Many scholarships require essays to support an application, but for those who want to express themselves in ways other than the written word, there are multimedia-based awards that allow students to submit drawings, videos, graphics, and even greeting card designs. This guide features some of these video and multimedia scholarships and provides advice on how students can win them.
Pam Andrews
CEO of The Scholarship Shark
Pam Andrews is the CEO of The Scholarship Shark. She works as a college admissions coach and scholarship strategist for college-bound high school students. She has earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering from North Carolina A&T State University and a certificate in College Advising from Columbia University Teacher’s College. Pam is known for helping her son win over $700,000 in scholarship money that pays for his undergraduate and graduate school. More importantly, she has helped her clients win over $1,000,000 in scholarships. Pam is the author of Scholarship Search Secrets, the host of The Scholarship Shark Podcast and the creator of “In Pursuit of College” board game. When Pam is not working with families in United States, you can find her and her family serving at Happy Life Children’s Home in Nairobi, Kenya.
Erin Goodnow
Co-Founder and CEO of Going Ivy
Erin Goodnow is the co-founder and CEO of Going Ivy. She is recognized as one of the leading voices on college admissions consulting, tutoring and test prep in the country. Erin is regularly featured in the media for her admissions expertise. She has been featured, covered or quoted in U.S. News & World Report, The Washington Post, Forbes, ABC News, NBC News, and many more.
Kenya McCullum
Kenya McCullum is a freelance writer with extensive experience covering topics such as education, the workplace, health, and legal issues. She has an M.A. in Communication and when she worked as a teaching assistant in graduate school, she developed a passion for helping students succeed. Since earning her master’s degree, she has combined her love of the written word with her desire to help people meet their goals—whether they want to excel in school, land their dream job, or improve their physical and mental health.
Whether students want to paint their way to scholarship funds or create a public service announcement, there are avenues for them to win funding for their education. Continue reading to find scholarship sources that ask students to make their statements using video and multimedia.
Students who want to do something to help the environment can use their ideas to win a scholarship through this contest. Applicants should create a one minute public service announcement, as well as a five- to seven-minute documentary, discussing the risks people face when living near chemical facilities and what solutions they would enact to rectify this issue.
From smoking to unsafe sex, we’ve all seen public service announcements warning us about the different dangers out there. With this scholarship, students get to use their own vision to make a PSA warning their peers about the perils of distracted driving. To enter, students should create a video no longer than three minutes and upload it to YouTube.
African-American students majoring in visual arts disciplines—such as graphic design, painting, drawing, or photography—can show off their skills and artistic abilities with this competition. In order to be considered, they should submit five original pieces of art related to the genre they are studying, as well as a resume, academic transcripts, and letters of recommendation.
Michigan students can warn their peers about the dangers of drunk driving in this video contest. In a 30-second commercial, students should use their creativity and persuasion skills to educate and entertain viewers.
The American experience is very personal for each individual, so in this scholarship competition, students are asked the question “What does it mean to be American?”. To enter, they should make a five- to six-minute video talking about a historical event, constitutional right, or national characteristic that they believe sums of the spirit of America.
High school and college students can enter this contest by creating an original birthday, holiday, or get well greeting card. To be considered, people should submit art, photos, or graphics of their card design.
Since reckless and distracted driving take the lives of so many teens, this contest asks high school students to help find a solution to this problem as they express themselves artistically. Applicants should submit a piece of art, music, or video describing strategies to end the epidemic of distracted and reckless driving. Although multimedia entries are accepted, those who have a way with words can also submit a written entry for consideration.
Anyone considering leaving litter on the road in Texas should think again: The Texas Department of Transportation is on the case and deputizing students to help combat littering around the state with this contest. To enter, students should submit an essay with photographic support of what they would do to help prevent people from messing with the environment in Texas.
How will you use your education to change the world? This is the one question students need to answer to win a full tuition scholarship through this video contest. But even though students are expected to be creative and think big, their actual videos must be brief, as submissions should be no more than one minute long.
The death of a parent can be devastating emotionally and financially, and students who have lost a parent may struggle with paying for college. This scholarship provides funds for those who have lost a parent and gives students the opportunity to share their stories with others who have been through the same experience. Applicants should submit a video or essay describing how the death of their parent has impacted their lives on a financial and emotional level.
Students who are studying photojournalism can apply for scholarships from the National Press Photographers Foundation. Applicants may be required to submit photographs or video, depending on the specific scholarship they’re interested in.
Students can combine their creativity with their desire for kindness by submitting an individual or group project expressing how to solve problems on a school, community, or worldwide level. Entrants can submit a video, app, poster, website, or message that is 140 characters or less.
For high school seniors, the prom is one of the most photographed events of the year. With this scholarship, students can take advantage of this—and show off their fashion sense—by submitting the best photos they take before, during, and after the event.
How can young people stay safe in the workplace? This contest allows California high school students to express their ideas in an artistic way by submitting a 20 x 15 inch poster that addresses the theme of "Safe Jobs for Youth."
Those who want to use their entrepreneurial spirit to address problems in the community can submit six photographs and a six-minute video describing a service project they would create. Students enrolled in a Washington Campus Compact member institution are eligible to apply for this award. Applicants must have one college sponsor and one private community sponsor submit letters of recommendation on their behalf.
This scholarship contest asks students to discuss a big issue in a byte-sized message. In order to enter, applicants should submit a 140-character message about technology addiction. The top entrants will then move on to the finals, where they will be asked to write a 500- to 1,000-word essay about technology addiction.
Budding artists can apply for this scholarship to help pay for a visual arts degree program by submitting four samples of their artwork. To qualify, students must be enrolled in a high school in the Central Ohio region.
Mississippi students don’t need to have a good luck charm or blue suede shoes to channel their inner Elvis for this scholarship. All they need to do is submit an MP4 video of them singing, dancing, or playing a musical instrument while displaying their burning love for their performance. If they impress the committee, students will get a big hunk o’love by being invited to perform in the live finals.
Navigating the world can be difficult for a teen, and there are several issues that teens face, from bullying to pregnancy prevention to self-esteem. In this scholarship contest, students can express their feelings about the problems teens face by submitting a photograph, animation, short film, sculpture, or drawing.
Whether students are interested in studying photography, sculpture, design, painting, or illustration, they can win a scholarship by putting their creativity and vision on display. Open to Ohio students, this award requires that applicants submit five original works of art to be considered.
Just as with other types of scholarship applications, students should put thought and effort into those that require video and multimedia. The following do’s and don’ts can increase students’ chances of winning these types of awards.
Although the visuals of a multimedia project are important, they won’t get students far if they don’t think about what message they’re trying to convey. “If your video has a pretty background but your words are totally generic, the visuals can't save you,” said Erin Goodnow, Co-Founder and CEO of Going Ivy. “Brainstorm what you will say or the piece of music or art you will feature. Then worry about the location or the packaging.”
Generally, video applications have a time limit, so after students have outlined what they want to say, they need to practice their script to ensure they don’t exceed the time specified by the scholarship guidelines.
“No one needs a tour of your home or location unless it plays a valuable role in communicating your message or theme,” said Pam Andrews, CEO of The Scholarship Shark. “In other words, it tends to be easier to understand and follow a video submission if you are keeping the camera steady and focused in one place.”
While students should carefully plan what they want to say, they should not read a script in their video. Instead, they should be as natural as possible, while making sure to speak slowly enough to be understood and loudly enough to be heard.
When using a large camera, students should place it on a level surface or tripod to keep it steady. Unless they’re creating a short film where the shaky cam technique is appropriate, they want to avoid making the scholarship committee feel like they’re in the middle of a bad found footage horror movie.
Just as students should practice to make sure their script does not go over the time limit, they should also test the lighting and sound to produce a high-quality video. “In your test shots, analyze the light and audio to ensure they provide the best overall functionality for you,” said Andrews. “You want to make yourself look as natural as possible.”
The background should complement the message of the video, not distract from it. Things like a messy floor or loud colors can take away from what the student is saying, so it’s best to film in front of a plain backdrop.
Although students should work hard to produce the best scholarship application possible, they don’t have to worry about being perfect. “When applying for scholarships, students should be authentic: Life doesn't always have to be pretty or airbrushed,” said Goodnow. “Show what is true to you and explain why it's worth considering.”
No matter who students are or what they’re interested in studying, chances are there’s a scholarship opportunity that’s perfect for them. The following are some additional guides to help students find funding for their college dreams.
Far from the run of the mill scholarships that students are used to seeing, these unique opportunities include awards for everything from duck calling contests to zombie apocalypse survival plans.
Students who are working on STEM-related degrees can find scholarships, grants, and fellowships on this page.
Whether they want to study business, education, or mathematics, there’s scholarship information for all female college students who read this comprehensive guide.
This guide lists scholarships for those with various disabilities, including autism, speech disorders, and visual impairments.