Top 30+ Scholarships for Actors 2023|Requirements & How to Apply

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Are you an aspiring actor who wishes to gain relevant degrees that could improve your career? If yes, then this article on scholarships for actors will be very beneficial to you.

In this article, you will find a list of acting scholarships, as well as a list of degrees to go for as an actor.

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Interestingly, these acting scholarships are also available for international students.

After reading this article and putting the knowledge you gain from it into practice, I am sure you will be able to get a scholarship fast.

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So, if you are ready to gain this scholarship for actors, here are the full details below about these full-ride theatre scholarships.

Read More: Best Acting Schools in New Jersey | Best Rankings

Scholarships for Actors 2023

Notwithstanding how much natural ability actors and actresses may have, numerous advantages originate from formal training.

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A college education is an incredible method of picking up information and experience identified with your art and can be instrumental in producing the connections that lead to your enormous break.

Obtaining an advanced degree through college education can be fraught with complications, particularly funding.

Fortunately, there are acting scholarships to assist you with idealizing your abilities without getting a lot of student loan debt.

Many individuals seeking professions in the fine arts are pushed by an enthusiasm for the arts more than everything else.

Handling a vocation in the theater or the entertainment business can be overwhelming and abhorrent. In this profoundly aggressive industry, financial aid is indeed urged to help bolster those artistic endeavors. Despite the challenge, numerous associations are ready to assist people with achieving their fantasies.

To help brief your association in the performing arts, here are a couple of scholarship opportunities for acting students.

Many acting scholarships are school-specific; however, numerous network and association explicit grants exist.

You can discover all the more acting scholarships, just as scholarships depend on your different abilities and interests, through a free school scholarship search.

Related: Top 12 Best Acting Schools in the World| Requirements, Cost & How to Apply| A Full Guide

Can you get a Scholarship for Acting

Yes, you can get a scholarship for acting, but you have to be very hardworking.

Your hard work has to come to play because acting is a very challenging and competitive career.

So, aside from having a fantastic talent for acting, to get a scholarship, you have to be very dedicated as well.

What Degree is Best for Acting?

After graduating from high school, you do not necessarily have to obtain a bachelor’s degree if you want to become an actor.

However, attending a relevant degree program can polish your acting skills and help you stand out during an audition.

If you want to become an actor, some degrees offer valuable knowledge to people like you.

  • Theatre act degree
  • Drama degree
  • Film degree
  • Musical theatre degree
  • Costume design degree
  • Stage management
  • Screenwriting degree
  • Direction/theatre production
  • Theatre history degree
  • Media studies degree

Any of these degree programs will also widen your knowledge of acting and entertainment.

Scholarships-for-Actors-2020

Find Scholarships to Study Abroad in 2023

Click on any of the following countries to find scholarships for your study abroad destination choice.

To find more scholarships in 2023, visit our scholarship search engine at https://www.academicrelated.com/.

Check Also: Best Acting Schools in Michigan

Top 30+ Scholarships for Actors 2023-2024

Here are the lists of the top 30 film scholarships in 2023-2024. These acting scholarships can be taken in different European countries. Don’t miss out.

  • Austin College Theatre Scholarship
  • GRCF Grand Rapids Combined Theatre Scholarship
  • Iowa Scholarships for the Arts
  • Loyola University Merit Scholarships
  • Barbizon College Tuition Scholarship
  • CBC Spouses Heineken USA Scholarship
  • Chicago Drama League Retention Scholarship
  • Donna Reed Foundation Scholarships
  • Elaine Sirkin Forbes Scholarship
  • ETSU Diversity in Acting Scholarship
  • George Heller Memorial Scholarship
  • Grand Rapids Combined Theatre Scholarship
  • Henry and Joyce W. Sumid Scholarship
  • Heroes and Legends Scholarship
  • Irene Ryan Acting Scholarships
  • Jean Scharfenberg Scholarship
  • Johnny Depp Scholarship Program
  • Kevin Corrigan Scholarship for Young Actors
  • King Family Undergraduate Scholarships
  • M. Josephine O’Neil Arts Award
  • NATAS Pacific Southwest Scholarships
  • Ossie Davis Scholars Program
  • Richard C. and Joyce J. Hannon Scholarship
  • Rising Star in Production Scholarship
  • Stein Family Scholarship Fund
  • Utah Theatre Association Scholarships
  • Virginia Budge Fine Arts Award
  • Vivian Klemz Memorial Scholarship

Before you continue, you may want to open this How to Become an Actor on a new tab.

Get the necessary acting requirement and the best guide

#1. Austin College Theatre Scholarship

Application Deadline: January 31st

Amount: $4,000

This is one of the scholarships for actors and is granted to students with talent in theater art, both for those who intend to major or minor in theater and those who don’t expect to major or minor in theater.

A set number of scholarship awards are accessible every year and are granted yearly. To be considered a candidate, candidates must have a live audition or portfolio introduction and meet with theater faculty in the late winter of their senior year.

This award is sustainable every year with the endorsement of the director of the theater office stipulating a student has satisfied acceptable performance desires.

It might interest you to make further findings about this scholarship. If that is the case, it would be ideal for you to visit the grant supplier’s site.

#2. GRCF Grand Rapids Combined Theatre Scholarship

Application Deadline: March 22nd

Amount: $2,000

Being one of the scholarships for acting, this scholarship fund was established in 1985 to grant school grants to students seeking after study in theater arts. Candidates must be enrolled full-time in an accredited school or training program, with a preference for theater arts majors.

Also See: Top 10 Best Acting Schools in Italy

#3. Iowa Scholarships for the Arts

Application Deadline: August 21st

Amount: $1,500

Iowa Scholarship for the Arts is one of the scholarships for actors. Apply for a $1,500 grant to help bolster your future education in theatre arts.

You should be an extraordinary Iowa secondary school senior who exceeds expectations and is committed to seeking training and a vocation in the arts. You should plan to go to school in Iowa and major in fine arts.

#4. Loyola University Merit Scholarships

Application Deadline: October 20th

Amount: $14,000

Scholarships for first-year students from other schools depend on exceptional scholastic records, competitive test scores, and critical network contributions. Talent-based scholarships are additionally accessible in music, theater arts, and visual arts. Students are consequently considered for institutional merit-based scholarships when they apply for admission.

These acting scholarship awards depend exclusively on scholarly legitimacy as identified in the application procedure and don’t require an interview.

Check Also: Top 10 Best Acting Schools in Germany

#5. Barbizon College Tuition Scholarship

Deadline: December 1st

Barbizon Modeling and Acting International LLC offer a gigantic College Tuition Scholarship for $100,000 to cater for four years of advanced education.

Confident entrants must be high school seniors in the U.S. who will study full-time at accredited senior universities and colleges.

Lawful U.S. occupants who aren’t subsidiaries of Barbizon or its publicizing offices could be chosen in the irregular drawing.

#6. CBC Spouses Heineken USA Scholarship

Deadline: April 21st

The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Spouses Foundation, founded in 2000 with Curtis Mayfield’s support, organizes the Heineken USA Scholarship, which awards $3,000 to African American youth yearly.

There is a reservation of financing for full-time college students of color who maintain an aggregate GPA of at least 2.5 in performing arts majors, including acting, drama, and theater.

Applications must feature two electronic suggestions, a 500-word individual articulation, and a two-minute video audition.

Related Post: Top 10 Best Acting Schools in Germany

#7. Chicago Drama League Retention Scholarship

Deadline: February 1st

At Columbia College Chicago, the Student Financial Services (SFS) Office makes the Chicago Drama League Retention Scholarship available for $1,500 to the continuation of a full-time undergrad theatre student studying acting.

Qualification criteria require having finished 12+ credits at Columbia, getting a total GPA of at least 3.0, showing money-related need on the FAFSA, having added to the productions of the Theatre Department, and presenting a few-page essay.

#8. Donna Reed Foundation Scholarships

Deadline: May 31st

The Donna Reed Foundation is named after the Academy Award-winning actress known for showing up in It’s a Wonderful Life and From Here to Eternity and has been granted merit-based scholarships since 1986. For $1,000, Iowa secondary school seniors must study drama and act in official school productions.

Other qualifications include acceptance at an accredited United States school, keeping up with a GPA of at least 3.0, and making available, an excellent video sample of their abilities in acting.

Here are the Top 12 Best Acting Schools in the World

#9. Elaine Sirkin Forbes Scholarship

Deadline: April 1st

Belonging to the NSPA, The Pittsburgh Foundation manages over 260 funds, including the Elaine Sirkin Forbes Scholarship for $500 to $2,000 each year. To qualify, graduating high school seniors from Pennsylvania’s Allegheny County must pursue two- or four-year degrees in the visual or performance arts, like acting.

Applications are incomplete without a transcript showing a minimum 2.5 GPA, the Student Aid Report (SAR), a one-page personal essay, and two reference letters.

#10. ETSU Diversity in Acting Scholarship

Deadline: March 1st

At East Tennessee State University, the Division of Theatre and Dance allows the Diversity in Acting Scholarship to freshmen and continuing undergraduates who are active theatre majors.

Actors interested in applying for this scholarship must have a minimum major GPA of at least 3.0, audition for a primary job in faculty-directed productions, give 10+ hours each week to work on stage, and complete an auditorium course every semester. Applying involves performing two contrasting monologues on video.

You might want to see this: Top 10 Best Acting Schools in South Korea

#11. George Heller Memorial Scholarship

Deadline: March 15th

This scholarship is one of the scholarships for actors. It is awarded by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) Foundation in honor of one of its originators by presenting the George Heller Memorial Scholarship for up to $2,500 yearly.

Qualified individuals and their lawful wards can use financing for educational costs and charges at accredited United States higher learning institutions, including acting schools. Actors seeking cutting-edge performing arts training could pursue the John L. Dales Transitional Scholarship.

#12. Grand Rapids Combined Theatre Scholarship

Deadline: April 1st

Being one of the theater scholarships, its worth is $2,000. This film scholarship remains among the many assets overseen by the Grand Rapids Community Foundation for $1,000 yearly.

It’s held for hopeful actors from Michigan who are enrolled as full-time theater or performing arts majors at accredited United States colleges. To be selected for this scholarship award, the following are considered: students’ scholarly merit, involvement with the community theater scene, money-related needs, letters of recommendation, and expert artistic potential.

Read More: Top 10 Best Acting Schools in China |

#13. Henry and Joyce W. Sumid Scholarship

Deadline: April 30th

This scholarship is sponsored by Pasadena Playhouse Alumni & Associates, known for training notable actors like Dustin Hoffman and Gene Hackman.

The Pasadena Playhouse Alumni and Associates motivate another generation with the $5,000 Henry and Joyce W. Sumid Scholarship every year.

From the associate to the master’s level, this scholarship award helps inhabitants of Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Washington study theatre arts. Actors must present a transcript showing a GPA of at least 3.0, a resume of jobs, and a theatre educator’s recommendation.

#14. Heroes and Legends Scholarship

Deadline: June 17th

Being one of the best movie theater scholarships, it is awarded by Janie Bradford to help in danger minority youth who exhibit unprecedented ability and drive for performing arts professions, including acting.

Eligible candidates must be United States citizens between 17 and 26 years of age, reside or study in Southern California, attend accredited schools or community-based training facilities, reliably earn a GPA of at least 2.0, and fill in as good positive examples.

Read Also: Top 10 Best Acting Schools in Japan | Ranking

#15. Irene Ryan Acting Scholarships

Deadline: December 15th

The University/Resident Theater Association (URTA) is in partnership with the Kennedy Center to award 16 territorial and two national Irene Ryan Acting Scholarships.

The scholarship worth ranges from $500 to $5,000 and helps model student entertainers at accredited United States institutions who settle on acting decisions and have clear objectives in the entertainment world.

Three rounds of live auditions are a requirement, including a differentiating two-man scene and monologue or solo melodic number.

#16. Jean Scharfenberg Scholarship

Deadline: April 30th

This scholarship was established in 1993 and is awarded annually by the Illinois State University School of Theater to help actors with $500 to $1,000.

Qualified theatre majors are mandated to be seniors or MFA applicants, register for 12+ scholarly hours per semester, possess an ISU average of at least 2.5, take part in primary or secondary stage productions, show a solid, hardworking attitude, and start an expert acting profession.

You might find this interesting: Top 10 Best Acting Schools in South Africa | Ranking

#17. Johnny Depp Scholarship Program

Deadline: June 1st

This scholarship is offered by the Lee Strasberg Theater and Film Institute and happens to be one of the three yearly scholarships awarded with respect to the Pirates of the Caribbean star.

It’s intended for domestic students over 18 who are entering full-time study at the New York or West Hollywood campus of the Two-Year Conservatory with a GPA of at least 2.5.

Applications for the fall semester must incorporate a headshot, an acting resume, an official transcript, and two recommendations.

#18. Kevin Corrigan Scholarship for Young Actors

Deadline: October 31st

This scholarship is one of the ones for actors and is named after the Bronx native with more than 149 acting credits in Goodfellas and The Departed.

This acting scholarship award is given out by the Lee Strasberg Theater and Film Institute annually. It’s available to non-matriculated youngster actors somewhere in the range of 12 and 17 years of age who are from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.

Financing enables the talented next generation to support further study in acting, including higher education.

Check this also: Top 10 Best Acting Schools in Spain |

#19. King Family Undergraduate Scholarships

Deadline: April 1st

The Charles and Lucille King Family Foundation is a New Jersey-based philanthropic organization established in 1988 that has made $7,000 in undergraduate scholarships available to help school-year juniors and seniors looking for professions in TV and acting.

Full-time students at accredited, four-year U.S. colleges are assessed depending on their scholarly excellence, media industry experience, budgetary need, and exhibited potential. The Foundation’s $10,000 Heinemann Award for New York University students is also.

#20. M. Josephine O’Neil Arts Award

Deadline: March 1st

The M. Josephine O’Neil Arts Award is given out in honor of the Lambda State Executive Board member who passed away at 100 years of age and is sponsored by the Illinois Chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International.

The scholarships are worth $6,000 each year. Interested ladies should be lawful residents of Illinois, approach their junior year at accredited U.S. schools, declare arts majors like acting or drama, and receive a recommendation by a Lambda State chapter.

Read More: Top 10 Best Acting Schools In France | Ranking

#21. NATAS Pacific Southwest Scholarships

Deadline: March 31st

The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) Pacific Southwest Chapter is worth $500 to $5,000 each and is awarded to full-time undergrad and graduate students.

Applications are just accepted from chapter-affiliated regions, including Las Vegas, San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Palm Springs.

Qualified acting majors must take 6+ units per term at accredited schools, show outstanding academic records, plan professions in TV, and require monetary help.

#22. Ossie Davis Scholars Program

Deadline: January 31st

This scholarship program is administered by the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) to give up to $6,800 to pay tribute to the American Theater Hall of Famer and civil rights activists.

African American freshmen interested in attending accredited, four-year HBCUs can apply for different majors, including theater, show, acting, and performing arts.

Chosen scholars must be lawful U.S. residents, hold a CGPA of at least 3.0, and use artistic activism to better human life.

Check: Top 10 Best Acting Schools In London | Ranking

#23. Richard C. and Joyce J. Hannon Scholarship

Deadline: March 1st

The Richard C. and Joyce J. Hannon Scholarship is one of the scholarships for actors and is offered by the Stark Community Foundation (SCF), located in Canton, Ohio.

The scholarship worth offered to help Carrollton High School graduates in their artistic pursuits varies.

Satisfactory majors incorporate music, acting, dramatization, theater expressions, discourse, broadcasting, and film production.

Hopeful candidates should be admitted into a licensed four-year college, show scholastic merit with a Grade Point Average of at least 2.5, and be part of school exhibitions.

#24. Rising Star in Production Scholarship

Deadline: June 15th

This scholarship is offered by Levy Production Group, which happens to be the largest video filming facility in Las Vegas. This scholarship is worth $1,000 and is awarded to young adults who have pursued careers in acting, screenwriting, directing, sound design, animation, and cinematography for making films.

Qualification criteria incorporate being at least a freshman, attending accredited U.S. post-secondary schools, sustaining an aggregate GPA above 3.0, and composing a statement about their need for financial assistance.

See Also: Best Acting Schools in Atlanta | All You Need to Know

#25. Stein Family Scholarship Fund

Deadline: January 31st

This acting scholarship is sponsored by the Hawaii Community Foundation (HCF), which distributes $4.5 million annually through more than 200 private, state-based funds, including the Stein Family Scholarship.

Students from West Hawaii who are on a full-time study program at an accredited, nonprofit United States university with a CGPA of at least 2.7 and an unmet need for financial assistance could qualify. Preference is given to first-generation students and students majoring in performing arts like theatre and acting.

#26. Utah Theatre Association Scholarships

Deadline: November 23rd

A Utah Theatre Association scholarship worth $3,000 is made available to actors, singers, dancers, and playwrights who attend auditions organized by the Utah Theatre Association for their performing arts training.

Universities that frequently take part include Brigham Young, Idaho State, Central Washington, Southern Utah, and Dixie State, yet secondary school seniors seeking any accredited U.S. school are welcome.

Audition packages must incorporate 25 resumes and headshots for the judges’ review while candidates perform two contrasting monologs.

See this: Best Acting Schools in California |

#27. Virginia Budge Fine Arts Award

Deadline: April 17th

The Virginia Budge Fine Arts Award is worth $500 and is named after the anecdotal character portrayed by writer Bridget Ossmann in Teachers Left Behind. It is offered to Ohioans from Butler County who display uncommon ability and inventiveness.

Qualified candidates must be at least 12 years of age, seek drama or art classes, and expect to make beauty in different media like acting.

#28. Vivian Klemz Memorial Scholarship

Deadline: January 29th

The Vivian Klemz Memorial Drama Scholarship is awarded by Ventura County Community Foundation (VCCF) awards for at least $500 every year to Californians who innovatively exceed expectations in the visual and performing arts, for example, acting.

From Thousand Oaks to Santa Paula, inhabitants are applying to satisfy money-related requirements for attending accredited, four-year arts institutes across the country. Online applications are regarded as fragmented without a recent transcript, resume, tax return, and complete 700-word individual exposition.

Editor’s Pick: 10+ Best Acting Schools in California | Best Rankings

Conclusion: Scholarship for Actors

If you want to become an actor, you should apply for more than one of these scholarships.

The reason for applying for more than one Is to increase your chances of getting at least one.

Landing yourself any of these scholarships and successfully running the program will boost your acting career.

Here are some of our recommended posts you can check out alongside these scholarships for actors 2023-2024

If you like this article, then subscribe to our weekly scholarship update. There you will be able to receive scholarships you can apply for in 2023.

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