Regardless of how much natural talent actors and actresses may have, there are many benefits that come from formal training. A college education is a great way to gain knowledge and experience related to your craft, and can be instrumental in forging the connections that lead to your big break. Obtaining a college education can come with much drama, literally, and especially when it comes to finding the money to pay for school. Luckily, there are acting scholarships out there to help you perfect your skills without acquiring large amounts of student loan debt.
Many of those who pursue careers in the fine arts are propelled by a passion for the arts more than anything else. Landing a career in the theater or in the entertainment business can be overwhelming and gruesome. In this highly-competitive industry, financial aid is certainly encouraged to help support those artistic endeavors. Despite the competition, there are many organizations willing to help individuals accomplish their dreams.
To help prompt your involvement in the performing arts, here are a few scholarship opportunities for acting students. Many acting scholarships are college-specific but there are also many community and organization-specific scholarships. You can find more acting scholarships, as well as awards based on your other talents and interests by conducting a free college scholarship search.
Case Western Reserve University has made merit-based scholarships available for prospective theater students. Each year, the department of theater awards four full-tuition scholarships to students who intend on majoring in theater, and two scholarships to students who intend on minoring in theater, or those interested in pursuing theater as an extracurricular activity at CWRU.
The Grand Rapids Combined Theatre Scholarship Fund was founded in 1985 to award college scholarships to students pursuing study in theatre arts. It is supported by ongoing contributions from individuals in the community, and by annual support from Actor's Theatre, Community Circle Theatre, Grand Rapids Civic Theatre, Heritage Theatre, Jewish Theatre, Master Arts Theatre and from proceeds from the [...] More
Each year at Hope College up to 60 Distinguished Artist Award (DAA) scholarships are given to students with strong academic records and outstanding creative abilities in art, dance, music, theatre, or creative writing. Renewable for four years, the DAA's provide eligible students with $2,500 each year toward their college costs. DAA recipients also take part in a variety of opportunities set up [...] More
Each year at Hope College, up to 60 Distinguished Artist Award (DAA) scholarships are given to students with strong academic records and outstanding creative abilities in art, dance, music, theatre or creative writing. Renewable for four years, the DAA's provide eligible students with $2,500 each year toward their college costs. DAA recipients also take part in a variety of opportunities set up [...] More
Each year at Hope College up to sixty Distinguished Artist Award (DAA) scholarships are given to students with strong academic records and outstanding creative abilities in art, dance, music, theatre or creative writing. Renewable for four years, the DAA's provide eligible students with $2,500 each year toward their college costs. DAA recipients also take part in a variety of opportunities set up [...] More
At the time of application, student applicants must be enrolled at the senior class level in an Iowa high school and display proven artistic ability in the areas of music, dance, visual arts, theater or literature. Scholarship funds are awarded contingent upon recipients being accepted as full-time undergraduate students at a fully-accredited Iowa college or university. For more information or to [...] More
Each year, the JSU drama department awards thousands of dollars in scholarships to talented, hard-working drama students. Scholarships are awarded through an application process that includes auditions or interviews. Students must also demonstrate a commitment to JSU productions and high academic standards.
For their audition or portfolio review, students should prepare:
The Liberty Lab for Film (or LLF) is an advanced program for those who have filmmaking, screenwriting, producing experience and want an opportunity to work alongside like-minded creatives with the guidance of seasoned professionals such as Daniel Knauf, (co-executive producer, NBC's The Blacklist) Adam Simon (creator of the FOX series Salem) and screenwriter David H. Steinberg (American Pie 2) [...] More
Scholarships for first-year and transfer students are based on outstanding academic records, competitive test scores, and significant community involvement. Talent-based scholarships are also available in music, theater arts, and visual arts. Students are automatically considered for institutional merit-based scholarships when they apply for admission. These awards are based solely on academic [...] More
Students planning to pursue a major or a minor in theatre are encouraged to audition with faculty from the Theatre Department.
There are three categories: -Acting: perform two contrasting monologues (about three minutes in length total); bring a resume or a list of production experiences, and come ready to discuss your interests and goals -Directing: bring a resume or a list of production [...] More
MSUM Talent Scholarships are awarded to Minnesota State University Moorhead students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the areas of art, music, cinema arts and digital technologies or theater arts. Department faculty select talent awards. Contact the departments directly for more information and application procedures.
For more information or to apply, please visit the scholarship [...] More
Working in conjunction with nominating schools and non-profit companies, the Princess Grace Awards recognize the talent of individual artists in theater, dance, and film. This unique collaborative process fills vast voids in the artistic community: scholarships, apprenticeships, and fellowships give emerging artists the financial assistance and encouragement to focus on artistic excellence; [...] More
To be eligible for The Virginia Budge Award, the applicant must be 12 years of age or older and attending school in Butler County, Ohio. Applicants must respond to three essay questions and submit three letters of recommendation (one from a current teacher/instructor in the applicant's field of fine arts, one from a current teacher/instructor not in the fine arts field, and one from the [...] More
An Elon University student has filed a lawsuit against the university alleging unfair suspension following an off-campus fight with the son of one of the university's largest donors. According to the lawsuit, Spencer Schar had assaulted two women and punched another man before Samuel Shaw intervened, but Schar faced a lighter suspension. [...]
Five of the fifteen students who were suspended from Syracuse University for up to two years after they appeared in an "extremely racist" and "offensive" video have turned around to sue the university, claiming that the videos were private and taken out of context. A free-speech advocacy group, FIRE, is supporting the Theta Tau fraternity members against the "kitchen-sink" discipline. [...]
A Santa Barbara City College Professor believes he is facing "collateral damage" for defending a professor he had invited to SBCC as a guest speaker. After coming to the defense of the disgraced professor, Mark McIntire was told that he would not be rehired - for reasons other than publicly opposing "social justice warriors." [...]
