30 Obscure Scholarships That Actually Exist

by Staff Writers

November 28, 2011

If you’ve been doing lots of searching for a scholarship, it’s probably no surprise to you that weird prizes exist. You can win money for college by duck calling, being a Star Trek fan, and even just for having the right last name. Read on, and we’ll take a look at 30 obscure scholarships you might not even believe exist.

Distinctive Talent

If you can do amazing things with duct tape, or even predict the future, you just might win money for school with these scholarships.

1. Stuck at Prom: It’s been said that you can do just about anything with duct tape. For some creative high school students, “anything” includes a prom dress. For 11 years now, Duck brand duct tape has offered a Stuck at Prom scholarship contest, which awards $5,000 scholarships to the couple with the most creative use of duct tape in their prom outfits. A bonus? Their school also gets $5,000.
2. The Kor Memorial Scholarship: Can you speak Klingon? Knowledge of the Star Trek language is encouraged, but not required, for this scholarship that awards $500 to a student in language study each year.
3. Make It With Wool: For budding clothing designers and wool lovers, the American Sheep Industry’s Make It With Wool competition offers several different scholarship winnings to students who make the most interesting and creative wool pieces, with some prizes as high as $1,500.
4. Ursinus College Creative Writing Award: JD Salinger once attended Ursinus College, and it seems the school is looking for their next great writer in residence with this scholarship. Applicants must share a portfolio of creative work in fiction and/or poetry in the spirit of Catcher in the Rye‘s unusual perspective, brilliance, and voice. The winner will receive not only a whopping $30,000, but also the honor of living in JD Salinger’s former dorm room.
5. Chick and Sophie Major Memorial Duck Calling Contest: A total of $4,250 in scholarship money is up for grabs at this duck calling contest, open to any current high school senior. The first place winner receives $2,000 to use for school. In 36 years, the contest has awarded more than $60,000 in scholarships.
6. Icy Frost Bridge Scholarship: Are you a female music student who can sing or play the national anthem with sincerity? Do you want to go to DePauw university? You just might qualify for this award, which offers money to attend the university to female students who take the national anthem seriously.
7. Excellence in Predicting the Future Award: You don’t have to be a psychic to win this award, but we think it might help. The Excellence in Predicting the Future award offers a maximum of $400 on a continual basis to the winners of a Prediction Market competition.

Unique Interests

Love candy, bagpipes, or amateur radio? These scholarships award cash to those who have obscure interests.

1. American Association of Candy Technologists John Kitt Memorial Scholarship: Students who love candy, and we mean really love candy, can qualify for this $5,000 scholarship from the American Association of Candy Technologists. College sophomores, juniors, and seniors who have a demonstrated interest in confectionery technology, and are majoring in food science, chemical science, biological science, or fields of related study, can qualify to win this sweet award for school.
2. Carnegie Mellon University’s Bagpipe Scholarship: Students who love to play the bagpipes, or even those who would like to, can take advantage of the bagpipe scholarship at Carnegie Mellon, which allows for the study of a bagpipe major. This difficult subject is often not financially rewarding, but those that love to play the ancient instrument can find great value in it, including this scholarship.
3. The National Association for Amateur Radio Foundation Scholarships: Students who love to practice on the amateur radio can qualify for these scholarships, especially if they’re pursuing studies in electronic engineering or related technical fields. The organization offers many different awards, some as high as $10,000 or more.
4. American Society for Enology and Viticulture Scholarship Program: If you plan to work in the wine and grape industry, this scholarship is for you. It’s awarded to students pursuing degrees in enology, viticulture, and other curriculum that studies the science of wine. Scholarship amounts vary from year to year.
5. Alice Mcarver Ratchford Scholarship: If you’re a female student at UNC Greensboro and like to keep things simple, the Alice Mcarver Ratchford Scholarship might be for you. This award is given to female undergraduate students who live on campus, do not possess a car, are single, and don’t have any other scholarships.Continued