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Top Video Scholarships in 2022
There are scholarships out there that want you to express yourself via video. If you enjoy making videos to communicate a message, you may as well do so and earn a scholarship while you’re at it! So if you want to showcase your video work in order to gain financial help with school, then these video scholarships are for you.
Jump ahead to:
- Top video scholarships
- Tips for making a winning video
- Frequently asked questions
- Upcoming scholarships
- Explore these other scholarship categories
Check out our list of top video scholarships and start filming today! And if you are a prospective or current film student, you won’t want to miss our list of top film scholarships.
Top video scholarships in 2022
Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference
- Eligibility: rising high school seniors who are interested in pursuing a career in journalism and who demonstrate qualities of “free spirit”.
- Amount: $1000
- Deadline: March 1, 2022 (although certain states will keep scholarship open if there are too few applications, so check first!)
FMAA Scholarship Program
- Eligibility: High school seniors and college students planning to enroll or already enrolled in a college or vocational school
- Amount: $2,000
- Deadline: May 30, 2022
Financial Empowerment Scholarship Application
- Eligibility: College and graduate students who submit a video explaining the importance of financial empowerment in their life and career
- Amount: $1,500
- Deadline: July 15, 2022
The Paradigm Challenge Meet a Hero Contest
- Eligibility: Students around the world who use kindness, creativity, and collaboration to help solve real-life problems and make a difference
- Amount: $10,000
- Deadline: May 1, 2023
One Young Earth Filmmakers Contest
- Eligibility: Open to both college and high school students who are no more than 25 years of age.
- Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: June 25, 2023
Knoji Corporate Responsbility & Brand Values Scholarship
- Eligibility: College students who shoot a video where they talk about a brand they admire
- Amount: $1,500
- Deadline: Biannual
Tips for making a winning video
- Practice and perfect your script thoroughly before you even think about shooting. Practice giving your speech to friends and family member so you have a natural repertoire worked up before you even get in front of the camera
- Memorize your script well enough that you are not relying too heavily on reading when you shoot your video
- Try to make sure you have good lighting when shooting your video. Even though the scholarship may not be entirely decided based on shooting quality, it can help keep the judges interested and show that you put effort into it
- Make sure to read the rules thoroughly. They often will state if they prefer a webcam-shot video or one shot by a friend or family member. They often also include length requirements, and potentially a format requirement for submission
- Put effort into your editing. If the rules allow for it, make a nice title card and show that you’ve created a polished product
Frequently asked questions about video scholarships
Can you get a scholarship for videography?
Yes, you can! While this list is primarily aimed towards scholarships for any subject that involve a video component, there are also film scholarships. These are aimed towards students who intend to study film and videography. Our list of film scholarships is a great place to start when looking into this.
Do I need to major in film to get a video scholarship?
You don’t! There are video scholarships out there for any subject. This list contains video scholarships for students majoring in journalism, visual arts, and many that are open to studnets of any major. The only thing that makes a video scholarship is that your application will include a video.
How should I dress for a scholarship video?
The answer to this question can vary slightly based on the specific scholarship and the impression you want to give. However, a safe bet is usually dressing business casual. You can always dress more formal than this if you like, but usually, you shouldn’t be less formal. Remember that how you dress can help you stand out to the scholarship reviewers. If you have any formal clothes with an especially noticeable flair, you may consider wearing them to leave a strong impression, as long as they are appropriate.
Will I be penalized if I don’t have a good camera for video scholarships?
Most video scholarships will not outwardly penalize you for bad camera quality. They are more interested in the message you are getting across than how polished it is. That being said, presentation will probably have an unconscious effect on the reviewers, and anything you can do to ensure its clarity can be a good idea. This can be as easy as finding a visually appealing background and good lighting. You might also try to borrow a camera or use one at your high school, if possible.
Upcoming scholarships
CBC Spouses Visual Arts Scholarship
- Eligibility: Full time African-American or Black students pursuing a degree in visual arts
- Amount: $3,000
Doodle for Google Competition
- Eligibility: Students of all ages who use their imagination to create a Google Doodle
- Amount: $30,000
Groundbreaker Leadership Scholarship
- Eligibility: High school seniors or college students that are of at least 25% Asian or Pacific Islander descent
- Amount: $1500
- Opens: February 1, 2022
Life Lessons Scholarship Program
- Eligibility: Qualified entrants who submit essays or videos about how the death of a parent impacted their lives.
- Amount: $15,000
- Opens: February 1, 2022
Project Yellow Light/Hunter Garner Video Scholarship
- Eligibility: High school juniors/seniors or undergraduate college students
- Amount: Varies
- Opens: October 31, 2022
StudentCam Scholarship
- Eligibility: Middle-High School Students willing to create a 5-6 minute video documentary.
- Amount: Varies up to $5,000
Taco Bell Live Más Scholarship
- Eligibility: Open to students between the ages of 16 and 26 who submit a video entry about their life’s passion
- Amount: $5,000 to $25,000 per year
- Opens: Fall 2022
