5 Scholarship Opportunities for Dancers

Everyone knows that college can be very expensive. Fortunately, dancers in the U.S. can apply for general scholarships designed for students studying all fields. Additionally, scholarships specifically for dancers can help lighten the financial load of higher education. The majority of these scholarships are school-specific, but here are 5 scholarship opportunities for dancers that can be used at most colleges, universities, and dance programs.

1. YoungARTS Scholarship

The youngARTS scholarship program, hosted by the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts, is probably the most well-known scholarship program for dancers. Each year, the program awards scholarships that range from $250 to $10,000 to 150 dancers. There is a $25-35 fee to register with the youngARTS program, but most participants agree that applying is worth the time and money, as everyone who applies is included in the NFAA’s Scholarhip List Service. The Scholarship List Service provides colleges and professional schools with the names of all students registered with youngARTS, so having one’s name on the list provides an extra advantage when applying for other dance and art scholarships.

2. Harlequin Dance Scholarship

For students 15 to 21 years old who are currently enrolled in some sort of dance program, the Harlequin Dance Scholarship is another great option. Each year, the American Harlequin Corporation awards a total of $25,000 in the form 20 scholarships that range from $500 to $5,000. Students applying for this scholarship must submit a letter of nomination from a current dance instructor. Scholarships are awarded based on a drawing of all nominated dancers.

3. Princess Grace Awards

For students who have already been dancing at a non-profit school for at least a year, the Princess Grace Awards is a great option. This organization sends scholarship funds directly to the schools where dancers are already enrolled, and may be used towards tuition costs only. Princess Grace grants generally range from $5,000 to $25,000, which is dependent primarily upon each student’s individual financial abilities and tuition costs.

4. Jessica Karrat Dance Scholarship Fund

The Jessica Karrat Dance Scholarship Fund also provides college tuition grants, and is applicable towards all two- and four-year colleges and universities along with all dance schools in the United States. This scholarship is in memory of Jessica Karrat, a dancer who passed away in a car accident at the age of 13. Because this is a memorial grant, large funds aren’t available, but a minimum of one $500 grant is awarded each year to a happy dancer with big talent and even bigger dreams.

5. Worldstudio AIGA Scholarship

Editor’s note: It has come to our attention that The Worldstudio AIGA scholarship program does NOT offer scholarship to dancers, but focuses on the visual arts.

We regret the previous error made in this post, as Dance Advantage strives to provide the most accurate information possible with the resources available to us. However, please keep in mind, whenever you are surfing the net, that information on websites from entertainment to educationally focused is offered AS IS. Always verify the accuracy of claims, as blogs in particular are prone to outdated information and are not peer-reviewed journals. 

Special thanks to our guest contributor for compiling this list: Louise Baker ranks online degrees for Zen College Life. She most recently wrote about the best colleges online.

Have you been the recipient of a scholarship award for dance?

If you know of other programs that offer financial awards to dancers, share it with readers in the comments.

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