Photography Scholarships
Are there photography scholarships outside of the institution sponsored realm?
Crazy right? In general, there are scholarships out there that fall into the photography category; however, timing is everything as spots are limited. Depending on the sponsor there is usually a medium to long list of criteria that must be met in order to qualify, and another list to keep from getting disqualified after entering.
Doing an AIE scholarship search using just the term 'photography' yielded 30 results while using 'photography scholarships' yielded 16. Though promising, there are those that are highly specific in regards to minimum requirements.There is one that was discovered that required participants to have a SCUBA certificate.
Rather than the results showing just scholarships, it showed a mix of scholarships, contests, internships and some international opportunities. With that said, the deadlines are usually between January and May for the year. In addition to the deadlines, some of the opportunities are location, school and age specific.
GPA surfaced a couple of times with one requesting that you have at least a 2.9 or higher GPA. There's one with a deadline coming up which could be of interest to those looking for something within reach. The James Alan Cox Scholarship for Student Photojournalists has a deadline of November 15 and from the looks of things, it doesn't have too strict of requirements for participation.
What About A Portfolio?
For most, unless stated otherwise, you will need a portfolio. Depending on the opportunity, your portfolio will either need to be diverse or subject specific. For the diverse approach you will need at minimum 2 - 3 different subjects.Some subject examples include but aren't limited to nature (general), flowers, vehicles, waterscapes, trees, animals, technology, food, jewelry, fashion and weather. Regardless of the requested format for submission, you need to adhere to the pre-stated guidelines as close as possible.
