Scholarships for Photography Students

Funding for photography study comes from many places, and most of it is not photography-specific. The sensible approach is to search in layers, from the school you are applying to, outward to national schemes and independent bodies. This guide shows how to organize that search and gives examples of official schemes we have read ourselves. Schemes change every year, so use this guide to know where to look, not as a list of current offers.

Layer 1: the school itself

Start with the schools on your shortlist. Many offer:

• Merit or portfolio-based awards for new students
• Need-based grants or bursaries
• Awards for international students
• Teaching, studio or technical assistantships, particularly in graduate programs
• Funds for equipment, travel or final projects

Search each school's financial aid or scholarships page and ask the admissions office whether awards are considered automatically with your application or require a separate form. Note deadlines: they are sometimes earlier than the admission deadline. Your portfolio often doubles as your scholarship application, so a strong one helps twice.

Layer 2: government and intergovernmental schemes

Governments and international bodies fund study in specific countries. We list examples we have verified on official pages. Read the funder's own page for details, since eligibility depends on your nationality, level of study and chosen field.

Fulbright. The Foreign Fulbright Program page says that non-US citizens who want to apply for a Fulbright grant to study in the United States apply through the Fulbright Commissions or Foundations, or the US Embassy, in their home country. For US citizens, the US Fulbright student site says the program welcomes applications in the creative and performing arts, that non-enrolled US citizens must hold a bachelor's degree by the award start date, and that arts candidates should have relatively limited professional experience in their field (typically seven years or less). Whether a particular photography project is a fit is for you to check with the program. The page also announced the status of the current competition at the time we accessed it, so check the dates.

Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters. The Erasmus+ site says that students from all over the world are welcome, that you study at several universities in Europe and beyond, that full scholarships are available for the best students, and that you apply directly to the institution running your chosen program. Search the catalog for programs in arts, media or visual culture; we cannot say whether any currently covers photography.

Australia. Study Australia describes a range of scholarships, grants and bursaries from the Australian Government, education providers and public and private organizations. It describes the Australia Awards Scholarships as government-funded grants for students from a selection of developing countries who can show leadership qualities, and the Australia for ASEAN scholarships as master's-level scholarships for students from ASEAN member states and Timor-Leste. Each scheme has its own eligible fields and conditions.

Other countries run similar schemes. Search the official education ministry or embassy site of the destination country and read the eligible-country list before investing time in an application. We have not verified other schemes for this guide, so we do not list them.

Layer 3: home-country funding

Your own government, regional bodies, cultural institutes and foundations may fund study abroad or domestic study. Look at:

• Ministry of education or culture scholarship pages
• National arts councils and cultural agencies
• Regional or municipal funds
• Employer or professional association support
• Alumni networks of schools you plan to attend

These are often less competitive than famous international awards, because fewer people apply, though this is not guaranteed.

Layer 4: photography-specific awards and grants

Photography has awards, grants and fellowships offered by foundations, magazines, festivals and professional associations. Some are for students, some for emerging photographers, and many are project grants rather than tuition scholarships. Check the following before applying:

• Is the award for study, for a specific project, or for exhibition and publication?
• Who is eligible: age, nationality, enrollment status, years of practice?
• Is there an application fee? Be careful with paid competitions that promise exposure.
• What rights do you grant the organizer over your images?
• Who judges, and how are results announced?

Avoid any opportunity that asks you to pay a large fee for a guaranteed "scholarship" or that cannot show a verifiable organization.

How to check an offer is real

1. Find the organization's own website, not a link in a message or a social post.
2. Confirm there are named staff and a physical or registered address.
3. Look for the same award on the websites of schools or governments that are said to partner with it.
4. Be suspicious of upfront fees, urgent deadlines and requests for bank details before you are selected.
5. Read the terms: conditions on work, return to home country, repayment if you leave early.
6. Keep copies of the page you relied on, with the date.

Build an application

Scholarship committees usually look at academic or professional record, the quality and clarity of your work, a statement of purpose, references and sometimes financial need. Typical tips:

• Read the criteria and write to them directly.
• Be specific about what the funding enables: a project, a year of study, a body of work.
• Show a plan that is realistic and costed.
• Give your referees plenty of time and a summary of your work.
• Proofread. Small mistakes read as carelessness.
• Apply to several schemes. Rejection is usual even for strong applicants, and no preparation guarantees an award.

Plan the money you still need

Funding rarely covers everything. Work out your full cost using photography tuition and equipment costs, then decide how much you need from each source. If you plan to study in another country, read studying photography abroad for visa, living cost and recognition issues. For a master's-level plan, see MA vs MFA in photography.

Keep a tracker

Make a table with columns for funder, link, eligibility, deadline, documents needed, status and outcome. Update it as you go. Many applicants miss opportunities not because they are ineligible but because they discover them too late.

For more about how we describe schools and programs, see our methodology. We are an independent directory and do not administer scholarships; always confirm details with the funder.