Creative Writing Scholarships
Compete with Other Writers for Generous Awards
Many creative writers have been honing their art ever since they were old enough to scribble. If you are one of them, you may already be drafting your first great American novel or short story. Don't keep it all to yourself. Put it out there and see if you can win a scholarship for your hard work.
College Specific Scholarships for Creative Writers
The Department of English at Arkansas Tech University awards six scholarships worth $1,500. These scholarships may be used to pursue any degree program at the university. Any high school senior is eligible. To enter all you do is send a poem, a group of poems, a short story, or a piece of dramatic writing.
If you are planning on attending Lake Forest College in Chicago, Illinois, then the Carnegie Writing Scholarship may help you with college expenses. The award given is between $1,000-$5,000 per year. All you need to do is submit a portfolio of your writing.
Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa offers two writing scholarships:
- The Writing Scholarship awards $1,000 and up to talented writers. To apply for the scholarship, you need to submit a portfolio of your best works including essays, poetry and non-fiction.
- The Writing Center Fellowship gives students $1,000 a year for four years. You have to be a writing consultant for The Writing Center for three out of the four years. The Writing Center is basically just a group of students dedicated to helping student become better writers.
Artistic Achievement Scholarships are available to creative writers attending Eckerd College in St Petersburg, FL. Students are to send no more than four poems or one short story. If you wish to submit drama, screenplay, or non-fiction, send no more than eight pages.
Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, TN offers scholarships to undergraduate creative writing students. High school seniors or current university students must have at least a 2.5 GPA to qualify.
The University of Louisville in Louisville, KY offers creative writing scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students. The amounts vary and you do not have to be an English major to apply. All that is needed is:
- A cover letter.
- A sample of your work such as 1-2 short stories, 5-10 poems or a combination of both.
- A letter of recommendation commenting on your writing.
Private Scholarships
The Alliance For Young Writers and Artists recognizes creative high school students. Students submit work in the following categories:
- Dramatic Script
- General Writing Portfolio
- Humor
- Journalism
- Nonfiction Portfolio
- Novel
- Personal Essay/Memoir
- Poetry
- Science Fiction/Fantasy
- Short Story
- Short Short Story
The Santa Barbara Foundation offers Creative Writing Scholarships to students who demonstrate exceptional writing skills. Students must have attended at least four of the six secondary grade school years at a Santa Barbara County school and must have graduated or will graduate from a Santa Barbara County high school.
