YoungArts National Arts Competition
Offered by YoungArts · Free to apply
Ten artistic disciplines, from classical music and dance to writing, film, and design arts, are judged in this national competition for artists ages 15 to 18 or in grades 10 to 12. Applicants submit a portfolio, recording, or audition file that discipline panels review in several rounds, and cash awards run from $250 to $10,000; the strongest winners are nominated for the U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts program. A $35 application fee applies, waivers are available, and finalists are expected to attend National YoungArts Week to compete for the top award levels. The application opens in the summer, typically late July, and closes in early October at 8 p.m. ET, an evening cutoff that catches applicants planning around midnight. Results follow in late fall.
How hard is the YoungArts National Arts Competition to win?
A large applicant pool chases this award. Apply if the student is a genuinely strong fit, but build the plan around better-odds awards first.
- Estimated odds
- roughly 1 in 2,000 applicants
- Modelled applicant field
- ~36,000 students
- Payoff per hour of work
- $0 / hr
What drives the odds here
Odds on a scholarship are mostly a question of how many students can enter. Each rule below changes the size of that field.
- More rivalsOpen nationwide, so the field is large
- More rivalsA five-figure award attracts a bigger field
How Solyo estimates this: We model the applicant field from how narrow the eligibility rules are, then divide the awards available by that field. Requirements such as essays and recommendation letters improve a serious applicant’s odds, because most browsers never complete them. These are estimates derived from each award's published structure, not reported acceptance rates, which almost no scholarship provider discloses. Treat them as a way to rank where the hours go, not as a guarantee.
Who can apply for the YoungArts National Arts Competition?
These are the eligibility rules Solyo verified against the official award page, translated into plain English. Your student must meet each one.
- Open to high school sophomores, high school juniors, and high school seniors
- Open to U.S. citizens, permanent residents (green card), DACA/Dreamer students, or students on other visas
- Ages 15 to 18
- A $35 application fee applies; fee waivers are available
- Applicants enter one artistic discipline and must meet that discipline's audition or portfolio requirements
- Finalists are expected to participate in National YoungArts Week to be considered for top award levels
- Must be age 15-18 or in grades 10-12 on December 1 of the application year
- Non-citizens qualify if legally able to receive taxable income in the US (must have a Social Security number)
What the application takes
No essay, recommendation letters, or transcript are required. This is one of the lighter applications in the directory.
Deadline and application cycle
The current deadline is October 8, 2026 at 8:00 p.m. ET. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around October 8 each year. Applications open July 21. The cutoff is 8 p.m. ET, not midnight, and the exact early-October date moves each cycle, so check youngarts.org before submission week.
- Applications open
- July 21, 2026
- Application closes
- October 8, 2026 at 8:00 p.m. ET
- Winners announced
- Late November 2026
Does your student actually qualify?
See if your student qualifies in 30 seconds. Solyo checks 20+ criteria against their real profile: GPA, state, grade level, intended major, and more, across every award in this directory at once.
Common questions about the YoungArts National Arts Competition
How much is the YoungArts National Arts Competition worth?
The YoungArts National Arts Competition awards $250-$10,000.
When is the YoungArts National Arts Competition deadline?
The current deadline is October 8, 2026 at 8:00 p.m. ET. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around October 8 each year. Applications open July 21. The cutoff is 8 p.m. ET, not midnight, and the exact early-October date moves each cycle, so check youngarts.org before submission week.
When do YoungArts National Arts Competition applications open?
Applications open July 21, and close October 8, 2026 at 8:00 p.m. ET. The cutoff is 8 p.m. ET, not midnight, and the exact early-October date moves each cycle, so check youngarts.org before submission week.
Who is eligible for the YoungArts National Arts Competition?
Key requirements: Open to high school sophomores, high school juniors, and high school seniors; Open to U.S. citizens, permanent residents (green card), DACA/Dreamer students, or students on other visas; Ages 15 to 18.
Does the YoungArts National Arts Competition require an essay?
No essay is required. The application is light on requirements. Expect to spend about 12 hours on it.
How hard is it to win the YoungArts National Arts Competition?
Solyo estimates the odds at roughly 1 in 2,000 applicants, against a modelled field of ~36,000 students. At 12 hrs of work, that is about $0 of expected value per hour. This is an estimate from award structure, not a published acceptance rate.
Is the YoungArts National Arts Competition free to apply?
Yes. The YoungArts National Arts Competition is free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge an application fee, and Solyo verifies every listed award against its official page.
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Lists this award appears on
Award details are curated by Solyo and verified against the official scholarship page. Deadlines and requirements can change between cycles, so always confirm on the provider's site before applying.