Home > Financial Aid > College Scholarships > Scholarships by Type > Acting Scholarships

Acting Scholarships

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.

Austin College Theatre Scholarship

Application Deadline: 1/15/2023
Amount: $4,000
Awarded to students with talents in theatre - both for those who intend to major or minor in theatre and for those who do not intend to major or minor in theatre. A limited number of awards are available each year and are awarded annually. To be considered as a candidate, applicants must have a live audition or portfolio presentation and interview with theatre faculty in the early spring of their [...] More

Case Western Theater Scholarship

Application Deadline: 1/15/2023
Amount: Varies
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 $10,000 scholarships to students who intend on minoring in theater, or those interested in pursuing theater as an extracurricular activity at CWRU. For the [...] More

GRCF Grand Rapids Combined Theatre Scholarship

Application Deadline: 3/1/2022
Amount: Varies
The Grand Rapids Combined Theatre Scholarship Fund awards scholarships to students who are full-time theatre 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. For more information or to apply, please visit the scholarship provider's [...] More

Hope College Distinguished Artist Awards - Dance

Application Deadline: Varies
Amount: $12,000
Hope College offers the Distinguished Artist Awards - Dance to accomplished dancers. Students are not required to audition to major or minor in dance, but auditions are required for this award. Renewable upon a 2.6 GPA.

Scholarship recipients will be notified the first week of March. For more information or to apply, please visit the scholarship provider's website. [...] More

Hope College Distinguished Artist Awards - Theatre

Application Deadline: Varies
Amount: $12,000
Graduating seniors in high school that are considering minoring or majoring in theatre at Hope are encouraged to apply for the Distinguished Artist Awards - Theatre. Winners are notified the first week of March. For more information or to apply, please visit the scholarship provider's website. [...] More

Hope College Distinguished Artist Awards - Visual Arts

Application Deadline: 1/20/2023
Amount: $12,000
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 $3,000 each year toward their college costs. Application requirements: Up to 15 high quality 35mm slides [...] More

Iowa Scholarships for the Arts

Application Deadline: 3/1/2022
Amount: $1,500
Iowa Scholarship for the Arts is a $1,500 scholarship to help support student's future arts education. Applicants must be outstanding Iowa high school seniors who excel and demonstrate a commitment to pursuing an education and career in the arts. Applicants must also plan to attend college in Iowa and major in the fine arts. For more information or to apply, please visit the scholarship [...] More

JSU Drama Scholarship

Application Deadline: 2/15/2022
Amount: Varies
JSU offers drama scholarships to full-time theater majors. Eligible criteria include: contributing (either on or back stage) to each production during the term; attending all department work calls, strikes and tech prep days; have a maximum of three absences in drama-related major courses; and, have a 2.5 GPA per term, 2.5 overall, and 3.0 in drama courses. For more information or to apply, [...] More

Loyola University Merit Scholarships

Application Deadline: 2/15/2022
Amount: Varies
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

The Virginia Budge Award for the Creative and Performing Arts

Application Deadline: 4/16/2022
Amount: $500
The Virginia Budge Award exists to create, promote, develop, sponsor, sustain, facilitate, and further the Arts within Butler County, Ohio. For the mission of the Committee, the term “Arts” shall be defined and literally construed to include the making or doing of things that have form and beauty, and to encompass all forms of Arts including the Arts of music, painting, sculpture, dance, theater, [...] More

University of South Alabama/Drama Assistantships/Scholarships

Application Deadline: Varies
Amount: Varies
The USA Dept. of Theatre & Dance offers a limited number of scholarships and assistantships, each with their own criteria and requirements. The Laidlaw Trust provides funds for both acting scholarships and tech/design shop assistantships. To qualify, students must be a drama major, be a full-time student and maintain a 2.5 GPA. For more information or to apply/audition, please visit the [...] More

Scholarships.com Spring Madness Scholarship

Latest College & Financial Aid News

Undocumented and DACA Student Scholarships

January 26, 2022

by Liz Montenegro

According to the Higher Ed Immigrant Portal, first-generation immigrants accounted for 28% of all college and university students in 2018. Although there is no federal law prohibiting undocumented and DACA-eligible students from enrolling in higher education, the path to earning a degree can be challenging in today’s political climate. To make up for the lack of federal financial aid available to these students, many states and colleges offer other forms of financial aid to help these students earn their degree with less debt. There are also a great deal of scholarships available for undocumented and DACA-eligible students in the United States. [...]

Best U.S. College Towns 2022

January 21, 2022

by Liz Montenegro

When it comes to a student’s overall success, experts have found that a college’s location on the map is equally as important as the quality of the school’s curriculum and social environment. According to Forbes, these colleges ranked #1 for each of these categories: large city, midsize city, and small city college towns out of 415 U.S. cities. When planning your next campus visit, consider schools in these top-rated college towns. [...]

MLK Week Events Guide 2022

January 19, 2022

by Liz Montenegro

On this year’s 27th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) Day in the United States, the national day of service has transformed into an entire MLK Week on college and university campuses around the country to honor the legacy and to continue the work of Dr. King toward greater equality, diversity, and inclusion of all people through nonviolence. [...]