Scholarships for Art and Design Majors
Learn about scholarships and financial aid available for students pursuing a degree in art and design.
Students with an art and design degree can pursue careers in art history, graphic design, and fashion. Art and design programs provide students with the practical and technical skills they need to succeed as artists.
Graduates can find work as interior designers, professional artists, and educators in their respective artistic fields.
All students must figure out how to pay for their degree, and financial aid can help lessen the burden of going to college. On this page, readers can find information about financial aid for art and design students.
Frequently Asked Questions
Students can find art and design scholarships, grants, and other financial aid opportunities. Online learners can also consider taking out student loans and applying to the federal government for additional financial aid. Colleges often offer financial aid and scholarship packages, as well.
Yes. Art and design students can find many scholarships across the country. Some of these scholarships are offered by the local, state, or federal government. Others come from independent organizations that support the arts.
Students can find art and design degree scholarships through their college financial aid department, government resources, and independent agencies.
Yes. Grants often consider financial need rather than merit. Prospective art students can find grants through the federal or state government or through arts-oriented organizations.
Scholarships usually provide financial aid based on merit rather than need. Each scholarship maintains unique requirements, which may be related to variables like a student’s GPA, membership in an honors society, and/or community service.
Financial Assistance for Art and Design Students
When applying for college, applicants need to consider how to pay for their education. Many students find the cost of college too expensive to pay on their own. Fortunately, students can take advantage of financial aid to help decrease the burden of tuition payments.
Financial aid for art and design programs comes in several forms, including grants, scholarships, and student loans. Learners must understand the difference between these types of aid and how to apply for them.
Grants and scholarships offer tuition assistance that students do not need to repay.
offer tuition assistance that students do not need to repay. Grants typically award money based on need, while scholarships usually award money based on merit. Each grant or scholarship maintains its own set of requirements for eligible applicants.
Alternatively, students must repay college loans after a certain number of years. Students can take out federal or private loans, though private loans often have higher interest rates. Students should take out loans as a last resort and make a solid repayment plan before accepting a loan.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) allows all U.S. citizens to apply for grants, scholarships, and work-study programs offered by the federal government. The FAFSA analyzes students’ income information and determines how much financial aid each student qualifies for. Students can use this kind of aid at accredited colleges and universities.
Art and Design Grants
Grants usually provide financial aid based on need. Students from low-income households may qualify for grants. Unlike student loans, grants do not need to be repaid. Grants apply directly to each recipient’s tuition costs.
Online art and design students can apply for grants through the local, state, or federal government. Independent organizations — especially those that patronize the arts — may also offer grants to students in need. Applicants need to submit financial information, and they may be asked to write an essay.
Art and Design Scholarships
Scholarships typically provide merit-based financial aid to college students. Art and design degree scholarships target students with high achievement in academics, extracurriculars, and/or community service. Scholarships maintain specific requirements that applicants must meet. Recipients do not have to pay back scholarships.
Featured Art and Design Scholarships
The following sections lists art and design scholarships available to students across the country. These scholarships can help online learners pay for tuition costs without accruing debt.
Who’s Eligible? This scholarship supports graduating high school seniors in Florida. Applicants must demonstrate excellence in drama, dance, creative writing, music, or the visual arts. The fund chooses 25 students each year as awardees. Applicants must submit a portfolio of work and an essay describing how the arts have positively influenced their life.
Deadline: September and February
Who’s Eligible? The American Society of Interior Design offers scholarships to juniors and seniors enrolled in a three-year (or more) interior design program. The committee judges applicants based on academic achievement, a portfolio of creative work, and a personal statement. Applicants must also submit a letter of recommendation.
Who’s Eligible? This fund supports art and design students in northern Illinois. The committee only considers graduating seniors from public or private high schools who hold a minimum GPA of 2.75. Applicants must plan to pursue a degree in visual art history, visual art education, or visual arts.
Who’s Eligible? This scholarship offers funding to undergraduate and graduate art students enrolled in an accredited California postsecondary institution. Applicants need a minimum GPA of 3.0. The committee requires a statement of purpose and career goals, a portfolio of original artwork, and college transcripts (or proof of admission from graduating high school seniors).
Who’s Eligible? This contest allows artistic students to share creative solutions to end reckless and/or distracted driving. The contest features entry categories and grand prizes in creative writing, video, graphic design, and music. Applicants must demonstrate proof of enrollment at an accredited educational institution. Only students ages 14-22 years may enter the competition.
Who’s Eligible? This scholarship targets undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in fine arts, graphic design, illustration, or other art programs. Applicants must maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA and demonstrate financial need. Students must demonstrate a commitment to their community or social impact through their art.
Who’s Eligible? The American Society of Interior Design awards this scholarship twice a year to an undergraduate or graduate student who embraces classical designs and traditional materials in their interior design work. Applicants must submit transcripts, a personal statement, and a portfolio with at least four pages of design work.
Deadline: Spring and Fall
Who’s Eligible? This scholarship targets applicants enrolled in an art program at an accredited postsecondary institution. Students should submit five examples of their work with 100-word descriptions for each, explaining how the art represents culture in the modern age. The scholarship committee judges submissions based on creativity, originality, skill, and the written descriptions.
Who’s Eligible? Google sponsors a doodle competition for young artists. Applicants must create a doodle that represents that year’s theme, using any medium or materials that they choose. The judging panel assesses each entry based on artistic skill, creativity, and how well it conveys the theme. Only K-12 students may enter the competition.
Award Amount: $30,000 college scholarship for national winner; $5,000 college scholarship for national finalists.
Who’s Eligible? High school seniors planning to pursue higher education in the arts may apply for this scholarship. Applicants must attend a postsecondary institution in Colorado. Scholarship winners may reapply for the scholarship for up to four consecutive years, although the scholarship committee does not guarantee that students will win again.
Award Amount: $1,500-$2,500
Who’s Eligible? Applicants must be members of the American Art Therapy Association and complete a research project that develops spiritual art therapy and its impact on diagnosis and well-being. The scholarship considers financial need. Applicants must also submit an essay.
Award Amount: Up to $1,000
Who’s Eligible? Students in their final year of an interior design program accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation can apply for this award. Applicants must submit a resume, a letter of nomination by their dean or program chair, and an advanced architecture project with a written description.
Who’s Eligible? Graduating high school seniors planning to attend an accredited postsecondary institution can apply for this award. Applicants must submit a design project that aims to shape and improve their communities. This scholarship program chooses five winners, with the top winner earning an additional $5,000 to help launch their community project.
Who’s Eligible? High school seniors in Iowa can apply for this scholarship to pursue a college education in the arts. Students must confirm enrollment at an accredited postsecondary institution in Iowa in an artistic area, such as fine arts, graphic design, media arts, or theater. The committee requires five examples of an applicant’s work.
Who’s Eligible? The American Society of Interior Design awards prize money for an outstanding project or thesis in interior design. The committee considers undergraduate and graduate applicants. Topics can cover many areas, including design process and theory, behavioral science, and business practice. Applicants must submit transcripts and a biographical statement along with their project.
Who’s Eligible? Krylon offers five scholarships each year to aspiring artists. Applicants must submit 3-6 examples of their work on a flash drive. Submissions can include drawings, paintings, prints, and sculptures. Applicants must submit a personal statement, a letter of recommendation, and high school or college transcripts.
Who’s Eligible? High school seniors in Maine may apply for this scholarship. Liberty Graphics asks for submissions that reflect the natural environment. All submissions must qualify as original works in a two-dimensional medium. The committee does not accept work completed in sculpture, photography, or on the computer.
Who’s Eligible? This scholarship rewards students using art to speak out against gun violence. Applicants must submit a portfolio of 3-10 works of visual art, writing, songs, and/or films. The committee also requires copies of high school or college transcripts and two letters of recommendation. Only graduating high school seniors or undergraduates may apply.
Who’s Eligible? This scholarship provides funds for art students working in two-dimensional media. The committee looks for full-time undergraduate students enrolled in an accredited postsecondary institution in Washington, Oregon, or Idaho. Applicants must submit five examples of their best work, a letter of recommendation, and a personal statement.
Who’s Eligible? Applicants must be members of the American Art Therapy Association. Applicants must complete a project that explores the multicultural capacities of art therapy. This fund does not take financial need into account.
Award Amount: Up to $1,000
Who’s Eligible? Project Yellow Light encourages high school and college students to submit a video, billboard, or radio PSA about developing safe driving habits. The winners of the competition receive scholarship money and may see their project displayed as part of a national awareness campaign. Award amounts vary depending on the submission category.
Award Amount: $2,000-$8,000
Who’s Eligible? Applicants must be 18-35 years old. The scholarship promotes high standards in drawing, painting, design, and other technical aspects of art. Students can submit examples of their work, such as paintings from life or drawings from figures. Winners can use scholarship funds in any way they wish.
Award Amount: $500-$5,000
Who’s Eligible? Tenshon challenges students interested in architecture, design, or engineering to create a unique shade sail structure. The judging panel urges applicants to push the boundaries of possibility with tensile fabrics and rewards ingenuity and creativity in design. Applicants must submit a design that uses at least two of Tenshon’s standard shade sails.
Deadline: December and July
Who’s Eligible? High school students in the U.S. (except for residents of Arizona, Maryland, Tennessee, Vermont, and Colorado) may enter this competition. Applicants must design and wear a tux or dress for prom made primarily out of Duck brand duct tape. Designers may use other materials in their outfits as well.
Award Amount: $10,000 for winners, $500 for runners up
Who’s Eligible? Sub Pop Records awards three scholarships to high school seniors in Washington or Oregon who plan to enroll full time at an accredited postsecondary institution. The scholarship committee looks for students involved in music or the creative arts. Applicants must submit an essay and may also submit examples of their artwork.
Award Amount: $3,000-$7,000
Who’s Eligible? Undergraduate and graduate students attending a postsecondary institution in the New York area — including New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania — may apply for this scholarship. Applicants must demonstrate interest in design, animation, photography, or other art forms. The committee requires an artistic submission and an essay describing the work.
Who’s Eligible? High school seniors in Arkansas may apply for this scholarship. The Thea Foundation accepts submissions in visual arts, fashion design, performing arts, and film. Applicants must plan to enroll in an arts-related program at an accredited postsecondary institution.
Who’s Eligible? The Center for Craft offers a fellowship opportunity for undergraduate seniors working in a craft medium. Applicants must submit examples of their work that demonstrate innovation and curiosity, openness to growth, and evidence that their work might inspire creative thinking by other artists. The fellowship committee chooses more than one winner each year.
Who’s Eligible? Women who demonstrate a passion for animation can apply for this award. The committee looks for applicants with artistic talent and financial need and chooses more than one winner each year. Some winners may also become eligible for subsidized animation workshops or mentorship in animation by professionals in the field.
Art and Design Scholarships for Minorities
This section provides scholarship information for art and design minority students. This page explores more financial aid opportunities for minority students seeking a college education.
Who’s Eligible? AIGA, the professional association for design, offers scholarships to minority and underrepresented students in the arts. The committee requires that applicants enroll in an undergraduate or graduate program in graphic design, illustration, or photography. Applicants must demonstrate financial need. All minority groups or underrepresented populations may apply.
Award Amount: Varies
Deadline: Varies
View ScholarshipWho’s Eligible? This scholarship awards funds to applicants who are at least 25% Asian or Pacific Islander. Students must be enrolled full time in an arts program at a postsecondary institution and have a minimum GPA 3.0. The committee judges applicants based on the quality of their work, academic performance, leadership/community service, and an in-person interview.
Award Amount: $1,000
Deadline: May
View ScholarshipWho’s Eligible? This scholarship supports underrepresented groups of students and seeks to promote diversity in the arts. Applicants must identify as one of the following: African American, Native American, Hispanic, Latino, or Asian and Pacific Islander. The Art Career Project looks for applicants who plan to pursue art as a professional career.
Award Amount: $2,000
Deadline: March
View ScholarshipWho’s Eligible? Applicants must be members of the American Art Therapy Association. The scholarship also requires enrollment in a graduate-level art therapy program. This award honors African American or Afro-Caribbean art students who demonstrate support to underserved communities.
Award Amount: Up to $1,000
Deadline: May
View ScholarshipWho’s Eligible? Awarded by The Slants Foundation, this scholarship asks students to come up with creative approaches to solve social issues through art. Asian American students can apply. Winners of the scholarship also receive mentorship and promotion of their work. The committee does not require enrollment in an arts program, although it does expect a demonstrable commitment to the arts.
Award Amount: $1,500
Deadline: Varies
View ScholarshipArt and Design Scholarships for Graduate Students
In the following section, art and design students can find scholarships to help pay for graduate school. Readers can explore more information about online graduate programs on this page.
Who’s Eligible? Applicants must be members of the American Art Therapy Association. This award aids students with a minimum GPA of 3.25 who demonstrate significant financial need. Applicants must be enrolled in a graduate art therapy program. This scholarship only considers GPA and financial need.
Award Amount: Up to $1,000
Who’s Eligible? This scholarship provides money to Rhode Island residents. Applicants must be enrolled in a graduate-level art education program with the intent to teach after graduation. The committee does not accept applications from students attending the Rhode Island School of Design. All applicants must demonstrate financial need.
Award Amount: $2,000-$12,000
Who’s Eligible? The American Society of Interior Design offers scholarships to students accepted into a graduate interior design program at an accredited postsecondary institution. Applicants must write a personal essay addressing how their interior design work will leave a positive impact. Students must also submit transcripts, a letter of recommendation, and a biographical statement.
Who’s Eligible? The Center for Craft offers research support for students completing their master’s thesis at an accredited postsecondary institution. Each applicant’s thesis must relate to U.S. craft history or theory. The committee looks for projects that investigate unanswered questions about craft history or show new cross-disciplinary approaches to craft scholarship.
Who’s Eligible? Applicants must be members of the American Art Therapy Association. The committee awards one scholarship to a student enrolled in a graduate art therapy program who demonstrates an interest in exploring the effects of medical art therapy. Applicants must submit an essay and a follow-up report.
Award Amount: Up to $1,000
Who’s Eligible? Applicants must be members of the American Art Therapy Association. The committee only considers applicants who demonstrate significant financial need. Students must be enrolled in a graduate art therapy program and have a minimum GPA of 3.0.
Award Amount: Up to $1,000
Who’s Eligible? Applicants must be members of the American Art Therapy Association. The committee looks for applicants who demonstrate excellence — either in academic performance or their past experiences. Students must have a minimum GPA of 3.5, be enrolled in a graduate art therapy program, and demonstrate financial need.
Award Amount: Up to $1,000
Additional Financial Aid Resources
An Overview of Financial Aid
Art and design students need to consider how to pay for college. Governments, independent agencies, and colleges offer financial aid options beyond scholarships for art and design students. Readers can find more information on this page.
Financial Aid for Online Students
Some agencies and schools offer financial aid resources for online art and design students. Distance learners can find more information on this page.
Financial Aid for Students with Disabilities
Students with disabilities of all kinds may qualify for additional financial aid for art and design programs through independent organizations, government agencies, and college financial aid departments. This page provides additional resources for prospective art students with disabilities.
Scholarships for Single Parents
Single parents must find a balance between school, work, and their home life, which can make it challenging to attend college. Prospective art students can find unique financial aid opportunities for single parents on this page.
Financial Aid for Veterans and Active Military
Veterans, active-duty military members, and their families may qualify for special financial aid and tuition assistance opportunities. Art students in these categories can explore options for military financial aid on this page.
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