25 weird scholarships
Special interest scholarships
1. If you design your prom outfit with duct tape, you could be eligible to win $3,000 for the Duck Brand Duct Tape Stuck on Prom Contest. Applicants must send in one color photograph of their prom attire, and their prom outfits will be judged according to workmanship, originality, use of color, accessories, and quantity of duct tape used. The second-place couple will win $2,000 each, third-place will receive $1,000, and the other seven “runner up couples” will win $500. Deadline: June 2011.
2. The National Cartoonists Society Foundation is giving away $4000 for their Jay Kennedy Scholarship for Cartoonists contest. A major in art is not required, but the applicant must be a junior or senior college student in the US, Canada, or Mexico. In order to qualify applicants have to send eight samples of their cartoon artwork. Deadline: December 15th, 2010.
3. The Colorado State University Rodeo Team is offering two annual scholarships:
Through the Mike Cervi Memorial Scholarship Fund, four or five applications could win scholarships worth between $3,000 to $4,000, however the amount varies each year. Deadline: March 1st, 2011.
Eight to ten team members from the CSU Rodeo Club could be eligible to win money from the General Rodeo Scholarship Fund. In order to qualify students must be enrolled or accepted to Colorado State University, and must also have at least 12 credit hours with a “C” or above. Deadline: May 1st, 2011.
4. Do you have an obsession with vacuum coating? Well if you do, you could win between $2,500 to $5,000 from the Society of Vacuum Coaters Foundation Scholarship fund. Each applicant must be studying and/or working in vacuum coating technology or any other related field. Deadline: January 31st, 2011.
Physical trait scholarships
5. Males who are 6’ 2” or taller, and females who are 5’ 10” or taller could be eligible to win $1,000 through the Tall Clubs International Scholarship. Applicants must be under the age of 21 and be attending their first year of college in the following Fall. The application deadline varies each year.
6. Only students who are shorter than 4’ 10” could be eligible to win a $1,000 scholarship from the Billy Barty Foundation. Two scholarships are handed out each year, and some may be renewable depending on the number of “qualified” applicants.
7. Calling all left-handers in Pennsylvania! You could win between $1,000 and $5,000 in scholarships from the Frederick and Mary F. Beckley Scholarship fund. In order to qualify you must be left-handed, be a junior or senior student at Juniata College with good grades, and prove that you are in need of financial aid. Deadline: April 1st, 2011.
Last name or family scholarships
8. If you are a descendant of Lambert and Annetje Van Valkenburg through birth of legal adoption, you could win up to $1,000 from the Van Valkenburg Memorial Scholarship. Applicants must submit a 500-word essay which “contributes to the heritage of the Van Valkenburg Family in America.” The application deadline varies each year.
9. If your last name is Gatling or Gatlin and you plan on attending North Carolina State University, you could be eligible to win a John Gatling Scholarship. Winners who are North Carolina residents could win up to $9,000, while out-of-state residents could win up to $18,000. Deadline: February 1st, 2011.
10. If you are a Catholic and your last name is Zolp, you could win a Loyola University Zolp Scholarship. In order to qualify you must provide a copy of your birth certificate as well as baptismal confirmation to Loyola University’s Office of Student Financial Assistance. The amount of the scholarship will be determined according to your financial need as well as the number of students who apply. Deadline: February 1st, 2011.
For food nerds
11. If you are pursuing a degree in enology, viticulture, or any wine or grape-related science program, you could be eligible to win a scholarship from the American Society for Enology and Viticulture Scholarship Program. Applicants must be an undergraduate or graduate student enrolled into a full-time four-year college or university program. Undergraduate students must have a minimum GPA of 3.0, and the scholarship amount varies each year. Deadline: March 1st, 2011.
12. In order to win a $1,000 scholarship from The National Beef Ambassador Program, the applicant must give a presentation on beef nutrition and/or production and conduct an interview with a panel of judges. The winner will also be required to speak at different engagements and conferences.
13. The National Potato Council is giving away $5,000 for their Potato Industry Scholarship. In order to qualify you must be a graduate student who is studying Agribusiness, and each applicant will be judged according to academic achievement and leadership skills.
For science geeks
14. Are you interested in pursuing a career as an author or illustrate in the Science Fiction genre? You could win a scholarship for the Writers and Illustrators of the Future Contest, “presented” by L. Ron Hubbard. For the Writers of the Future Contest, applicants must submit a science fiction/fantasy short story or novelette that is up to 17,000 in length. The prizes are handed out every three months and can range from $500 to $1,000, while the annual grand prize is $5,000. For the Illustrators of the Future Contest, $1,500 in funds are awarded four times a year, and then the quarterly winners will complete for the $5,000 annual prize.
15. The STARFLEET Academy is offering ten $500 scholarships through their Starfleet Scholarship Program, each of which are each designed for a specific area of study, such as Physical Therapy, Engineering, Performing Arts, Science, Education, Law Enforcement, etc. All applications must submit a two-page personal essay which answers one of the following three questions: “Why are you applying for this scholarship?” “What STARFLEET activities are you involved in?” or “In what other extracurricular activities to you participate?” Deadline: June 30th, 2011.
For animal lovers
16. If you are a vegetarian high school student then put down that veggie burger and pay attention, because you could win one of two $5,000 scholarships from The Vegetarian Resource Group. In order to qualify to win money from the Vegetarian Resource Group Scholarship Fund you must submit an essay which discusses how you have been promoting vegetarianism in your school and/or community. Deadline: February 20th, 2011.
17. The Elks National Foundation’s Most Valuable Student Award offers 500 four-year scholarships to the “highest-rated” high school students/ENF members who will be judged according to their leadership skills and financial need. The scholarship amounts range between $1,000 and $15,000 each year. Deadline: December 1st, 2010.
18. You could win a $500 scholarship if you have a parent who is a member of the Michigan Llama Association thanks to the Kathy Larson Memorial Scholarship. All you have to do is write an essay about why and how your family is involved with llamas, and once you are awarded the scholarship you can renew it up to three times.
19. If you have a special talent in duck calling you could win up to $2,000 in scholarships by competing in the Sophie Major Memorial Duck Calling Contest. Only applicants who are high school seniors are eligible to compete, and the event is held in Stuttgart, Arkansas. The second-place winner will receive $1,000, third-place will win $750, and fourth-place will be awarded with $500.
20. In the hopes of promoting more conversations about mule and black-tailed deer, (in their own words), the Mule Deer Foundation (MDF) has started a scholarship program, titled the Dannie Jasmine Scholarship. In order to apply you must be a future University of Nevada student applying for the Department of Environmental and Resource Sciences (ERS) program, and the recipient will win a $500 scholarship along with a one-year MDF membership. Deadline: June 15th, 2011.
The weirdest of the weird scholarships
21. In order to win a $500 OP Loftbed Scholarship, all college students have to do is answer a few questions like “What will you type in your next TEST, Tweet, or Instant Message.” Now THAT’S something to Tweet about.
22. If you end up procreating with someone you met on the Groupon dating site, your future child could win up to $60,000 a year once they reach the age of 25. In order to win the Grouspawn scholarship, the couple must apply with photographic evidence (such as a newspaper article with a date on it, credit card statements, etc.) proving that they used a “Groupon” on their first date. There is no application deadline.
23. If you are a high school senior athlete with a 3.20 GPA or higher you could compete for the annual Scholar Athlete Milk Mustache of the Year (SAMMY) Award. Over 25 students could receive the award of $7,500, win a free trip to Disney Word, and be featured in a Milk Mustache ad which will be published in USA Today.
24. Are you pursuing a career in economics and have a knack for predicting the financial market? You can win the Excellence in Predicting the Future Award (worth $400). Deadline: December 10th, February 10th, April 10th, June 10th, August 10th.
25. You could be eligible to win an American Fire Sprinkler Association Scholarship, and all you have to do is write an essay about fire sprinklers and score high on a 10-question fire sprinkler test. The Association is currently offering two scholarships: For the High School Senior Scholarship Contest, high school seniors could win one of ten $2,000 scholarships (Deadline: April 5th, 2011), and any high school graduate could win one of five $1,000 scholarships for the Second Chance Scholarship Contest. (The deadline will be announced in March, 2011).
Click here to read up on other wacky and unusual scholarships.
