Apply for awards and scholarships
There are multiple sources of scholarship information, including the Office of Admissions, the Office of Student Financial Aid, and the Iowa Scholarship Portal (for undergraduates only). The School of Art & Art History (SAAH) scholarship coordinator is Holly Johnson.
School of Art & Art History scholarships are awarded based on the criteria listed below and the availability of funds. Art and Art History majors who will be entering or returning for the following Fall semester are eligible. All scholarship applications are due February 1st for the following year and scholarship winners are notified by the end of March.
Art History scholarships for undergraduate students
Awarded to female graduate or undergraduate Art History students in the SAAH. Preference is given to non-traditional female students.
This scholarship is awarded to deserving Art History students.
Funds are used to help undergraduate or graduate Art History students travel to Europe to study the Italian Renaissance where it occurred.
Minimum criteria are undergraduate standing, major in the School of Art and Art History, and minimum cumulative Iowa GPA of 2.75; awarded to students who demonstrate exceptional artistic or scholarly talent.
Studio Art scholarships for undergraduate students
One scholarship is awarded each year by the Fine Arts Council to an undergraduate student deserving of special recognition based on creativity, personal growth, and perseverance in his or her field.
Awarded to undergraduate or graduate students in the Printmaking program who are African-American or Latino.
Awarded to deserving student(s) in the Printmaking program; preference is given to undergraduate students.
This award celebrates the memory of Virginia A. Myers by awarding one undergraduate student and one graduate student funding to research Foil Imaging at both the Visual Arts Building at the University of Iowa and Frogman’s Print Workshop in Omaha, NE.
Awarded based on ability and financial need to undergraduate or graduate students in the Graphic Design, Photography, Printmaking, and Sculpture programs.
Provides scholarship support for deserving students in the SAAH in the Studio division.
Awarded to undergraduate students in the Studio division based on artistic merit; incoming freshmen are eligible for these scholarships.
Awarded to students in the Sculpture program who wish to study traditional sculpture techniques in a European country.
Awarded based primarily on academic record and financial need. Students from Fremont County, Iowa, are given preference; incoming freshmen are eligible for the scholarship.
Selections are based upon merit and/or a need basis; preference is given to graduate students in the Studio division.
$1,500 awarded annually to a minority student in the SAAH. The award recipient is chosen on the basis of need and excellence, with no preference toward undergraduate or graduate resident or nonresident students.
This award is used to assist talented and dedicated undergraduate and graduate students in the Jewelry & Metal Arts program. A minimum cumulative Iowa GPA of 2.75 is required; scholarship is awarded on the basis of ability and financial need.
This fund is to support one or more annual scholarship(s) in the SAAH based on need and merit to deserving students from St. Louis County, Minnesota, or Rock Island County, Illinois. If no candidates from the above-mentioned locations qualify, then preference is given to a student from Iowa.
Awarded to undergraduate or graduate students; preference is given to students from Warren County, Iowa.
Minimum criteria are undergraduate standing, major in the School of Art and Art History, and minimum cumulative Iowa GPA of 2.75; awarded to students who demonstrate exceptional artistic or scholarly talent.
The fund is designated to support scholarships in the SAAH in the annual amount of $1,500. The recipients may be either undergraduate or graduate students.
Awarded in support of deserving undergraduate or graduate students.
Awarded to a student earning a BFA in Photography who demonstrates both financial need and academic merit.
The University of Iowa School of Art & Art History offers Spotlight Grants to support innovation in the creation of visual art. The goals of the Spotlight Program are the artistic development of individual students and the enhancement of students’ portfolios. The work completed will be exhibited in the annual Spotlight Exhibition. Ten awards, of up to $600, will be granted annually. Allowable expenditures from the award include, but are not limited to, art supplies, modeling and framing.
The Spotlight Program is made possible by a generous gift from Donna Friedman Curry. It is the donor’s wish that students will work on new, creative ideas that can be completed within one school year. The key to the program is to allow students flexibility in the ideas behind and the carrying out of their projects. Students must be nominated by a SAAH faculty member to be eligible for this award. Please ensure that you have been nominated by a faculty member and invited to apply before completing and submitting an application.
2024 Spotlight Virtual Exhibition
2024 SPOTLIGHT CATALOG [PDF}
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences scholarships
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences also awards scholarships to students continuing coursework in a major within the college. Some scholarships are open to all liberal arts and sciences students and others are for select liberal arts and sciences majors.