Top 21 Poetry Scholarships in September 2024

Are you a high school junior or senior with a love for creative writing? If so, consider applying for the Phyliss J. McCarthy Scholarship for Excellence in Writing! Each year, the scholarship awards up to $1,000 to the three applicants who submit the best responses to one of the "Narrative", "Meta", or "Wacky" prompts. As these prompts change each year, we recommend checking out the Learncurious.com website before applying. If you're a college-bound, high school upperclassman with a love for writing, we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more.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

Are you a college-bound, Nebraskan high school senior with a passion for creative writing? If so, consider applying for the Alyssa Sandmeier Foundation Creative Writing Scholarship Competition! Each year, the scholarship awards $1,500 to the applicant who submit the best original piece of creative writing. Acceptable forms include, but are not limited to, poetry or song lyrics, short fiction, play/movie/television scripts, speeches, memories or diary entries, biographies, or personal essays. The scholarship was created in honor of Alyssa Sandmeier, a young girl whose passion for writing inspired her to write even while battling Leukemia complications. If you're a college-bound, Nebraskan high school senior with a passion for creative writing, we encourage you to apply. Keep on reading to learn more and carry on Alyssa's legacy today.Show Less

Are you a middle or high school student with a love for creative writing or artwork? If so, consider applying for the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards! The contest is broken up into 28 separate categories/competitions, each with its own age requirements and prompts. Winners will receive between $500 and $12,500, depending on the category. The awards are offered by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, a nonprofit organization with a mission to “identify students with exceptional artistic and literary talent and present their remarkable work to the world through the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.”  If you’re a middle or high school student who’s been wanting to put their creative skills to work, this may be a great opportunity for you. We encourage you to apply!Show Less

The NSHSS Creative Writing Scholarship is open to high school students graduating sometime in the upcoming four years, as well as recently graduated seniors (in this past academic year). Each year, a total of six awards are given out: three $2,000 awards for the Fiction category, and three $2,000 awards for the Poetry category. Poetry applicants may submit their original poetry in any style they like. However, poems should be formatted as applicants would want them to appear in a publication. Fiction applicants' submissions must be no more than 5,000 words long and should not be single-spaced. The entry may be any genre of the student's choice, including graphic novels and stories. To apply, interested students must upload a copy of their work to the application portal. Be sure to include the title of your work and the category you are submitting for. If you have a passion for creative writing, we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more.Show Less

Attention US high school and college students! The California Freethought Day High School Limerick Scholarship is awarding $100 to five students who submit the best limericks responding to the prompt "Democracy, Not Theocracy" Students from anywhere in the United States can even participate by posting their poems on Twitter and TikTok. Share your haiku in a public tweet or video, tag #FreethoughtDay and #ScholarshipHaiku, and you could be one of the five winners! Don't miss out on this opportunity to showcase your creativity and win some cash.Show Less

Are you an 11–18 year old passionate about the creative arts and/or the environment? Consider applying for Bow Seat's Ocean Awareness Contest! The 2024 Ocean Awareness Contest – Tell Your Climate Story – encourages students to become climate witnesses and creatively share their personal experiences about our changing climate reality. Submit works of visual art, creative writing, poetry, spoken word, music, dance, film, and more for a chance to win cash awards of up to $1,000 and to join the world’s largest environmental youth community for the creative arts!Show Less

Do you have a beloved pet that has made a difference in your life? Each year, the Rover Scholarship awards $2,500 to the high school senior or university student who writes the most thoughtful essay about how a pet has shaped who they are today. If you love your pet and want to put those feelings (and most cherished memories) into writing, we would encourage you to apply to this amazing op-paw-tunity!Show Less

Are you a female undergraduate student from Kentucky attending an in-state university? Further, are you majoring in Sports, Media, Engineering, Finance, Banking, Literature, Creative Writing, or Journalism? If so, you may be eligible for the Women Leading Kentucky Undergraduate Scholarship! Each year, the scholarship awards between $1,000 and $1,500 to female undergraduate students who demonstrate exceptional leadership and are attending a Kentucky college/university. If this sounds like a good opportunity for you, we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more.Show Less

Are you a high school student in the U.S. passionate about any social or societal issue? Further, would you be interested in sharing your thoughts on such matters through art? If so, consider applying for the Walgreens Expressions Challenge! The Challenge invites high school students to submit art in one of four categories (Spoken Word, Visual Arts, Media Art, or Creative Writing) on a social or societal topic they feel strongly about. Possible topic ideas include: the impact of social media, cyber bullying, mental health, gun violence, social justice, etc. If you're a high schooler passionate about art and using it for the greater good, we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more.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

Are you a high school sophomore or junior interested in entering an essay contest? If so, consider applying for the Achievement Awards in Writing! The awards are open to nominated students who submit a piece of creative/argumentative writing. The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), a nonprofit professional association of educators, offers the contest to recognize students’ talents and achievements. The NCTE focuses on improving the teaching and learning of English and the language arts at all levels of education. Each year, multiple winners are chosen and receive a certificate. Additionally, winners of the “First Class Award" will have their name and their school’s name appear on the NCTE website. If you are passionate about writing, we encourage you to apply! While the scholarship cycle does not open until November 15 of each year, students are encouraged to start thinking of and preparing their first drafts early.Show Less