41 Writing Scholarships (November 2026)

The purpose of the AFSA/AAFSW Merit Awards is to recognize the academic and artistic achievements of high school seniors who are the children or dependents of Foreign Service employees. Applicants must be dependents of U.S. government Foreign Service employees who are members of AFSA or AAFSW. Students must be high school seniors with a minimum 2.0 GPA. Applicants can also submit an art entry under the categories of visual arts, musical arts, drama, dance or creative writing. Awards are based on GPA, SAT scores, a two-page essay, letters of recommendation and extra-curricular activities.

The purpose of the John D. Graham Scholarship is to aid journalism and public relations students. Applicants must be rising undergraduate seniors who are enrolled in a journalism or public relations degree program. Selection is based on academic merit, leadership, writing ability, relevant work experience and stated career goals.

The purpose of the Haddy Harrington Memorial Scholarship is to support graduates of Henderson County high schools in pursuing a degree in art or writing. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required. Selection is based on the overall strength of the application. Students must must submit an application detailing their employment history, volunteer experience, extracurricular involvement, academic performance and financial information.

The purpose of the HelpTeaching.com Scholarship is to support students who submit a writing piece. Applicants must be current high school or college students in the United States or Canada and must submit an original article or short story for children.

The purpose of the A. W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship Program is to support research in the history, theory and criticism of the visual arts in any area represented in the collections of the National Gallery of Art. Applicants must have held their Ph.D. for five years or less at the time of application and must submit application forms, proposals for the topic of the predoctoral seminar and the university course, three letters of recommendation and publications. Fellows will be in residence at the Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts. During the first year, the fellow will carry out research and writing related to the publication of a dissertation or appropriate articles or book(s). In the second academic year, while continuing research and writing in residence, the fellow will be expected to teach one course (advanced undergraduate or graduate) by arrangement at a neighboring university.

The purpose of the Quill and Scroll Student Scholarships is to aid high school journalists seeking to improve their skills and techniques. Applicants must be Quill and Scroll members or national winners of the Yearbook Excellence Contest or the International Writing, Photography and Multimedia Contest or Blogging Competition.

The purpose of the Global Citizen Scholarship is to help students reflect on their place in the world through writing and then have a chance to experience it first-hand. Applicants must be U.S. residents that are currently enrolled in a tour with EF educational tours and must create a video on a topic related to global citizenship. Up to 100 scholarship recipients will receive $1,000 towards their current EF educational tour.

The purpose of the Archibald Rutledge Scholarship Program is to support students who exhibit academic and artistic excellence. Applicants must be high school seniors in South Carolina public schools, have attended South Carolina public schools for the past two consecutive years and be U.S. citizens. There are five categories: creative writing, dance, music, theater and visual arts. For the creative writing category, a sonnet, lyric or narrative poem no longer than one page must be submitted. For the dance category, an original, short dance composition of three to ten minutes. For the music category, an original composition of three to ten minutes must be submitted. For the theater category, an original one-act play with a performing time of eight to fifteen minutes. For the visual arts category, an original visual composition must be submitted. Compositions are judged on creativity, originality and quality of expression and content.

The purpose of the One Earth Award is to support students whose art or writing addresses human-caused climate change. Applicants must be in grades 7-12 (ages 13 and up) and enter art or writing works address the pressing issue of human-caused climate change. Students may enter work in any of the 28 listed art and writing categories and must include a personal statement of 50 words or more on their work.

The purpose of the Brady & Patrick Gallagher Memorial Scholarship is to support Loy Norris High School graduates who demonstrate ability and interest in the area of creative arts; band, orchestra, choral, drama, fine arts or creative writing. Applicants must demonstrate ability and interest with evidence of participation in community and school activities. Financial need may be considered.

The purpose of the Civic Expression Award is to support students who explore political or social issues. Applicants must be in grades 7-12 (ages 13 and up) and enter art or writing works that explore political or social issues. Students may enter work in any of the 28 listed art and writing categories and must include a personal statement of 50 words or more on their work.

The purpose of the Starfleet Scholarships is to assist members of the International Star Trek Fan Association. Applicants must have been members of Starfleet for at least one year prior to applying and must be attending or planning to attend a community college, four-year college, technical school, junior college or graduate school. Awards are given in the categories of medicine, engineering, performing arts, international studies, business, science, education, writing, law enforcement and general studies.

The purpose of the Center for Alcohol Policy (CAP) Essay Contest is to reward students, academics, attorneys, policymakers and members of the general public for outstanding essays regarding alcohol policy. Applicants must be at least 18 years old. Students must submit an essay analyzing different alcohol regulations. Selection is based on the strength of analysis, thoroughness of research and quality of writing.

The purpose of the NAEd/Spencer Dissertation Fellowship Program is to support students in a variety of disciplines who are writing dissertations that show promising ways to improve education. Applicants must be doctoral candidates at a graduate school in the United States. Students must verify that they will be able to finish all pre-dissertation requirements before beginning the fellowship and describe their plan for completing their dissertation within one to two years. Selection is based on the research question's importance in relation to education and the overall quality of the provided research and work plan.

The purpose of the US Ghost Adventures Scholarship is to support students who are interested in writing stories. Applicants must be currently enrolled in an accredited college or university. An essay on a provided prompt is required.

The purpose of the Clarissa Edwards Noland Memorial Scholarship Fund is to assist students in the Western Virginia area. Applicants must be graduating seniors from a high school located in Botetourt County or Roanoke County or the Cities of Roanoke or Salem. Students must enroll in an accredited college or university and demonstrate academic capability and an interest in teaching or creative writing.

The purpose of the Charmayne Gooch Arts Scholarship Fund is to assist students in the Northern Colorado area. Applicants must be Larimer County students who have the potential to succeed but who may not have attained sufficient academic achievement to place them in a position to receive other scholarships like students with a disability or special needs. Students must benefit from training in art, writing, music, or visual arts.

The purpose of the NCRA A to Z Scholarship is to support students who are enrolled in a court reporting program. Applicants must have completed an NCRA A to Z Intro to Steno Machine Shorthand program and received an NCRA A to Z Certificate of Completion. Students must have attained an exemplary academic record and passed one skills test writing 60 to 100 words per minute.

The purpose of the Jacob Snively Memorial Scholarship Fund is to assist students in the Pittsburgh area. Applicants must attend Avonworth High School as graduating seniors and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5. Students must plan to attend a two or four-year college or university and be someone with an appreciation of the arts (e.g. visual arts, creative writing, music, dance, etc.).

The purpose of the Disney/ABC Television Writing Program is to help writers develop skills for careers in television writing. Applicants must be age 21 or older. They must be able to work in the U.S. legally. Professional writing experience is not necessary, but applicants must have strong spec script writing skills. Selection is based on the overall strength of the application.

The purpose of the Predoctoral Fellowship Program is to support advanced graduate research in the history, theory and criticism of art, architecture and urbanism. Applicants for predoctoral fellowships must be nominated by the chair of the graduate department of art history or other appropriate departments. Applicants must have completed all departmental requirements, including course work, residency and general and preliminary examinations. Certification in two languages other than English is required. Applicants should submit nomination forms, supporting letters from two individuals and writing samples. There are various fellowships. The David E. Finley Fellowship requires applicants have a significant interest in curatorial work. The Paul Mellon Fellowship is for the completion of a doctoral dissertation in Western art. The Samuel H. Kress Fellowship is for the completion of a doctoral dissertation in European art on a topic before the early nineteenth century. The Wyeth Fellowship is for the completion of a doctoral dissertation that concerns aspects of art of the United States, including native and pre-Revolutionary America. The Ittleson Fellowship is for the completion of a doctoral dissertation in the visual arts in a field other than Western art. The Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship is for the completion of a doctoral dissertation in cross-cultural studies or in a field other than Western art through the twentieth century. The Robert H. and Clarice Smith Fellowship is for research on Northern European art between 1400 and 1700, intended for the advancement or completion of either a doctoral dissertation or a resulting publication. The Chester Dale Fellowships are for the advancement or completion of a doctoral dissertation in any area of Western art, with a preference for modern and contemporary topics. The Center offers a Paul Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship for recipients of the David E. Finley, Paul Mellon, Samuel H. Kress, Wyeth, Ittleson, Andrew W. Mellon and two-year Chester Dale fellowships if the dissertation has been accepted by June 1 of the residence year. Several candidates for each fellowship will be invited to Washington for interviews.

The purpose of the Charles and Elinore Agar Fund is to assist students in the Berkshire Taconic area. Applicants must be graduating seniors of Monument Mountain Regional High School who are entering their first year of a two-year or four-year nationally accredited college or university. Students must have a particular interest in science, engineering, history or creative writing.

The purpose of the Hilla Rebay International Fellowship is to reward students with a practical museum training experience. Applicants must have a MA/MPhil in art history or related academic fields. Doctoral candidates or recent PhD graduates are encouraged and welcomed to apply. Applicants be fluent (speaking and writing) in English, Spanish, and Italian.

The purpose of the New York Life Award is to support students whose art or writing explores personal grief, loss and bereavement. Applicants must be in grades 7-12 (ages 13 and up) and enter art or writing works exploring personal grief, loss and bereavement. Students may enter work in any of the 28 listed art and writing categories and must include a personal statement of 50 words or more on their work. State scholarships are available to two students from each of the following states: Arizona, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey, and New Mexico, Ohio, and Tennessee.

The purpose of the Pamela Ann Prevallet Hymn Writing Competition is to help students who attend or are planning to attend Concordia Seminary. Applicants must be pursuing an M.Div. degree and must have completed vicarage.