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Top Writing & Essay Scholarships in January 2022
Writing is an extremely important part of success in high school, college, and life in general. For some students, writing is also an intricate part of who they are and how they express themselves. If you are someone who loves English class and is genuinely excited about a new creative writing assignment, then you should keep reading! Writing scholarships, creative writing scholarships, and essay scholarships are great ways to put your talent to use.
Jump ahead to:
- Top writing scholarships in 2022
- Top creative writing scholarships in 2022
- Resources for writing scholarship essays
- Frequently asked questions about writing scholarships
- Summary of top writing and scholarships in 2022
- Upcoming essay scholarships
- Explore these other scholarship categories
Keep on reading to learn about the top scholarships for writers and creative writers including eligibility, award amounts, and deadlines!
Top writing scholarships in 2022
$2,725 Ethel Hayes Destigmatization of Mental Health Scholarship
- Eligibility: Students at every level of education who write a short essay about mental health
- Amount: $2,725 (two scholarships are awarded!)
- Deadline: June 14, 2022
$500 Artists and Writers in the Community Scholarship
- Eligibility: Aspiring writers or artists who have an Associate’s degree and are pursuing a BA or MFA
- Amount: $500
- Deadline: March 31, 2022
Princeton Prize in Race Relations
- Eligibility: Open to all high school students who are involved in an activity that promotes positive race relations.
- Amount: $1,000
- Deadline January 31, 2022
Women’s Army Corps Veterans’ Association Scholarship
- Eligibility: Female high school seniors who are the child, grandchild, niece or nephew of an Army Service Woman.
- Amount: $1,500
- Deadline: February 2, 2022
Achievement Awards in Writing (NCTE)
- Eligibility: Juniors in the current academic school year are eligible to be nominated by their school’s English department (ask your teachers to nominate you if you qualify!)
- Amount: No cash award, but incredibly prestigious!
- Deadline: February 15, 2022
Antonia Scholarship
- Eligibility: High school seniors who are prospective first year college students who plan to continue their education as English or history majors
- Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: March 1, 2022
Kaplun Essay Contest
- Eligibility: Students who are in grades 7 through 12 who submit an essay about their Jewish faith
- Amount: $500 to $1,800
- Deadline: March 13, 2022
Anthem Essay Contest
- Eligibility: Students in 8th through 12th grade who write a 600 – 1,200 word essay
- Amount: Up to $2,000 (many prizes!)
- Deadline: April 28, 2022
The Fountainhead Essay Contest
- Eligibility: Students in 11th and 12th grade who write a 800 – 1,600 word essay
- Amount: Up to $5,000 (many prizes!)
- Deadline: April 28, 2022
Greater Than Gatsby Annual Scholarship
- Eligibility: High school seniors accepted to college, undergraduate and graduate students in the USA
- Amount: $10,000
- Deadline: May 1, 2022
Rover Scholarship
- Eligibility: High school seniors and college student who write an essay about the impact of technology on their lives
- Amount: $2,500
- Deadline: May 1, 2022
HelpTeaching.com Scholarship
- Eligibility: High school and college students who submit a educational short story or informational article (400-800 words) for young students
- Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: June 1, 2022
Solar Scholarship
- Eligibility: High school seniors, college and graduate students with an interest in solar energy
- Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: July 1, 2022
Gen and Kelly Tanabe Scholarship
- Eligibility: High school students, college students, graduate students, and adult learners
- Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: July 31, 2022
Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest
- Eligibility: Students in grades 11t and 12, undergraduate, and graduate students who write a 800 – 1,600 word essay
- Amount: Up to $10,000 (many prizes!)
- Deadline: September 26, 2022
Creative writing scholarships
Are you a writer who loves fiction, poetry, and screenplays? If so, you can put those talents to use by applying for creative writing scholarships.
Creative writing scholarships are a subset of writing scholarships that support students who enjoy writing poetry, fictional stories, plays, and generally using their imagination to guide their writing.
Here are the top creative writing scholarships that you can apply for:
Engineer Girl Writing Contest
- Eligibility: The contest is open to individual girls and boys in the following three competition categories: Elementary School Students (grades 3-5), Middle School Students in (grades 6-8), or High School Students (grades 9-12)
- Amount: $250 to $500
- Deadline: February 1, 2022
HelpTeaching.com Scholarship
- Eligibility: High school and college students who submit a educational short story or informational article (400-800 words) for young students
- Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: June 1, 2022
College-specific creative writing scholarships
Some colleges and universities may also offer specific scholarships to student with a talent in creative writing! Check with the colleges on your list for these college-specific creative writing opportunities!
Note that some of these scholarships may have requirements for winning students that stipulate that they take a certain number of creative writing classes when enrolled in the college.
Scholarship essay resources
When it comes to writing and essay scholarships, your writing skills will be put to the test. You’ll have to adapt your writing to specific styles in order to effectively and succinctly communicate your ambitions and potential. We have a host of resources to help you perform well in this arena and stand out from the crowd.
- How to start your scholarship essay (with examples)
- How to write a “why do you deserve this scholarship?” essay
- What’s the best scholarship essay format?
- How to write a 250 word essay
- How to write a 500 word essay
- How to write an essay about yourself
Frequently asked questions about writing scholarships
Do I have to major in English to earn a writing or essay scholarship?
You don’t! Each of these scholarships has different requirements, and although some might be geared towards English majors, there are many which are not. Remember, the only thing that makes a writing or essay scholarship is that it uses a piece of writing as a major deciding factor in its decision process. So, you could earn a writing or essay scholarship for physics, chemistry, computer science — really, anything.
Where can I get help proofreading my scholarship essays?
If you’re in the middle of writing scholarship essays, it’s a great idea to recruit someone to help proofread your work. Sometimes, getting an extra set of eyes on your essays can be just the ticket to make sure your writing is as effective as can be. You can try asking your high school guidance counselor. Family members, friends, and even teachers who you have close relationships with, can also be helpful.
If you qualify, you can also apply for CollegePoint, a free resource that matches you with current college students to guide you through the college application process. They will help with every factor, including college application, selection, scholarship searching, college interviews, and more. Find out all you need to know with our review of CollegePoint’s services.
How much should I write if there is no word limit on the application?
If there is no word limit on the scholarship application, you should aim to write an essay that is around 500 words — somewhere between 400 and 600. If the question is very simple, you can shoot for less words than this, and if it is very complex and multi-faceted, you can shoot for a longer one. However, as a general rule for a relatively basic question, 400 to 600 words is a good range.
Summary of top writing and essay scholarships:
- Ethel Hayes Destigmatization of Mental Health Scholarship
- $500 Artists and Writers in the Community Scholarship
- Princeton Prize in Race Relations
- Women’s Army Corps Veterans’ Association Scholarship
- Achievement Awards in Writing (NCTE)
- Antonia Scholarship
- Kaplun Essay Contest
- Anthem Essay Contest
- The Fountainhead Essay Contest
- Greater Than Gatsby Annual Scholarship
- Rover Scholarship
- HelpTeaching.com Scholarship
- Ethel Hayes Destigmatization of Mental Health Scholarship
- Solar Scholarship
- Gen and Tanabe Scholarship
- Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest
Creative Writing Scholarships
Upcoming Essay Scholarships
Denny’s Hungry for Education Scholarships
- Eligibility: All high school and college students with at least a 2.5 GPA who share their ideas to fight childhood hunger
- Amount: $1,000 to 3,000
Delete Cyberbullying Scholarship
- Eligibility: High school seniors, college students, community college students, or graduate students who write an essay about cyberbullying
- Amount: $1,000
Patricia Lea Olson Creative Writing Scholarship
- Eligibility: Undergraduates who are currently enrolled in creative writing studies
- Amount: $1,100
Questbridge National College Match Scholarship
- Eligibility: Open to high school seniors
- Amount: Full funding (including tuition, room, and board) for four years
Richard G. Zimmerman Journalism Scholarship
- Eligibility: High school seniors interested in journalism
- Amount: $5,000
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
- Eligibility: Scholarships are open to students ages 13 and up in grades 7 through 12. Public/private school and homeschooled students in the U.S., Canada, or American schools worldwide are welcome to apply.
- Amount: $1500 to $10,000
Shawn Carter Scholarship Fund
- Eligibility: High school, college, or vocational students
- Amount: $1,500 to $2,000
- Opens: April 1, 2022
Ted Rollins Eco Scholarship
- Eligibility: Undergraduate students and high school seniors planning on earning a business or sustainability degree
- Amount: $1,000
Unpakt College Scholarship
- Eligibility: College and graduate students who submit an essay about moving
- Amount: $100, $500, and $1,000 scholarships
Zippia’s Teacher Dream Job Scholarship
- Eligibility: College, university, associates program, junior college, vocational school, or high school students living in the United States who is planning on a teaching career
- Amount: $1,000
Explore these other scholarship categories:
- Scholarships for English majors
- Easy scholarships
- Top scholarships for high school seniors
- Scholarships for college students
- Top scholarships for women
