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Scholarships
Top religious studies scholarships for you
Find scholarships for religious studies majors that can help you pay for college.
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Scholarships for religious studies majors
Dora Maclellan Brown Ministry Scholarships
Due: 2/17/27
|No min. GPA Required
Varies
The Dora Maclellan Brown Ministry Scholarships are one of the most unique in the country. In memory of Mrs. Brown, the Dora Maclellan Brown Charitable Trust established the scholarship program in 1972 to glorify God by providing for those He has called to His service. Dora Maclellan Brown Scholarships are available to Christian men and women: from the greater Chattanooga area, who are theologically and biblically conservative, and who are seeking to continue their education in Christian service work at a theological seminary, Bible college, or graduate school. Specifically, the student will be focusing on classes or master's degrees that will prepare the student for vocational Christian service work. This includes Master's of Divinity, Master's of Theology, master's degree in biblical counseling, missions, worship music or other fields for Christian service work. It also includes students who are participating in continuing education to assist in their bi-vocational Christian service work. The committee does not consider applications for doctoral programs. Applications may be submitted through mail or email. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information.
Juliette M. Atherton Scholarship - Seminary Graduate Studies
Due: 2/26/27
|No Recommendations Required
Varies
This Juliette M. Atherton Scholarship will be awarded for graduate studies in theology to seminary students. The donor requires applicants to intend to become ordained as a Protestant minister. Preference will be given to a full-time student and a student who maintains a cumulative GPA of 2.7 or higher. Eligible awardees may receive funding for up to four years, but must reapply each year to be considered. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Hawai'i Community Foundation for more information.
Juliette M. Atherton Scholarships - Ordained Ministers Advanced Education
Due: 2/26/27
|No Recommendations Required
Varies
This Juliette M. Atherton Scholarship will be awarded to Protestant ministers for advanced degree programs. The donor requires applicants to attend a college or university in the United States to pursue a continuing theological education. Applicants must have completed or will complete a seminary or theology degree by the following academic year. Applicants must also have been ordained as a Protestant minister. Eligible awardees may receive funding for up to four years, but must reapply each year to be considered. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Hawai'i Community Foundation for more information.
Juliette M. Atherton Scholarship - Undergraduate Studies
Due: 2/26/27
|No Recommendations Required
Varies
This Juliette M. Atherton Scholarship will be awarded for undergraduate studies of children of Protestant ministers. The donor requires applicants to have at least one parent who resides in Hawai'i, has attended seminary, and is an ordained and practicing Protestant minister. The applicant must provide the minister's current position, minister's church/parish name, minister's denomination and date and place of ordination, and name of seminary attended. Preference will be given to students who demonstrate financial need, a full-time student, and a student who maintains a cumulative GPA of 2.7 or higher. Preference is for recipients who were awarded in the immediate prior year if such recipient continues to meet the eligibility requirements and is in good academic standing. Eligible awardees may receive funding for up to four years, but must reapply each year to be considered. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Hawai'i Community Foundation for more information.
Charles Crane Family Foundation Scholarship
Due: 3/2/27
|No Recommendations Required
Varies
The Charles Crane Family Foundation Scholarship supports Jewish students pursuing "gap year" or advanced studies at seminaries and yeshivas in the U.S. or Israel, or who have declared a Judaic studies major at a U.S. college or university. Applicants must have a GPA of 2.8 or higher to be competitive. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact Central Scholarship for more information.
John Harrison Ness Memorial Award
Due: 3/17/27
|No essay
|No Recommendations Required
|No min. GPA Required
|No Transcripts Required
$500
The General Commission on Archives and History of The United Methodist Church offers an annual award of $500 (first prize) and $250 (second prize) to the students enrolled in the M. Div. program (or its equivalent) in United Methodist or other seminaries accredited by the Association of Theological Schools who submit the best papers on some aspect of United Methodist history broadly conceived. The paper must have been judged by its author's professor as one of quality. Once the paper has passed his or her critical judgment, the professor will submit it to the General Commission on Archives and History. The paper must be properly footnoted and bear evidence of thorough and reliable handling of sources using the annotation standards accepted at the seminary. A bibliography also must be included. One copy of the paper is to be submitted electronically in Word by the recommending professor. Please visit the award's website for more information.
Richard S. Smith Scholarship
Due: 3/30/27
|No essay
|No Recommendations Required
|No Transcripts Required
Varies
The Richard S. Smith Scholarship is designated for racial/ethnic minority youth in the United States only. Applicants must be a United Methodist youth that has been active in his/her local church for at least one year prior to application. They must be entering their first year of undergraduate studies pursuing a "church-related" career and have maintained at least a "C" average (2.5 GPA) throughout high school. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information.
Rosalie Bentzinger Scholarship
Due: 3/31/27
|No essay
$5,000
The Rosalie Bentzinger Scholarship is designated for an ordained deacon pursuing a Ph.D. in Christian education who is enrolled in a University Senate-approved seminary. Applicants must have a minimum of three years of membership in the UMC. Applicants must be pursuing a degree program at an accredited institution within the U.S. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry for more information.
John Q. Schisler Scholarship
Due: 3/31/27
|No essay
$2,000
The John Q. Schisler Scholarship is designated for students pursuing ministry in Christian education. Applicants must be preparing to become a lay professional or ordained deacon in full connection. They must also have a minimum of three years of membership in the UMC. Applicants must be pursuing a degree program at an accredited institution within the U.S. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry for more information.
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What are religious studies scholarships?
Religious studies scholarships are financial aid for college created specifically for religious studies students. Scholarships for religious studies majors can help students access higher education opportunities that otherwise may be out of reach because of financial reasons. All scholarships are free money for college that you don’t have to pay back.
Eligibility requirements for religious studies scholarships
Before you apply for religious studies scholarships, make sure you check the eligibility requirements to see if you qualify. These may include:
- Minimum GPA
- Community service experience
- U.S. citizenship
- Plans to attend an accredited program
- Leadership skills
- FAFSA® submission
Scholarship requirements vary, so don’t assume you won’t qualify. Keep searching for scholarships that best match your qualifications.
Are religious studies scholarships worth my time?
If you want to get as much free money as you can for your education, then yes! You’ll find some scholarships are quick and easy to apply for, while others require more time and effort. Typically, fewer students apply for scholarships that require work (like writing an essay) which means you could have better odds of winning if you apply for one of those.
Pro tip: Don’t pass up on religious studies scholarships that have smaller award amounts. ($) There’s typically less competition for them—and they add up!
How do I find religious studies scholarships?
From your school to national organizations, there are so many places to find religious studies scholarships that can help you pay for college.
Scholarship resources
- The financial aid office at a college or career school
- Organizations (such as professional associations) related to your field of interest
- Federal agencies
- Free scholarship search engines, like Scholly Scholarships
- Local libraries, businesses, or associations
Your high school guidance office is a great place to start when looking for local scholarships. You could also try doing a search for your city’s name and “community foundation,” or the county you live in and “foundation.”
Scholly Scholarships
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Hot tip! Smaller scholarships may have less competition, increasing your odds of winning.
What types of religious studies scholarships are available?
Need-based scholarships
These are scholarships for students who have demonstrated a financial need. There’s no universal number or set income level that tells you if you qualify. How each scholarship defines what financial need means varies. The federal government as well as specific organizations, corporations, and colleges/universities/schools offer need-based scholarships.
Merit scholarships
Merit scholarships are for students who have shown high academic, athletic, or extracurricular achievement over their high school careers. Not all schools/colleges offer merit-aid—highly selective schools typically don’t. The process for applying for merit scholarships varies. For merit scholarships offered through colleges and universities, you generally don’t have to do anything other than complete the application to the school itself. For some schools, you need to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) to be eligible.
Career-specific grants or scholarships
These are awarded to students who know they want a career in a specific industry. Maybe they know they want to be a teacher, a nurse, or an engineer. To be eligible for grants, students must submit the FAFSA®. To find career-specific scholarships, try searching for your major and “association.”
Community or nonprofit scholarships
Nonprofit and community organizations often receive funding from donors to create scholarship programs for students who need them.
Tips for successful scholarship applications
- Pull together everything you need for the application including transcripts, so you can submit a complete scholarship application.
- You may need a recommendation letter or letters for a scholarship. Ask a teacher, employer, or someone else who knows you to write one for you—and be sure to give them enough time to do it.
- If you’re writing a scholarship essay, follow the prompt, answer the essay question completely, and write from your experience. A few well-written essays that you can reuse for different scholarship applications can really pay off.
- Highlight your strengths and achievements in your application.
- Talk about your financial need and what you would use the scholarship money for if you won. How would it help?
- Have to interview for a scholarship? Dress to impress in a professional outfit. And do your research! Look into how/why the scholarship was created. Try to bring up why it’s meaningful to you. Also, don’t forget to send a thank-you note afterwards.
- Keep track of all the deadlines for the scholarships you’re applying to. If you miss one, they may not extend the due date.
- Apply for scholarships year after year, all through college. As you continue your studies, gain more experience, and try new extracurricular activities in college, you might be eligible for more scholarships you weren’t originally qualified for.
Want more tips to up your chances of winning? Check out our scholarship guide for everything you need to know about finding and winning scholarships.
Frequently asked questions
These tips can help as you get ready to apply for religious studies scholarships.
When are scholarship application deadlines?
There’s no standard deadline for scholarship applications. Each scholarship has its own deadline, so be sure to keep track of dates and make sure you don’t miss any deadlines of scholarships that you want to apply to.
Do you need to know which college you’re attending?
You don’t need to know which college you’re going to attend before applying for most scholarships. However, once you’re awarded scholarships, some of them may ask for eligibility verification—which can include proof of college enrollment.
Is there a limit on how many scholarships you can apply for?
Absolutely not, so apply for as many as you can to increase your chances of winning free money. Want to find more types of scholarships? There are so many, check them out!
Pro tip: Apply for scholarships each year you’re in college.
Does every scholarship application require an essay?
Not every scholarship will ask you to submit an essay—different scholarships have different requirements. If you’re applying for a scholarship with an essay and need help writing yours, get tips for writing scholarship essays.
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