Can I Cover My Education Cost With a Wacky Scholarship?

There are scholarships available for students, though almost all have specific criteria which students must meet in order to qualify. Some require a certain level of academic performance, some are targeted towards athletes, others to students whose parents serve in the military and so on. However, there are some other scholarships out there with much more esoteric criteria -- for example, for left-handed students! Sound strange? It is, but there are many wacky scholarships students may want to look into.

However, many of these scholarships go unclaimed because few students are aware of these less conventional sources of funding. These scholarships are somewhat eccentric in nature, being awarded on the basis of certain hobbies or personal traits. They may be unusual, but these wacky scholarships can be another way to help pay for college.

There is a scholarship offered by the Tall Clubs International. This $1,000 scholarship is available to students who are over 6' 2" in height (or 5' 8" and up for female students). Exceptionally short students aren't left out either - there are also grants awarded to students who are shorter than 4' 10" by the Little People of America and the Billy Barty Foundation.

If you happen to be overweight, the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance may have a scholarship for you as well. The NAAFA awards two scholarships annually to members of the association on a merit basis.

If these wacky scholarships are a source of amazement (or perhaps amusement) to you, there's others you may want to learn about. For example, if you're a Star Trek fan this one in particular may interest you. There is a Kor Memorial Scholarship which is awarded to one student annually (and if you have any idea who Kor is, you're probably a good candidate) by the Klingon Language Institute; and yes, there really is a Klingon Language Institute. The best part is that you don't have to know any Klingon in order to be awarded this $500 scholarship.

These are just a few of the many unusual scholarships which are available to those students who seek them out and meet their unique criteria. There are many others - for instance, there are scholarships for vegans, working artists, caddies, redheads and just about everyone and anyone else.