Top 12 Acting Scholarships in March 2026

The Steve Bayless Undergraduate Scholarship is open to high school seniors who will be entering a college or university in the Southeastern Theater Conference (SETC) region to major in theater. The SETC region includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Each year, an applicant will be awarded $2,000 to help fund their undergraduate education. If you're a college-bound student in the SETC region with a passion for theater, we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more.Show Less

The Lantos Activist Artist Scholarship recognizes and supports the work of activist artists in New Hampshire who tell human rights stories in unique, inspiring, and significant ways. Applicants are challenged to examine the influence of a particular activist artist or create their own piece of activist art. Acceptable forms of media include film, writing, theater, dance, music, painting, poetry, and drawing.  While two runners-up will be awarded $2,500 each, two first-place winners will be granted $5,000 each. If you're an artist from New Hampshire passionate about expressing raw emotions that can provoke attention and action on human rights crises, we encourage you to apply!Show Less

The Riggs family created this scholarship to honor the memory and life of their son, J.D. Riggs. J.D. was a gifted singer and actor who graduated from Wenatchee High School.  This scholarship supports graduating seniors from Wenatchee High School, Washington who are planning to pursue higher education in the field of performing arts with a great emphasis on acting and singing. The ideal applicant is an outstanding singer or actor, involved in an instrumental arts program and is an inspiring leader.  Not interested in singing or acting but from Washington? That's ok! Scholarships360 has an abundance of Washington scholarships for students pursuing all majors. But, if acting is your jam, Scholarships360 also offers additional acting scholarships for students all across the country. Good luck with your scholarship search! Show Less

Introducing the Ruth DeYoung Kohler Scholarship for Artistic Excellence - an amazing opportunity for graduating seniors from Sheboygan County! Applicants must have a passion for the arts and be attending high school in Sheboygan County (Wisconsin) or be homeschooled and residing in Sheboygan County. This incredible opportunity awaits those who dream of pursuing a career in writing, theater, music (both instrumental and vocal), music composition, visual arts, dance, and more. The Kohler Foundation values exceptional talent above all else, not placing emphasis on grades or test scores. With awards of up to $100,000 for private or top 20-ranked out-of-state public institutions, or up to $50,000 for any other public institution over four years, the possibilities are endless. If you're an artistic, college-bound high school senior from Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, we encourage you to apply! Don't miss out on this chance to unleash your artistic potential.Show Less

Riley Webb was a Fredericksburg High School (Fredericksburg, Texas) student with an incredible talent and passion for all things performing arts. Not only was he a member of his high school marching band, but Riley also acted in the FHS theater program and played guitar in a local band. In honor of his creativity and artistic passions, his family established the Riley Webb FHS Scholarship For The Arts to support other Fredericksburg students with a similar passion for the arts. To qualify for the $2,000 scholarship, applicants must be Fredericksburg High School seniors with a minimum 3.0 GPA. They must also have been an active, committed participant in at least one of the following at FHS: band, choir, or theater. To be considered for the scholarship, individuals must submit a letter of reference from a Fredericksburg ISD teacher, an essay, and a list of extracurricular activities, community service/volunteer work, and awards and honors. Selection will be based on participation in performing arts, academics, personal achievement, and financial need. If this sounds like a good fit for you, we encourage you to apply! Then, be sure to check out the other arts scholarships, marching band scholarships, and theater scholarships available on the Scholarships360 platform. Happy applying!Show Less

The Archibald Rutledge Scholarship Program offers twelfth-grade students (enrolled in a public school in South Carolina) the opportunity to compete for a scholarship in creative writing, dance, music, theater, or visual arts. In return for their impressive efforts, five (5) of the top applicants will be granted $2,000 each. Students must be U.S. citizens and have attended public school in South Carolina for the past two years. Students planning to attend an out-of-state college or university are ineligible to apply. Entries produced in collaboration with others are not eligible for this competition. Students may compete in one arts area only. If you're a South Carolinian high school senior passionate about the arts, we encourage you to apply!Show Less

The YoungArts Competition is funded by YoungArts, an organization that identifies exceptional young artists, amplifies their potential, and invests in their lifelong creative freedom. Every year, their YoungArts Competition awards up to $10,000 to multiple high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors passionate about dance, music, design, film, jazz, photography, theater, visual arts, singing, or writing who submit a written piece or video showcasing their talents. If this scholarship sounds like a fit for you, keep on reading for more application details.Show Less

Lights, camera, action! The Francis D. Lyon Graduate Fellowship for Film Students is the ultimate opportunity for graduate students in the film industry or related fields such as theater/drama, writing, or entertainment. This prestigious award is given annually to one lucky recipient who will receive financial support to further their education and career. Don't miss out on this chance to shine in the spotlight! Phi Delta Theta membership is not required, so all eligible graduate students are encouraged to apply.Show Less

Are you a high school sophomore, junior, or senior from Iowa with a passion for the performing arts? If so, consider applying for the Iowa Merit Awards for Dramatic Performance! Each year, the scholarship awards up to $1,000 to multiple aspiring actors from Iowa high schools who are (1) studying acting and (2) have acted in official school productions sometime in the past two years. If you're eligible, we encourage you to apply and let your talent take center stage! Keep on reading to learn more.Show Less

Are you a current, full-time post-secondary student residing in a state with an active UNICO Chapter (California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, or Wisconsin)? Further, are you pursuing a degree in a Fine Arts-related field? If so, the Ralph J. Torraco Fine Arts Scholarship may be a great opportunity for you! Each year, the scholarship awards $2,500 to two (2) post-secondary students residing in and attending college in a state with an active UNICO Chapter who are pursuing a degree in the Fine Arts (including Performing Arts, Visual Arts, and Technical Arts). Applicants must also plan to continue their studies in the upcoming academic year and have a minimum 3.0 GPA. To apply, interested students must provide a link to a video showcasing a performance of theirs or a link to their portfolio. If this sounds like a good opportunity for you, we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more.Show Less