Culinary Scholarships
There are many different kinds of degrees that you can get in culinary arts. The tuition for these schools can be very costly, which is why it’s important to focus on scholarships. There are many scholarships offered around the country and they are absolutely free to apply for, so students can apply for as many as they have time to fill out – it’s free money, so try and complete as many as possible.
Students who are going to be attending the Culinary Institute of America can apply for the Cream of the Crop Scholarship. There are 20 of these scholarships are offered every year and go to future culinarians who have at least a 3.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale as well as can demonstrate leadership skills. The scholarship award is for $5,000 and is renewable. This means that if a student is pursuing a bachelor’s degree, the total award could be as much as $20,000 and $10,000 if it’s an associate degree.
There is also the International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association scholarship for undergraduate and graduate students. To be eligible, a student must be an employee of a supermarket, bakery, deli or work for a company that services one of those industries. This is a completely merit based scholarship and the awards will vary from year to year, typically in the amount of $1000. There are four separate deadlines for the scholarship every year, so if you miss one, you still have a shot at one of the other three dates. Students must be planning to major in a food-related field, marketing, or business to be eligible for the scholarship.
The American Academy of Chefs offers scholarships to those students interested in the culinary arts. The number and amount of these awards vary from year to year depending on the funds available. They are designated for specific accredited schools throughout the country. Applicants are given points based on a scale established by the selection committee in the areas of GPA, community involvement, and participation in culinary competitions. Students must be high school seniors graduating in the current year, accepted to an accredited school, and plan on becoming a chef or pastry chef.