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Culinary Scholarships

Culinary arts students enter a useful and interesting profession, but the road to this particular career is undeniably difficult. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage-and-salary earnings of restaurant cooks was $38,770 in 2008 but some reported earning less than $22,120 — barely a living wage, depending upon where you live. As you may have guessed, this means that culinary arts students are much more likely to default on student loans than students with higher-paying majors.

For this reason, these students should be reaching out for additional types of financial aid, namely culinary scholarships and grants. Many scholarship awards are available for those who do the research.

While average wages may make paying for an education tough for culinary arts students, things will certainly be easier for those without hefty loans to worry about. Students in need of additional financial aid for their education should seriously consider applying for culinary scholarships. By concentrating on awards especially made for chefs in the making, students can eliminate a great deal of the competition.

Sites like the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation and Le Cordon Bleu are very helpful to potential and current students but to find culinary scholarships as well as other scholarships and grants you may be eligible to receive based on different criteria, try conducting a free college scholarship search at Scholarships.com. The road to making a good living in this career may be tough, but getting through school will bring you one step closer.

AAC Culinary Scholarships

  • Application Deadline: Varies
  • Amount: $2,500
  • The American Culinary Federation Education Foundation, with the support of the American Academy of Chefs (AAC), is pleased to offer scholarships annually to students. Applicants must be an exemplary student with a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher, and be currently accepted to an accredited, post-secondary college, with a major in either culinary or pastry arts, or be an ACF registered apprentice. [...] More

Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) Scholarships

  • Application Deadline: Varies
  • Amount: Varies
  • The Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) Scholarships are awarded to incoming students who participated in C-CAP's competition events; eligible students must have a minimum combined score of 1030 on SAT math and reading sections (or 22 on ACT composite). All finalists are selected by C-CAP and the scholarships are renewable for up to 4 years so long as recipients maintain a 2.75 GPA. For [...] More

Clark E. DeHaven Scholarship Trust

  • Application Deadline: 2/15/2021
  • Amount: $5,000
  • The Clark E. DeHaven Scholarship is intended to provide financial support to students who demonstrate a commitment to a foodservice career. Applicants must be currently enrolled in an accredited program that will lead to an undergraduate degree in a field of study designed to prepare students for careers in food service, or related areas. Students must also have a minimum 2.75 GPA, and have US or [...] More

George and Donna Nigh Public Service Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: Varies
  • Amount: $1,000
  • The George and Donna Nigh Public Service Scholarship was established to provide scholarship opportunities to outstanding students who are preparing for careers in public service. Eligible applicants must be residents of Oklahoma and attend a college or university in Oklahoma. These are not renewable. For more information or to apply, please visit the scholarship provider's [...] More

Illinois Restaurant Association Educational Foundation Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 4/14/2021
  • Amount: Varies
  • Since its inception, the IRA Educational Foundation has awarded almost $2.8 million to deserving students pursuing Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management in college. To qualify for a scholarship, you must be a permanent resident of the State of Illinois (under the age of 30); be accepted and plan to enroll in an accredited culinary school, college, or university; be enrolled as a full-time or [...] More

JWU ProStart Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: Varies
  • Amount: $1,000
  • The JWU ProStart Scholarship is awarded to accepted incoming students who participated in a ProStart curriculum. This award is renewable up to four years and can be used at all campuses. The amount of scholarships awarded for participation in specific high school curricula is limited to one per student. For more information, or to apply, please visit the scholarship provider's [...] More

Les Dames d'Escoffier Colorado Chapter Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 4/3/2021
  • Amount: $1,000
  • The Colorado Chapter of Les Dames d'Escoffier offers two $1,000 scholarships, available to qualified female students who are enrolled or planning to enroll in an applicable program in the upcoming fall. Applicants must have a focus in a food-related industry (such as culinary, food science, dietetics, nutrition, beverage and fermentation, hospitality and restaurant management, animal science, [...] More

National Candy Technologists Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 4/3/2021
  • Amount: $5,000
  • The National Candy Technologists Scholarship is $5,000, paid in two $2,500 installments. To qualify, the student must be either a college sophomore, junior or senior for the upcoming academic year, have a demonstrated interest in confectionery technology, and be majoring in food science, chemical science, biological science or related area. A minimum 3.0 GPA is also required. For more information [...] More

Nellie Martin Carman Scholarship Fund

  • Application Deadline: 3/1/2021
  • Amount: $2,000
  • The Nellie Martin Carman Scholarship is available to graduating seniors from public high schools in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties in Washington state (and a US citizen). Application forms are only available through these high schools and candidates for the scholarship are nominated by their school each year. Scholarships are renewable for four years of college in the state of Washington. [...] More

NEWH Atlantic City/Philadelphia Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: Varies
  • Amount: Varies
  • To be eligible for the NEWH Atlantic City/Philadelphia Scholarship, applicants must: be attending an accredited institution of higher learning in Eastern Pennsylvania or Southern New Jersey; must have completed one-half (1/2) of the requirements for a degree or certification in the program which you are currently enrolled; show financial need; have a 3.0 GPA; and, have a career objective in one [...] More

NEWH Dallas Chapter Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 3/29/2021
  • Amount: Varies
  • NEWH, Inc. and its chapters are tasked with fundraising to provide scholarship dollars for eligible students wishing to enter the Hospitality Industry. NEWH Chapters offer scholarships annually. To be eligible for the NEWH Dallas Chapter Scholarship, applicants must: be actively enrolled (2-year program freshman and above, 4-year sophomore/second year and above, or
    graduate level attending [...] More

NEWH North Carolina Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: Varies
  • Amount: Varies
  • To be eligible for the NEWH North Carolina Scholarship, applicants: must be a currently enrolled student attending an accredited college in North Carolina; must have completed half the requirements for a degree or certification in the program you are currently enrolled; show financial need; have a 3.0 GPA; and, have a career objective in one of the areas of the hospitality industry (i.e., [...] More

NEWH North Central Chapter Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: Varies
  • Amount: Varies
  • To be eligible for the the NEWH North Central Chapter Scholarship, applicants must: be a currently enrolled student attending an accredited college in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa or Wisconsin; must have completed half the requirements for a degree or certification in the program you are currently enrolled; show financial need; have a 3.0 GPA; and, have a career objective in one of [...] More

NEWH Washington DC Metro Area Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 6/19/2021
  • Amount: $75,000
  • NEWH Washington DC Metropolitan Chapter is awarding up to $75,000 in scholarships to students pursuing a major and career objective within the Hospitality Industry (interior design, hospitality management, culinary, architecture, etc.). Eligible applicants must show financial need, have a 3.0 GPA, and be an undergraduate or graduate student in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West [...] More

The American Express Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 5/1/2021
  • Amount: $2,000
  • The American Express Scholarship program is designed specifically for current lodging employees and their dependents. Students must be enrolled full- or part-time in an undergraduate hospitality management program at a U.S. college or university. Additionally, applicants must either be working a minimum of 20 hours per week at an AH&LA member hotel with at least 12 months' hotel experience, or be [...] More

The Ecolab Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 4/15/2021
  • Amount: $2,000
  • This program was established by Ecolab in 1996 as a commitment to the lodging industry and to support the development of its future leaders. Eligible applicants must be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours for both the upcoming fall and spring semesters and be an undergraduate hospitality management major at a U.S. college or university (associate or baccalaureate). Awards are $1,000 for [...] More

The Vegetarian Resource Group College Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 2/20/2021
  • Amount: $10,000
  • The Vegetarian Resource Group each year will award $20,000 in college scholarship money to graduating U.S. high school students who have promoted vegetarianism in their schools and/or communities. Applicants will be judged on having shown compassion, courage, and a strong commitment to promoting a peaceful world through a vegetarian diet/lifestyle. Payment will be made to the student's college [...] More

WGA Mary Macey Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 6/15/2021
  • Amount: $1,500
  • The Women Grocers of America (WGA) is pleased to assist the National Grocers Association (NGA) in its pursuit to recruit and retain the next generation of quality managers and entrepreneurs. We offer academic scholarships worth $1,500 each to students who intend to pursue a career in the independent sector of the grocery industry. Applicants must be independent grocery retailers and wholesalers, [...] More

WRA Education Foundation Scholarship in Culinary & Hospitality

  • Application Deadline: 4/15/2021
  • Amount: Varies
  • The WRA Education Foundation awards over $40,000 in scholarships annually based on future plans in foodservice, academic records and recommendations. Eligible applicants must be Wisconsin residents, enrolled in 6 credits, and pursing studies in fields related to the restaurant and hospitality industries, such as Culinary, Baking, Hospitality, Food Science and Family and Consumer Science [...] More

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Last Reviewed: July 2020

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