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Top 12 Cosmetology Scholarships in August 2022
Did you know that the beauty industry will be worth 438.38 billion by 2026? In this ever-growing industry, more and more cosmetologists are going to be needed to support and foster this growth. This is why many organizations out there readily offer cosmetology scholarships to those who may need the financial assistance to complete their cosmetology education and enter the workforce!
Listed below are the best cosmetology scholarships for the year!
Top Cosmetology Scholarships in 2022
“Follow Your Own Path” Essay Scholarship
- Eligibility: All postsecondary students, regardless of the type of training/education they are pursuing
- Amount: $500
- Deadline: August 31, 2022
“Making Waves” Scholarship for Women
- Eligibility: Women currently attending high school, college, technical/vocational, or graduate school are eligible to apply
- Amount: $500
- Deadline: August 31, 2022
$1,000 Beauty School Scholarship
- Eligibility: Open to all current and prospective cosmetology and beauty school students
- Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: December 31, 2022
$500 WiseGeek Cosmetology No-Essay Scholarship
- Eligibility: Students interested in cosmetology, hair styling, hair design, or a related fields
- Amount: $500
- Deadline: August 16, 2022
Beauty & Wellness Professionals Scholarship
- Eligibility: Current students actively enrolled in or applying to an accredited beauty-related program, such as cosmetology school or esthetician school, or another eligible beauty and wellness degree program (defined further on-site)
- Amount: $2,500
- Deadline: September 1, 2022
Horatio Alger Career & Technical Scholarships
- Eligibility: Students enrolled in eligible technical programs
- Amount: $2,500
- Deadline: Rolling
Other scholarships
Keller Cosmetology Scholarship
- Eligibility: Cosmetology and barber students.
- Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: August 31, 2022
Rosy Salon Software Cosmetology Scholarship
- Eligibility: For future salon professionals enrolled in Cosmetology school
- Amount: $10,000
- Deadline: October 1, 2022
Buy-Rite Beauty Annual Cosmetology Scholarship
- Eligibility: All participants must have applied to or be enrolled in as full-time beautician/cosmetology students
- Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: November 1, 2022
Beauty Changes Lives Scholarships
- Eligibility: Many tuition scholarships for aspiring hairstylists, nail professionals, estheticians, makeup artists, massage therapists, and barbers
- Amount: $500-$15,000
- Deadline: Varies from November 30 to February 28 to of each year
Aveda Institute Scholarships
- Eligibility: Applicants who attend the Aveda Institute in Columbus, Chapel Hill, or Los Angeles
- Amount: $1000/$10,000
- Deadline: Rolling
Ulta Internship
- Eligibility: While not a scholarship, Ulta offers paid internships for students interested in working in the beauty field
- Amount: Varies
- Deadline: Rolling
Frequently asked questions about cosmetology scholarships
Can I get a scholarship for cosmetology school?
Organizations/Institutions in the beauty industry are consistently looking to offer cosmetology scholarships to aspiring aestheticians and the like. Check out this $500 Aveda Scholarship to start!
Local institutions also offer a lot of great opportunities that you could use for cosmetology school. Make sure to look into any community organizations that could offer scholarships.
How can I go to cosmetology school for free?
While it is not automatically free to go to cosmetology schools, it is possible via scholarships and financial aid to attend at a very low cost. Make sure that you apply for all the need-based scholarships you qualify for. You can also look into specific institutional scholarships and scholarships from local organizations. You can also sign up for our free scholarship search tool to help match you with scholarships tailored specifically to your situation!
Does FAFSA cover cosmetology?
FAFSA does in fact award financial aid for those that wish to attend cosmetology school! Cosmetology school is considered a career school, which FAFSA does include. However, you’ll have to make sure that you’re attending an accredited institution. You should be able to find this information online or by reaching out to the school in question.
Can you get a grant for cosmetology school?
Grants are in fact available for students pursuing careers in the beauty industry. Check out our quick guide to learn more about grants. You can apply for federal grants through the FAFSA, look into local grants, and even find institution-specific scholarships.
When you decide on schools that you’re interested in, make sure to reach out to the schools’ admission and financial aid offices. You may find out that you qualify for some great grants!
How can I find cosmetology or beauty schools?
There are a couple of ways to go about finding cosmetology or beauty schools. One of the easiest is to search online; tools like the Beauty Schools Directory allow you to input your location and use that to find schools in your area.
Beyond that, it can be a good idea to visit a beauty parlor in an area you’re interested in studying. There, you can ask stylists there where they got their degree. This can have added benefits because you’ll get personal testimony about their experience at each school.
Can I use Pell Grants to pay for cosmetology school?
You can use Pell Grants to pay for cosmetology school, as long as the school you attend is accredited. You’ll also have to meet the Pell Grant income requirement, as you would have to in order to qualify for a Pell Grant anywhere. The government calculates this number using your EFC, which is returned when you submit your FAFSA.
Upcoming cosmetology scholarships
American Postal Workers Union (APWU) Vocational Scholarship
- Eligibility: Open to high school seniors who are legal dependents of a current or deceased APWU member. Winners will receive up to $3,000 for specialized training in cosmetology and other vocational fields
- Amount: Up to $3,000
“College Here I Come” Essay Scholarship for High School Seniors
- Eligibility: Graduating Class of 2022 high school seniors entering community college, career training, or four-year colleges/universities
- Amount: $500
Elevate Salon Institute (ESI) Cosmetology Student Scholarship
- Eligibility: Open to new or currently enrolled students in a cosmetology program at an Elevate Salon Institute within the U.S
- Amount: $5,000
JCS Beauty “Nourish and Shine” Scholarship
- Eligibility: Open to new or currently enrolled Black/African American students at a cosmetology program leading to licensure in the U.S.
- Amount: $5,000
L’oreal Professional “Empowering Diversity” Scholarship
- Eligibility: Open to new or currently enrolled BIPOC students at a cosmetology program leading to licensure in the U.S.
- Amount: $5,000
OPI’s “A Great Opera-Tunity” Scholarship
- Eligibility: Newly accepted or currently enrolled people of color (POC) students in a nail technology program leading to licensure in the U.S. or Canada
- Amount: $3,000 (12 scholarships are awarded)
- Opens: December 2022
Sage Michaela Lucas “Timing is Everything” Scholarship
- Eligibility: Open to esthetics students enrolled in an accredited program and who identify as black, indigenous or persons of color (BIPOC)
- Amount: $5,000
The Horst M. Rechelbacher Foundation Esthetics Scholarship
- Eligibility: Open to new or currently enrolled students at an esthetics licensure granting institution
- Amount: $2,500
The Horst M. Rechelbacher Foundation Basic Cosmetology and Barbering Scholarship
- Eligibility: Open to new or currently enrolled students at a cosmetology and/or barbering licensure granting institution
- Amount: $3,500
The Joe Francis Haircare Scholarship Foundation
- Eligibility: Cosmetology students who graduate anytime after August 31st may apply
- Amount: $1,500
- Opens: January 1st, 2023
