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 Ocho 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
- $14,770 3LAU “Everything” Scholarship
- $500 Ocho Cares Artistry Scholarship
- Iowa Scholarships for the Arts
- Make Your Mark BIPOC Arts Scholarship
- CBC Spouses Performing Arts Scholarship
- AmeriDance Dancer Of The Year Award
- DDF/DREAM Dance Performing Arts Scholarship Award
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