Weird College Scholarships

Let's say you've researched all the typical scholarships and funding opportunities available to you through federal and state providers, as well as scholarships available through colleges, universities, and private sources. However, you are still looking for additional scholarships for which you may be eligible to further cut the out-of-pocket cost of attending an institute of higher learning. You may qualify for an unusual or weird scholarship that many people have never even heard of, depending on your unique hobbies or field of interest.

Weird scholarships are incredibly diverse and pertain to any number of unusual topics. Are you interested in psychic phenomena? For those that are studying parapsychology or conducting research in the field, the Parapsychology Foundation offers grants, such as the Eileen J. Garrett Scholarship, for undergrads and graduate students to help complete such a degree program. If you can knit, sew, or crochet, you can enter the Make It Yourself With Wool Contest, sponsored by the American Sheep Industry Association. Winners at the national level may receive either $1,000 or $2,000 scholarships.

Believe it or not, the Klingon Language Institute even offers a scholarship. The Kor Memorial Scholarship is offered for undergraduate or graduate students who are devoted to some sort of language study, and no, it does not have to be Klingon (for the uninitiated, Klingon is a fictional language from the Star Trek universe). A $500 scholarship is awarded annually for a student pursuing a degree program in the study of languages, and creativity in the application process is encouraged. As you can see, weird scholarships can come from most unlikely of places.

List of Weird Scholarships

• American Association of Candy Technologists John Kitt Memorial Scholarship — $5,000 (broken down into two installments) given to a college sophomore, junior, or senior with a demonstrated interest in confectionary technology (technology that makes candies and other sweets). Relevant majors include food science, chemical science, biological science, and related areas.


• Mycological Society of America Graduate Fellowships — Promising graduate students in mycology (the study of fungi) have the opportunity to win awards and fellowships of $1,000 and $2,000.


• National Potato Council Scholarship — $5,000 awarded to one graduate student studying agribusiness with an emphasis in the potato industry.


• The Duck Brand Duct Tape "Stuck at Prom" Scholarship Contest — High school students compete in a contest that requires the use of creativity in making prom attire out of duct tape, as well as wearing it. Top prizes are $5,000, $3,000, and $2,000 scholarships for first, second, and third place, while runners-up get $500 prizes.

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Paying for school is not easy, but we are here to help. OEDb's student finance section will help you find the money you need to pay your tuition and other college expenses. We cover scholarships, college grants, and student loans. Scholarships and grants are both forms of "free money", meaning they don't need to be paid back. Scholarships are typically awarded by businesses or individuals, with the money being earmarked specifically for tuition. They can be awarded based on a student's location or by religious affiliation, such as Catholicism or Islam. Grants are typically awarded by governments or non-profit organizations and the money often can be applied to several different expenses a student may incur, not solely tuition. They can be awarded based on location or ethnicity, for instance African American or Hispanic. Loans are not considered "free money", because unlike scholarships and grants, they do need to be paid back after graduation. Common federal loans include Perkins and Stafford. Loans are also available by location.