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.

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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.

American Culinary Federation Scholarships

  • Application Deadline: 10/31/2023
  • Amount: $2,500
  • Established in 1929, ACF is the premier professional chefs’ organization in North America with more than 14,000 members in over 170 chapters nationwide. From regional and national events to certification and publications, ACF provides resources that will keep you on the cutting edge and involved with the culinary industry. Stay up-to-date with the latest industry happenings and ACF news. Find [...] More

Vegetarian Resource Group College Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 2/20/2024
  • Amount: $10,000
  • Due to the generosity of an anonymous donor, 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. Vegetarians do not eat meat, fish, or fowl. Vegans are vegetarians who do not use other animal products such as dairy or eggs. Three awards will be given. [...] More

NACUFS Clark E. DeHaven Scholarship Trust

  • Application Deadline: 3/15/2024
  • Amount: $4,000
  • The NACUFS Foundation board of directors is pleased to announce that up to four - $4,000 Clark E. DeHaven scholarships will be awarded to students at NACUFS member institutions for use during the coming academic year. Its purpose is to provide merit scholarships to students at member institutions who are committed to pursuing careers in accredited programs in the foodservice profession or related [...] More

Les Dames d'Escoffier Colorado Chapter Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 4/1/2024
  • Amount: $2,500
  • The Colorado Chapter of Les Dames d'Escoffier offers 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, agriculture, [...] More

WRA Education Foundation Scholarship in Culinary & Hospitality

  • Application Deadline: 4/2/2024
  • Amount: Varies
  • The WRA Education Foundation awards 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 Education. Apart from [...] More

National Candy Technologists Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 4/2/2024
  • Amount: $2,500
  • AACT is proud to announce its John Kitt Memorial Scholarship for this academic year. The scholarship award for the recipient is $2,500. Your demonstrated interest in confectionery technology can include many activities including but not limited to research projects, work experience, and formal study.

    To qualify for this non-renewing scholarship award, the student must meet the following [...] More

Nellie Martin Carman Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 4/15/2024
  • Amount: $2,000
  • The mission of the Nellie Martin Carman Scholarship is to acknowledge, support, and empower exceptional graduating high school seniors of King, Snohomish, and Pierce Counties by providing financial assistance for an education at their college of choice within Washington state. Over 1,000 of the most promising high school graduates from King, Pierce and Snohomish counties have attended college [...] More

WGA Mary Macey Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 4/15/2024
  • Amount: $1,500
  • Applicants of the WGA Mary Macey Scholarship must be independent grocery retailers and wholesalers, their employees and families, including WGA and NGA members and have a 2.0 GPA or better. You must be an entering sophomore or continuing student in good standing in a two-year, associate degree-granting institution or four-year, bachelor degree-granting institution or graduate program and must [...] More

Illinois Restaurant Association Educational Foundation Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 5/8/2024
  • 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. Applicant 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 substantial part-time [...] More

George and Donna Nigh Public Service Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: Varies
  • Amount: $1,000
  • The George and Donna Nigh Public Service Scholarship was established by the 1999 Oklahoma Legislature to provide scholarship opportunities to outstanding students who are preparing for careers in public service. A component of the scholarship program is participation in seminars on public service offered by the Nigh Institute. Each college and university may nominate one scholarship recipient per [...] More

JWU Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) Scholarships

  • Application Deadline: Varies
  • Amount: $35,000
  • The Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) Scholarships are awarded to incoming students at Johnson & Wales University 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 [...] More

JWU ProStart Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: Varies
  • Amount: $4,000
  • A college education is becoming a requirement for many jobs worldwide -- but it comes with a cost. Yet there are many more ways to afford a college degree than you might think, and JWU is here to help guide you through them. At Johnson & Wales, education goes beyond the four walls of the classroom. Here, you can embrace your curiosity, discover your interests, and dive deep into real-world [...] More
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Last Reviewed: June 2023