If you feel that you’ve looked everywhere for college funding there may be a few awards out there that can award you for talents and traits you didn’t think could win you help for college. While there are a far greater number of grants that award traditional minority groups, those with a variety of talents, hobbies and abilities can find funding as well. You may find that you qualify for many more grants than you had previously thought.

Each grant program will require something different of students in order to be awarded funding. Some will give students the chance to be creative and put together original creations that will be entered in a competition with other students. Others will be based on more traditional criteria such as athletic ability, grades or community service, just in a more unusual way than most scholarships and grants. Many of these grants provide less competition than more popular options and for those who qualify can give them a much better chance of winning.

A majority of the stranger grant programs are offered through private organizations and through businesses looking to promote their products. Students can find funding from sources as diverse as duct tape manufacturers to dairy farmers associations. These programs can award students for their love of sports, academic record or their creativity and talents.

Not all awards are based on talents and hobbies, however, as many are based on physical traits such as height, weight and disabilities. Those who are exceptionally tall can win funding as well as those who may be overweight. Grants such as these are designed to help students who may through their innate physical traits be at a disadvantage in a world designed for those of more average abilities and proportions.

Weird College Grants

• The Sammy Award: $7,500 to students who demonstrate academic success and leadership skills and can wear a milk moustache.
• Chick and Sophie Major Memorial Duck Calling Contest: $1,500 is awarded to the student who can call ducks with the most flair.
• Parapsychology Foundation, Inc. Eileen J. Garrett Scholarship: $3,000 to one student pursuing college study of parapsychology.
• American Association of Candy Technologists Award: Varied amounts to students studying food science, biological science, or chemical science who have an interest in candy manufacturing.