15 Unusual College Scholarships You Can Apply for Today

Most scholarships follow the same formula: GPA requirements, standard application forms, and recycled essay prompts. But some awards break that mold. Across the web you can find scholarships that celebrate creativity, quirky talents, and individuality. Each scholarship described here is real and open to applicants, and many offer unexpectedly generous awards.

Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship

If you’ve ever sketched a plan for surviving a zombie outbreak, this scholarship gives you a chance to put that imagination to use. Applicants submit an essay outlining their survival strategy for a shot at a $2,000 award. It may sound whimsical, but fewer competitors typically enter offbeat contests, so your chances can be better than average.

Minecraft Scholarship

Years of building digital worlds can translate into a $2,000 scholarship. The Minecraft Scholarship asks students to explain how the game has influenced their learning, creativity, or career goals. With more than 166 million players worldwide, Minecraft is more than entertainment; it teaches spatial reasoning, problem-solving, design, and persistence.

Create-A-Greeting-Card Scholarship

This rare contest doesn’t require a long essay. Instead, students submit original greeting-card designs and compete for a $10,000 prize. Thousands of artists enter each year, turning a simple creative exercise into a substantial opportunity for financial support and exposure.

Flavor of the Month Scholarship

“If you were an ice cream flavor, which would you be and why?” That single question is the core of this $1,500 award. The strongest entries are often the most genuine ones — you don’t need polished prose, just honesty. While the prompt is playful, it’s meant to reveal self-awareness and how well you understand your personality and values.

Superpower Scholarship

For those who’ve ever imagined having superpowers, this scholarship offers $2,500. Applicants explain which hero or villain they would become for a day and what they would do. The prompt encourages creative thinking but also reveals priorities like courage, justice, and ambition — and gives students a playful way to reflect on how they handle challenges.

“You Can’t Label People” Scholarship

This $3,000 scholarship asks applicants to design a product label and write an essay about stereotypes or identity. It aligns with a growing demand among young people for meaningful work: many Gen Z workers prioritize purpose and social impact in their careers. The award gives students a way to blend creative design with thoughtful commentary.

John Kitt Memorial Scholarship

If working with chocolate appeals to you, this $2,500 scholarship supports students studying confectionery science — the chemistry and technology behind sweets. Recipients have gone on to careers with major confectionery companies, so this award can be a meaningful step toward a specialized industry career.

Potato LEAF Scholarship

Potatoes might sound ordinary, but the industry supporting them is substantial. This $10,000 scholarship funds graduate students researching agriculture, sustainability, and crop improvement. For students focused on food systems, nutrition, or environmental resilience, this award is both practical and impactful.

Mycological Society of America Scholarships

Mushrooms play roles in food, medicine, and environmental science. The Mycological Society of America offers scholarships up to $10,000 for students studying fungi, a rapidly expanding field as researchers explore fungi’s potential in health, remediation, and sustainable systems. This scholarship supports specialized scientific study and emerging careers.

Sheep Heritage Foundation Memorial Scholarship

Graduate students researching genetics, wool production, or other topics that strengthen the U.S. sheep industry can apply for this $3,000 scholarship. Though niche, this research affects sustainability, textiles, and food production—areas with meaningful real-world impact.

College Beef Advocacy Program

Participants in the College Beef Advocacy Program develop campaigns promoting the beef industry through topics like sustainability, economics, and food education. With awards up to $2,000, the program helps students build communication skills and public-facing experience while fostering informed conversations about agriculture.

UNIMA-USA Puppetry Scholarship

For storytellers and performers, the UNIMA-USA Puppetry Scholarship supports American puppeteers studying abroad. Fifty awards of $1,500 each help preserve and promote the traditional art of puppetry. It’s an opportunity for artists to develop a rare, deeply human form of performance.

Bird Dog Foundation Youth Art Contest

This contest for high school artists celebrates outdoor life through original artwork inspired by bird dogs, hunting, and nature. It’s a community-focused opportunity that reconnects young artists with the natural world. Several students can win awards of $2,000.

Two Ten Footwear Foundation Scholarship

If you or a parent works in the footwear industry, the Two Ten Footwear Foundation offers up to $4,000 per year, renewable for up to four years. Since 1969 the foundation has helped thousands of families afford higher education through industry-specific support.

Shout It Out Scholarship

Simple and direct: applicants answer the prompt “If you could say one thing to the world, what would it be?” in 250 words for a chance to win $1,500. There’s no GPA requirement and no complex format—just write something meaningful. Often a concise, honest message makes a stronger impression than a long essay.