7 Amazing Online Video Scholarship Competitions

Are you an aspiring filmmaker or a small-time producer of YouTube hits? Do you spend spare time drafting storyboards or videotaping interviews?

If you have the time and talent, you can turn a videography hobby into real scholarship money. Along with colleges and employers, scholarship contests are embracing new technologies and outlets for student creativity. Some video contests may ask for a promotional video for a product (usually their product) or they might be looking for a public service announcement promoting an important idea or event.

Locally, the Credit Union Foundation of MD & DC sponsors a college scholarship awards program that supports both an essay component and a video challenge. College-bound credit union members are asked to create a 60-second advertisement for a credit union “wanting to reach out to college-aged students.”

Like a scholarship essay, a scholarship video will take time and some effort to create. But keep in mind that a good scholarship video may make a cool addition to an arts portfolio if you are considering a film or video major.

Here are seven competitions for budding filmmakers:

AFA Teens Video Competition: This is an opportunity to reflect on why Alzheimer’s disease is becoming an increasingly important worldwide issue. Videos, along with an application and 200-word autobiography must be submitted by December 1, 2012. Details are provided on the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America website.

Viral Video Scholarship Contest: This contest was created as a community service project to help educate the public on safe driving practices by awarding a scholarship based on a public service announcement video. All entries must be received by March 31, 2013, and must be uploaded onto YouTube or Vimeo with “DLG Viral Video Contest” in the title.

Project Yellow Light Video Contest: High school students are asked to create a video designed to motivate, persuade and encourage teens to not drive distracted.  You can video yourself or a group or make a cartoon or a music video.  Just keep it to :25 or :55 seconds or less.  The top prize is $5,000.  Teams are welcome, and videos must be submitted by April 1, 2013.

World of 7 Video Contest:  Create a short video public service announcement (PSA) that shows the connection between world population at 7 billion and one of several specified issues.  All high school students are eligible and all videos must be submitted by February 21, 2013.

Courageous Persuaders Video Scholarship Competition: Students are asked to create a TV commercial targeted to middle school students to warn them against the dangers of underage drinking. The grand prize-winning commercial will be broadcast on TV and the team that created it will work with Pluto Post and the Detroit Auto Dealers Education Foundation to upgrade their spot for the air. Open to all high school students, the Courageous Persuaders entry deadline is February 12, 2013. Note that production values in this contest are less important than “ideas.”

Dr. Pepper Million Dollar Giveaway: Students must upload online or at a sponsored event an original video demonstrating why they deserve to win tuition. Videos will be judged on the appropriateness to theme of college football and tuition, and they must include some reference to Dr. Pepper. There are several different deadlines corresponding to different events, with December 31st the latest date for consideration.

Global Citizen Scholarship:  Winners have the opportunity to spend six days in Costa Rica discovering the country and the environmental initiatives being taken to protect it.  To enter, choose an environmental issue and create a video, digital media project or an essay. Note that the deadline for this competition has been extended to November 30, 2012.