爱思英语编者按：你不必成绩好，也不必是运动员或生于幸运星下也能获得奖学金。这里为大家介绍美国学校里可获得的20项较为奇怪、有时甚至令人困惑的奖学金。

The 20 Most Bizarre US College Scholarships
美国学校最怪的20项奖学金

You don't need to be an athlete or have been born under a lucky star to earn a scholarship.

你不必是运动员或生于幸运星下也能获得奖学金。

Life is stressful for the high school everyman (or woman), especially in senior year. Sporty types and brainiacs scoop up post-secondary scholarships with ease, but what if you're not that athletic, or academic? What if your strengths lie more in shooting marbles, perfecting your duck call, or making prom formalwear out of duct tape? Lucky for you, there are a handful of quirky scholarships available for students with unique traits and talents.

Here are 20 strange – and sometimes baffling – college scholarships available in the USA.

这里为大家介绍美国学校里可获得的20项较为奇怪、有时甚至令人困惑的奖学金。

1. For Lefties

We left-handed folk may have a shorter life expectancy, but at least Juniata College in Pennsylvania offers $1000-$1500 a year to lefties. Students who identify themselves as left-handed on the personal information form are automatically eligible, and the scholarship winners are chosen from the left-handed students with high academic records. According to the college, there's no left-handed writing test or burden of proof on scholarship winners.

1）左撇子奖学金

左撇子平均预期寿命也许较短，但是宾夕法尼亚州的杰尼阿塔学院（Juniata College）至少为左撇子一年提供1000—1500美元奖学金。那些在个人信息表里将自己填为左撇子的学生都自动获得资格，奖学金获得者将从这些有着优良学术成绩的左撇子学生中选出。根据学院规定，奖学金获奖者不需进行书写测试或举证。

2. For Tall Folk

If you're a woman over 5'10″ or a man over 6'2", you're eligible for one of Tall Clubs International's $1000 scholarships. Applicants should contact their closest TCI member club for sponsorship as a scholarship candidate. It's easier than (pardon the pun) courting a basketball scholarship.

2）高个儿奖学金

女生身高高于5.1英尺（约合155.4厘米）、男生身高高于6.2英尺（约合188.9厘米）都有资格获评高个儿国际俱乐部（TCI）一千美元奖学金。申请人应联系其最近的高个儿国际俱乐部会员组织作为申请候选人的保证人。这可比谋求篮球奖学金容易多了。

3. For Duct Tape Artists

If you breezed through that YouTube video on making a duct tape wallet, keep on reading. Duck Tape runs an annual "Stuck at Prom" contest, where $3000 scholarships are awarded to high school students who create couples' prom outfits entirely out of duct tape. Applicants submit a color photo and simple form to Duck Tape, who evaluate workmanship, originality, use of color and accessories. It sounds like a weird bridal shower party game, but some of the photos of past winners are mind-blowing.

3）胶带艺术家奖学金

如果你浏览过Youtube上制作胶带皮夹的视频，请继续观看。每年都会举办胶带舞会，凡是完全用胶带创作出舞会服装的中学生可以获得3000美元奖学金。申请人必须向主办单位提交作品的彩照和单形。

4. For Those With "Quirky Brilliance"

Ursinus College has established a scholarship in honor of its famous alum, JD Salinger. Promising student writers who embody Salinger's "unusual perspective and quirky brilliance" are eligible for a four-year scholarship of $30,000 per year. Creative Writing professors and scholarship founders John Volkmer and Matthew Kozusko are looking for a striking, unconventional, Holden Caulfield-like voice. The coolest part? Recipients also get to live in Salinger's old dorm room. Applicants need to submit a portfolio of creative writing, and a letter of recommendation from their high school creative writing teacher.

4）怪才奖学金

乌尔辛纳斯学院（Ursinus College）设立了一项以其著名校友萨林格尔（JD Salinger）命名的奖学金以奖励那些具有萨林格尔般"与众不同的观点和异乎寻常的才能"的学生作家，其能获得长达4年的奖学金，每年3万美元。最酷的部分是什么？获奖者还可以住到萨林格尔以前住过的宿舍房间里去。申请者必须提交创意写作材料和推荐信。

5. For The Creatively Gifted (But Academically So-So)

David Letterman established a scholarship at his alma mater, Ball State University in Indiana. He created this fund for academically average students who demonstrate exceptional creativity, and grants up to $10,000 to recipients. Students' academic records aren't studied for this scholarship. Instead, students in the telecommunications department are invited to submit creative projects in written, audio, or video form.

5）为具有创造性才能（但学术上一般）的人设立的奖学金

大卫·莱特尔曼（David Letterman）在其母校印第安纳州波尔州立大学（Ball State University）为那些显示杰出才能但学术成绩平平的学生设立了一项奖学金。获奖者可获得1万美元。顾名思义，学生的学术成绩不适用于该奖学金，像电信系的学生须提交书面、声频或视频形式的创意计划。

6. For Those With Lucky Last Names

There's a pile of scholarships in US universities based on last names. The most generous is Loyola University's Zolp Scholarship, which provides four years of full tuition to the winner, who must show birth and confirmation certificates proving their last name is Zolp. And if you're not part of the Zolp clan, Scarpinatos can get full attendance paid at Texas A&M University, Gatlings can get up to $18,000 at North Carolina State University, and Van Valkenburgs (or variations on the name) can get $1000 at any university.

6）吉利姓氏奖学金

美国很多大学的奖学金都是基于姓氏，其中最慷慨的要数芝加哥洛约拉大学（Loyola University）的佐尔普（Zolp）奖学金。他们为获奖者提供四年全部学费的奖学金。申请人必须提供出生于坚信礼证明以证实其姓氏是佐尔普（Zolp）。如果你不是佐尔普家族成员，姓斯卡尔皮那多（Scarpinato）的学生可在德州农工大学（Texas A&M University）获得奖学金，姓盖特林（Gatling）的学生能在北卡罗来纳州立大学获得高达一万八千美元的奖学金，姓氏（或名字上的变体）为范·瓦尔肯博格（Van Valkenburg）在任何一所大学都能获得一年美元奖学金。

7. For Those Who See Dead People

The Parapsychology Foundation has a load of scholarships for college students or applicants in the field. They offer monetary prizes, travel packages for students attending parapsychology conferences, and opportunities to spend a week in residence in the foundation's library. Financial awards range from $500 to $3000.

7）为看过死人的学生设立的奖学金

通灵基金会（Parapsychology Foundation）为在校大学生或这一领域的申请者提供了许多奖学金。他们为那些参加通灵学研讨会的学生提供奖金和旅行礼包以及在基金会图书馆住上一周的机会。奖金从500到3000美元不等。

8. For Those Who Shoot A Mean Marble

The most adorable scholarship on the list is from the National Marbles Tournament in Wildwood, New Jersey. "Mibsters" (marble jargon for shooters) compete in a four-day tournament, with $4000 in scholarships awarded to winners. The kicker? Well, apart from having to sweep a whole high-stakes marble tournament, competitors must be under 15 to play.

8）为击中弹珠的学生设立的奖学金

最讨人喜欢的奖学金来自新泽西州怀尔德伍德（Wildwood）的全国弹珠游戏锦标赛（National Marbles Tournament）。申请者须在15周岁以下并参加为期四天的竞赛，获奖者可以获得4000美元奖学金。

9. For Aspiring Candy Makers

The American Association of Candy Technologists awards $5000 to a successful candidate who shows an interest in confectionary technology, and studies in a related field, such as food science. Applicants need to demonstrate interest in the field through research projects or work experience. Gaining fifteen pounds during your semester abroad in Belgium probably doesn't count.

9）有志向的糖果制造者奖学金

美国糖果科技工作者协会（American Association of Candy Technologists）对糖果科技和相关领域研究（如食品科学）显示出浓厚兴趣的成功候选人授予5000美元奖学金。申请者必须通过研究项目或工作经显示其对该领域的兴趣。在比利时游学期间还可获得15英镑。

10. For Those Who Can Juggle College and Starfleet Training

Fact: the International Star Trek Fan association runs its own Starfleet Academy. In addition to the hundreds of free online courses, the "academy" gives $500 scholarships to Starfleet members enrolled in post-secondary schools. There are ten scholarships for different fields of study, named for Star Trek stars in honor of those actors' passions and causes. Candidates can apply for such rewards as the George Takei International Studies Scholarship, or the Patrick Stewart Scholarship for the Performing Arts.

10）为耍弄学校或星河舰队训练者设立的奖学金

国际星际迷航迷们有自己的星河舰队学院。除了成百上千的免费在线课程，"学院"为每位大专学校在校生中的星河舰队成员提供500美元奖学金。因为研究领域不同而设立有十项以《星际迷航》（Star Trek）演员名字命名的奖学金。像申请者可以申请竹井乔治（George Takei）国际研究奖学金或帕特里克·斯图尔特（Patrick Stewart）表演艺术奖学金。