Top Celebrity Scholarships to Apply for in 2024

About Celebrity Scholarships

For high school seniors graduating and looking at college, and even undergraduate or graduate students currently in school, the cost of higher education is daunting. Compared to only a mere decade ago, the cost of tuition has increased by several thousand dollars, and more and more graduating college students are facing a future of debt. The astronomical cost of college tuition has prompted more and more students to apply for scholarships and to take out loans in order to pursue higher education.

In fact, the rising cost of post-secondary education and the growing student debt epidemic have led students to take on drastic efforts like asking celebrities to pay off their tuition. Several years ago, rapper Lil Uzi Vert even went viral for pledging to pay for a fan's college tuition, and similar occurrences have taken place with other celebrities. However, students shouldn't have to make such drastic efforts to pay for their college education.

In recent years, though, more and more celebrities have actually grown interested in helping provide financial assistance for struggling college students, making celebrity-funded scholarships more common. Celebrity scholarships are scholarships funded by celebrities, and as graduate students or students pursuing an undergraduate degree seek to fund their academic success, applying to and gaining a celebrity scholarship can be a great way to assist with financial need. For instance, the Tony Bennett College Scholarship and the Earl Woods Scholarship Program were both established to help students fund their higher education.

Other celebrities like Alec Baldwin, Jameela Jamil, and Beyoncé are just a few more celebrities who have made efforts to alleviate the financial struggles of students nationwide. If you are considering finding a celebrity scholarship program, read on to learn more about the different scholarships funded by celebrities and how to apply for them.

How to Get a Celebrity Scholarship

Like most other types of scholarships, this application process varies greatly from scholarship to scholarship. Oftentimes, the scholarship may be related to the celebrity's area of work. For instance, the John Lennon Scholarships are for songwriters and composers.

By contrast, sometimes, they are unrelated to the celebrity's work, like the Shawn Carter Scholarship Fund. This scholarship is unrelated to music, but it has other criteria and requires aspiring Shawn Carter scholars to meet a minimum GPA and have a specific household income.

Some celebrity-funded scholarships may require that applicants be involved in conducting community service or studying computer science. Others may require that applicants be only graduate students majoring in the arts or high school seniors applying to college for the first time.

Whatever the case, be sure to conduct research about your scholarship of choice and to fully read the scholarship description and requirements. If you match the scholarship's criteria, then you can spend time working on your application.

Actually, receiving a reward can come down to a variety of factors that vary from scholarship to scholarship. For instance, some scholarships regard applications on the basis of a submitted essay, while others may rate the quality of artwork submitted. Some scholarships are merit-based, while others have to do with athletic ability. Regardless of the requirements, be sure to present yourself as the ideal candidate by applying only to scholarships that you are eligible for and by submitting your best work.

Finally, as with any other scholarship program, it is important to get started on the scholarship application process early on so that you can gather any necessary materials, like transcripts or letters of recommendation, and get started on any writing required for the application.

The Best Celebrity Scholarships

There is no shortage of celebrity-funded scholarships to apply for, especially as more and more celebrities become interested in helping students pursue higher academic achievement. That being said, searching for a scholarship funded by a celebrity can be difficult, especially when a quick Google search yields so many results, many of which are not credible.

Instead, finding an accredited scholarship search engine can make the process much smoother. Browse celebrity scholarships on our scholarship search feature today!

Notable Celebrity Scholarships

The Judge Judy Sheindlin ’65 Honors Scholars Program

The program will grant renewable full scholarships to three to four incoming female students each year, focusing on candidates who exhibit outstanding achievements and a clear need for financial support

Alec Baldwin Drama Scholarship Fund

The Alec Baldwin Drama Scholarship Fund has been created to assist students facing financial hardships, thanks to a generous $1 million donation from Alec Baldwin, a distinguished alumnus of the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. This prestigious school, renowned for its programs in the performing, cinematic, and recording arts, celebrates Baldwin's contribution aimed at supporting artists.

David Letterman Telecommunications Scholarship

In the academic year of 1985-1986, David M. Letterman, a Ball State University graduate with a degree in Radio-Television from the class of 1970, founded the Letterman Telecommunications Scholarship program. These scholarships were created with the aim of offering financial support to students majoring or minoring in Telecommunications at Ball State University.

What Do I Have to Do to Apply?

Like eligibility requirements, application requirements will also vary from scholarship to scholarship. Some scholarships may require someone to demonstrate their leadership skills or involvement with community service in a written essay, while others may ask for an art portfolio; the requirements can differ greatly.

Some of the most common application requirements for scholarships are essays, transcripts, and proof of need for financial assistance. Be sure to thoroughly read the application requirements when applying for a scholarship so that you complete all parts of the process.

It is also beneficial to begin the application process as early as possible. That way, you can gather any necessary material in time, even if you are met with obstacles. Similarly, this also gives you time to proofread and review any written portions of your application.

Are Scholarships Counted as Income?

Generally, scholarships are not counted as income and are thus exempted from taxes. However, the Internal Revenue Service has certain important criteria with regard to scholarship status as distinct from income.

Part of this criteria requires that you be an active student at an accredited campus and that your scholarship fund goes toward your required tuition and fees. While most scholarships generally fulfill this requirement, some contribute money to other aspects of college finances, so it is important to research this aspect of the scholarships you receive.

Finally, when the time to file your taxes comes around, make sure you have already researched any scholarships you have received to be sure of their status as income. This way, you won't scramble to figure out where your scholarship falls.

Are Celebrity Scholarships Only for Undergraduates?

No. Celebrity scholarships are available for high school students, undergraduates, graduates, and even adults returning to education. It depends on the specific scholarship's criteria.

Are Scholarships Given Each Year?

Each year, numerous organizations, educational institutions, and foundations provide scholarships to assist students in their academic pursuits. These scholarships may be recurring, with recipients receiving the award annually for their academic degree, or they can be one-time awards given annually.

In the case of one-time awards, a new scholarship with the same name may be presented to different individuals each year, or new scholarships from the same donor may be introduced. Here at Bold.org, we have numerous scholarships with varying criteria and opportunities.