Literature Scholarships

You’ve never written a paper that’s received lower than an A. You’d rather curl up with a good book than watch television. Your friends regularly come to you for writing advice. Sound familiar? If so, you’ve probably already considered majoring in English or journalism when you enter college but have you added literature to that list? Given your interests, you definitely should!

Literature majors must take a wide variety of classes but typically focus their coursework on a specific topic, like Irish literature or the work of 18th-century authors. Those interested in studying comparative literature – or the literature of at least two cultures or languages – will also have to take a number of foreign language, history and anthropology classes to broaden their understanding. Creative writing is another popular concentration because it allows students to study works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry and screenwriting, to name a few. And the career opportunities after college are just as varied as the subject matter studied: Literature majors have gone on to hold careers in library science, advertising, politics and law.

To complete these studies, access to financial aid is a necessity and there are plenty of places to find it. Start with your school: Michigan State University provides access to some excellent literature scholarships (including opportunities abroad), as do the University of Utah, San Jose State University, San Diego State University and George Washington University. Professional organizations like the Children’s Literature Association and the American Comparative Literature Association are also great places to look for literature scholarships, as there are many membership perks. And of course there’s Scholarships.com! We’ve posted several literature scholarships below but there are plenty more in our database that you will also be eligible for (think: essay scholarships to showcase your excellent writing skills) so complete a free scholarship search today!

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

Nellie Martin Carman Scholarship Fund
Application Deadlines: March 01, Annually
Applicants for the Nellie Martin Carman Scholarships must: - Be a graduating senior from a public high school in the county of King, Pierce or Snohomish in the state of Washington in the year of appointment - Be a United States citizen - Plan to attend a college in the state of Washington on a full-time basis Application forms are only available through the high schools in the counties [...] More

Hope College Distinguished Artist Awards - Creative Writing
Application Deadlines: February 15, Annually
Application requirements: Writing sample, completed application, 500-word essay (topic provided by the English Department), and letter of recommendation. Please contact the English Department for details. These materials should be submitted no later than February 17th. Eligibility: It is not necessary to be an English major or minor. To retain scholarship: Students are expected to maintain a [...] More

Hope College Distinguished Artist Awards - Theater
Application Deadlines: February 24, Annually
Each year at Hope College, up to sixty Distinguished Artist Award (DAA) scholarships are given to students with strong academic records and outstanding creative abilities in art, dance, music, theatre or creative writing. Renewable for four years, the DAA's provide eligible students with $2,500 each year toward their college costs. DAA recipients also take part in a variety of opportunities set [...] More

Ruth Lilly Poetry Fellowships
Application Deadlines: March 31, Annually
Five Ruth Lilly Poetry Fellowships in the amount of $15,000 will be awarded to young poets through a national competition sponsored by the Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetry. Established in 1989 by the Indianapolis philanthropist Ruth Lilly, the fellowships are intended to encourage the further study and writing of poetry. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and at least 21 years of age but no [...] More

SCA Conservation Internships/Corps
Application Deadlines: Varies
From the rugged coastline of Kenai Fjords National Park in Alaska, to the grassy wetlands of the Florida Everglades and the bustling halls of the U.S. Interior Department, SCA Interns are actively involved in preserving and protecting our most prized public lands and resources. All positions are expense-paid and tuition-free. SCA members receive a weekly living allowance, travel paid to and [...] More

RTNDA Lou and Carole Prato Sports Reporting Scholarship
Application Deadlines: May 31, Annually
Lou Prato was RTDNA treasurer from 1981 to 2001 and served as secretary of RTDNF's Board of Trustees until 2006. Prato's friends and colleagues have endowed an RTDNF scholarship in honor of Lou and his wife, Carole. The scholarship will provide a $1,000 tuition grant to a deserving student who is planning a career as a sports reporter in television or radio. Applicants should have strong writing [...] More

AAAS Minority Science Writers Internship
Application Deadlines: March 01, Annually
Science and technology increasingly shape our world. New discoveries and inventions have exciting outcomes, but can also lead to unexpected consequences. Science writers have the opportunity to explain those discoveries, and what they mean, to the public. Even though science is a global activity, the demographics of the journalists who cover it don't reflect that diversity. AAAS offers the [...] More

Iowa Scholarships for the Arts
Application Deadlines: Varies
Student applicants, at the time of application, must be enrolled at the senior class level in an Iowa high school and display proven artistic ability in the areas of music, dance, visual arts, theatre or literature. Scholarship funds are awarded contingent upon recipients being accepted as full-time undergraduate students at a fully-accredited Iowa college or university. For more information [...] More

Thomas G. Labrecque Smart Start Scholarship Program
Application Deadlines: January 20, Annually
Students are selected to participate in our Smart Start Scholarship Program, providing full tuition (less financial aid) scholarship and four years of paid internships with JPMorgan Chase. Eligibility Requirements: High school seniors graduating in the spring who are New York City residents attending New York City public, private or parochial schools, accepted to one of the participating New [...] More

Lycoming College Creative Writing Scholarships
Application Deadlines: March 15, Annually
Students must intend to major in creative writing. The is a $3,000 scholarship renewable each year. Students must submit five poems and/or a short story no longer than 10 pages. All entries are due to the Office of Admission by March [...] More

ALBA George Watt Memorial Essay Contest
Application Deadlines: June 01, Annually
The Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives (ALBA) is pleased to announce the continuing annual competition for the George Watt Memorial Essay prizes. Graduate and undergraduate students from the United States and elsewhere are invited to submit an essay or thesis chapter about any aspect of the Spanish Civil War, the global political or cultural struggles against fascism in 1920s and 1930s, or the [...] More

George McCandlish Fellowship in American Literature
Application Deadlines: Varies
The Columbian College of Arts and Sciences at George Washington University offers many funding opportunities for its graduate students. Students must reapply each year for these merit-based awards, which include a salary, stipend, and 18-credit-hour tuition award. Please contact the department for specific details on awards, and for application forms. The George McCandlish Fellowship in American [...] More

Davidson Fellows Scholarship
Application Deadlines: February 01, Annually
The Davidson Fellows scholarship program, established in 2001, recognizes exceptional students and supports them in the fulfillment of their potential. Each year, Fellows are awarded scholarships of $50,000, $25,000 or $10,000 and are recognized for their achievements at a special awards reception in Washington, D.C. The application categories are Science, Technology, Mathematics, Literature, [...] More

Douglas Haskell Award for Student Journals
Application Deadlines: May 03, Annually
The Douglas Haskell Award for Student Journals was started to encourage the study of fine writing on architecture and related design subjects and to foster a regard for intelligent criticism among future professionals. This year’s award will be given to one or more student writers or student publications fulfilling these objectives. A single award or multiple awards up to a total of $2,000 will [...] More

Bache Renshaw Fellowship
Application Deadlines: January 17, Annually
The ISI Bache Renshaw Fellowship awards each recipient $12,000 toward doctoral study in education that will influence the discipline with the ideas, values, and institutions that are fundamental to America’s Western tradition. Successful candidates will intend to pursue doctoral study so that they may teach future teachers, shape and influence curricula, and contribute to the larger dialogue on [...] More

Salvatori Fellowship
Application Deadlines: January 17, Annually
The ISI Salvatori Fellowship provides $10,000 to each awardee for graduate work related to the American Founding. Two of these graduate fellowships are awarded annually. The ISI Salvatori Fellowship Program seeks to further an understanding and appreciation of both the principles of the Founding Fathers and the culture that formed their values and views. The overall purpose of the program is to [...] More

Western Civilization Fellowship
Application Deadlines: January 17, Annually
The ISI Western Civilization Fellowship awards each recipient $20,000 for graduate work related to Western Civilization studies. Two of these graduate fellowships are awarded annually. The ISI Western Civilization Fellowship Program is designed to address our culture’s loss of memory by supporting at the graduate level the study of the institutions, values, and history of the West. For more [...] More

The Jacqueline Woodson Fellowship for a Young People’s Writer of African or Caribbean Descent
Application Deadlines: October 14, Annually
The Jacqueline Woodson Fellowship for a Young People’s Writer of African or Caribbean Descent is offered once annually to a writer of African or Caribbean descent starting the Solstice Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing Program during the winter residency/spring semester. Fellowship recipients will receive a $1,000 award toward their first semester’s tuition. Fellowships are awarded based on [...] More

RL Gillette Scholarships
Application Deadlines: April 30, Annually
The R. L. Gillette Scholarship offers two (2) scholarships of $1,000 each to women who are enrolled in a four-year undergraduate degree program in literature or music. In addition to the general requirements, applicants must submit: - A performance tape not to exceed 30 minutes, or a creative writing sample. (May be sent via postal mail or e-mail to [...] More

The Sharon Olds Fellowship for Poetry
Application Deadlines: October 14, Annually
The Sharon Olds Fellowship for Poetry is offered once annually to a poet starting the Solstice Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing Program during the winter residency/spring semester. Fellowship recipients will receive a $1,000 award toward their first semester’s tuition. Fellowships are awarded based on the quality of the applicant’s writing sample; see general application guidelines at [...] More

GRCF Ladies Literary Club Scholarship
Application Deadlines: April 01, Annually
To be eligible for the Ladies Literary Club Scholarship, students must be resident of Kent, Ottawa, Muskegon, Allegan, Montcalm or Barry counties in Michigan majoring in literary arts at any accredited Michigan college or university. Applicants must also have financial need and a minimum 3.0 GPA. For more information about this award, please visit our [...] More