Niche $25,000 No Essay Scholarship
Updated: June 1, 2026

Film Scholarships

However practical and fulfilling it may be, a film degree is still expensive. While federal aid and student loans can help you shoulder the burden of your film school bills, taking on too much debt can limit your post-graduation prospects and make it hard to get your film career off the ground. Luckily, there are a number of film scholarships to help you pay for school.

The 25 Best Film Scholarships with Approaching Deadlines in 2026

  • 1

  • The James Alan Cox Foundation for Student Photojournalists

  • Amount$2,500
  • DeadlineNovember 15, 2026

The James Alan Cox Foundation for Student Photojournalists awards scholarships to photographers and videographers at the high school, undergraduate, and graduate school levels. A variety of scholarships are available; the maximum award value is $2,500. High school winners will receive digital cameras rather than a monetary prize. Scholarship Details College-level and graduate school

  • 2

  • Betty Harlan Memorial Art Scholarship

  • AmountVaries
  • DeadlineFebruary 1, 2027

The Betty Harlan Memorial Art Scholarship provides educational resources to students pursuing a degree in the visual arts. Applicants must answer the essay prompt: "Considering the background and criteria of this scholarship, why are you the best candidate? Discuss your involvement in organizations and activities that focus on the visual arts." This scholarship has certain eligibility

  • 3

  • Austin Alliance for Women in Media Scholarship

  • Amount$5,000
  • DeadlineFebruary 28, 2027

AWM Austin is proud to award a scholarship to a college sophomore or junior studying media or a related field at a university in the Austin area (within a 40-mile radius from Austin). Consideration will also be given to students attending other colleges who graduated from an Austin area high school and maintain an Austin area permanent address. The scholarship will be awarded in April to be used

  • 4

  • CBC Spouses Visual Arts Scholarship

  • Amount$5,000
  • DeadlineMarch 27, 2027

The CBC Spouses Visual Arts Scholarship supports full-time Black scholars pursuing degrees in visual arts fields such as architecture, ceramics, drawing, fashion, graphic design, illustration, painting, photography, video production, and other decorative arts. This scholarship aims to empower talented individuals to achieve their academic and professional goals in visual arts. Scholarship

  • 5

  • Jack G. Shaheen Mass Communications Scholarship Award

  • Amount$5,000
  • DeadlineApril 12, 2027

The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) is proud to honor seven inspiring Arab American storytellers who are challenging dominant narratives and uplifting their communities through journalism, film, and media. Scholarship Details Award amount is $5,000 Recognizes Arab-American students pursuing media-related fields Supports majors in Journalism, Television, Radio,

  • 6

  • Francis D. Lyon Fellowship

  • AmountVaries
  • DeadlineMay 31, 2027

Francis D. “Pete” Lyon, UCLA ’28, was a distinguished director, producer and editor of motion pictures and television. He won 1947’s Academy Award for Best Film Editing for Body and Soul. Brother Lyon’s graduate fellowship is awarded to students of film making. Scholarship Details Graduate fellowship awarded annually Supports students pursuing advanced degrees in filmmaking

You can read through the examples on this page to get an idea of some of the film scholarships available to film students. Some are merit scholarships specifically for film majors, while others are video contests open to everyone. Your college may offer some film scholarships specifically for majors. There are numerous other film scholarship opportunities out there, too, both based on your major and on other award criteria. To find a full list of scholarships you may qualify for based on your unique characteristics, conduct a free scholarship search on Scholarships.com.