Scholarships for high school and college students
120 legit scholarships with their amounts, who can apply and deadlines. Never pay to apply for a scholarship.
Big money 32
Full rides and five-figure awards.
QuestBridge National College Match
Matches high-achieving, low-income students to 50+ top colleges.
Full 4-yr rideLate SepJack Kent Cooke Foundation
Family income ≤ ~$95k. Huge award + advising.
Up to $55k/yrNov 16Gates Scholarship (formerly Gates Millennium)
Pell-eligible minority students.
Full rideMid-SepPosse Scholarship
Leadership; select partner universities only.
Full tuitionVariesSMART Scholarship (DoD)
STEM only. Pays tuition + stipend + guaranteed job.
Full ride + jobDec 1Cameron Impact Scholarship
Full tuition, no income requirement, highly competitive.
Full rideSepStamps Scholarship
At partner universities; merit-based.
Full ride+Varies- Full rideNov
- Full rideOct
Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway
Pitch your future in a short video.
$100,000Oct 11McDonald's HACER Scholarship
Hispanic/Latino students.
Up to $100,000Feb 5Hagan Scholarship
Income below ~$100k; rural focus. $7,500 × 8 semesters.
$60,000Mar 1Burger King Scholars
Most awards $1,000; a few large. Applications close Dec 15 or at 30,000 applicants, so apply early.
Up to $60,000Dec 15Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer
For high-achieving community-college students transferring to a four-year college; need-based.
Up to $55,000/yrJanElks National Foundation MVS
Most Valuable Student contest.
Up to $50,000Nov 13Golden Door Scholars
For high-achieving undocumented/DACA students; near-full funding plus mentorship. Now run by the nonprofit Road to Hire, so confirm the current cycle there.
Full tuitionCheck siteASPFM Scholarship
~2,750-word essay.
$40,000Feb 1- $40,000Jan
Beinecke Scholarship
Nomination required; arts/humanities/social sci.
$35,000Mar 29Dream.US National Scholarship
For DACA/undocumented students.
Up to $33,000Feb 29Jackie Robinson Foundation
Students of color; mentorship included.
Up to $30,000Jan 10RL+DS Rosenberg Poetry Fellowship
Looks involved - poetry questions.
$27,000Apr 1Horatio Alger Scholarship
Income ≤ ~$65k; overcame adversity.
Up to $25,000Mar 15Chick-fil-A Leadership Scholarship
Must work at Chick-fil-A.
Up to $25,000Oct 18APIA Scholars
Asian & Pacific Islander Americans.
Up to $20,000Jan 9Dell Scholars
Must be in an approved college-readiness program.
$20,000Dec 1U.S. Bank Student Scholarship
Finish short money lessons in the Zogo app; more lessons unlock bigger awards. For students accepted to or enrolled in college.
Up to $20,000Oct 30SWE Scholarships
Women in engineering; one application, many awards.
Up to $20,000Jan / MarBeyond the Boroughs
$5k × 4 years.
$20,000Mar 15Foot Locker Scholar Athletes
For student-athletes who lead on the team, in class and in their community; 20 winners.
$20,000JanDavis-Putter Scholarship
For student activists with financial need.
Up to $15,000Apr 1Hispanic Scholarship Fund
For students of Hispanic heritage.
Up to $5,000Feb
Essay scholarships 27
Write once, reuse often: most prompts overlap.
VFW Voice of Democracy
Record a short audio essay on a patriotic theme.
Up to $35,000Oct 31James H Park Memorial Scholarship
100 hrs medical service + nomination required.
$20,000VariesVegetarian Resource Group
Promote vegetarianism.
Up to $10,000Feb 20Thermo Fisher Antibody Scholarship
For life-science majors with a 3.0+ GPA; one $10,000 and five $5,000 awards.
$10,000May 1Unigo Scholarships
Tons of quirky short-answer scholarships.
$1k-$10kMonthlyGloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes
Led an impactful project.
$10,000Apr 15JFK Profile in Courage Essay
Essay about a U.S. elected official's political courage.
$10,000Jan 12U.S. Creative Writing Scholarship
Several writing sections.
$10,000Opens OctJFK Profile in Courage Essay Contest
Write about an act of political courage by a US elected official.
$10,000JanL. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future
Submit a sci-fi/fantasy short story.
Up to $5,000QuarterlyAyn Rand Institute Essay Contests
Essay on an Ayn Rand novel.
Up to $5,000Apr 25American College Foundation Visionary
500-word essay.
$5,000Jun 1Americanism Essay Contest (FRA)
Patriotic-themed essay.
Up to $5,000Dec 1Stossel in the Classroom
Choice of 4 topics.
Up to $2,500Mar 22Apex Minecraft Hosting Scholarship
A 500+ word essay on how Minecraft can help your education or career; 3.0+ GPA.
$2,000Jul 31Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship (Unigo)
Describe your escape plan if zombies hit your school.
$2,000Mar 31RealtyHop Scholarship
500-word essay.
$2,000Apr / Aug1st Financial Bank USA Financial Goals Scholarship
A new $2,000 winner every month; 500-word personal statement.
$2,000MonthlyAU Essay Contest
750-1,000 words.
$1,500VariesGen & Kelly Tanabe Scholarship
250-word paragraph.
$1,000Jul 31Cancer Pathways Teen Writing Contest
A 500 to 1,500 word essay about an experience with cancer, yours or a loved one's. Formerly Cancer Unwrapped.
$1,000Feb 27ASHG DNA Day Essay Contest
A 750-word genetics essay, submitted through a teacher.
Up to $1,000Mar 4GRHS Heritage Essay
German/Russian heritage.
$1,000Mar 31JASNA Essay Contest
Jane Austen essay, 6-8 pages.
$1,000Jun 1CarBrain Scholarship
Essay on AI & the automotive industry.
$1,000Nov 1National HS Poetry Contest
Short (~20-line) poem.
$500QuarterlyDmvEdu.org In the Driver's Seat Scholarship
A 750+ word essay on safe driving; six winners share $10,000.
$10,000 poolSeveral rounds
Creative and contest scholarships 18
Art, writing, video and project contests.
Breakthrough Junior Challenge
Make a short science/math explainer video.
$250,000~Late JuneRegeneron Science Talent Search
The premier high-school science research competition.
Up to $250,000NovDoodle for Google
Design a Google Doodle on the year's theme; the national winner's school also gets a tech package.
Up to $55,000VariesSphinx Competition
Black & Latinx classical string players.
Up to $50,000JanDavidson Fellows
For a significant STEM, literature or music project.
Up to $50,000FebAmerican Legion Oratorical Contest
Speech competition on the Constitution.
Up to $25,000State-dependentPrudential Emerging Visionaries
Ages 14-18 tackling a community or financial problem; 25 winners get $5,000, up to $15,000 total.
Up to $15,000Nov 4Gallery Collection Greeting Card
Design a greeting card.
$10,000Mar 1National Potato Council Scholarship
Must demonstrate interest in potato-related research. Yes, really.
$10,000VariesToshiba/NSTA ExploraVision
Team science-innovation project.
Up to $10,000Jan 31National YoungArts Award
For visual, literary, design and performing artists; opens doors, not just cash.
Up to $10,000OctProject Yellow Light
Distracted-driving PSA - video, billboard, or radio.
Up to $8,000Apr 1Courageous Persuaders
30-second commercial warning younger teens.
Up to $3,000Mar 11American Red Cross Leaders Save Lives
Host a blood drive.
Up to $2,500Aug 31James Alan Cox Foundation (Photography)
Student photographers & videographers.
$2,500Varies (Jul)Frame My Future Scholarship
Create a piece showing what you hope to achieve.
$2,000Mar 15CRI Scholarship
Create a design/video.
$1,500Apr 25Bow Seat Blue Planet Awareness Contest
Art, writing, film or music about oceans and water, open to teens worldwide. Formerly the Ocean Awareness Contest.
Up to $1,000Jun 7
More scholarships 29
Niche, local-style and identity-based awards with smaller pools.
TheDream.US National Scholarship
For DACA or undocumented students; covers tuition and fees at partner colleges.
Up to $33,000FebCoca-Cola Scholars
Achievement & service based.
$20,000Oct 31- $20,000Mar 1
AANAPISI Scholars
Asian, Native American & Pacific Islander.
$10,000Jan 9- $10,000Jan 8
Goldwater Scholarship
For US citizen/national undergrads in STEM heading toward a research PhD; nominated by your school.
Up to $7,500JanmikeroweWORKS Work Ethic Scholarship
For students training for skilled trades (welding, HVAC, plumbing, etc.).
Up to $7,000Apr- $5,000Mar 31
Fontana Transport Inc. Scholars Program
For first-generation seniors with a 3.5+ weighted GPA heading to a four-year college.
$5,000Mar 13UNCF General Scholarship
United Negro College Fund, for Black students.
VariesRollingAsian Pacific Fund Scholarships
For Asian & Pacific Islander students.
VariesVariesAmerican Indian College Fund
For Native American students.
VariesMaySARA Scholarship (Women's Golf)
Female; just be 'involved' with golf.
$2,500Apr 30National Merit Scholarship
Qualify via the PSAT/NMSQT in junior year.
$2,500+Junior PSATPhi Theta Kappa Transfer Scholarships
Scholarships for two-year college students; join PTK to unlock many transfer awards.
$1,000-$1,500OctCarson Scholars Fund
Must be nominated by your school.
$1,000Jan 12SBO Essay Scholarship
250-word paragraph about music.
$1,000Mar 31Working Student Scholarship
500 words.
$1,000Dec 15Tall Clubs International Scholarship
You have to actually be tall: 5 ft 10 in+ for women, 6 ft 2 in+ for men, sponsored by a local Tall Club.
$1,000VariesCiP Scholarship
Why do you want to go to school?
$1,000Mar 31- $1,000Feb
Against All Odds Scholarship
You email them to apply.
$1,000Jan 31Imagine America (Career School)
Award toward accredited career, technical and trade colleges.
$1,000RollingCTG Scholarship
Write about why you should get it.
$500MonthlyBezos Scholars Program
Leadership program + advising (not direct cash).
ProgramJan 25- ProgramJan 31
Point Foundation Scholarship
For LGBTQ students.
VariesVariesCollege Board BigFuture Directory
Searchable directory - finding scholarships is the hard part, start here.
Directory-Scholarship America Directory
Another large, searchable scholarship directory.
Directory-
No-essay scholarships 14
Quick entries with lottery-style odds: use a separate email.
- $2,500Monthly
- $2,000Monthly
Sallie $2,000 No-Essay Scholarship
Formerly the Nitro scholarship; a new winner each month.
$2,000MonthlyCampusReel Scholarship
Watch a student tour.
$2,000Rolling- $2,000Dec 31
CollegeVine Scholarships
Needs a free CollegeVine account; a no-essay drawing each quarter.
$2,000QuarterlyCappex Easy Money Scholarship
Cappex is now Appily.
$1,000Monthly- $1,000Monthly
- $1,000Jan 31
- $1,000Feb 1
- $1,000Monthly
- $1,000Quarterly
- $1,000Quarterly
- $500Quarterly
