Film Scholarships

Whether you picture yourself as the person shouting “Lights, camera, action!” or one of the many professionals involved in providing those elements, a degree in film can help you achieve your career goals. Contrary to popular opinion, film can be a versatile and lucrative college major. Beyond actors and directors, countless other people are involved in film and the term “film” extends far past Hollywood blockbusters. A film degree can prepare you for a variety of roles within this dynamic field and can also help you hone your skills and make your mark on the world with your art.

However practical and fulfilling it may be, a film degree is still expensive. While federal aid and student loans can help you shoulder the burden of your film school bills, taking on too much debt can limit your post-graduation prospects and make it hard to get your film career off the ground. Luckily, there are a number of film scholarships to help you pay for school.

You can read through the examples on this page to get an idea of some of the film scholarships available to film students. Some are academic scholarships specifically for film majors, while others are video contests open to everyone. Your college may offer some film scholarships specifically for majors and a variety of local and national awards like those given by AFI and the Screen Actors Guild. There are numerous other film scholarship opportunities out there, too, both based on your major and on other award criteria. To find a full list of scholarships you may qualify for based on your unique characteristics, conduct a free scholarship search on Scholarships.com.

The Bret Ratner Grant
Application Deadlines: Varies
$10,000 tuition grant based on financial need only for One, Two Year & MFA Filmmaking Programs. Through the generosity of Brett Ratner, the New York Film Academy is able to offer a limited amount (50) of $10,000 tuition grants. Only applicants to our One & Two Year Filmmaking programs are eligible to apply. To qualify, applicants must show a credible need for financial assistance through [...] More

Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest
Application Deadlines: September 17, Annually
Annual Essay Contest on Ayn Rand’s Novel, Atlas Shrugged, for College Students (Graduate and Undergraduate) and 12th Graders Entry Deadline: September 17th First Prize: $10,000 3 Second Prizes: $2,000 5 Third Prizes: $1,000 20 Finalists: $100 20 Semifinalists: $50 All information necessary to enter the contest is contained on our [...] More

Media Fellows Program
Application Deadlines: July 31, Annually
College can be expensive. We want talented individuals to focus on their career – not their debt. With the Media Fellows Program, the Washington Media Scholars Foundation recognizes enthusiastic and qualified students by awarding up to five $5,000 scholarships each academic year. These grants support the academic development of undergraduates dedicated to pursuing a career related to the public [...] More

Direct Marketing Educational Foundation (DMEF) Scholarship Awards
Application Deadlines: April 30, Annually
Each year, the Direct Marketing Educational Foundation (DMEF), awards scholarships on a competitive basis to undergraduate and graduate students who show a commitment to pursuing careers in direct/interactive marketing. Scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic excellence and demonstrated interest in the direct/interactive marketing field. To be eligible for this award, applicants [...] More

The James Alan Cox Foundation for Student Photographers
Application Deadlines: October 15, Annually
Founded in memory of James Alan Cox, a television photojournalist, The James Alan Cox Foundation for Student Photographers aims to provide financial support to student photographers of high school and college age. Through a variety of funding, including equipment purchases and scholarships for college and technical school classes, the foundation’s mission is to expand educational and [...] More

CBC Spouses Visual Arts scholarship
Application Deadlines: May 03, Annually
The CBC Spouses Visual Arts scholarship was established in 2006 for students who are pursuing a degree in the visual arts. Applicants must be preparing to pursue an undergraduate degree full-time, or be a current full-time student in good academic standing at a U.S. accredited college or university located within the United States. Applicants must also have a minimum 2.5 GPA, exhibit leadership [...] More

The Charles & Lucille King Family Foundation
Application Deadlines: March 15, Annually
The Charles & Lucille King Family Foundation was established in 1988 to support individuals, institutions and organizations committed to educational excellence and professional development and provide scholarships to outstanding U.S. college and U.S. university undergraduate students in four-year, degree-granting programs in television and film. The King Family Foundation Undergraduate [...] More

NATAS Chicago/Midwest College Scholarships
Application Deadlines: March 20, Annually
The Chicago/Midwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) is offering four scholarships of $4,000 each: The Ephraim Family scholarship, The Sharon A. Palermo Memorial scholarship, The Tom Skilling scholarship, and the NATAS Board of Governors scholarship. Finalists will be interviewed by the scholarship panel in early to Mid-May of 2007 depending upon applicant [...] More

Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals
Application Deadlines: December 01, Annually
The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) for Young Professionals is a full-year work-study fellowship program with a strong focus on cultural exchange. CBYX annually provides 75 young Americans with an understanding of everyday life, education, and professional training in Germany. The program begins in July and includes two months of intensive German language training in Germany (no prior [...] More

Francis D. Lyon Scholarship
Application Deadlines: March 15, Annually
The Francis D. Lyon Scholarships are available to students of film making. Mr. Lyon had a distinguished motion picture and television career as a film editor, director and producer. He received an Oscar from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for best film editor in 1948 for the movie "Body and Soul." Both undergraduate and graduate students are invited to apply. To be considered [...] More

Jack G. Shaheen Mass Communications Scholarship Award
Application Deadlines: April 01, Annually
The Jack G. Shaheen Mass Communications Scholarship was created to recognize Arab-American students who excel in Media Studies. To be eligible for this award, aplicants must: - Be undergraduate juniors, seniors orgraduate students - Be attending college in the coming academic year - Be majoring in mass communications, journalism, radio, television, and/or film - Have at least a 3.0 GPA and [...] More

MANAA Fifth Media Scholarship
Application Deadlines: Varies
The Media Action Network for Asian Americans, is pleased to announce one $1000 scholarship for currently-enrolled college students interested in pursuing careers as filmmakers and in television production (not broadcast journalism). Formed in 1992, MANAA is the only organization solely dedicated to monitoring the media and advocating balanced, sensitive, and positive depiction and coverage of the [...] More

New York Women in Communications Inc. Foundation Scholarship Program
Application Deadlines: January 27, Annually
The New York Women in Communications Foundation, in conjunction with New York Women in Communications, awards scholarships annually based on academic excellence, need and involvement in the field of communications. Awards are for use in the upcoming academic year. ELIGIBILITY - High school seniors who are permanent residents of NY, NJ, CT or PA, attend a high school in one of these states, [...] More

Interpublic Group (IPG) Scholarship and Internship
Application Deadlines: January 27, Annually
The New York Women in Communications Foundation, in conjunction with New York Women in Communications, awards the Interpublic Group (IPG) Scholarship and Internship annually based on academic excellence, need and involvement in the field of communications. Each is awarded to an ethnically diverse student who is currently a college junior and has a demonstrated interest in a career in advertising [...] More

ReelDreams Film Competition
Application Deadlines: January 27, Annually
The ReelDreams Film Competition is an exciting opportunity for aspiring filmmakers to make a short redemptive film (three to five minutes), have that film critiqued by industry professionals, and potentially win a full-tuition scholarship to Regent University's School of Communication & the Arts (for graduate degrees) or School of Undergraduate Studies. The top seven finalists will receive a VIP [...] More

Carole Fielding Student Grants
Application Deadlines: December 15, Annually
The UFVA sponsored Carole Fielding Student Grants are not tuition-based scholarships, rather they are grants for production or research proposals. The deadline for submisstion of application is December 15th, anually, and is open to undergraduate and graduate students in film & television. Faculty sponsors must be UFVA members or must be from UFVA member institutions. Categories are: Narrative, [...] More

NATAS Mid-Atlantic Chapter Young Producer's Award
Application Deadlines: March 19, Annually
The Young Producer’s Award is an established scholarship program sponsored by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences/Mid-Atlantic Chapter. The winner will receive a $2,500 scholarship and will have the opportunity to work closely with television professionals to produce a 30-second public service announcement, which will be broadcast on television stations throughout the region. There [...] More