13 Top Poetry Scholarships And Student Loan Options

13 Top Poetry Scholarships

Poetry is an art that allows students to express themselves creatively. There are many poetry scholarships available for students who enjoy writing poems, haiku and other forms of poetry. Some poetry scholarships are even designed for specific genres. Scholarships for poetry can also be based on a student’s academic accomplishments and artistic talents.
If you’re looking for some financial help with your college education, then you may want to consider applying for some poetry scholarships. There are plenty of amazing options out there, from the Just Poetry Scholarship to the Colorism Poetry Contest. Here are 10 of the best poetry scholarships available to students this year.

1. The Amy Lowell Poetry Traveling Scholarship
The Amy Lowell Poetry Traveling Scholarship is awarded to a poet who wants to take time off from their regular commitments to pursue further study, travel and write full-time. The scholarship is only open to American or Canadian poets, and many recipients have taken this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel abroad and immerse themselves in poetic culture. It comes with a $59,000 award that must be used for travel and lodging expenses. Each winner writes a report after the scholarship period is over. See website for details and terms.

2. The Narrative Prize
The Narrative Prize is awarded annually to the best original work of fiction or nonfiction published in the magazine. The winner receives $4,000, a one-week residency at The Narrative Loft in San Francisco, and publication in the next issue of Narrative Magazine. The author retains all rights to the winning entry.

3. Scholastic Portfolio Awards
Scholastic Portfolio Awards is a writing program for high school students which promotes creative writing and offers awards to winners in various categories of poetry. The awards can be used toward college tuition. The program is open to all U.S. high school students enrolled in a public, private, or parochial school, regardless of their writing experience or background. Scholastic’s portfolio awards are some of the most prestigious in the country, with awards ranging from $1000 to $10,000.

4. Lucille Clifton Scholarship
The Lucille Clifton Memorial Scholarship was created to honor the life and work of Lucille Clifton, a poet and writer. The scholarship is funded by a gift from the estate of Lucille herself, who wanted to help other young people the way that her mentors had helped her.
The scholarships are open to high school seniors who will be attending college in the fall and undergraduate students currently enrolled in an accredited four-year college or university. Applicants should submit two poems written during their senior year of high school. Poems can be no more than 100 lines long each, and they can be on any subject or theme. Students should also include a short personal statement on why they want to study poetry.

5. Just Poetry Scholarship
The Just Poetry Scholarship is open to any U.S. high school senior planning to attend college the following year. This scholarship competition encourages all students to submit their original poetry and prose, plus literary commentary on works by other poets or authors. Written expression allows people to share their ideas, feelings, and opinions with others and gain insight into their own lives and experiences.

6. Morton Marr Poetry Prize
This $1,000 scholarship is awarded to a particular poet each year to encourage creative expression and excellence in writing. Applicants must be enrolled full-time at an accredited institution and be 18 years and above. Candidates should submit samples of their original poetry along with their application.

7. 1800wheelchair.com Scholarship
Each year, students can apply for this $500 scholarship from 1800wheelchair.com by submitting a piece of original poetry or prose that includes the phrase “mobility solutions” in one form or another. Applicants must be U.S. citizens enrolled or plan to enroll full-time at an accredited institution in the coming fall semester.

8. The Learn Between the Lines Scholarship
Slam is an annual scholarship contest that awards $1,000 to two grand prize winners and four runner-up winners. To apply, students must be either currently enrolled in college or high school seniors planning to attend college in the fall. The applicants should be of age 13 to 25. In addition, students must compose and submit an original poem about what literacy means in the U.S. and how it affects American lives.

9. Thomas Merton Sacred Concurso Poetry
The Thomas Merton Sacred Concurso Poetry Contest is open to high school juniors and seniors. You must write a poem about the following quote by Thomas Merton: “Our job is to love others without stopping to inquire whether or not they are worthy.” Entries will be judged on originality, organization, and adherence to contest rules. First place winners receive a $500 scholarship, second place winners receive $250, and third place winners receive $125.

10 The Ruth Lilly and Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Poetry Fellowships
The Ruth Lilly and Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Poetry Fellowships are granted annually to 5 poets who are residents of the U.S. between the ages of 21-31 years old. Each fellowship winner receives a cash prize of $25,800. The application period opens in January each year, and aspiring poets should check the website for more details regarding eligibility requirements and submission guidelines as they become available each year.

11. Young Memorial Scholarship
Each year, this scholarship is awarded to an undergraduate student in the College of Arts and Sciences who is enrolled in a creative writing course, has declared a minor in English, and has submitted a poem for consideration. The recipient of this scholarship is chosen based on their poem’s originality, style, and creativity. Preference will be given to full-time students, but part-time students may also apply. The P. Young Memorial Scholarship is a $1,000 annual scholarship open to any undergraduate student who has completed at least one semester of creative writing or poetry courses.

12. Norman Mailer College Poetry Award
This scholarship is open to students who are currently enrolled in a 2 or 4 years accredited university or graduated from an accredited university within the last twelve months. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and submit five poems of any length on any subject. There is no application fee, and the winner receives $25,000 for the best poetry collection.

13. The Unicorn Press First Book Contest
This contest is open to poets with a manuscript that has not yet been published by a book-length publisher in any format (including self-publishing). Applicants must be U.S. citizens and submit an original manuscript of 48 pages in length or more. There is no application fee, and the winner receives $1,000 and publication for their work through Unicorn Press.

Wrapping Up
If you’re a poet preparing for college or who is already enrolled in college and receiving financial aid, you’ll be happy to know that there are scholarships specifically for your type of writing. To start exploring your options, you’ll want to review this list of poetry scholarships (including awards, contests, fellowships and grants) that you can apply for during the upcoming school year.