From George Lucas to Kathryn Bigelow, many of the greatest filmmakers got their foot in the door by means of college scholarship. Higher education provides aspiring creators with knowledge and hands-on experience that can give a boost post-graduation—but film schools and programs can be quite expensive, leaving many prospective students without the opportunity. Thankfully, several organizations have created an array of scholarships, grants, and awards that can help students of all economic backgrounds pursue their dreams. If you aspire to make movie magic, these 10 film school scholarships should definitely be on your radar.
Against the Grain Artistic Scholarship
The Against the Grain Artistic Scholarship grants $1,000 to college students majoring in performing arts, visual arts, journalism, or mass communications. To be eligible, students must be of at least 25% Asian and/or Pacific Islander ethnicity, be enrolled full-time, have demonstrated leadership abilities, and have a minimum GPA of 3.0. For more information, click here.
Barbara Caras Memorial Scholarship for Film Students
Exclusive to students based in Florida, the Sarasota Film Society gives out five renewable $2,000 scholarships to students studying visual arts every year. Students must be majoring in film, computer animation, creative writing, illustration, or motion design; attend an accredited Florida college; reside in Sarasota or Manatee counties; and maintain a 2.75 GPA. For more information, click here.
Congressional Black Caucus Spouses Visual Arts Scholarship
This nonprofit offers several scholarships for prospective students, as well as one exclusively for the visual arts. The scholarship—10 applicants will be selected to receive an award of $5,000—is available to African American or Black graduating high school students and scholars pursuing an undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral degree in visual arts. For more information, click here.
Dallas Area Alliance for Women in Media Scholarships
Every year, this foundation offers multiple scholarship options, including the Irene Runnels-Paula McStay awards: two $5,000 scholarships to students in Texas. Students must be attending a public or private Texas school with radio, television, film, public relations, digital marketing, marketing/advertising/communications, or broadcasting as a major field of study. For more information, click here.
Dr. Jack G. Shaheen Media Scholarship
Made by the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, this scholarship is named in honor of Dr. Jack G. Sheehan, a renowned critic advocating for fair representation of Arabic people in the media. It awards $2,500 to Arab American university students majoring in journalism, radio, television, and/or film. For more information, click here.
Gordon Hay Scholarship Fund
Every year, Blumenthal Arts and the Gordon Hay Scholarship Committee award two students who are pursuing a nonperformance career in theater with $10,000. The merit-based award is granted to exceptional students who are high school seniors or college first-years or sophomores in the Charlotte, North Carolina, and Knoxville, Tennessee areas. For more information, click here.
Kazickas Family Foundation Art Scholarships
These scholarships offered by the Art Guild, each worth $1,000, are a fantastic opportunity for graduating high school seniors in Nassau County, New York, who plan to attend college to study visual arts, including drawing, painting, sculpture, fashion design, set design, and photography. For more information, click here.
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Scholarships
The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences offers three scholarships of $10,000 for high school seniors who intend to pursue a career in the film and television industry. NATAS also offers regional scholarships throughout the country. For more information, click here.
New York Women in Film & Television Scholarship Fund
The New York Women in Film Scholarship Program strives to support women involved in media production. This scholarship for film students is offered to undergraduate women at Brooklyn College, the City College of New York, Columbia University, Brooklyn College’s Feirstein School of Cinema, Hunter College, New York University, and Stony Brook Manhattan Center for Creative Writing and Film. For more information, click here.
Stephen L. Teller & Richard Hotson TV, Cinema, and Theater Scholarship
The National Council of Jewish Women awards this $1,500 scholarship to a student who has completed 12 units of classes in a community college in Los Angeles County. They must be enrolled in a film, television, cinema, or theater program and plan to enter the field to be eligible. For more information, click here.
Ready to get to work? Check out Backstage’s film audition listings!