Top Dance Scholarships in 2021

Dance has been a part of human history for as long as we can remember. It has always been a way to express oneself physically and spatially, and is an important part of many festivities. There is also an art and science to dance that scholars study in academic environments. Dance scholarships are available so that students can develop a greater understanding of this age-old art form with less of a financial burden.

Top Scholarships for Dance Students
College-Specific Dance Scholarships
Frequently Asked Questions
Summary of Scholarships
Scholarships that are closed, but will open soon

If you are a dancer or wish to study dance, here are some of the best scholarships in the dance disciplines for this year!

Top Dance Scholarships in 2021

$14,770 3LAU “Everything” Scholarship

Eligibility: High school and undergraduates who submit a short written answer along with a link to an original song, dance, or art piece that represents their “everything”
Amount: $14,770
Deadline: June 20, 2021

$500 O cho Cares Artistry Scholarship

Eligibility: High school and undergraduate students who draw, paint, sculpt, dance, act, sing, rap, play an instrument, film/photograph, produce music/films, write, etc.
Amount: $500
Deadline: July 1, 2021

Iowa Scholarships for the Arts

Eligibility: Iowa High School Seniors
Amount: $1,500
Deadline: April 1, 2021

Make Your Mark BIPOC Arts Scholarship

Eligibility: Open to Black, Indigenous, and Person of Color students at all levels who are interested in new approaches to theater, dance, and/or film. Essay about a project you would like to complete is required
Amount: $2,500
Deadline: April 2, 2021

CBC Spouses Performing Arts Scholarship

Eligibility: Black students pursuing a degree in the performing arts. Must be currently enrolled full-time in an accredited academic institution, and have a minimum 2.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale
Amount: $3,000
Deadline: April 30, 2021

AmeriDance Dancer Of The Year Award

Eligibility: Nominees are selected at the AmeriDance and Eastern Dance Camps based on their artistic skills. Dance routine scores of 85 percent and higher qualify, and dancers must have good academic standing
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: April 30, 2021

DDF/DREAM Dance Performing Arts Scholarship Award

Eligibility: College students and high school seniors who are enrolled in a dance and performing arts degree program. They must be a resident of Southern California, and studying at a dance or performing arts school, company, studio, university or institution in our Southern California community. Minimum GPA of 3.0
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: May 31, 2021

College-Specific Dance Scholarships

George Mason University Dance Talent Scholarship

Eligibility: Incoming freshmen who demonstrate outstanding talent at an audition. To renew the scholarship each year, recipients must maintain a 3.0 GPA, participate fully in all department performance activities and be a good university citizen
Amount: $3,000-$5,000 per year
Deadline: Schedule an audition

Alma College Dance Scholarship

Eligibility: Students must apply to the college and must audition for the Theater and Dance Department. Students must be accepted to the college before they can apply for any scholarship awards
Amount: $1,500/year – full scholarship
Deadline: Depends on the audition dates.

Hofstra University Dance Scholarship

Eligibility: Students must be enrolled and participate in an audition
Amount: $500-$5,000
Deadline: Rolling application

St. Olaf College Dance Scholarship

Eligibility: Students must be enrolled/accepted into the college and participate in auditions
Amount: $4,000-$5,000
Deadline: Depends on scheduled audition

Wake Forest University (Winston-Salem, NC)

Eligibility: High school seniors with talents in art, dance, debate, music, and theater
Amount: $64,000, which equals $8,000 per semester, renewable for eight semesters of undergraduate study (20 scholarships are awarded each year)
Deadline: December 1 of each year

Frequently Asked Questions

What colleges give scholarships for dance?

Many colleges across the country offer scholarships for valued dancers. One of the best things students seeking dance, or any other scholarships, can do is check the financial aid website of the colleges they are applying to. The earlier the better, since sometimes awards are given on a “first come, first served” basis.

Does UCLA offer dance scholarships?

UCLA offers the Jean Irwin Dance Fund scholarship, which is awarded to UCLA dancing students that have a financial need.

What GPA do I need to get a full scholarship?

There is no set number on the GPA scale. In general, scholarships tend to be based on a variety of factors. As a general rule of thumb, scholarships tend to require a B average, or a 3.0 GPA.

Summary of Scholarships

Scholarships that are closed, but will open soon

Brown Girls Do Ballet Scholarships

Eligibility: Students must be ballet dancers.
Amount: $500-$1,000
Deadline: June 30, 2020 (opens May 1, 2021)

MFMA Academic Scholarships

Eligibility: Students must major in something pertaining to the movement of the body, from dance to kinesiology.
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: July 10, 2020

National YoungArts Foundation Dance Scholarship

Eligibility: Students mustang submit a video/DVD highlighting a variety of performance techniques. There is also a $35 registration fee, in exchange for which the student’s name will be included on a database that is made available to schools and universities looking for talented dancers.
Amount: $250-$10,000
Deadline: TBD (Opens this summer)

Princess Grace Awards Program

Eligibility: Dance students who are in their second year of studies at a non-profit school.
Amount: $5,000-$25,000
Deadline: TBD (Opens this summer)

Yvonne Brown Collodi College Scholarships

Eligibility: Students must be enrolled in college with a dance minor or major.
Amount: $500-$2,000
Deadline: June 1, 2020

About Qiyam Stewart

Qiyam Stewart a Scholarships360 writer who focuses on scholarships and financial aid. As an Admissions Fellow at Kenyon College, Qiyam has worked in the admissions office and interviewed prospective high school students applying to Kenyon.

Qiyam currently attends Kenyon College as a Philosophy major and double concentration in Law & Society and African Diaspora Studies.