Graphics and Multimedia Scholarship Opportunities

Learn Technical Illustration or High-Tech Motion Graphics

Students pursuing degrees and certificates in graphic design and technical illustration have a wide range of career opportunities from which to choose. Depending on their level of education, they may find themselves working in publishing, public relations, journalism, or advertising. A proficiency in graphic design can also lend itself to a career in business, as project managers routinely depend on technical illustrations and multimedia presentations to demonstrate upcoming marketing campaigns for both management and potential clients. An advanced degree in graphic design and motion graphics can even lead to career in the film and television industry, as well as to a lucrative career working in computer game design.

Graphic design encompasses a number of different skills, including printing, technical illustration, and computer graphics. General professional training in these skills is available at technical schools and vocational colleges around the country, although it should be made clear that a student’s career potential will be directly tied to their level of education. Students earning a certification from a technical college may find work in construction or engineering, while students with a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in design will find career opportunities with larger corporations and professional enterprises.

Scholarships for graphic design and technical illustration are highly competitive, and like all creative scholarships are often hard to find. While graphic design has many professional applications, it is still considered an art and consequently scholarships opportunities are limited. That being said, there are financial aid programs available to students pursuing degrees and careers in graphic design and multimedia studies. It just takes a little digging to find them.

Scholarships

Scholarships for graphic design and technical illustration are typically supported by colleges and universities, art schools, professional associations, and corporations with close ties to the entertainment industry. Students looking for scholarships for graphic design, technical illustration, or computer graphics may want to narrow their focus by concentrating on the industry in which they want to work. For example, a student working towards a career in game design would search for scholarship opportunities supported by the computer and electronic gaming industry. Likewise, a student interested in traditional graphic design might concentrate on scholarships offered by publishers or the printing industry.

The following selection of scholarships should better illustrate the types of financial aid opportunities that are available to students pursuing degrees and careers in graphic design, technical illustration, and computer graphics.

• The Print and Graphics Scholarship Foundation is a non-profit industry directed organization that offers scholarships and fellowships for talented men and women pursuing careers in graphic communications. The Print and Graphics Scholarship Foundation has been providing financial assistance to talented artists since 1956. Interested students should contact the foundation directly for application information. Awards are based on merit, and applicants will be required to submit a portfolio of their work.
• California University of Pennsylvania offers the Kurt Nordstrom Memorial Scholarship for Graphic Communications. The scholarship is open to CALU students who are majoring in Graphics and Multimedia Studies, who have completed a minimum of 30 credit hours while maintaining a 3.0 GPA. This is a one time award, and is not renewable. Final award amounts vary.
• The Graphics Communication Scholarship Foundation sponsors annual scholarship opportunities for students in the New York City metro area who are pursuing careers in graphic communications. In addition to receiving money for college, scholarship winners will have access to a mentoring program and internship opportunities. Awards are based on merit, and applicants will be required to submit a portfolio of their work.
• The American Institute of Graphic Artists offers the World Studio AIGA Scholarship for minorities and students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. The scholarships can be applied to degree granting programs in fine art, illustration, graphic design, interactive design, and advertising design. Award amounts range from $2000 to $5000.
• The Art Institutes is a system of more than fifty schools, with locations in nearly every state in the country. They offer a variety of scholarships for students enrolled in degree granting programs in graphic design, computer graphics, and media arts. The availability of scholarships vary according to location, and each Art Institute will offer their own programs. Scholarships are awarded on the basis of merit, and award amounts are determined by the availability of funds.
• Rhythm and Hues Studios offers scholarships to students enrolled in a computer graphics program at an accredited college or university. Qualified applicants should be specializing in computer 3-D modeling and computer animation. Applicants must submit a resume, a DVD featuring samples of their work, or a link to a website featuring examples of their work. Awards are decided on the basis of artistic merit.
• The Ann Arbor Graphic Arts Memorial Foundation sponsors an annual scholarship for students pursuing degrees in graphic design and multimedia studies. Applicants must be undergraduates enrolled in a degree granting program at an accredited college or vocational school. The maximum award amount is $1500, and is decided on the basis of academic merit, extracurricular participation, and recommendations from faculty or industry professionals.

Students pursuing degrees and careers in graphic design and multimedia studies have a wide range of career choices ahead of them. While scholarships opportunities in this field may not at first appear as plentiful as for other professional career choices, financial aid is definitely available for those students willing to do the legwork.