The Best Culinary School Scholarships to Apply for in 2025

All the great culinary professionals start somewhere. For those with a passion for creating and sharing food, pursuing a culinary education at an accredited college may be the next step in preparing for a career in food.

The possibilities are endless when it comes to a culinary arts degree. There are a variety of culinary arts programs that aspiring chefs can choose from. Culinary arts students can take accredited programs from restaurant management and culinary management to the baking arts and pastry arts or a culinary arts program focused on food science.

However, entering any culinary arts program still comes at a high price for the accepted incoming students.

About Culinary School Scholarships

The most frequently earned degree by students in Culinary Arts & Chef Training programs is an associate's degree. Although some professional chefs in the culinary industry have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED or through continuing education.

No matter how far you decide to take your higher education, studying the culinary arts can be costly. The average in-state tuition at a public culinary institute is $3,918 and growing. The cost of culinary school has led many college students to take out student loans in order to fund their culinary education, racking up their student debt in the process.

Luckily, culinary scholarships exist to provide financial aid without piling on student debt. Not only that, but there are scholarship opportunities for all high school seniors, undergraduate students, and graduate students who need financial assistance

What Is a Culinary School Scholarship?

A culinary school scholarship is a form of financial aid to students majoring in the culinary arts for their college education. This type of scholarship is meant to assist students who demonstrate financial need to pay for their college tuition and educational expenses so that they're able to complete their degrees.

Such scholarships make it possible to pay for culinary education and take off a financial burden while you focus on earning your undergraduate degree.

Can You Get a Scholarship for Culinary School?

Yes, there are many scholarships available that provide financial support. Any student planning to enroll in a culinary arts program can find scholarships exclusively for their major. Some of these scholarships exist specifically to help individuals pursuing culinary careers reach success in their passions.

Even avid food lovers or those who just cook for fun but do not plan on pursuing a career can still qualify for scholarships. There are also more general scholarships that are open to all majors.

These opportunities for financial aid do exist. It's only a matter of knowing where to find them and actively applying to the ones that are best suited for you.

Best Culinary School Scholarships

These are some of the best scholarships listed exclusively for students who are pursuing culinary careers. Whether food is your passion or just a hobby, these scholarship opportunities are available to any high school students, college students, and graduate students who need financial aid.

High School Students

1. Scholarships for High School Freshmen
2. Scholarships for High School Sophomores
3. Scholarships for High School Juniors
4. Scholarships for High School Seniors
5. Scholarships for High School Students

Scholarships for College Students

1. Undergraduate Scholarships
2. Scholarships for College Freshmen
3. Scholarships for College Sophomores
4. Scholarships for College Juniors
5. Scholarships for College Seniors
6. Scholarships for Community College
7. Scholarships for College Students
8. Scholarships for Graduate Students
9. PhD Scholarships
10. Master's Degree Scholarships

New scholarships are constantly being added to Bold.org. Be sure to come back and check for new opportunities or discover the types of scholarships.

Other Scholarship Resources for Culinary Students

Bold.org has many other options for financial aid. If you're having trouble looking for a culinary arts scholarship, try using the filters on the Bold.org scholarship search tool to discover other types of scholarships. The 'Career' category has some available for those pursuing culinary careers.

Foodservice is a branch of the hospitality industry. As a branch of hospitality, students majoring in culinary arts can check the 'Hospitality' category to see if they are eligible for any hospitality scholarships that are food-related.

Many culinary schools also offer campus-based or merit-based scholarship awards to incoming freshmen in their culinary arts programs. Visit your university's financial aid office to learn more.

Filling out the FAFSA should also be one of the top priorities for college students in general. As the first step in the financial aid process, the federal government can provide financial aid to students showing financial need based on this form. The Pell Grant is one form of federal financial aid that is awarded to help with tuition and educational costs.

The American Culinary Federation Education Foundation

The American Culinary Federation Education Foundation (ACFEF) is a branch of the American Culinary Federation (ACF), which is the largest professional chefs' organization in North America. The ACFEF focuses on promoting the professional image of American chefs worldwide through education among culinarians at all levels, from apprentices to master chefs.

The Education Foundation is dedicated to enhancing professional growth for all current and future chefs and pastry chefs through education, accreditation, and career development.

How to Apply for Culinary School Scholarships

The application process begins by creating a profile on Bold.org. Once you have your Bold.org profile, it is easy to find scholarships for culinary students. Using the filters, you can sort through the site's available scholarships in the 'Food' category, or you can click on one of the culinary school scholarships listed on this page. Once you find available scholarships that you are eligible for, you can start the application process.

Select one scholarship that suits you and read through the description to find useful information like the eligibility requirements, the application deadline, and the required materials.

Once you start, the application process is simple and conducted at your own pace. If you wish to complete any scholarship applications at a later time, the bookmark tool allows you to save scholarships so you can return to them later.

To apply, simply click the 'Apply Now' button once you've completed the application materials, and you'll be entered into the scholarship.

How to Get a Culinary School Scholarship

Your love and passion for food are only the beginning of your journey. Scholarships are bound to have many eligible applicants, with the scholarship awards only going to the most deserving students. To make yourself stick out as a competitive candidate, make sure you are applying to scholarships with limited eligibility requirements.

Some scholarships may require that you go to an accredited culinary school in order to be eligible to apply. Others may look at your academic performance for merit-based scholarships.

To boost your chances of winning, apply for scholarships that are the best fit for you.

Begin the Application Process

Once you find available culinary scholarships that you are eligible for, you can start the application process.

Review the application form and take note of the eligibility requirements and any required materials to submit. Complete the application form at your own pace, but be mindful of the application deadline. If you find the deadline gets too close before you can finish, there will always be scholarships available at a later date.

Put Time and Effort into Your Essays

Most scholarships may ask you to write an essay as part of the requirements. Be ready to talk about your passion for food and how it's changed your life. You may have to answer a given prompt about food or your knowledge of the culinary arts.

Finding scholarships that best fit your experience and interests can help make your essay more personal. The quality of your submissions and how you present yourself can make all the difference.

Don't just tell, but show why you're the best candidate!

Keep Applying!

There are many other college students and high school students looking for scholarship opportunities to pay for their college tuition. So, don't be discouraged if you don't win every scholarship you apply for. Instead, keep applying for more! You may find a scholarship that's a better fit for you than the last.

Scholarships with more specific requirements will have a smaller pool of eligible students. You'll have a greater chance of winning the scholarship award if you apply for a more niche type.

Are Scholarships Counted as Income?

In general, scholarships are not counted as income. However, there are some specific requirements that a scholarship must meet for this to be the case. Check out additional resources like the IRS page on scholarships to check on the status of your scholarship.