As you’re looking for scholarships, you notice a lot of them ask you to just write essays, or have generic requirements. But who said that searching for financial aid had to be boring? There are countless fun and unique scholarships for students out there waiting for you to apply to them. These just happen to be some of the wackiest!
United States Bowling Congress Scholarships
Amount: Varies
Deadline: Varies
Flickr user Bart Heird
When you think of “high school sports” bowling is not often the first thing that comes to mind. However, the folks over at the United States Bowling Congress have a passion for the sport and want to encourage students who love bowling to seek their higher education. The USBC offers a multitude of scholarships: From the $6,000 USBC Alberta E. Crowe Star of Tomorrow Scholarship for gifted female bowlers, to the $1,000 USBC Gift for Life scholarships that honor firefighters, emergency responders, and police officers.
National Dairy Shrine Scholarships
Amount: Varies
Deadline: April 15
Flickr user Derrick Story
The famous “Got Milk” campaign was certainly a successful one. Remember all of those celebrities posing with big milk mustaches? The National Dairy Shrine wants to promote the dairy industry, and specifically students who are interested in pursuing a career in a dairy-related field. They offer a number of scholarships to students—both at the undergraduate and graduate levels—who are majoring in animal industry, agricultural journalism, agri-business, animal science, and more.
Fifth Month Scholarship
Amount: $1,500
Deadline: May 31, 2020
What does the number 5 mean to you? That’s the question this scholarship is asking. The Fifth Month Scholarship honors the month of May, as well as the number 5. Interested students just need to write an essay addressing the month of May about why the number 5 is important.
Optimist International Scholarship Contests
Amount: Varies
Deadline: Varies
Flickr user Robert Occhiolini
If you find yourself saying “look on the bright side” or “there’s always a silver lining” then chances are you’re an optimist. And, believe it or not, there’s a dedicated group of people who want to promote optimism the world over! They even created some scholarships to encourage students to pursue a higher education, including an essay contest, an oratorical contest, and a communication contest for the deaf and hard of hearing! Doling out some financial aid is definitely enough to make anyone smile.
Want to find more unique scholarships for students? We have you covered. In fact, here’s another article for unique scholarships. And another. Not enough for you? In that case, look through the internet and scholarship databases for unique scholarships for students. Generally, there are plenty of scholarships out there for you to apply for, including unique ones! There’s also no such thing as applying for too many scholarships, as long as you meet all the qualifications.
Use College Raptor to discover personalized college matches, cost estimates, acceptance odds, and potential financial aid for schools around the US—for FREE!
| Lender | Rates (APR) | Eligibility | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
5.34%-15.96%* Variable
3.99%-15.61%* Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT CITIZENS |
 |
4.92% - 15.08% Variable
3.99% - 15.49% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT SALLIE MAE |
|
|
4.50% - 17.99% Variable
3.49% - 17.99% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT CREDIBLE |
 |
6.00% - 13.75% Variable
3.99% - 13.75% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT LENDKEY |
 |
5.50% - 14.56% Variable
3.69% - 14.41% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ASCENT |
 |
3.70% - 8.75% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ISL |
 |
4.99% - 16.85% Variable
3.47% - 16.49% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT EARNEST |
 |
5.00% - 14.22% Variable
3.69% - 14.22% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ELFI |
