Top 10 Scholarships for Left-Handed People
BL
Summary:
It may be surprising to hear, but there are a few college scholarships available for left-handed people. And then there are some more general scholarships that lefties may want to apply for. The scholarships can range from $500 to $20,000 and are offered to prospective college students, college students, and graduate students. You can also include your experience as a left-handed person when you write your scholarship application essays.
Worldwide, most people are right-handed. The global average for left-handers, based on an aggregate measure of the population, is only between 10%-12%. Being unique and left-handed can have its benefits, though. One of these benefits is being able to apply for scholarships specifically for left-handed people. If you are left-handed, know someone who is, or are perhaps ambidextrous, here are some of the best scholarships for left-handed people that you may want to consider.
Compare Student Loans
Compare rates from multiple vetted lenders. Discover your lowest eligible rate.
Top scholarships for left-handed people
Let’s look at some of the scholarships designed for left-handed people and how much money you can expect to get for each.
Lawyers Plus Southpaw Scholarship
Scholarship value: $1,500
Area of study: law
Launched by a successful left-handed attorney, this scholarship really focuses on the trials and tribulations of left-handers. In order to apply, prospective applicants must shoot a two-minute video of themselves explaining how left-handedness has affected various parts of their lives, such as training. Who knows, maybe someday you could use your education to file class-action lawsuits for past left-handed discrimination.
Frederick and Mary F. Beckley Scholarship
Scholarship value: $1,000-$1,500
Area of study: any at Juniata College
The Frederick and Mary F. Beckley Scholarship offers a scholarship of $1,000-$1,500 to left-handed students attending college. However, the caveat with this scholarship is it is only applicable to a small college in Pennsylvania called Juniata College. Prospective applicants need to be enrolled in Juniata for at least one year to qualify. The plus side, however, is that there are no major requirements so the scholarship can apply to any field of study.
Pro Tip
The number of left-handed people varies by country. For various cultural reasons, parents and teachers in China, for example, vigilantly work with naturally left-handed students to make them right-handed at an early age. As a result, only 0-1% of their population is left-handed.
Michael Yasick ADHD Scholarship
Scholarship value: $2,000
Area of study: any
This one is a bit of a stretch, but there does seem to be a correlation between ADHD and being left-handed. In fact, according to a recent study by the National Institutes of Health:
“The results show evidence of a trend towards elevated levels of atypical handedness when it comes to differences in left- and mixed-handedness (p = 0.09 and p = 0.07, respectively), but do show clear evidence of elevated levels of non-right-handedness between individuals with ADHD and controls (p = 0.02).”
You must be diagnosed with a neurological development disorder such as ADHD to apply and be accepted into a two- to four-year secondary education program at an accredited college or university.
More scholarships that left-handed people can apply for
Truth be told, there aren’t many scholarships that are geared exclusively toward left-handed people. Shocking, I know. So we added some extra scholarships into the mix. You don’t have to be left-handed to apply for these scholarships, but if you are left-handed, they could help you get more money to pay for college.
Andrew Macrina Scholarship Fund
Scholarship value: $2,500
Area of study: culinary arts
The Andrew Macrina Scholarship from the American Culinary Federation is available to people who would like to try their luck in the world of culinary arts. If you’ve ever dreamed of making true Peruvian ceviche, Chinese Xiao Long Bao, or Swiss pastries or are interested in culinary arts in general, this could be a great option. Left-handed college students may even be able to learn how to use their right hands a bit better when performing culinary tasks with an ambidextrous angle.
James Beard Foundation National Scholarships
Scholarship value: $20,000
Areas of study: food and agriculture
The James Beard Foundation offers a scholarship to attend colleges and universities for prospective students who want to focus on food. Culinary arts, food science, agriculture, and hospitality management are some of the majors that this scholarship is geared towards. As the scholarship stands at a whopping $20,000, this should be on the mind of all left-handed foodies and farmers.
Pro Tip
When you write your scholarship application essays, you might want to incorporate your experience as a left-handed person. It’s not exceedingly rare, but it has surely led to obstacles you had to overcome and would demonstrate your strength and individuality.
Enid Hall Griswold Memorial Scholarship
Scholarship value: $5,000
Areas of study: political science, government, and history
Some of the most important political figures in the world have been left-handed, including Einstein, Benjamin Franklin, and Henry Ford. For those who are left-handed and interested in the way government operates, the Enid Hall Griswold Memorial Scholarship could be a good fit. If you plan on studying majors such as political science, government, economics, and history, this scholarship is geared toward individuals studying those subjects. Eligible applicants are encouraged to have outstanding academic merit.
Heineken USA Performing Arts Scholarship
Scholarship value: $3,000
Area of study: performing arts
The Heineken USA Performing Arts scholarship is offered to students with an interest in theater. Left-handers can learn to act and might even be able to pass off as right-handed with these newly acquired acting skills. The scholarship is administered by the Congressional Black Caucus and is geared toward African Americans looking to study music, opera, theater, and the performing arts.
Frank J. Richter Scholarship Program
Scholarship value: $1,000
Area of study: any
If you are enrolled full-time at a college or university in Canada or the U.S. and have at least a 2.75 grade point average, then you can apply for a Frank J. Richter Scholarship from the American Association of Railroad Superintendents. It’s only $1,000, but there are no requirements to study a certain major or degree to apply, although preference will be given to those studying transportation.
Wendy Jackson Hall Memorial Scholarship
Scholarship value: $15,000
Area of study: visual arts
The Wendy Jackson Hall Memorial Scholarship is one of the most generous scholarships at $15,000. Wendy Jackson Hall was a famous left-handed animator in her time, and thus the scholarship focuses on individuals studying visual arts. Visual arts is a broad category that encompasses more specific fields such as painting, drawing, film/video, sculpture, and various 2D or 3D computer-generated art forms. It’s only visual, however, and does not include other art forms such as dance, music, or theater. It can help to offset your student loans significantly. You must be a graduating high school senior from a Washington state public high school.
MRCA Foundation Scholarship
Scholarship value: $500-$3,000
Areas of study: architecture, engineering, construction
The Midwest Roofing Company Association (MCRA) offers scholarships for people who want to work with property or with their hands. This includes trade-related majors, such as architecture, engineering, industrial design, material science, construction, or metallurgy. The only caveat is that prospective applicants should have employment experience in construction and proof of being associated with an active MRCA member company. Although it starts at only $500, this scholarship could put some extra cash in your student savings account.
Looking for a loan to supplement your left-handed scholarships? Read reviews and compare your options below.
FAQ
Do you get a scholarship for being left-handed?
There are only a “ew scholarships for left-handed people. But you could also apply for a more general scholarship and explain how your experience of being left-handed has made you a stronger applicant. It might be wise to talk to a principal or guidance counselor about which of these scholarships might make sense for your own personal situation.
How much scholarship money can you get for being left-handed?
The two scholarships that are specifically for left-handed people are for about $1,500 each. At the lowest end, the MRCA offers scholarships starting at $500. On the high end, the James Beard Foundation National Scholarship gives $20,000. And of course, there are many other scholarships for amounts in between that range.
Do left-handed people get free college?
If by “free college” you mean a full scholarship, then yes it is possible for left-handed people to get this. There are many full scholarships you can apply for that are based on other factors like income, background, and academic performance. These types of full scholarships are available for left-handed people as well as right-handed people and the ambidextrous. The scholarships specifically for left-handed people tend to be partial scholarships.
Key takeaways
- Only 10%-12% of people in the world are left-handed, and in some countries that number is even lower.
- There are only a few college scholarships specifically for left-handed people, if you are left-handed, you can apply for other more general scholarships to get money for college.
- The scholarships we found range from $500-$20,000.
- Some scholarships are specific to a degree or field of study, and some are general scholarships awarded for academic performance.
Share this post: