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Top 34 Film Scholarships in February 2023
Across America, there are many educational institutions that house the resources necessary to support the world’s next generation of great filmmakers. However, like any other path of study, it costs money. Film scholarships can help students lighten that financial burden and bring them on their way to being great creators of visual arts.
Do you ever wonder who could be the next Tarantino or Kubrick? Maybe you even aspire to that level of fame for yourself. If you’re looking to study film, don’t put it past yourself! Keep on reading to find and apply for the top film scholarships!
Jump ahead to…
- Top film scholarships
- How to win film scholarships
- Resources for film students
- Frequently asked questions about film scholarships
- Explore these additional scholarship categories
Top 34 Film Scholarships in February 2023
The Scholarships360 Research Team reviews all scholarships individually and strives to exclude any scholarship where any of the below applies:
- The scholarship requires a fee to apply
- The scholarship provider’s privacy policy allows for the misuse of student data
- The scholarship requires paid membership in an organization (with certain exceptions for reputable trade organizations and others)
- Student are required to sign up for a site or service to apply*
- The scholarship seems primarily used for lead generation** or idea harvesting purposes***
- The scholarship website has many grammatical errors and/or advertisements
- The scholarship or scholarship providing organization seem untrustworthy
- There is no evidence the scholarship was previously awarded
- The scholarship has not been awarded in the past 12 months
- There is no available contact information
If you believe a scholarship has been published in error, please reach out to [email protected] and we’ll take a look!
* There are certain exceptions to this, for example if the sponsoring organization is a major corporation or nonprofit with its own scholarship application system.
** Lead generation scholarships will require students to sign up for an app or website and require minimal (if any) application requirements.
***Idea harvesting scholarships will require students to submit blog posts or other materials that companies may use for marketing purposes.
$10,000 “No Essay” Scholarship
Scholarships360 Exclusive
Easy scholarship open to all US-based high school, college, community college and graduate students.
$2,000 Nitro College Scholarship – No Essay
Sponsored
Easy scholarship open to all high school, college, community and graduate students.
$25,000 No Essay Scholarship
Sponsored
Open to high school and college students, as well as anyone looking to attend college or graduate school in the next year.
Princess Grace Awards Program
Offered by Princess Grace Foundation-USA
Open to U.S. based artists currently living and working in the United States.
Irene Runnels-Paula McStay Scholarships
Offered by Alliance for Women in Media Dallas/Ft.Worth Chapter
Open to college students in Texas studying media or related fields.
The NYWICI Scholarships
Offered by New York Women In Communications
Permanent residents of New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania pursuing a degree in a communications-related field in the U.S.
AWM Austin Scholarship
Offered by Alliance for Women in Media
Open to female college sophomores, juniors, and seniors pursuing careers in media at a university in the Austin, TX area.
Dorian De Long Arts & Music Scholarship
Offered by Dorian De Long Arts & Music Scholarship
Open to Colorado high school students who plan on studying the arts at a Colorado university.
Iowa Scholarships for the Arts
Offered by Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
Open to high school seniors in Iowa who intend to pursue a major in the arts at an Iowa university.
CBC Spouses Visual Arts Scholarship
Offered by Congressional Black Caucus Foundation
Open to African-American or Black students pursuing a degree in visual arts.
$25k “Be Bold” No-Essay Scholarship
Sponsored
Easy scholarship open to high school students, college students, community college students, and graduate students.
Greater than Gatsby Annual Scholarship
Offered by Greater than Gatsby
Open to students majoring in photography or another creative, arts, or design related field.
Ocean Awareness Art Contest
Offered by Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programs
Open to middle and high school students who create an unconventional art/think piece addressing climate change.
Young Filmmakers Contest
Offered by One Earth Film Festival
Open to students in grade 3 through age 25 who submit a short video talking about climate and environmental action.
Islamic Scholarship Fund Film Grant
Offered by Islamic Scholarship Fund
Open to Muslim filmmakers, regardless of experience, career status, or individual achievements. Filmmaker must be a U.S. citizen.
Project Yellow Light/Hunter Garner Scholarship
Offered by Project Yellow Light
Open to high school upperclassmen and college students who submit a video, billboard design, or radio spot to encourage safe driving habits.
Gucci Changemakers North America Scholarship
Offered by Gucci
Open to current and incoming college students who will be studying design, marketing, art, film, communications, or other creative fields.
This scholarship might not currently be accepting applications. Most scholarship programs only accept applications a few months ahead of their annual deadline. We’ve estimated this deadline based on last year’s deadline in order to help you plan out your scholarship applications.
Feb 3, 2024“Follow Your Own Path” Essay Scholarship
Scholarships360 Exclusive
Open to all postsecondary students, regardless of the type of training/education they are pursuing.
This scholarship might not currently be accepting applications. Most scholarship programs only accept applications a few months ahead of their annual deadline. We’ve estimated this deadline based on last year’s deadline in order to help you plan out your scholarship applications.
Jan 31, 2024$10,000 CollegeXpress Scholarship
Sponsored
Annual $10k scholarship from CollegeXpress open to all high school students.
Niche $2,000 “No Essay” College Scholarship
Sponsored
Easy scholarship from Niche open to all high school, college, and graduate students.
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How to win film scholarships
Since you have a new list of film scholarships to apply for, it’s important to make sure you’re up to the task! Some of your applications might require you to submit a piece of your work or write an essay. Either way, making your submissions stand out is the key to winning scholarships like these. Be sure to showcase what film means to you, and how the scholarships could impact your quality of education or future success in your career.
Check out some of these resources to help you make your application stand out:
- Write a winning scholarship essay
- Learn about common scholarship prompts
- End your essay with a splash
Resources for film students
American Society of Cinematographers
The American Society of Cinematographers is a great way to network and get access to mentors in your field. This organization also offers scholarships, master classes, and events for students to get involved in. These opportunities are free and can be utilized to expand your knowledge of cinematography.
Film festivals
One of the best ways to get eyes on your films is to submit them to a film festival. There are a variety of festivals depending on your state, genre of film, and much more. You can even participate in festivals as a high school student, such as the All American High School Film Festival or the National Film Festival for Talented Youth! Some of the awards can range from prize money to spotlight on your film project.
Film organizations at your school
You should be on the lookout for student organizations on your campus. Clubs and organizations can be a big help to getting to know peers in the industry and connect with mentors and faculty. You’ll also be able to get feedback on your work, and gain further appreciation for film.
Related: Film major overview
Frequently asked questions about film scholarships
Can you get scholarships for being a YouTuber?
There are scholarships out there for YouTubers, but this is a field ridden with scam scholarships. When applying for scholarships based on your YouTube account or videos, be careful when giving out personal information. You should never give out your password or private information.
If you are a YouTuber, you are probably talented at making videos at home, and maybe even vlogging. This would set you up well to earn video scholarships. These scholarships have video components to their application. You’ll be able to showcase your ability for telling a compelling story via video.
Can you use film scholarships for acting?
Many film scholarships can also be applied to acting! For example, the Ocean Awareness Contest is a very open-ended scholarship for artistically-minded students. You can apply for it through acting, visual art, film music, or a host of other skills.
But be aware that not every film scholarship can be used for acting. Always make sure to go over the terms and conditions carefully before applying. If you have any doubts at all about your eligibility, reach out to the organization to clarify. This gives you the benefit of being sure that you’re eligible, as well as making contact with someone at the organization. This could encourage them to pay special attention to your application.
Do you have to study film to get a film scholarship?
Not necessarily! Some film scholarships do not require that you major in film. So, hobbyist filmmakers might be able to partially fund their college education with film scholarships, even if they never take a film class in school.
However, you should note that if you are already in college, many film scholarships will require that you major in the field. For the most part, the scholarships with the least strict requirements will be ones that you can apply to in high school.
What are the most prestigious film schools?
It’s hard to answer this question definitively, as prestige is subjective to many different factors. However, some of the film schools often mentioned as the most prestigious are:
- University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts
- New York University Kanbar Institute of Film & Television
- Beijing Film Academy
- American Film Institute Conservatory
- London Film School
