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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!

Davidson Fellows Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 2/12/2021
  • Amount: $50,000
  • The Davidson Fellows Scholarship awards $50,000, $25,000 and $10,000 scholarships to extraordinary young people, 18 and under, who have completed a significant piece of work. Application categories are Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Literature, Music, Philosophy and Outside the Box. Davidson Fellows are honored every year in Washington, D.C. with Congressional meetings and a [...] More

GRCF Ladies Literary Club Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 3/1/2020
  • Amount: Varies
  • To be eligible for the Ladies Literary Club Scholarship, students must be a 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 or to apply, please visit the scholarship provider's [...] More

Iowa Scholarships for the Arts

  • Application Deadline: 3/1/2020
  • Amount: $1,500
  • Iowa Scholarship for the Arts. Apply for a $1,500 scholarship to help support your future arts education.
    You must be an outstanding Iowa high school senior who excels and demonstrates a commitment to pursuing an education and career in the arts. You must plan to attend college in Iowa and major in the fine arts.For more information, or to apply, please visit the scholarship provider's website. [...] More

Lycoming College Creative Writing Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 3/15/2020
  • Amount: $3,000
  • In order to apply for the Lycoming College Creative Writing Scholarship, applicants must be majoring in creative writing and submit five poems and/or a short story not to exceed ten pages. Scholarship recipients must enroll in ENGL 240 (freshman year) and maintain a minimum grade of at least an A-. To renew after the first year of enrollment, a recipient must enroll in creative writing [...] More

Nellie Martin Carman Scholarship Fund

  • Application Deadline: 3/1/2020
  • 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

Ruth Lilly Poetry Fellowships

  • Application Deadline: 4/30/2020
  • Amount: $25,800
  • Five Ruth Lilly and Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Poetry Fellowships will be awarded to young poets in the U.S. through a national competition sponsored by the Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetry magazine. Established in 1989 by the Indianapolis philanthropist Ruth Lilly, the fellowships are intended to encourage the further study and writing of poetry.
    Applicant Guidelines:
    -Applicants must [...] More

The R.L. Gillette Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 4/1/2020
  • Amount: $1,000
  • The American Foundation for the Blind removes barriers, creates solutions, and expands possibilities so people with vision loss can achieve their full potential.

    All applicants must be U.S. citizens or naturalized citizens. All applications must include the following items, without exception:
    -Completed online application including all sections of the essay
    -Official transcripts
    -Two [...] More

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