Private Scholarships for Graduate Students

Various organizations, private agencies, foundations, community-based organizations, and civic groups award scholarships to help worthy students meet the cost of attending college. If you are awarded private scholarships, you must report them to the Office of Financial Aid.

Below is a list of private scholarships gathered for your convenience. This is not an exhaustive list of private scholarships that may be available.

Since these scholarships are not offered through Emerson College, any questions should be directed to the corresponding scholarship association.

Scholarships for Specific Programs of Study

Communication Disorders, Communication Studies, and Marketing Communication Scholarships

New York Women in Communication
For women interested in pursuing or furthering a career in communication.

Public Relations Student Society of America
Multiple scholarships for students pursuing communication.

Sertoma Communicative Disorders Scholarship
For graduate students pursuing advanced degrees in audiology or speech-language pathology.

NBC Universal Tony Coelho Media Scholarship
For undergraduate and graduate students with disabilities who are pursuing communication, media, or entertainment.

Journalism Scholarships

Radio Television Digital News Foundation
For students pursuing broadcast or digital journalism.

National Press Photographers Foundation 
For undergraduate and graduate students pursuing photojournalism.

Richard G Zimmerman Scholarship
For students pursuing a career in journalism.

Massachusetts Broadcasters Association
For Massachusetts residents pursuing over-the-air broadcasting.

Leroy F Aarons Scholarship Award
For undergraduate and graduate students pursuing journalism with a focus on LGBT issues.

Film, Television, and Media Arts Scholarships

National Press Photographers Foundation
For undergraduate and graduate students pursuing photojournalism.

Lyon Fellowship
For graduate students pursuing filmmaking.

Playfish Media Scholarship
For incoming and current undergraduate and graduate students who are studying film, video production, or a related subject.

Writing, Literature and Publishing Scholarships

American Zoetrope Screenplay and Story Contests
Multiple scholarship contests for screenplays and short stories.

Ruth Lilly and Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Poetry Fellowship
For graduate students pursuing poetry.

Horror Writers Association Scholarships
Multiple scholarships for students pursuing creative writing and poetry.

Performing Arts Scholarships

Mary Doctor Performing Arts Scholarship
For students from Charlotte, North Carolina, to pursue a career in performing arts, technical theatre, and teaching.

Scholarships for Special Interests

Cultural Scholarships

The Lagrant Foundation
For ethnically diverse undergraduate and graduate students pursuing marketing, advertising, or PR.

Ron Brown Scholarship
Mentorship, leadership, and scholarship program for African American students.

Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund
Multiple scholarships for students of Asian and/or Pacific Islander heritage.

Hispanic Scholarship Fund
Multiple scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students of Hispanic heritage.

New York Women in Communication
For women pursuing communication.

Association on American Indian Affairs
Multiple scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students of Native American heritage.

Gates Millennium Scholarship Program
Multiple scholarships for African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian Pacific Islander American, and Hispanic American students.

Kay Longcope Scholarship Award
For LGBT undergraduate and graduate students pursuing journalism with a focus on LGBT issues.

Leon Bradley Scholarship
For ethnically diverse undergraduate and graduate students pursuing a career in education.

Sertoma Hard of Hearing or Deaf Scholarship
For students with clinically significant bilateral hearing loss.

NBC Universal Tony Coelho Media Scholarship
For undergraduate and graduate students with disabilities to pursue communication, media, or entertainment.

Mary Shelley Scholarship
For female students pursuing creative writing.

Leroy F Aarons Scholarship Award
For undergraduate and graduate students pursuing journalism with a focus on LGBT issues.

Karman Healthcare Mobility Scholarship
For students with mobility disabilities.

The CIRI Foundation
Multiple scholarships for students of Alaska Native heritage.

The National Italian American Foundation
Multiple scholarships for students of Italian American descent.

National Federation of the Blind
For students who are legally blind.

Point Foundation National LGBTQ Scholarship
For LGBTQ undergraduate and graduate students.

CSA Medical Supply Scholarship
For students with mobility disabilities.

Financial Aid for Minority Students
Multiple scholarships for students of all ethnic backgrounds.

Veterans United Foundation
For undergraduate and graduate students who are surviving spouses or children of a deceased veteran.

BAFTA Scholarship Program
For incoming and current undergraduate and graduate students who are British citizens and plan to study film, TV, or media arts. *International students with British citizenship may apply.

The John Foy & Associates Strong Arm Leukemia Scholarship
For incoming and current undergraduate and graduate students who have been personally affected by Leukemia.

Veterans Scholarships

Visit our Veterans Affairs and Resources page

State-Based Scholarships

California
Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara

For incoming and current undergraduate and graduate students who attended high school in Santa Barbara County, and who demonstrate financial need.

District of Columbia
District of Columbia College Access Program

For incoming and current undergraduate students from the District of Columbia.

Florida
Community Foundation of Broward

Multiple scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students from Florida.

Maine
Maine Community Foundation

Multiple scholarships for Maine residents.

New York
Adirondack Foundation

Multiple scholarships for students from the Adirondack region of New York.

Rhode Island
Rhode Island RDW Group, Inc. Minority Scholarship for Communications

For incoming and current undergraduate and graduate students pursuing communication who are Rhode Island residents and who identify as one or more of the following: Hispanic; Latino; American Indian; Alaskan Native; Black; African American; Native Hawaiian; Pacific Islander.

General Scholarships

Miscellaneous Scholarships

Kapuza Lighty Scholarship
For incoming and current undergraduate students to pursue any field.

Crown & Caliber Scholarship
For incoming and current undergraduate and graduate students to pursue any field.

BrightStar Systems Future Technologies Scholarship
For incoming and current undergraduate and graduate students to pursue any field. Open to international students.

KompareIt Higher Education Scholarship
For undergraduate and graduate students who have lost a parent or guardian.

CareerFitter’s Scholarship
For undergraduate and graduate students to pursue any field. Open to international students.

Lawntrepreneur Scholarship
For incoming and current undergraduate and graduate students who are passionate about entrepreneurship.

Varsity Tutor Scholarships
Multiple essay contests for undergraduate and graduate students.

National Speakers Association Scholarship
Multiple scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students pursuing any form of public speaking.

Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
For students pursuing any field.

Receiving a Private Scholarship

If you are awarded private scholarships, you must report them to the Office of Financial Aid. Emerson will then adjust your financial aid package accordingly. Your private scholarships will be used to fill any unmet need. If there are additional scholarship funds remaining after your need is met, your aid package will be adjusted in the following order:

  • Federal Work-Study, Perkins Loans, No Interest Loans
  • Emerson Grant Funds
  • Any Federal Direct Subsidized or Unsubsidized Loans

Be Cautious As You Apply for Scholarships

Emerson does not guarantee the validity of the aforementioned information or agencies. As with any scholarship you apply for, beware of scams. The Office of Financial Aid warns students to be cautious of scholarship search firms that have any of these elements:

  • A required fee
  • Money-back guarantee
  • Requires credit card/bank account information
  • Offers exclusive information
  • Promises cash if you pay a registration fee
  • Pay a fee and they guarantee you’ll win awards
  • Pay a fee and receive a low-interest education loan
  • Promises to replace loans with grant if you pay a processing fee

Contact us if you have any further questions. Also, you can report scholarship scams to the National Fraud Information Center (NFIC) and file a report online; call its toll-free hotline at 1-800-876-7060 or write to:

National Fraud Information Center (NFIC)
P.O. Box 65868
Washington, DC 20035

Taxation of Your Award

Some or all of your award may be subject to taxation in accordance with federal, state, and other regulations. For general guidance, refer to the federal regulations included in IRS Publication 970, available at:

If you are not a U.S. resident, Emerson College may be required to withhold taxes from your award. Please contact either the Payroll Office or Accounts Payable, who will instruct you on the documentation needed to determine if you are eligible for any treaty benefits.

Please consult with an outside tax advisor if you are uncertain of the implications of this award on your personal tax situation. Emerson College is not responsible for any taxes that may arise from this award and does not provide tax advice.