedia projects. Research applicants are asked to submit a description of methodology and a statement indicating the relationship of the proposed study to previous research in the field. Winners will be notified March 31 of the following year.
Contact Information
Carol Fielding Student Grants
c/o Professor Laura Vazquez
Lvazquez@niu.edu
Link
3. Charles Beardsley Endowed Art Scholarship
DEADLINE: February 1 of every year
Exclusive to students majoring in Art at Montana State University – Billings, this scholarship’s amount varies. In 2013, it was worth $500; however, in the past, it has been valued at approximately $150. The number and amount of awards varies per year, and students should contact the financial aid office for award-amount details. Applicants must be enrolled as a full-time student and maintain a GPA of 2.75 or higher. Applicants must also submit five .jpg images of their art work on CD to the Art Department in order to be considered competitive.
Contact Information
Charles Beardsley Endowed Art Scholarship
Montana State University — Billings
1500 University Drive
Billings, MT 59101
Link
4. Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals
DEADLINE:December 1
The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals is open to candidates in all career fields provided they are between 18 and 24 years of age at the start of the program, have U.S. citizenship, and possess a high school diploma. Applicants are required to upload a resume, a copy of their official transcripts, showing at least the last two years of study, proof of US citizenship or permanent resident status: passport or birth certificate, and a high school diploma or proof of high school graduation. Additionally, applicants are required to send in two letters of recommendation. The program allows selected applicants to live in Germany for a year on a fellowship that covers all expenses with the exception of food. Applicants are responsible for airfare and will be notified before July of their acceptance.
Contact Information
Cultural Vistas – CBYX
440 Park Ave South, 2nd Floor
New York, NY 10016
(212) 497-3522
cbyx@culturalvistas.org
Link
5. Corrosion in Motion Competition
DEADLINE: September 1, 2014
The “NACE Corrosion in Motion” Video Contest is designed to give applicants the chance to submit their own unique four-minute videos focused on the determined topic. The best three entries as determined by the judges, in combination with a public vote, are awarded scholarships. The contest is open to full-time students enrolled in either high school or an accredited university. All awards are paid by check. The first place prize is $3,000 USD, the second prize is $2,000 USD, and the third prize is $1,500 USD. Students will be notified by January as to whether or not their submission has won.
Contact Information
NACE International: Corrosion in Motion Competition
1440 South Creek Drive
Houston, TX USA 77084-4906
(281)228-6223
firstservice@nace.org
Link
6. Courageous Persuaders Video Scholarship Competition
DEADLINE:February 12, 2014
Open to all high school students in grades 9-12, the Courageous Persuaders Video Scholarship Competition asks applicants to create a 30-second commercial focused on the dangers of underage drinking. Eight Detroit-only scholarships are awarded through this program, as well as three national scholarship. Each scholarship is worth a minimum of $250 USD and the grand prize is valued at $3,000 USD. In addition to scholarship funding, the grand prize winner will also see their commercial broadcasted on television. Any scholarship money won by a team rather than by an individual is divided evenly among all team members listed on the entry form. Applicants will be notified in May as to whether or not their team has won.
Contact Information
Link
See website for more information – exclusively online competition
7. Francis D. Lyon Scholarship
DEADLINE:March 15, 2014
The Francis D. Lyon Graduate Fellowship is awarded once a year to a graduate student in the field of film making. Membership in Phi Delta Theta is not a requirement. All applicants must submit a completed application, an online academic recommendation, at least one personal online recommendation, and a transcript (unofficial or official). A work sample is encouraged but optional and is described in detail in the application. As of right now, the scholarship is worth $2,500 USD.
Contact Information
Link
See website for more information – scholarship is available exclusively online
8. Highland Community College – Kansas Photography Scholarship
DEADLINE:Not Specified
At Highland Community College, departmental scholarships worth $1,100 USD per semester are available and are awarded based largely on the applicant’s a photography portfolio. Scholarship recipients are required to maintain a minimum 3.0 (B) GPA in core photography classes and a 2.0 overall GPA each semester. The number of scholarships awarded per semester varies based upon enrollment totals.
Contact Information
Highland Community College – Kansas Photography Scholarship
C/O Glen Gross, Photography Instructor
(785) 442-6087
ggross@highlandcc.edu
Link
9. Jack G. Shaheen Mass Communications Scholarship Award
DEADLINE: April 1, 2014
This scholarship is awarded annually to 59 Arab American students who excel in media studies. Any junior or senior in college as well as any graduate student majoring in journalism, radio, film, or television is eligible to apply for one of the $1,000 scholarships offered. Applicants must send a one page personal statement, two letters of recommendation, official transcripts, and copies of any articles, films, etc. created by the applicant. Students must maintain a 3.0 GPA in order to be eligible. Winners will be announced in June.
Contact Information
Jack G. Shaheen Scholarship
ADC Research Institute (ADCRI)
1990 M Street, NW Suite 610
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 244-2990
organizing@adc.org
Link
10. Media Fellows Program
DEADLINE:July 16, 2014
This scholarship program is open to rising college juniors and seniors who are majoring or minoring in fields that prepare them for careers in mass communication, journalism, marketing, or political science. Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.0. Applicants must submit a proposal of 500 words or less that includes a statement of financial need, their planned course load, their biographical information, their career goals, and a statement explaining why they are the best candidates. Applicants must also provide a letter of recommendation. The Washington Media Scholars Foundation will contact finalists for a phone interview before the distributions are announced. Number and amount of awards given varies per year. In the 2013-2014 academic year, however, over $40,000 USD was awarded to deserving students.
Contact Information
Media Fellows Program
See website for more information – exclusively online application
Link
11. Reuben and Gladys Golumbic Scholarship Award Fund
DEADLINE: To Be Announced
This scholarship is awarded annually to three students in the Department of Landscape Architecture at Penn State. Students must be nominated by faculty, and the awards are chosen by the members of the College of Arts and Architecture Scholarships and Awards Committee. The amount of each award varies per year.
Contact Information
Reuben and Gladys Golumbic Scholarship Award Fund
The Pennsylvania State University
121 Stuckeman Family Building
University Park, PA 16802
(814) 865-6112
lar8@psu.edu
Link
12. Rocket 55 Video Scholarship
DEADLINE: December, 14 2014
One scholarship is awarded to a qualifying high school senior or undergraduate student who posts a short video to YouTube explaining the story behind the Rocket 55 name. The award is worth $1,000 USD and is intended to help cover the costs of a college education. There is no formal application required. The scholarship is awarded annually.
Contact Information
Rocket 55 Video Scholarship
800 Washington Ave N Suite #671
Minneapolis, MN 55401
612-315-2399
Link
13. StudentCam Documentary Competition
DEADLINE: January 20, 2014
This competition is open to all middle and high school students in the United States. 150 student prizes and 53 teacher prizes totaling $100,000 USD are awarded to the winning applicants, the best overall middle or high school team winning a grand prize of $5,000 USD to be split evenly among the team’s three members. Applicants must submit a five to seven minute video including a clip from C-SPAN that focuses on the pre-determined topic. The team that addresses the topic most efficiently wins the highest prize amount. All applicants, whether on a team or entering as an individual, must show proof of U.S. residency and send all materials in electronically. The competition occurs annually.
Contact Information
C-SPAN’s StudentCam Documentary Competition
1-800-523-7586
educate@c-span.org
Link
14. The Barbara J. Parnass Scholarship
DEADLINE:April 1, 2014
The Barbara J. Parnass Scholarship is available to students enrolled at State University of New York, College at Plattsburgh. Senior undergraduate students who have demonstrated outstanding work in photography and are majoring in art with a concentration in photography are eligible to apply for the scholarship. Students are encouraged to maintain a 3.0 GPA if applying for this scholarship.
Contact Information
The Barbara J. Parnass Scholarship
SUNY Plattsburgh
Art Department
Myers Fine Arts 220 B
Plattsburgh, NY 12901
(518) 564-2179
art@plattsburgh.edu
Link
15. The Brett Ratner Tuition Grant
DEADLINE:Undetermined
Exclusive to the New York Film Academy, the Brett Ratner Tuition Grant offers one hundred grants to qualifying, deserving students per academic year. Applicants are eligible if they are enrolled in one year, two year, and MFA programs with a concentration in film. Each grant is worth up to $15,000 USD, and in order to qualify, applicants must demonstrate financial need. Applicants must also provide a personal statement explaining why they want to attend the New York Film Academy. The grants are given annually.
Contact Information
The Brett Ratner Tuition Grant
100 East 17th Street
New York, New York 10003
financialaid@nyfa.edu
Link
16. The Charles & Lucille King Family Foundation
DEADLINE:March, 15, 2014
The Charles & Lucille King Family Foundation awards qualifying junior and senior undergraduate students with scholarships of up to $3,500 USD per academic year. Eligibility requirements include that the applicant major in television or film at an accredited 4-year, degree-granting U.S. college or university. The application requires a personal statement, three letters of recommendation, and financial information, as well as a personal resume. The number of awards given depends on the number of applicants per year.
Contact Information
Charles & Lucille King Family Foundation
c/o Charles Brucia & Co.
A division of J.H. Cohn LLP
1212 Avenue of the Americas
7th Floor
New York, NY 10036
(212) 682-2913
KingScholarships@aol.com
Link
17. The James Alan Cox Foundation for Student Photojournalists
DEADLINE: To Be Announced – Summer of 2014
This foundation, through a juried selection process, selects several students to receive equipment or tuition help for colleges or technical schools. The high school and undergraduate application is based on the individual applicant’s photography application, which requires applicants send in five pieces of their work. All college applicants must be majoring in art, film, or photography. The graduate application requires applicants to send a short video clip. There is one graduate scholarship valued at $2,500 USD, and five $2,500 scholarships awarded to undergraduate students. Five high school winners will receive a digital camera. The competition is held annually.
Contact Information
The James Alan Cox Foundation for Student Photojournalists
P.O. Box 9158
Austin, TX 78766
(512) 459-8515
Link
18. The Janie Moore Green Grant
DEADLINE:To Be Announced
This grant is valued at $1,000 USD and is awarded annually to a student currently enrolled in an institution of higher education and majoring in photography. The applicant must submit three to five duplicate transparencies or prints demonstrating their photographic skills. Additionally, they must write an essay explaining what inspired them to pursue a course of study in photography. There are no other application requirements.
Contact Information
Janie Moore Green Grant
c/o NANPA Foundation
6382 Charleston Road
Alma, IL 62807, USA
(618) 547-7616
info@nanpafoundation.org
Link
19. The Robert W. Carithers Scholarship
DEADLINE:April 7, 2014
Exclusive to the University of Southern Indiana, The Robert W. Carithers Scholarship is awarded annually and valued at $2,500 USD. Students who have been awarded the scholarship in the past can have it renewed annually provided that specific criteria are met and students make appropriate progress toward graduation. In order to be eligible, candidates must fulfill the following requirements: be a graduate of a high school in Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, or Tennessee; major in Art, English, History, Philosophy, Theatre, World Languages and Cultures; maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher; and submit a portfolio of their work within their major.
Contact Information
The Robert W. Carithers Scholarship
c/o The University of Southern Indiana
8600 University Boulevard
Evansville, IN 47712-3596
(812) 464-8600
Link
20. The Season 3 Lights, Camera, Action Video Scholarship
DEADLINE: April 21, 2014
This scholarship program is open to United States and international students, aged eighteen or older, regardless of their field of study. The program awards three scholarships: one Grand Prize is a $2,500 scholarship, and two runner-ups receive a $250 scholarship each. Applicants choose from five categories in order to create a unique video. After uploading their five to seven minute video to YouTube, applicants paste the YouTube link onto their online application. The online application consists of basic information such as name, country of citizenship, and status as a student. The competition is held annually.
Contact Information
The Season 3 Lights, Camera, Action Video Scholarship
12472 Lake Underhill Rd.
Suite 397
Orlando, Florida 32828
info@gotchosen.com
Link
For artists who are not only talented but driven and determined to make a career out of what they love, scholarships are readily available. There is nothing that should impede you from living your dream life – especially a lack of funding.
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