6 Awesome Poetry Scholarships to Save You Thousands on College

Are you a budding poet? Do you want to save money on college tuition? Then here’s your answer: six awards given to high school and college students who are talented creative writers with a knack for verse. Ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars, these scholarships will help you fund your education, whether you want to study poetry or pursue another passion. So get writing!

6 Poetry Scholarships to Save You Money on College

1. Scholastic Art & Writing Awards

Amount: $10,000

Deadline: Varies according to specific scholarship and region

Eligibility: Grades 7-12

Application Requirements: Collections may consist of 1-5 poems, including prose poetry, free verse, formal poetry, song lyrics, and spoken word.

Scholastic offers numerous awards, including scholarships specifically for young poets, designated for top Awards recipients. The organization also partners with higher learning institutions to offer scholarships to college-bound Scholastic recipients. Additionally, five students will be selected as literary ambassadors as part of the National Student Poets Program, in which they will have the opportunity to showcase their work and be role models to other young creatives.

2. National High School Poetry Contest

Amount: $2,500

Deadline: Continuous (each quarter has a specific deadline)

Eligibility: All high school students

Application Requirements: Poems must consist of 20 lines or fewer and be unpublished. Limited to one poem per entrant per 90-day period.

In addition to the top winner receiving a cumulative award of $2,500, smaller awards of $100-500 will be given. Winners will also be offered publication in JUST POETRY!!!, a national poetry quarterly, and some may be selected for topical anthologies.

3. The Pablo Neruda Prize for Poetry

Amount: $1,000 or $2,000

Deadline: April 15 (2020 deadline)

Eligibility: Students who are high school seniors or older

Application Requirements: Students must submit 3-10 pages containing one or more unpublished poems. You must also pay a $20 submission fee, which also gives you access to a one-year subscription to the University of Tulsa’s Nimrod International Journal of Prose and Poetry. 

Sponsored by the University of Tulsa, this contest honors the legacy of Pablo Nerdua, a great Chilean 20th-century poet and diplomat. The first- and second-place winners will receive $2,000 and $1,000 respectively in scholarship money and be published in the University of Tulsa’s Nimrod International Journal of Prose and Poetry. Winners will also attend the Awards Ceremony and Writing Conference in Tulsa.

4. 1800wheelchair.com Scholarship

Amount: $500

Deadline: May 30

Eligibility: Students must be 16 years or older and currently enrolled at an accredited high school (final year), college, or university in the United States. They must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 or the equivalent.

Application Requirements: There is no formal application. Submit your materials via traditional mail to:

1800wheelchair.com Scholarship

515 Canal St,

Suite 1C

New York, NY 10013

Include your contact information and a written response to the prompt: 

Please submit a ‘visual poem’, in a style of your choosing, on the theme of overcoming a personal challenge. Limit your ‘visual poem’ to an 8.5in x 11in piece of paper. You can choose to represent words, images, or both. It can be abstract or representational. Please include a personal statement that gives us an idea of who you are and how your poem relates to a challenge you’ve faced. The poem and essay (combined) should be between 500 and 1,000 words, but feel free to write a little more or less.

Since 2006, 1800wheelchair has offered up to two awards annually. Prompts address topics such as mobility issues on a college campus, overcoming personal challenges, and more. Applicants are not required to have a physical disability or ability to enter.

5. Ruth Lily and Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Poetry Fellowships

Amount: $25,800

Deadline: April 30

Eligibility: Open to U.S. poets ages 21-31

Application Requirements: 250-word introduction to your work, 10 pages of poems, and publication list .

Sponsored by the Poetry Foundation and Poetry Magazine, the Ruth Lily and Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Poetry Fellowships are intended to encourage young poets in studying and writing poetry. Five scholarships are awarded annually.

6. Easter Scholarship

Amount: $1,000

Deadline: April 30

Eligibility: Applicants must be 18 years or older at the time of application and be enrolled in an accredited post-secondary institution of higher learning, including college, university, or trade school. They must be legal U.S residents.

Application Requirements: Applicants must submit an essay, poem, or limerick describing what they like or dislike about Easter.

Sponsored by MoneySolver, this scholarship may be used toward your education or student loan payments. One winner will be selected annually and notified by phone or email around June 30.

Tips for Applying to Scholarships

When you’re applying for scholarships, you should make an effort to play to your strengths while still casting a wide net. If you’re a talented poet, chances are, you can apply your writing skills to other genres. Search for scholarships for which the essay or written portion is weighed heavily (there are many like this out there) geared toward different niches or demographics, such as people with your background, ethnicity, religious or gender identity, or interests.

Do your research early, and keep track of prospective scholarships, their deadlines, and materials you need to assemble in a tracker, such as a Google spreadsheet. This will help you ensure you have everything in order and don’t miss any key dates. Make sure you’re thorough and proofread carefully as well.

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