41 Writing Scholarships (September 2026)

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 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 AFSA National Essay Contest is to support students interested in writing an essay on foreign service. Applicants must be U.S. Citizens, high school students and have parents who are not members of the Foreign Service. Students must attend a public, private, parochial school, home school or participate in a high school correspondence program in any of the 50 states, the District of Columbia or U.S. territories or must be U.S. citizens attending schools overseas. The current award is $2,500 to the student and an all-expenses paid trip to Washington, DC, for the winner and parents.

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 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.

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 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 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 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 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 Alice B. Henriquez Memorial Fund Writing Prize is to assist students in the Berkshire Taconic area. Applicants must be seniors at Webutuck Senior High School Amenia who are entering their first year of a two- or four-year nationally accredited college, university or trade school.

The purpose of the James R. Buescher Scholarship is to assist students in Lancaster County. Applicants must be Lancaster County students who are planning a course of study in creative writing, journalism, marketing, mass communication, and media studies.

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 Rising Bud Scholarship is to support female high school seniors pursuing a degree in an art field. Applicants must be female high-school seniors pursuing an undergraduate degree in art at a college or university in one of the following areas: applied arts (creative literature/writing, decorative art, design, fashion design, fine arts, graphic design or industrial design), cinematic arts (animation, audio/sound or film-making), performing arts (dance, music, step or theater) or visual arts (animation, architecture, audio/sound, ceramics, computer art, crafts, design, drawing, film-making, illustration, painting, photography, printmaking, video or visual communications). Students must be from a low income household earning a combined income that is less than $45,000 a year. A personal statement on a provided topic is required to be submitted.

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 Byron Hanke Fellowship is to support graduate students who are working on topics related to community associations. Applicants must be currently enrolled in an accredited master's, doctoral or law program in the U.S. or Canada. Students must submit a research paper on community associations. Selection is primarily based on demonstration of research and writing abilities, academic achievement and faculty recommendations.

The purpose of the ExpressVPN Future of Privacy Scholarship is to raise awareness of internet privacy and security. Applicants must be current high school, undergraduate or graduate students in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, New Zealand or South Africa. Students must submit an application and essay. Selection based on creativity, originality, detail, clear and articulate writing, and student's ability to formulate an opinion.

The purpose of the Canadian Section Student Award is to support a student at a Canadian university who is pursuing an advanced degree related to electrochemical science and technology and/or solid state science and technology. Applicants must be nominated in writing by a university faculty member of a Canadian university. Nominations must then be supported by letters of recommendation from personnel at the university, in industry or in government. The nomination should have a student curriculum vitae, a letter of recommendation from the nominating professor and a brief outline of the research project written by the student.

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 Sheldon Matthew Smith Memorial Scholarship is to support students who are graduating seniors of Washington High School and Washington Catholic High School with their college education. Applicants must be pursuing a degree in writing, computer graphics, computer game design, computer art design, computer animation, computer programming or web design. Applicants must have a 3.0 or higher to be considered.

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 Harold K. Douthit Scholarship is to support students pursuing a major in a journalism-related field at an Ohio college or university. Applicants must be enrolled in an Ohio college or university and be majoring in a journalism-related field such as journalism, advertising or marketing. Students must have at least a 3.0 GPA and write an essay as part of their application showcasing their writing skill along with including work samples related to degree.

The purpose of the Robert C. and Lillian DuSoe Scholarship is to support students from the Orange County area. Applicants must be high school seniors at Laguna Beach Unified School District or Santa Ana Unified School District or current undergraduates who graduated from Laguna Beach Unified School District or Santa Ana Unified School District and intend on enrolling full-time at an accredited educational institution. Students must have demonstrated aptitude in music or writing and unmet financial need. Applicants must submit an essay, current transcripts and two letters of recommendation.

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 John Carlton Myatt Writing Scholarship is to support local students as they pursue advanced education. Applicants must be Greensboro graduating seniors who display a creative, innovative and courageous spirit in writing and exhibit those skills through school and community activities to effect change.