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Unusual Scholarships

Everyone knows there are plenty of scholarships out there for the egghead, the jock, the feminist, the free spirit, and even the average student. There are also many scholarships that reward quirky and unique talents. Talents that truly make you stand out in a crowd and could potentially earn you substantial money for college expenses.

Unlike your typical scholarships, where the selection pool is huge, unusual scholarships – such as having the name Zolp – is required. There are tons of wacky, unusual, and just plain weird scholarships out there. Do you have a knack for duck-calling? Seems like a strange question but if you can, check out the Chick and Sophie Major Memorial Duck Calling Contest; with a grand prize of $2,000. If you have a sweet tooth and are interested in creating the next big candy, National Candy Technologists Scholarship is the perfect outlet for you to put those taste buds to good use. Do you have a strong passion for fashion? Then take on the Duck Brand Stuck at Prom Scholarship Challenge and create your entire prom attire out of Duct tape.

Remember, if you have an unusual talent, there may just be an equally unusual scholarship available. For a complete list of wacky, unusual, and just plain weird scholarships, conduct a free scholarship search at Scholarships.com and put those talents to good use.

Asparagus Club Scholarship

Application Deadline: 4/30/2020
Amount: $8,000
The Asparagus Club awards a maximum of ten scholarships per year (subject to availability of funds). Each scholarship is $2,000 per semester (fall and spring only) not to exceed four consecutive semesters. Recipients must retain full-time student status and earn at least a 2.5 GPA to earn a scholarship each semester/quarter. Eligible applicants must be rising juniors, seniors, or graduate [...] More

Chick and Sophie Major Memorial Duck Calling Contest

Application Deadline: 11/23/2019
Amount: $2,000
High School seniors may compete for college scholarships totaling $4,250 at the Chick and Sophie Major Memorial Duck Calling Contest. A copy of the contestants high school transcript must be provided at registration along with a proper ID.
The first-place winner will receive $2,000. Second place will receive $1,000, 3rd place will receive $750, and 4th place will receive $500. The scholarship [...] More

Doodle 4 Google Competition

Application Deadline: 3/20/2020
Amount: $30,000
Students in grades K-12 are invited to take part in the Doodle 4 Google contest, and create a doodle that tells the world "What I see for the future." From crayons to clay, graphic design, or even food, young artists can utilize any materials to bring their creation to life. Like all Google Doodles, each doodle must incorporate the letters G-o-o-g-l-e. One national winner will also receive a [...] More

Ludo Frevel Crystallography Scholarship

Application Deadline: 10/17/2020
Amount: $2,500
The Ludo Frevel Crystallography Scholarship Award is an award to support the education and research program of promising graduate students in crystallography-related fields. The applicant should be a graduate student enrolled in a graduate degree program with major interest in crystallography (e.g. crystal structure analysis), crystal morphology, modulated structures, correlation of atomic [...] More

National Potato Council Scholarship

Application Deadline: 6/15/2020
Amount: $10,000
Each year, NPC awards a $10,000 academic scholarship to one graduate-level student conducting research for the benefit of the potato industry. The winner is selected based on a number of criteria, including academic achievement, leadership abilities, potato-related areas of graduate study, benefit to the U.S. potato industry/commercial value, extracurricular activities, and grades.

Applicants [...] More

Stuck At Prom Scholarship Contest

Application Deadline: 6/3/2020
Amount: $10,000
Duck Brand's Stuck at Prom will have two grand prize winners. Use your imagination to create Duck Tape prom fashions in either the "dress" or "tux" category for a chance to win $10,000. By allowing contestants to enter as individuals rather than a couple, we hope to see even more creative styles. Applicants must be legal residents of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and [...] More

Tall Clubs International Student Scholarships

Application Deadline: 3/1/2020
Amount: $1,000
Are you under 21 years of age and about to start college in the fall? If so, you may be in luck! TCI annually awards student scholarship(s) of up to $1,000 each to tall students who are under 21 years of age and attending their first year of college in the following fall.

To enter, applicants must be under 21, entering college in the upcoming fall and meet the TCI height requirement minimums: [...] More

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by Susan Dutca-Lovell

E-tail giant Amazon is now accepting applications to its Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship Program for students entering college in the fall of 2020. The scholarship program offers 100 current high school seniors from underserved and underrepresented communities across the country the opportunity to receive $40,000 scholarships to study computer science at a four-year college or university and a guaranteed paid internship offer at Amazon after the completion of their first year. [...]

NC Senator Proposes Taxing of Athletic Scholarships

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by Susan Dutca-Lovell

In response to the NCAA's vote to allow athletes to profit from their names, images and likeness, Senator Richard Burr of North Carolina has proposed taxing those scholarships. Senator Burr tweeted: "If college athletes are going to make money off their likenesses while in school, their scholarships should be treated like income. I'll be introducing legislation that subjects scholarships given to athletes who choose to 'cash in' to income taxes." [...]

Gucci Gaffe Results in Green for Grads

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by Susan Dutca-Lovell

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