Scholastic Art And Writing Awards
Before you spend hours on this
Will this scholarship actually lower your cost?
Not always. Many colleges reduce your financial-aid package when you win an outside scholarship — sometimes dollar-for-dollar — so the money can end up saving the school instead of you. It's called scholarship displacement. Two free tools tell you where you actually stand:
General guidance, not financial advice — your school's financial aid office is the only authority on how they treat outside awards. Always confirm with them before deciding.
Best fit for
Any K-12 student creating original work in writing, visual arts, photography, or design. The 28 categories span everything — even fashion design, science fiction, journalism, video game design. If you make stuff, there's probably a category that fits.
What they actually look for
Scholastic Art & Writing is the LONGEST-RUNNING and most prestigious K-12 creative arts recognition in the US (Andy Warhol, Sylvia Plath, Truman Capote, Joyce Carol Oates, Stephen King, Robert Redford were all winners). Regional Gold Key advances you to national review; National Gold Medal is a major credential on college apps. 'Best in Grade' portfolios at the national level win the largest cash awards.
What you'll need
- Original creative work in any of 28 categories (painting, photography, writing, film, fashion design, sculpture, more)
- Submission via Scholastic's online portal — typically December-January regional deadlines
- Most work is judged at REGIONAL level first; Gold Keys advance to national
- National judging in February-March; National Medal recipients announced March
- National Gold Medal portfolios can win $1,000-$10,000 scholarships
- No essays separately — your work IS the application (with a short artist statement per piece)
When to start
Submit to your regional affiliate (find yours at artandwriting.org) by their deadline — most are mid-December. National judging happens after regional Gold Keys are announced. Work submitted should ideally be your strongest 2-3 pieces, not a quantity dump.
Watch out for
Each region has different deadlines (NYC is one of the earliest, mid-October). Check your specific region's deadline at artandwriting.org/affiliates. Also: writing categories require manuscripts in specific formats — read submission guidelines BEFORE you submit, not after. Improperly formatted work is auto-disqualified.