Oddball Scholarships

Help pay for college with these Oddball Scholarships for 2025. Start your college scholarship search with a little humor and see if these scholarships might be the best ones for you.

College Scholarship Search

Americanism Scholarship

Application Deadline November of each year

Award Amount up to $10,000 US savings bond

Patriotic students in grades 7 – 12 can show their love of country by writing an essay on Americanism. I assume Americanism means the United States of America, good ole USA, not what you think of as The Americas. Anyway, this is a great scholarship for high school students and middle school students. The essay topic differs each year. Each entrant must be sponsored by a Fleet Reserve Association (FRA) member or Ladies Auxiliary unit member. Outstanding essays are forwarded from the local branch to the regional and national competition. There are multiple awards for these not so oddball scholarships, all in U.S. savings bonds of course. For details on the American Essay Scholarship from Fleet Reserve Association see www.fra.org.

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Proper Use of Credit Essay Contest

Application Deadline February of each year

Award Amount $3000 for first place, $2000 for second place, and $1000 for third place

I think this college scholarship should be offered in all states, because it is a great lesson for all college students. Do you know how to properly use credit? Well you should, but you probably don’t if you are like most Americans. If you are a high school senior in Oregon, and plan to attend a college in Oregon, then this should be on your college scholarship search list. Write the best essay on the proper use of credit and you may win a scholarship for college. For additional requirements and information on this Hasson/Newman Memorial Essay Contest see https://oregonstudentaid.gov/scholarships

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National Peace Essay Contest

Application Deadline January of each year

Award Amount $10,000 for national first place winner, $5,000 2nd place, $2,500 3rd place, and $1,000 scholarship for each state level winner.

This is one of my favorite scholarships, which open to high school students in grades 9 – 12. Submit an outstanding essay on the designated topic to the National Peace Essay Contest. Winners are chosen based upon the essay’s focus, style, analysis, originality, conclusions and recommendations. Put this one your college scholarship search for important scholarship contests. For more details on the National Peace Essay Contest see www.usip.org

Posse Scholar

Application Deadline January of each year

Award Amount four year, full tuition scholarship to partner colleges and universities

Are you a student with leadership and academic potential, attending a public high school? Join a Posse. Applicants must be nominated by their high school or community organization. The nomination process is open to high school juniors and high school seniors in certain cities in the US, including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York or Washington, D.C. For more details on the Posse Scholarship see http://www.possefoundation.org

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Student Design Competition

Application Deadline ~ December of each year

Award Amount $2,500 for first place, other prizes offered too

If you are reading about oddball scholarships, perhaps you have some oddball or creative ideas to enter the Industrial Designers Society of America Student Design Competition. Submit your original design for houseware products, including small electrical appliances, personal care, home health care, tableware, organizational items, cleaning products, furniture, pet care and more. Selection is based upon design research, design, technical skills and presentation skills. For additional categories and information about the IHA Student Design Competition see www.housewares.org

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Entrepreneurial Scholarships for Food Service

Application Deadline March of each year

Award Amount $3,500 to $7,500

Do you love to eat? Do you have some entrepreneurial ideas for a restaurant or food service? This is the best scholarship for you. If you are entering or currently enrolled in one of 10 designated universities in a restaurant or food service program, and have completed a entrepreneurial project, you may apply for this slightly oddball (but yummy) scholarship. For more information on the National Restaurant Association Al Schuman Ecolab Entrepreneurial Scholarship see chooserestaurants.org/Programs-and-Scholarships.

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