Unusual Scholarships

What Makes a Scholarship Unusual

When most students think of college scholarships, they think of the two main types of awards: academic scholarships and athletic scholarships. While these are popular types of awards that can be very useful for students, not every scholarship requires good grades or strong athletic ability. There are many unique scholarships that have unusual requirements for interested applicants to meet.

What makes a scholarship unusual is its criteria. Some unique scholarships are only valid at specific schools or for specific majors. Others revolve around students’ hobbies, ages, or other requirements, even height or last name. Some scholarships are based not on applications and essays, but on contests or specialized quizzes, while others may demand portfolios or post-award participation in conferences or workshops.

Just because an award is unusual, however, does not mean that it is unpopular. Many unique scholarships attract nationwide publicity because of their unusual requirements. This can lead to hundreds or thousands of applicants competing for the same scholarship dollars.

Examples of Unusual Scholarships

Some of the most unusual college scholarships include:

• Tall Clubs International Scholarship: This award is given to students who meet minimum height requirements and complete traditional application paperwork.
• Duck Brand Duct Tape Stuck at Prom Contest: This scholarship rewards students’ creativity for designing – and wearing – prom attire from duct tape.
• Frederick and Mary F. Beckley Scholarship: This award is designated for left-handed students.
• Patrick Kerr Skateboard Scholarship: An avid skateboarder who participates in skateboarding awareness activities would have a good chance of winning this scholarship.

Call your way to college cash!

• Coven of Sacred Waters Karma Scholarship: This award is intended for students who practice pagan or Wicca religions.
• Chick and Sophie Major Memorial Duck Calling Contest Scholarship: Duck hunters have an obvious advantage in this skill-based scholarship contest.
• Scholar Athlete Milk Mustache of the Year Award: Also known as SAMMY, this scholarship rewards students with good dietary habits that have helped them succeed on and off the field.

Some scholarships have even more unusual criteria. There are youth scholarships available for playing marbles, for example, and a wide variety of awards are open to ham radio operators. Students who are a twin or triplet, have asthma, or are vegetarian can apply for specific awards, and scholarships are even available for surfing, bowling, or raising awareness of organ donations. For some awards, only a student’s last name is significant – Harvard University, for example, has awards for students with specific last names, including Downer, Thayer, and Hudson.

Finding More Unique Scholarships

Finding specialized unusual scholarships can be a challenge. Interested students can browse scholarship directories for hobby-based awards or other criteria. Contacting hobby and professional affiliate organizations can often uncover some unusual awards as well.

The following online resources list a range of unique scholarships:

• Scholarships.com
• Finaid.org
• Financial Aid Finder
• LifeTips

Winning an Unusual Award

Just because a scholarship is unusual does not mean it will be an easy scholarship. Students should study each scholarship’s requirements carefully to determine if they meet the necessary criteria, taking special note of deadlines, age requirements, specific schools or majors, and other limiting factors.

Once a student has found an unusual award that seems like a good match, they should complete all application paperwork and essays thoroughly and carefully for the best chance to win. The best way to have a better chance at winning an award is to demonstrate how well you meet its criteria and further the purpose of the award, rather than just filling out a generic list of qualifications.

If there were an award based on knitting, for example (and there may very well be!), it wouldn’t be enough for an applicant to simply knit as a hobby. A student who organized a knitting club, won regional or national knitting contests, or knit 500 hats for children with cancer would certainly stand out, however.

Unusual scholarships may be humorous, but they are certainly no joke. Students who can capitalize on their unusual hobbies or skills can find more money for college and rising tuition costs.