Scholarship Poetry Contests
There are many scholarships available to those enjoy poetry, and depending on your
writing style, there may be specific awards out there based on the kind of poems
you like to write. Some of the awards will ask you to provide a sample of your craft,
while others will only ask that you show that you have an interest in poetry or
creative writing in general. Some will require that you write essays based on your
love of poetry, or to critique poetry samples from a known poet. Be aware that some
poetry contests will ask you to pay a fee to participate in the competition. More
importantly, take advantage of your creative talents and share them with the world,
or at least your financial aid administrator, because they could help you land some
funding for college.
If you’re going to a college for creative writing, your intended school could have
scholarships and award endowments set up by alumni from that school that had pursued
writing in the past. Michigan State
University, for example, has the Ambrose D. Pattullo Endowed Scholarship
for English undergraduate and graduate majors interested in poetry who want to work
in the study, writing, and teaching of poetry. You won’t need to write a poem to
land the award, but you will be asked to submit a writing sample of a critical essay
on a poem or poetry. Make sure your school knows of your interests, because you
find that you’re eligible for awards you never even knew existed.
The following are examples of poetry scholarships that you may eligible for. Don't
forget to conduct a free scholarship search to find awards based on these and other
criteria. If you’re a good poet, you’re probably also a good writer. As many scholarships
are essay-based, don’t rule out general writing scholarships as an additional way
to fund your college education.
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
Poetry Out Loud Scholarship Contest
Application Deadlines:
Varies
Poetry Out Loud encourages the nation’s youth to learn about great poetry through exploration, memorization, and performance. The inspiration for this program is to promote poetry in both the classroom and the community. Poetry Out Loud provides an entry point for many students to learn to love poetry and keep their favorite poems for a lifetime.
The National Endowment for the Arts and the [...] More