Contrary to what many believe (and what your parents probably hoped), theatre is more than just a hobby and a high school extracurricular activity. To theatre majors, it’s a calling, a passion and, hopefully, a career. As with any of the arts, there is work to be found in theatre, but the process of landing a theatre job and a theatre degree will be incredibly grueling. A theatre degree can also be expensive, and you may find yourself with little free time to work while attending college.
ADVERTISEMENT
Beyond the federal aid you receive, you’ll want to apply for as many scholarships as you can to minimize your student loan debt and make your transition into a theatre career that much easier. Luckily, theatre majors have numerous scholarship opportunities, and compared to landing the lead in a play, winning scholarships might even seem like a piece of cake.
Many colleges and universities (like Wayne State, Temple University and the University of Central Florida) offer theatre scholarships to offset the cost of earning a theatre degree, while a number of outside organizations also offer awards specifically for those planning to pursue a career related to theatre. More general art scholarships often include acting and playwriting, as well. Film and video scholarships may also be attractive prospects for theatre majors. And since many aspects of theatre require a great deal of hard work, strong communication skills and a deep understanding of people and their motivations, you may even find success with essay scholarships or other awards. You may even find yourself with better odds of winning local theatre scholarships if you participated in high school drama or community theatre — both are very visible activities that have probably brought joy to the people judging the scholarship awards.
Whether you’re an actor, director, playwright or other member of cast or crew, there are theatre scholarship opportunities available. We’ve included a few examples of theatre scholarships below to get you started but to see the full range of scholarships available for those in the theatre, in addition to awards based on your other unique characteristics, conduct a free scholarship search on Scholarships.com.
The Against The Grain Artistic Scholarship provides financial assistance and promotion of Asian American college students pursuing a major in the performing, visual arts, journalism and/or mass communications.
The scholarship awards $1,000 to be applied toward school tuition and fees. Please note that funds will be disbursed directly to the educational institution in the student’s name. To be [...] More
To be eligible for the Alys Robinson Stephens Performing Arts Scholarship, applicants must be a high school graduate who plans on attending UAB. Via audition and testing, the student must prove to be of substantial talent and show promise for continued excellence in music. There will be a strong focus on incoming freshmen; however, current UAB students and transfer students are eligible to apply. [...] More
The CBC Spouses Performing Arts Scholarship is for full-time African-American or Black students pursuing a degree in performing arts including, but not limited to, drama, music, dance, opera, marching bands, and other musical ensembles.
Applicant must be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident who is preparing to pursue, or is currently pursuing, an undergraduate, graduate or doctoral [...] More
The CFPCA LGBT Endowed Scholarship provides financial support and hope to meritorious students who demonstrate positive sensitivity to and involvement in LGBT issues. Preference is given to currently enrolled Wayne State University LGBT students, although all Wayne State University students are invited to apply. All current undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at least half-time with [...] More
The Francis D. Lyon Graduate Fellowship is awarded annually to a graduate student in the field of film making or a closely related field such as theatre/drama, writing or entertainment. Only graduate students are eligible to apply. Membership in Phi Delta Theta is not a requirement. The student is required to be enrolled in a college or university in the United States or Canada. Students of film [...] More
The Grand Rapids Community Foundation's Arts Council of Greater Grand Rapids Minority Scholarship is awarded to students of color (African-American, Hispanic-American, Native-American, AAPI) attending a non-profit public or private college or university in Western Michigan, majoring in Fine Arts (including all visual and performing art forms). Applicants must demonstrate financial hardship, be a [...] More
The Grand Rapids Combined Theatre Scholarship Fund awards scholarships to students who are full-time Theater Arts majors at an accredited college/university in the U.S. Theatre experience is required at one of the local community theatres. Must provide three letters of recommendation.
By connecting people, their passions and our region’s resources, Grand Rapids Community Foundation and our [...] More
Hope honors talented artists in the areas of creative writing, dance, music, theater and the visual arts. You’ll need to audition or submit a portfolio. The Distinguished Artist Award in theatre is for high school seniors and transfer students who intend to enroll at Hope College in the upcoming Fall. Renewable for four years, the Distinguished Artist Awards (DAA) provides eligible incoming art, [...] More
The ISF Congressional Policy Fellowship is a 9-month, full-time program that provides fellows with an opportunity to work in Washington D.C. on legislative and public policy issues at Congressional offices. To be eligible for the ISF Congressional Policy Fellowship, applicants must: be Islamic; have graduated with an undergraduate or graduate degree from an accredited university; be a U.S. [...] More
To be eligible for the ISF Film Scholarship, applicants must: be Muslim or active members of the Muslim community; be enrolled full-time at an accredited university in the U.S. by August (or employed full-time in an ISF Supported Field and a part-time student at an accredited university in the U.S); be an undergraduate (at least an incoming junior or senior) or of graduate standing (master's, [...] More
To be eligible for the ISF Law Scholarship, applicants must: be Muslim or active members of the Muslim community; be enrolled full-time at an accredited university in the U.S. by August (or employed full-time in an ISF Supported Field and a part-time student at an accredited university in the U.S); be an undergraduate (an incoming senior) or an incoming 1L, 2L, or 3L; be pursuing a supported [...] More
To be eligible for the ISF Media Scholarship, applicants must: be Muslim or active members of the Muslim community; be enrolled full-time at an accredited university in the U.S. by August (or employed full-time in an ISF Supported Field and a part-time student at an accredited university in the U.S); be an undergraduate (at least an incoming junior or senior) or of graduate standing (master's, [...] More
To be eligible for the ISF Policy Scholarship, applicants must: be Muslim or active members of the Muslim community; be enrolled full-time at an accredited university in the U.S. by August (or employed full-time in an ISF Supported Field and a part-time student at an accredited university in the U.S); be an undergraduate (at least an incoming junior or senior) or of graduate standing (master's, [...] More
To be eligible for the ISF Scholarships, applicants must: be Muslim or active members of the Muslim community; have enrollment full-time at an accredited university in the U.S. by August or be employed full-time in an ISF Supported Field and a part-time student at an accredited university in the U.S.; be majoring in an ISF Supported Field; be maintaining a minimum 3.0 Grade Point Average; be a [...] More
We are committed to helping you finance your college education. JSU offers several types of scholarships to help defray the cost of attending school for new and continuing students. JSU-funded scholarships are non "refundable," and unused funds cannot be carried over to subsequent semesters. Each scholarship may be regulated by a different set of requirements. Some scholarships are automatically [...] More
Auditions and portfolio reviews for Lycoming College Talent Scholarships can be scheduled throughout the academic year and during open houses. Deadlines for auditions correspond to the application deadlines respectively. Specific requirements for each talent scholarship are listed. Each talent scholarship is eligible for annual renewal provided students maintain satisfactory progress and meet the [...] More
Applications for the Thunen Memorial Scholarship may be submitted by full-time students who desire to study illumination as a career. Applications for the Thunen Memorial Scholarship may be made by those who will be an undergraduate junior, senior or graduate student (Fall semester only) in an accredited four year college or university located in Northern California, Nevada, Oregon or [...] More
The Sophie and Hans Scholl Memorial Foundation is dedicated to improve intercultural relations between US and Germany, by sponsoring young Americans to enroll in German-related university and college degrees. The foundation was founded to educate the American public on the remarkable fate of two young resistance fighters in Nazi Germany, who lost their lives for their cause. With their memory at [...] More
Through our unique international educational and cultural exchange programs, Fulbright’s diverse and dynamic network of scholars, alumni and global partners fosters mutual understanding between the United States and partner nations, shares knowledge across communities, and improves lives around the world. Since its establishment in 1946 by Congress, the Fulbright Program has given more than [...] More
We’re the University of South Alabama. Home to nearly 14,000 students and more than 125 academic programs, South is a dynamic community of leaders and learners who support and challenge one another to be actively engaged citizens who advance the Gulf Coast region and the world. Founded in 1963, South’s vision is to foster an environment that couples engaging learning experiences with high-level [...] More
Did you know that there are more scholarships with deadlines in March than any other month? Now is the time to put in a little bit of your time to apply for as many scholarships as you possibly can. Of course, you are going to want to prioritize wisely, with just over a week left in the month. [...]
Most major tech companies offer scholarships for prospective or current college students. While some of those are geared toward all students, other scholarships are designed to fix the racial disparity within the tech industry. According to research from 2021, fewer than 10% of STEM employees in the workforce are African-American. The Blacks at Microsoft Scholarship aims to close the gap and encourage more Black students to major in STEM-related fields. [...]
If you’re an artist, you may feel like scholarship opportunities are limited compared to those available to the sports phenoms and math whizzes of the world. It certainly does seem like there are fewer scholarships available for those who can draw, paint and express their emotions visually.
Fortunately, Google rewards students who are better with a sketchbook than with a Football or Lacrosse stick. Read on to learn how the Doodle for Google Competition scholarship works, how to enter and how to increase your odds of winning. [...]
