For many students in the arts and humanities, affording high-quality education abroad can be a big challenge. Luckily, there are many scholarships designed specifically to support creative, cultural, and humanistic fields — giving you the financial boost to follow your passion.
Here are some of the top scholarships for arts and humanities students, plus tips on how to find and secure them.
Notable Scholarships for Arts & Humanities
- Chevening Scholarship (UK)
- One of the most prestigious global scholarships.
- Covers full tuition, living allowance, and travel.
- Open to students in creative arts, media, social sciences, and more.
- UCL Arts & Humanities Dean’s Scholarship (UK)
- Offered by University College London (UCL).
- Available for a range of humanities and arts programs (comparative literature, languages, social studies, etc.).
- DAAD Arts, Music & Creative Scholarships (Germany)
- Run by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).
- Supports students in fine arts, design, visual communication, film, and more.
- Excellent for creative professionals who want to study or research in Germany.
- Fulbright Foreign Student Program (USA)
- Supports Master’s and PhD students, including those in creative writing, visual arts, theatre, and other fields.
- Provides tuition, stipend, health insurance, and travel.
- Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships (Switzerland)
- For international students pursuing research or postgraduate studies in humanities and arts.
- Covers living costs, tuition, and sometimes travel.
- Lucie Foundation Emerging Scholarship
- For emerging photographers.
- Requires a portfolio and a project proposal.
- Ian Parry Scholarship
- For aspiring photojournalists or documentary photographers.
- Offers financial support plus mentorship and portfolio reviews.
- École Normale Supérieure Scholarship (France)
- For high-achieving students in arts and humanities.
- Helps with tuition and research opportunities in France.
How to Find More Scholarships in Arts & Humanities
- Use scholarship databases like ScholarshipTab, which list many arts & humanities-specific awards. ScholarshipTab+1
- Check university websites: Many universities have career or funding portals listing their own scholarships.
- Follow NGO-sponsored arts grants: Foundations like the Lucie Foundation or cultural institutes often fund creative work.
- Explore country-specific government scholarships, especially for cultural or humanities students.
FAQs
Q1: Are arts and humanities scholarships harder to find than STEM ones?
Not necessarily, they’re just different. While STEM scholarships are common, there is strong support for creative and humanistic fields too, especially in cultural and government-funded programs.
Q2: Can I apply for scholarships if my course is “creative writing” or “philosophy”?
Yes. Many of the scholarships listed (e.g. Chevening, Fulbright) support a wide range of humanities courses.
Q3: Do I need a portfolio for arts scholarships?
It depends. For visual arts or design, yes, a portfolio is often required. For fields like literature or history, you may submit writing samples instead.
Q4: Can Nigerian students apply for these scholarships?
Absolutely. Many international scholarships, including Chevening and Fulbright, are open to Nigerian students.
Q5: When should I apply?
Deadlines vary. For many scholarships, the application window opens 6-12 months before the academic year. Always check the specific scholarship website.
