If you are a creative writer you can apply for scholarships to support your education in creative writing. Curated in this blog post are scholarships for creative writing. So, if you are a writer get in here and apply for the scholarships discussed here.
You definitely won’t know unless I say but it was hard for me to begin the intro on this article. Even with my 5+ years of experience in creating original content from blog posts to articles, I still had difficulty starting the intro to a blog post that literally says “scholarships for creative writing” – a topic that is closely related to what I have been doing nearly every day for the past 5 years more than any other topic I have ever published on this blog.
And that, dear reader and fellow writer, is the life of a creative writer.
One minute your head is exploding with ideas on a topic the next minute you have no idea how to start or collect your thoughts properly to dish out an engaging blog post or article. It may seem ordinary to a non-writer but if you are a writer or an aspiring writer, which I assume that you are, then you know that that is the fun of being a writer. Therefore, you deserve to be recognized for your talents.
If you are an aspiring writer who wants to develop their potential to the fullest and polish their existing talent in college through an academic program as a creative writer, there are scholarships available to support your dream and help you achieve your goals. If you are already in a creative writing program, you are not left out of the scholarships for creative writing either.
Scholarships for creative writing are offered by colleges and universities, writing organizations and associations, and other individuals to provide financial support and encouragement to students looking to pursue careers in creative writing thereby paving the way for talented future writers. You can also explore scholarships for cinematography and even sports scholarships if you have some kind of sports achievement to get as much free money as possible to pursue your dream as a creative writer.
Receiving scholarships will help offset the financial burden of college so that you can pursue your dream without worrying so much about finances or graduating with a huge student debt. With the scholarships for creative writing curated here, you are not so far from achieving your goal. Now, take a step towards your goal by applying for these scholarships.
Table of Contents
Scholarships For Creative Writing
The following are scholarships for creative writing:
- Talent Award in Creative Writing Scholarship
- Patricia Cornwell Creative Writing Scholarship
- The University of Montana Creative Writing Scholarships and Awards
- Ursinus College Creative Writing Award
- The University of Louisville Creative Writing Award for Poetry
- Miriam Cotter MA Scholarship in Creative Writing
- The University of Washington Department of English Creative Writing Scholarships and Prizes
- Meredith College Creative Writing Scholarships
- Stephen F. Austin State University English Scholarships
- Deborah Tall Scholarship for Creative Writing
- The Octopus Scheme – The Novelry
- Penguin Random House Creative Writing Awards
1. Talent Award in Creative Writing Scholarship
Would you like to study creative writing at Chapman University on a scholarship? If you would, the university created the Talent Award in Creative Writing program to offer scholarships between $250 and $2,000 to talented students. The Talent Award in Creative Writing Scholarship is annually and the award is up to 4 years to the recipient.
It is awarded to students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the area of creative writing and a commitment to creative activity, scholarship, and service in the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) program. The requirements for the scholarship are you must complete the BFA degree in Creative Writing in 8 semesters, maintain a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA in all major classes, with no grade of C or below, and a 2.0 cumulative GPA for all Chapman University classes.
In addition, you will serve the program, department, and university as an exemplary citizen through volunteering, leadership, and ethical behavior. Your application will include a creative writing major, a creative writing sample, and a creative writing essay of no more than 600 words.
2. Patricia Cornwell Creative Writing Scholarship
Patricia Cornwell Creative Writing Scholarship is one of the best scholarships for creative writing offering $35,000 annually to one student in each first-year class. The scholarship is tenable only at Davidson College, North Carolina, USA. If you are a student with exceptional talent and passionate about writing, then you have a shot at receiving the Patricia Cornwell Creative Writing Scholarship if you apply.
Another impressive thing about this scholarship is you are not required to major in English to apply and it is renewable as long as the recipient maintains the required GPA, is in good academic standing toward the pursuit of your degree, and remains engaged in the writing community. To apply, you will apply for admission, a scholarship application, a list of books you’ve read in the previous year for school and pleasure, and up to 10 pages of your best creative work in the genres of your choice.
3. The University of Montana Creative Writing Scholarships and Awards
The Department of Creative Writing at the University of Montana provides a variety of financial aid to students enrolled in the creative writing program at the undergraduate and graduate levels. These include scholarships, fellowships, and awards. More than 15 different scholarships are offered from $400 up to $5,000 per student.
4. Ursinus College Creative Writing Award
Ursinus College located in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, USA established a scholarship to award creative writers of outstanding originality and potential. This award – the Ursinus College Creative Writing Award – offers $40,000 per year, renewable for all 4 years, to select students who meet the scholarship requirements.
To apply for the Ursinus College Creative Writing Award, apply to the college and complete the scholarship application. To be selected, you will submit a portfolio of no more than 10 pages of creative work in fiction, poetry, or some combination of genres. You must also be admitted into the college. There will also be an interview where you will be required to bring a 2-page hard copy sample of your original work. Winners are chosen by a committee of past winners, finalists, and faculty.
5. The University of Louisville Creative Writing Award for Poetry
The Department of English at the University of Louisville (U of L) offers an award amount of $500 each year to a graduate student who demonstrates exceptional promise as a poet. Applicants must be graduate students but do not have to be graduate students in English to apply.
A cover letter and a writing sample are required to apply for the University of Louisville Creative Writing Award for Poetry.
6. Miriam Cotter MA Scholarship in Creative Writing
The Miriam Cotter MA Scholarship in Creative Writing is offered by University College Cork, Ireland. It is one of the best scholarships for writers in Ireland and beyond. The recipient will get an award of full EU fees plus €8,670 as a stipend. The scholarship is offered each year with varying deadlines, so, if it has closed for the current year, it will open again in the next year.
To be eligible for the Miriam Cotter MA Scholarship in Creative Writing you must have applied for admission into University College Cork MA in Creative Writing program and accepted. The scholarship is aimed at students who are from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds. This includes writers; who are single parents, from ethnic minorities, from the Irish Traveller community, with a disability, from disadvantaged socioeconomic groups, and diverse backgrounds with regard to gender and sexuality.
Applicants are selected based on a combination of need, merit, and eligibility.
7. The University of Washington Department of English Creative Writing Scholarships and Prizes
As a student of the University of Washington’s Department of English, whether at the undergraduate or graduate level, there are varieties of creative writing scholarships and awards that you can win. There are prose and poetry contests for graduate and undergraduate students that award cash prizes from $100 to $11,000 per award to select students. These scholarships and prizes are made available annually so that new incoming students can benefit as well.
Requirements for the scholarships and contests (prizes) vary but there are general requirements that include obtaining a GPA of 3.5, an English GPA of 3.7, and a minimum of 10 credits of completed UW English coursework. Follow the link below to read through specific scholarship and contest requirements. You must be accepted into the University of Washington Department of English to be eligible.
8. Meredith College Creative Writing Scholarships
Here is another opportunity for talented writers to pursue their interest in creative writing without spending so much on college. Meredith College of North Carolina, USA is offering you the opportunity to pursue creative writing on a full scholarship and you have to be a first-year student to be eligible.
The Meredith College Creative Writing Scholarships are awarded to a first-year student enrolled in a full-time program in creative writing. The scholarship is renewable annually for a total of 4 years provided the recipient maintains good standing and maintains at least a 3.0 GPA on all courses taken at Meredith College.
Applicants for Creative Writing scholarships must send a digital portfolio of 3 – 5 pieces of creative writing (maximum of 30 pages), including poetry, fiction, and/or creative nonfiction along with the completed application.
9. Stephen F. Austin State University English Scholarships
Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas, USA offers a variety of scholarships every year to those looking to become writers. Students enrolled in the Department of English & Creative Writing pursuing a major or minor in English are eligible to receive several scholarships to reward them for their outstanding talent and support their education.
Some of the scholarships are; the Cyd Adams English Scholarship, Lilian E. Hoover Scholarship, Sara Snyder English Scholarship, and T.J. Kallsen English Scholarship to name but a few. Each of these scholarships has specific requirements but you must have at least a minimum GPA of 2.0 or higher to be considered.
10. Deborah Tall Scholarship for Creative Writing
If you decide to apply for a program in creative writing at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, New York, USA then you have the opportunity to receive the Deborah Tall Scholarship for Creative Writing offered by the college to creative writers.
The scholarship is awarded to students who demonstrate refined writing skills based on 10-15 pages of original creative writing in any combination of fiction, poetry, or creative non-fiction. Other required materials are a personal statement and a letter of recommendation from your teacher.
11. The Octopus Scheme – The Novelry
The Octopus Scheme is an initiative set up by The Novelry, a team of professional writers, authors, and editors, to nurture writing talent from under-represented or disadvantaged backgrounds. If you wish to develop your talent as a writer you can turn to The Novelry and learn directly from award-winning and bestseller authors and editors from the US, UK, and from around the world.
The Octopus Scheme is a scholarship offered by The Novelry, it is a program that offers 8 fully-funded places on The Ninety Day Novel Course to help you bring to life a bold story, beautifully told, in any genre of fiction. You’ll acquire the technical skills to craft a compelling story and develop a page-turning plot with over 100 lessons offering unique expert tools to plan, structure, and pace your progress.
The scholarships are awarded every year and are sponsored by various bestselling authors from around the world. This is an opportunity for young aspiring writers to learn from some of the world’s best without paying a dime and develop their potential to the fullest.
12. Penguin Random House Creative Writing Awards
Penguin Random House Creative Writing Awards is one of the best scholarships for writing. Penguin Random House offers $10,000 each year to 5 public US high school seniors. To be eligible, you must be a graduating high school senior, be 21 years or under, and plan to enroll in an accredited college or university.
If you meet the above requirements then proceed to submit one original literary composition in English in poetry, spoken word, fiction/drama, personal essay/memoir, or book bans prompt. Only the first 1,000 applications will be accepted, so you may want to apply before the deadline.
Conclusion
Nearly, if not all, universities and colleges with a creative writing program will be offering scholarships to students enrolled in the program at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Before sending your application for admission, inquire from the school if there are scholarships for creative writing. From the response, you should be able to make a decision.
However, the scholarship curated here has made it easier for you and most of them are offered by universities and colleges which means you don’t have to go through the stress of looking for a suitable school with a creative writing program offering scholarships. You’ve got all the details here at your fingertips.
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