Degrees in the culinary arts can help you move forward into a fulfilling career as a chef and scholarships for Culinary Arts can help get you there.

While chefs have the potential to make great money, their earnings depend on where they end up working. The average wages for a working chef are $38,770 a year, but chefs can also earn well under $20,000, especially if they only work part time. Since a culinary degree doesn’t necessarily guarantee a well-paying job, many students are afraid to take out large student loans to cover the costs. Getting a culinary scholarship can help with this.

1. Al Schuman/Ecolab Entrepreneurial Scholarship

If you’re working on a hospitality degree, this might be the degree for you. It’s designed for students who want to work in the restaurant or food-service industry. The maximum amount for a scholarship is $5,500, which can go a long way toward helping with your expenses.

Requirements:

You will need to have a minimum GPA of 3.0, the spirit of a true entrepreneur, and plans to attend certain schools. A list of qualifying schools can be found here.

2. Clark E. DeHaven Scholarship Trust

This culinary scholarship is for students who are currently enrolled in a program for an undergraduate degree in the culinary studies. It can get you up to $5,000 for school.

Requirements:

Your school must be an accredited member of the National Association of Colleges & University Food Services. You also have to maintain a GPA of at least 2.75, be an American or Canadian citizen, and have no relatives on the Clark E. DeHaven board of trustees.

3. The Vegetarian Resource Group College Scholarship

If you’re passionate about vegetarian cooking, this might be an ideal culinary scholarship for you. This unique opportunity could provide you with up to $20,000 in scholarship money.

Requirements:

For this scholarship for culinary studies, it’s important that applicants have a strong desire to make the world a better place. If you’ve worked hard to promote a plant-based diet in your local community and have the desire to continue to do so, you may qualify. The scholarship is open to high school students who follow a vegetarian diet and plan to go into the culinary arts.

4. Wisconsin Bakers Association Scholarship

If you live to bake and definitely consider it your culinary specialty, this culinary arts scholarship could earn you $1,000 to put toward school. Since 1984, the association has given away more than $25,000 in scholarship money.

Requirements:

For this scholarship, you must be a Wisconsin resident, be 18 years of age or older with a high school diploma or equivalency, work at a bakery for at least 500 hours, and submit three written references that show your character and work ethic. You’ll also need to submit a statement explaining your career objectives and why you think this scholarship would be best for you.

5. Pink Boots Scholarship

If you’re into beer as much as you’re into food, this might be a great scholarship to apply for. There is no fee to join the Pink Boots Society, so if you’re over the age of 21 and can submit a letter of recommendation, you might want to consider applying for this scholarship for women.

Requirements:

This unique scholarship is only open to women who are employed in the beer industry, seeking employment or retired from a career. If retired, you will need to have completed at least 15 years of full-time work.

These are just a few of the many scholarships that are available for culinary students. For more information about other scholarships for Culinary Arts you might qualify for, visit this page.

Recommended Reading: What is the Typical Coursework in a Culinary Arts Degree Program?