List of Private Scholarship

Many college students need financial assistance to make their dreams of earning a degree come true. Luckily, there are many private scholarships and grants that offer the needed funds. Most of these opportunities involve entering a contest or drawing, or require submission of an essay. There are private scholarships to meet almost every need. Since many of these opportunities are highly competitive, it is vital to meet all requirements and deadlines completely.

Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund

The purpose of these scholarships is to provide assistance to single parents in Arkansas who are trying to improve their earning potential through higher education. These scholarships can be used for college tuition, textbooks, car maintenance, utility bills, childcare, or other financial needs that can help the student be successful in college. To be eligible for these scholarships, applicants must be economically disadvantaged and have custodial care of at least one child under the age of 18. Applicants must be living in Arkansas and must be single parents who have not previously earned a college degree. There are many different scholarships available, so to get information, application, and deadline dates, visit the official site at www.aspsf.org/students.html.

American Harlequin Dance Scholarship

These scholarships were developed to allow more opportunities for youth who wish to pursue careers in performing arts. The fund provides a total of $25,000 to ten recipients. Recipients are chosen by random drawing. The application deadline is November 1 of each year. Applications and further information can be found at the official scholarship site.

American Health and Beauty Aids Institute Scholarship

The scholarships offered through AHBAI provide awards of $250 for cosmetology students. Eligible applicants must have a high school average of 85% or more and must have completed 300 hours or more of study. Applicants will also be judged on attendance records, previous awards, and extracurricular activities. Applications are due November 30 and can be found at the AHBI scholarship site.

American Fire Sprinkler Association Scholarship Program

The AFSA private scholarships are open to all high school seniors who are citizens or legal residents of the U.S. Students must be enrolled in a college, university, or trade school in the U.S. no later than the fall after high school graduation, and even home schooled students are eligible to apply. To enter, students must visit the scholarship site and read the Fire Sprinkler Essay. Students must then complete the registration page and take a multiple-choice test over the essay. For each correct answer, students receive one entry into a drawing for $2,000. Entries are accepted until September 25 each year. To register and gain scholarship entries, visit the official site here.

Burger King Scholars Program

The Burger King Scholars Program has awarded over $15.4 million in private scholarships since 2000. Awards in this prestigious program can be as high as $50,000. To apply, students must be graduating high school seniors who are residents of Canada, the U.S., or Puerto Rico. In addition, students must have at least a 2.5 GPA and plan to enroll full-time in an accredited U.S., Canada, or Puerto Rico college, university, or vocational-technical school. Awards available through these private scholarships include those for $1,000, those for $5,000, one for $25,000, and three for $50,000. Appplications are accepted between November 15 and January 10 and can be found at the official website.

David E. Whitmire Scholarship Fund

These scholarships are available for Criminal Justice and Police Science majors. The fund was created by the Whitmire family to honor the career and life of David E. Whitmire. To be eligible, students must be full- or part-time undergraduate or graduate students at an accredited four-year college or university. Applicants must be juniors or seniors in an undergraduate program, or must have completed one semester of graduate school. Eligible candidates must have a 3.5 GPA, must be U.S. citizens, and must be majoring in Criminal Justice, Criminology, Police Administration, or Police Science. Applications must be received by December 15 for these $500 scholarships. Full details and applications are available at www.davidwhitmire.com.

Institute for Humane Studies

The Institute for Human Studies offers private scholarships in the form of the Human Studies Fellowship. This non-residency program awards students with between $2,000 and $15,000 a year, and also provides advising and a support network to promote student success. Fellowships are available to full-time graduate students from around the world who have interest in research related to societal liberty. Applicants must be relating their work to humanities and show dedication to advancing the ideas of liberty through teaching and research. The deadline for application is January 31. Details and submission instructions are available at the Institute of Humane Studies website.

James Alan Cox Foundation for Student Photographers Scholarship

These private scholarships were founded in memory of television photojournalist James Alan Cox. The Fund aims to offer financial support to student photographers in high school and college. Applicants to the scholarships may be eligible to receive a digital camera if in high school, or a $2,500 scholarship if in college. Applicants must have completed at least one year of high school or college and have taken at least one photography or photojournalism course. To apply, students must submit samples of video or still photography along with the official application. Deadlines are October 15. For further details, visit http://www.jamesalancoxfoundation.org/.

Prudential Spirit of Community Awards

These private scholarships are available through the country’s largest youth recognition program that is exclusively based on volunteerism and community service. Eligible applicants must be in grades 5-12 by November 6 and must be legal residents of the United States. In addition, students must have engaged in volunteer community service during the year before applying, and must submit an official application to the high school principal or head of an official local organization no later than November 6. Students who receive the scholarships may receive up to $5,000 for college as well as $5,000 for the charitable non-profit organization of their choice. Full details are available at http://spirit.prudential.com/view/page/soc.

Vegetarian Resource Group Scholarship

These private scholarships are sponsored by an anonymous donor and provide two $5,000 scholarships to graduating U.S. high school students who have actively promoted vegetarianism. To apply, students must submit an application, an essay, a copy of transcripts for two years, at least three letters of recommendation, and documentation proving the promotion of vegetarianism. Applications and other instructions are available at http://www.vrg.org/student/scholar.htm.

There are many private scholarships available to help students pay for a college education. As these selections show, there are opportunities for everyone, regardless of major, school level, and interest.

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