6 Photography Scholarships to Embrace Your Hobby and Enhance Your Skills

Photography programs are offered around the world at the associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s level of study. Students in photography programs learn how to stage photography shoots, use lighting techniques, and operate cameras. Students in these degree programs are taught how to use traditional film and digital media. While, usually, two-year associate degree programs introduce students to the basics of photography, such as lighting and camera operation, bachelor’s and master’s programs offer more advanced courses in photojournalism, digital photography, and photo editing. The two latter degree programs can also provide hands-on experiences in on-campus and off-campus settings, such as studios or newspaper offices.

If you have a passion for photography, willing to enhance your photography skills, and are seeking financial support for your studies, you may want to read the following photography scholarship overviews. Who knows you’ll find one that you may be eligible to apply for.

Cambridge Summer Institute Photography Scholarship

The Cambridge Summer Institute offers programs for university and college students as well as graduates who will spend an unforgettable summer studying abroad in Cambridge, UK. This course has an age limit of 28 and delegates must be students at a university. You’ll have the opportunity to live in university dorms, study in a lecture room, and enjoy breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Cambridge Summer Institute offers a wide variety of topics and courses to choose from where all lectures are given by qualified lecturers, tutors, doctors, and university professors at Magdalene College, a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.

The offered courses in the Cambridge Summer Institute program are as the following:

• International Business & Management Program
• International Relations & Politics Program
• History Program
• Engineering Program
• Natural Science – Biochemistry Program

Each summer session is two weeks long and students will take part in intensive lectures based on the course topic chosen. In addition to lectures, the program is balanced with many social events and activities, such as excursions to famous places and historical landmarks.

By taking part in the Cambridge Summer Institute, you will not only learn but also meet life-long friends from around the world while gaining an insight into British culture. Besides that, you might as well get the opportunity to receive scholarships.

The Cambridge Summer Institute offers a photography scholarship to participating students who enjoy taking pictures. A student will be chosen to be the official class photographer. If you are successful, you will receive 100 GBP off your tuition fee upon completion of your session.

To be eligible for the photography scholarship, all you need is to have a passion for photography and a good-quality digital camera. Unfortunately, pictures taken on a mobile phone will not be accepted.

Once you’ve been declared as the class photographer, it will be all up to you. You can capture the serious study moments, the silly game moments, and the slightly emotional farewell moments. Once you’re finished, share your photographs with the Cambridge Summer Institute. You can do this with an SD memory card, or a USB, or contact the Institute for other ways to share. You can also share your photographs on Instagram.

The Institute will use your photographs in two ways – upload the best ones on to Facebook in your session’s album along with the Welcome Reception and Farewell Dinner photos. Also, your photographs will be used on the Cambridge Summer Institute website, in their photo fields, and on their brochures.

To apply for this photography scholarship, send an email to apply@cambridgesummerinstitute.com. Visit the Cambridge Summer Institute website to learn more.

Bodie McDowell Scholarship

Outdoor Writers Association of America Inc. (OWAA) sponsors a Bodie McDowell Scholarship program for tomorrow’s communicators. The Bodie McDowell Scholarship program is open to all college students from all communications and journalism disciplines and all schools. The scholarships are usually given annually to three or more students. Annual distribution varies, but individual awards can range from $1,000 to $5,000.

To be eligible for the Bodie McDowell Scholarship, candidates should have clear, significant goals in outdoor communications, examples of work, and letters of recommendation. Academic achievement is considered but is not among the top three selection criteria.

Recipients must be students of outdoor communications fields including print, photography, film and tape media, art, or broadcasting. This scholarship program is open to eligible undergraduate and graduate students.

You can submit your application and supplemental materials in hard copy or digitally.

• For hardcopy submissions, mail your application to OWAA Bodie McDowell Scholarship, 2814 Brooks St., Box 442, Missoula, MT 59801
• For digital submissions, email your materials to info@owaa.org. if files are too large to email, you can use Dropbox or other file-sharing programs.

Click here to download the application form and to learn more about the Bodie McDowell Scholarship.

Janie Moore Greene Scholarship Grant

The Nanpa Foundation is awarding a Janie Moore Greene Scholarship Grant to a student currently enrolled in, or who has been accepted to, an institution of higher education specializing in the study of photography. The scholarship is valued at $1,000.

Application requirements for the Janie Moore Greene Scholarship Grant are as the following:

• Currently, be enrolled in, or have been accepted to, an institution of higher education specializing in the study of photography. This includes 2-year or 4-year colleges, art/design schools, or photography schools.
• Undergraduate and graduate students are welcome to apply.
• The scholarship award will be paid directly to the institution of higher education at which the student is or will be enrolled.
• Relatives of members of the Selection Committee are ineligible for this award.

To apply, complete and submit the online application form. All applications must be submitted online. No mailed applications will be accepted. Be sure to attach all relevant materials to your online application.

Visit the Janie Moore Greene Scholarship Grant web page for more information.

National Press Photographers Foundation Scholarships

The National Press Photographers Foundation Inc. (NPPF), a non-profit organization, is charged with advancing photojournalism through education and awarding scholarships and fellowships to deserving individuals who have demonstrated ability or promise in the field of visual journalism. Scholarships awarded by NPPF are directed toward those studying full-time or returning to college. The below-mentioned scholarships are available to students attending 4-year colleges and universities in the U.S.

• Hardin Documentary Photojournalism Scholarship: $2,000 scholarship for students working in documentary photojournalism. The scholarship may be awarded to either a still or a video photographer.
• Sony’s Photojournalism Scholarship: $2,000 scholarship awarding excellence in student photojournalism and is funded by Sony. This scholarship is open to undergraduate and graduate students.
• Bob East: $2,000 scholarship offered to undergraduate and graduate students.
• Reid Blackburn: $2,000 scholarship available only to undergraduate students.
• Bob Baxter: $2,000 scholarship available to undergraduate and graduate students.
• Kit C. King: $2,000 scholarship opportunity opened only to graduate students.
• Jimi Lott: $2,000 scholarship offered only to undergraduate students.
• Rich Clarkson Founders Scholarship: $2,000 scholarship for undergraduate and graduate students.
• NPPF Still and Multimedia: $2,000 scholarship for photojournalism students concentrating on still and multimedia. The scholarship is open only to undergraduate students.
• NPPF TV News: $2,000 scholarship for television photojournalism or multimedia students specializing in video. The scholarship is open to undergraduate students.
• Advanced Storytelling Workshop Award: $1,000 plus waiver of registration fee offered only to NPPA members who are working as professional video photojournalists wishing to attend the NPPA Advanced Storytelling Workshop. Candidates must be current NPPA members in good standing and have at least two years of full-time employment as a video photojournalist.
• Gordon Yoder News Video Workshop Grant: $1,000 scholarship open to working TV photojournalists wishing to attend the NPPA News Video Workshop. Candidates must have at least one-year of full-time employment at a TV station, network, or cable news operation.
• College Photographer of the Year International: Conducted by Kappa Alpha Mu and the University of Missouri School of Journalism, this competition recognizes work by students currently pursuing a degree. The NPPF Booster Club provides the $1,000 Col. William Lookadoo award and the $500 Milton Freier award.

See further details on the NPPF scholarships at https://nppf.org/nppf-scholarships-grants-and-awards/.

The James Alan Cox Foundation for Student Photojournalists

Founded in memory of James Alan Cox, a television photojournalist, The James Alan Cox Foundation for Student Photojournalists aims to provide financial support to student photographers of high school and college age. Through a variety of funding, including equipment purchases and scholarships for college and technical school classes, the foundation’s mission is to expand educational and developmental opportunities for student photographers demonstrating interest, talent, and financial need.

This year’s application process begins on July 15 and concludes, with the deadline for applications, on November 15.

The types of awards are:

• Five Digital Cameras will be awarded to five high school students.
• Five $2,500 scholarships will be awarded to five college or technical school students. Four awards will be for video work while one will be for still photography.
• One $2,500 scholarship will be awarded to one graduate student. The award will be for video work.
• One or two $1,500 Honorable Mention scholarships will be awarded to one or two college students. These awards will be for video or still work. The number of awards given each year in this category will be at the discretion of the Board of Directors.

Scholarships will be announced and awarded in early to mid-December.

See the details and apply for The James Alan Cox Foundation for Student Photojournalists Scholarship at www.jamesalancoxfoundation.org/apply/.

AIGA Worldstudio Scholarships

AIGA Worldstudio Scholarships benefit minority and economically disadvantaged students who are studying photography, illustration, and design disciplines in colleges and universities in the United States. Scholarships are awarded annually to encourage social and environmental responsibility and cultural awareness in the next generation of artists and designers. Scholarship recipients are selected not only for their talent and their need but also for their demonstrated commitment to giving back to the larger community through their work.

Basic scholarships are awarded in amounts of $2,000 – $3,000. One or two top awards may be given in an amount up to $5,000 at the jury’s discretion. Honorable mention prizes in the amount of $500 cash are also awarded. Each scholarship is paid directly to the recipient’s school and applied toward tuition. For the first time, recipients will also receive a one-year AIGA membership.

To see further details on the scholarship, go to the AIGA Worldstudio Scholarships web page at www.aiga.org/worldstudio-scholarship.

In addition to applying for photography scholarships, it’s also important for students to have the right tools and materials to help them excel in their craft, such as the High-Quality Photo Tiles That Stick & Re-Stick. To learn more about this innovative product and how it can enhance your photography projects, visit our web site for detailed information and reviews.