Creative Arts Scholarships

Whittier College is pleased to offer Creative Arts Scholarships of up to $5,000 per year to newly admitted students interested in participating in our Film, Art, Music, Theater, or English programs.

Creative Arts scholarships are renewable for up to four years of continuous study at Whittier College provided that the recipient meets their scholarship's unique requirements. International students are not eligible to receive Creative Arts Scholarships. 

Applications are closed for Fall 2024 and will reopen later this year for Fall 2025. Please keep in mind that you need to apply to Whittier first before you can apply for one of these scholarships. 

Apply to Whittier

Application Requirements

  • Build and submit an art portfolio consisting of 10-20 pieces of art, with at least two drawings if possible.
    • Create a folder in Google Drive titled, “[First and Last Name] Art Portfolio”
    • Copy .jpg image files of each portfolio submission into this folder
  • Submit an essay: In 600 words or less, express the importance of art in your life presently and the place you believe it will hold in your future. Please write and save this essay in a format like Word, then be ready to copy and paste its contents into the application form when prompted. 

If awarded, scholarship recipients will:

  • Enroll as a full-time student (12-17 units per semester)
  • Enroll in at least one art course per year
  • Attend all art scholarship meetings
  • Maintain a 3.00 GPA in studio courses, and maintain a 2.75 overall GPA.

Application Requirements

  • Submit a Film Example: Select one or more examples of your best work as a filmmaker. Provide an unlisted YouTube or Vimeo link for each example in your application.
  • Submit a Film Reflection: Write a reflection about one of your filmmaking examples that answers the following questions:
    • Why did you choose the subject matter, topic, or theme of your film?
    • What was your artistic process?
    • What were the the challenges and rewards of making the film?
    • What worked during production and what didn't?
    • What do you hope your audience will take away after watching your film?
  • Submit an Artistic Statement: Write an artistic statement (or you can shoot a video of yourself) that describes the reason(s) you want to be/are a filmmaker and your future career plans. If you choose the video option, include an unlisted YouTube or Vimeo link in your application.

If awarded, scholarship recipients will:

  • Enroll as a full-time student (12-17 units per semester)
  • Produce at least one short film and/or participate as a key crew member in at least two student film productions per year
  • Become an active member of the College's Video Production Studios (VPS)
  • Attend and participate in the Whittier College Student Film Festival (as a filmmaker or with festival prep and setup)
  • Complete at least three credits (one class) in Film per year
  • Maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA
  • Although not required, most Creative Arts Scholarship recipients will opt to declare and fulfill a Film Major or Minor

Application Requirements

  • Submit a music audition: Record and upload your music audition to YouTube and provide the link in your application. 
    • Videos of live public performances or group performances will not be accepted. Treat this exactly as you would a live audition, performing solo or with one accompanist in a private room as though you were performing in front of the audition committee.
    • Make sure that your YouTube video is not set to Private
    • You may set the video to Unlisted to prevent unauthorized viewers
    • Title your video “Whittier Music Audition: [First and Last Name]”
    • Include the titles and composers of the work(s) performed in your video description
    • You may submit one YouTube video that includes both audition pieces, or two separate YouTube videos that each contain a single audition piece
  • Submit an essay: In 600 words or less, express the importance of music in your life presently and the place you believe it will hold in your future. Please write and save this essay in a format like Word, then be ready to copy and paste its contents into the application form when prompted. 

If awarded, scholarship recipients will:

  • Enroll as a full-time student (12-17 units per semester)
  • Enroll in Music 70, Introduction to Music Theory and Musicianship during their first semester or transfer in comparable coursework. 
  • Participate in a leadership capacity each semester in at least one Music Department-approved musical ensemble. Requires course enrollment.
  • Maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5

Application Requirements

  • Submit an audition (actors only): Record and upload your audition to YouTube and provide the link in your application. Your audition should consist of one monologue, 2 to 2.5 minutes in length, from a theatrical play of your choice. Film monologues are not accepted. Applicants are recommended to avoid extreme characterizations so that their personal essence may be conveyed. Simple hand props are encouraged, however, costumes and elaborate props are not appropriate. We want to get to know each candidate, so please take a few minutes after your video monologue to tell the Scholarship Committee about yourself--your theatre background, what you like about it, your future life and/or career plans, etc. Be direct and informal. 
    • Submissions consisting of reels, footage from production work, live public performances, etc., will not be accepted. Videos must be monologues adhering to the same guidelines as in-person auditions.
    • Make sure your video is not set to Private
    • You may set the video to Unlisted to prevent unauthorized viewers
    • Title your video “Whittier Theatre Audition: [First and Last Name]”
    • Indicate the play your monologue comes from in the video description
  • Submit a headshot (actors only)
  • Submit a Tech Portfolio (Tech Only): Select 10-20 pieces that you feel best represent the work you've done in Theatre production. Your portfolio can include design samples of costumes, scenery, lighting, or audio files if interested in sound design. All submissions must be submitted through Google Drive.
    • Create a folder in Google Drive titled, “[First and Last Name] Theatre Tech Portfolio.”
    • Copy .jpg image files of each portfolio submission into this folder
    • Take all portfolio submissions and place them into this folder. If your work can't be shared or displayed in .jpg form, you may reach out to Professor Gil Gonzalez at ggonzalez@whittier.edu for guidance.

If awarded, scholarship recipients will:

  • Enroll as a full-time student (12-17 units per semester)
  • Participate in at least two Theatre Arts Department main season productions as an actor or a technician each academic year
  • Complete at least three credits (one class) in Theatre per year
  • Maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA
  • Although not required, most Creative Arts Scholarship recipients will opt to declare and fulfill a Theatre major or minor.

Application Requirements

  • Submit a writing portfolio: Your portfolio may include works in a single genre or multiple genres including but not limited to the following: Short Story, Journalism, Poetry, Blog Post, Screenplay, Song Lyrics, Novel Chapter, Public Service Writing, Memoir, One Act Play, Personal Essay, or Dramatic Monologue. If your piece is in an emerging genre that is not listed here, please include a sample; we want to read your work.
    • Create a file in your Google Drive titled, “[First and Last Name] Writing Portfolio”
    • Adjust the sharing settings in the file so that it can be read by anyone with the link
    • Provide the link to your portfolio in your application

If awarded, scholarship recipients will:

  • Enroll as a full-time student (12-17 units per semester)
  • Enroll in at least one English course per year
  • Consider submitting a piece annually to a campus publication (The Quaker Campus, or the Greenleaf Review) or to one of our three campus writing contests.
  • Maintain a minimum 3.00 GPA in English courses