Whether you want to create your prom dress out of duct tape, advocate for beef, or are vegetarian, there is a scholarship for you! Truth be told, our favorite scholarships are the unusual or even weird scholarships that students can apply for. In this post, we highlight some of the top unusual (sometimes weird!) scholarships that you might want to include in your scholarship search!

Jump ahead to:

• Top Weird Scholarships in 2021
• Tips for students applying to unusual scholarships
• Summary of unusual scholarships
• Expired unusual scholarships

Keep on reading to learn more about the top weird scholarships you can apply for in 2021!

Top Weird Scholarships in 2021

ABFSE Scholarships 

• Eligibility: College students in funeral or mortuary science 
• Amount: $1,500 to $2,500
• Deadline: March 1 or September 1

Future Designer Scholarship

• Eligibility: Must be at least 17 years old and already accepted or enrolled in college. To apply, applicant must submit a greeting card design
• Amount: $2,500
• Deadline: November 1, 2021

Society of Vacuum Coaters Foundation (SVC) Scholarship

• Eligibility: Students attending an accredited technical, vocational, two-year, undergraduate or graduate school may apply. Preference will be given students whose major is engineering, physics, materials science and other fields related to vacuum coating.
• Amount: $5,000
• Deadline: October 15, 2021

Stuck at Prom Scholarship Contest

• Eligibility: High school students who create prom outfits with duck tape
• Amount: $500 to $10,000
• Deadline: July 21, 2021

UNIMA-USA Puppetry Scholarship

• Eligibility: American puppeteers who wish to study puppetry outside the U.S.
• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: December 30, 2021

Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship

• Eligibility: Students ages 13 and older
• Amount: $2,000
• Deadline: October 31, 2021

United States Bowling Congress Scholarships

• Eligibility: Various criteria for high school and college students. All applicants must have USBC Youth membership
•  Amount: Varies
• Deadline: December 1, 2021

Unpakt College Scholarship

• Eligibility: College and graduate students who submit an essay about moving
• Amount: $100, $500, and $1,000 scholarships
• Deadline: December 31, 2021

Tips for students applying for weird & unusual scholarships

• Weird scholarships are your opportunity to be your truest self! In the application, embrace who you are. This can be the perfect opportunity to write a quirkier than usual essay or be extra creative with a potential project. Weird scholarships are usually really niche, so the scholarship selection committee will appreciate authenticity.
• In your scholarship search, you may come across some opportunities that seem a bit shady. In these situations, there may be something else “weird” going on. Take a look at these tips for identifying common scholarship scams. This will help you stay safe in your scholarship search.

Summary of top weird scholarships in 2021

1. ABFSE Scholarships 
2. Future Designer Scholarship
3. Society of Vacuum Coaters Foundation (SVC) Scholarship
4. Stuck at Prom Scholarship Contest
5. UNIMA-USA Puppetry Scholarship
6. Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship
7. United States Bowling Congress Scholarships
8. Unpakt College Scholarship

Expired weird scholarships

Collegiate Beef Advocacy Program

• Eligibility: Open to young beef leaders currently enrolled in college who want to further develop their passion for the cattle community, all while using their unique strengths to connect with consumers, producers, and peers to share a positive message about beef
• Amount: $2,000
• Deadline: December 1, 2020 (opens early fall)

Create-A-Greeting-Card Scholarship Contest

• Eligibility: Open to all high school, college, and university students who are at least 14 years old.
• Amount: $10,000
• Deadline: March 9, 2021

Grow the Game Volleyball Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to students at all educational levels who demonstrate passion, achievement, and leadership efforts in growing the game of volleyball
• Amount: $2,500   
• Deadline: March 31, 2021

Doodle for Google

• Eligibility: Open to all doodling students in grades kindergarten to Grade 12!
• Amount: $30,000
• Deadline: February 26, 2021

Tall Clubs International Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to students under the age of 21 who are about to enter their first year of higher education. Students must also meet the minimum height requirements for membership in Tall Clubs International—5′ 10″ (178 cm) for women and 6′ 2″ (188 cm) for men
• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: February 1, 2021

Vegetarian Resource Group Scholarships

• Eligibility: Open to high school students who are vegetarians or vegans
• Amount: $10,000
• Deadline: February 20, 2021 (Opens December 2021)