Scholarships for Lefties

About 10% to 15% of the population is left-handed. For a long time, this unique trait made you a candidate for scholarships for lefties, which many award winners used to reduce the cost of college tuition.

Today, most of those scholarships for left-handed college hopefuls no longer exist or are now open to everyone. Read on to learn what happened to the most popular left-handed scholarship, find resources for other scholarships, and get tips for making your scholarship applications stand out.

Are there scholarships for lefties?

We’ve completed extensive research and combed through several lists of scholarships for lefties. No scholarships exist for left-handed applicants at the time of our research in May 2024. However, many unique scholarships are still available (Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship, anyone?) 

Where can you find unusual scholarships?

No left-handed scholarships are available right now, but you can search for scholarship opportunities in many places. Here are websites and apps where you can find a variety of scholarships.

• Going Merry: This platform can help students, parents, and high school counselors manage scholarships and financial aid.  
• Scholly: This scholarship app was featured on the show “Shark Tank.”
• BigFuture: This is a database of more than 24,000 scholarships run by the College Board.
• Fastweb: This is one of the longest-established scholarship directories, created in 1995. 
• Scholarships360: This is a free database of scholarships that doesn’t require you to sign up.

It’s smart to browse several of these directories to see which share scholarships that might be a good fit for you. Many of them allow you to create a profile, which can help their algorithms find scholarships that fit your interests and extracurricular activities.

You can also check out our guide to college scholarships.

What happened to the Frederick & Mary F. Beckley Scholarship?

One of the last remaining left-handed scholarships was the Frederick & Mary F. Beckley Scholarship at Juanita College in Pennsylvania. Two left-handed tennis players who were alumni of Juanita College created it by donating $24,000 to the college. The first scholarship was awarded in 1979. 

However, a search for this scholarship on Juanita College’s website shows the last mention of the Frederick & Mary F. Beckley Scholarship was in 2018. Because the website has no current listing, we can assume this is no longer available and hasn’t been for more than five years.

What happened to the AAST left-handed scholarships?

The American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) used to offer a scholarship for lefties. However, after reviewing its current scholarships, one is no longer listed for left-handed students.

Why are there no left-handed scholarships?

The colleges and organizations that used to offer left-handed scholarships don’t explain why they stopped. 

However, these organizations may have moved away from any scholarship with criteria that might seem like discrimination toward a group of other people—in this case, right-handed students.

It’s also possible scholarship funds ran out and are no longer available to distribute to students.

Scholarship application tips

When applying for scholarships, here are a few tips to remember.

Start early

It’s important to start researching scholarships several months before you start college. Some scholarship applications require you to write essays, which can take time. Choose between one and three scholarship directories, and start researching scholarships you might be eligible for. Write them down, and mark the deadline so you can stay organized.

Understand the requirements

Some scholarships are specific. For example, they might be for future teachers or students entering STEM-related fields. So make sure you understand whether you’re eligible for a scholarship before applying. 

Once you’re eligible, be sure you understand all the requirements. For example, some scholarships might require a teacher’s recommendation letter. Giving teachers ample time to write these letters is important, so starting early is a good idea.

Get feedback

Before turning in a scholarship application, getting feedback from a friend, teacher, or parent is smart. This is especially important if you need to write an essay for your scholarship application requirements.

Based on their suggestions, be prepared to edit your essays or rewrite certain application parts. Refining your applications can improve quality and help you get the scholarships you want.

Apply for more than one scholarship

It’s wise to apply for multiple scholarships. For example, many students might overlook the smaller scholarships for $500 or $1,000. Applying for scholarships of all ranges and sizes can help you earn enough to pay for a good portion of your education.

The best action you can take is set aside time to research scholarships and keep an organized list of scholarship deadlines. If you put in the work and spend time on your applications, you can earn thousands of dollars for school.

Recap of scholarships for lefties

No scholarships exist that are just for left-handed students. But don’t let that stop you from researching scholarships to help you earn college money. Many different scholarships are available, and scholarship platforms make applying to several at once easier than ever.

You can also check out our roundup of niche scholarships, including:

• Scholarships for people with red hair
• Scholarships for low GPA
• No essay scholarships
• Weird scholarships