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Top 66 No Essay Scholarships in April 2024

Will Geiger is the co-founder of Scholarships360 and has a decade of experience in college admissions and financial aid. He is a former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at Kenyon College where he personally reviewed 10,000 admissions applications and essays. Will also managed the Kenyon College merit scholarship program and served on the financial aid appeals committee. He has also worked as an Associate Director of College Counseling at a high school in New Haven, Connecticut. Will earned his master’s in education from the University of Pennsylvania and received his undergraduate degree in history from Wake Forest University.

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One of the biggest misconceptions about scholarships is that they all require an essay. This is not true. In fact, there are many great scholarships that don’t require an essay at all. These no essay scholarships can range from quick scholarships that you can apply to in a few minutes to other scholarships that are focused on students with a specific talent.

Some no essay scholarships focus on art or other creative achievements. Still other no essay scholarships focus on students with a talent in more specific areas, such as filmmaking, physics achievement, or even duck tape prom creations! Whether you are a prospective high school, college, or graduate student, there are sure to be some “no essay” scholarships that are right up your alley!

Why choose Scholarships360

We helped over 4 million students find scholarships in 2023

We've spent over 4,000 hours reviewing 3,000 scholarship programs

13+ years of experience helping students make smart education decisions

The Scholarships360 Research Team reviews all scholarships individually and strives to exclude any scholarship where any of the below applies:

• The scholarship requires a fee to apply
• The scholarship provider’s privacy policy allows for the misuse of student data
• The scholarship requires paid membership in an organization (with certain exceptions for reputable trade organizations and others)
• Student are required to sign up for a site or service to apply*
• The scholarship seems primarily used for lead generation** or idea harvesting purposes***
• The scholarship website has many grammatical errors and/or advertisements
• The scholarship or scholarship providing organization seem untrustworthy
• There is no evidence the scholarship was previously awarded
• The scholarship has not been awarded in the past 12 months
• There is no available contact information

If you believe a scholarship has been published in error, please reach out to [email protected] and we’ll take a look!

* There are certain exceptions to this, for example if the sponsoring organization is a major corporation or nonprofit with its own scholarship application system. ** Lead generation scholarships will require students to sign up for an app or website and require minimal (if any) application requirements. ***Idea harvesting scholarships will require students to submit blog posts or other materials that companies may use for marketing purposes.

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$10,000 “No Essay” Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by Scholarships360

The Scholarships360 $10,000 “No Essay” Scholarship is open to all students who want some extra help paying for their education. Whether you are a high… Show More

The Scholarships360 $10,000 “No Essay” Scholarship is open to all students who want some extra help paying for their education. Whether you are a high school student who hopes to go to college, a graduate student who’s in a master’s program, or an adult learner who wants to return to school, you are eligible for our no essay scholarship. This scholarship will be awarded to students who get the most out of Scholarships360 scholarships and content. You will be a strong applicant if you apply to scholarships with the Scholarships360 platform. Finalists for this scholarship will be interviewed about their process for funding their education. Show Less

$2,000 Sallie Mae Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by Sallie Mae

Sallie Mae will award $2,000 each month to eligible entrants. No essay or account sign-ups, just a simple scholarship for those seeking help paying for…

Sallie Mae will award $2,000 each month to eligible entrants. No essay or account sign-ups, just a simple scholarship for those seeking help paying for school.

Niche $25,000 “No Essay” Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by Niche

Easy scholarship open to all high school and college students, as well as anyone looking to attend college or graduate school in the next year!

$25k “Be Bold” No-Essay Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by Bold.org

Open to high school students, college students, community college students, and graduate students.

$10,000 CollegeXpress Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by CollegeXpress

Annual $10k scholarship from CollegeXpress open to all high school freshmen, sophomores, and juniors.

$1,000 Appily Easy College Money Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by Appily

This easy scholarship from Appily is open to U.S. high school students (Class of 2025, 2026, 2027) and college transfer students. One scholarship will be… Show More

This easy scholarship from Appily is open to U.S. high school students (Class of 2025, 2026, 2027) and college transfer students. One scholarship will be awarded each month. Show Less

$5,000 Christian Connector Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by Christian Connector

Students applying to the $5,000 Christian Connector Scholarship must be current high school students (Class of 2025, 2026, or 2027) interested in attending a Christian…

Students applying to the $5,000 Christian Connector Scholarship must be current high school students (Class of 2025, 2026, or 2027) interested in attending a Christian university or college.

$2,000 No Essay CollegeVine Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by CollegeVine

Easy scholarship open to current high school students and college applicants. A free CollegeVine account with a completed chancing profile required to enter.

$2,000 Niche “No Essay” College Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Easy scholarship from Niche open to all high school, college, and graduate students.

ScholarshipOwl $50,000 No Essay Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by ScholarshipOwl

Easy scholarship open to all US-based high school, college, and graduate students. Each month, 4 winners will be selected to earn $1,000 each. In December… Show More

Easy scholarship open to all US-based high school, college, and graduate students. Each month, 4 winners will be selected to earn $1,000 each. In December 2023, there will be 2 additional winners earning $1,000 each. Applicant must be a resident of any of the 50 United States, District of Columbia or US Territories except for Rhode Island and Michigan. Applicant also must be 16 years of age or older and either be enrolled now, or will be enrolled within three months of registration in the Scholarship Sweepstakes, in a qualified high school, college or university within the United States. Show Less

$40,000 Build a College List Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by The College Board

Create a college list with six schools you're considering - no minimum GPA or essay required!

$2,500 ScholarshipPoints Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by ScholarshipPoints

Easy $2,500 scholarship from ScholarshipPoints open to all students.

Stuck at Prom Scholarship Contest

Offered by Duck Tape

Are you a high school student with a love for innovative fashion design? If so, we may have the perfect opportunity for you: the Stuck… Show More

Are you a high school student with a love for innovative fashion design? If so, we may have the perfect opportunity for you: the Stuck at Prom Scholarship Contest! Each year, the contest awards between $1,000 and $15,000 to the ten applicants who submit the most impressive prom dresses and tuxedo designs, made entirely from duct tape. The contest is offered by Duck Brand Duct Tape, a company with a long history of selling top-notch duct tape for a variety of purposes, now including making formal attire! If you’re a high school student wanting to put your fashion and creativity skills to the test, we encourage you to apply to the Stuck at Prom Scholarship Contest. Don’t duck out! Show Less

Unigo $10,000 Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by Unigo

This easy scholarship is open to all high school students who are at least 14 years of age. To apply, students must respond to the… Show More

This easy scholarship is open to all high school students who are at least 14 years of age. To apply, students must respond to the following essay prompt in 250 words (or less): "Would you rather be smart, funny or rich? Why?" On or about March 31, 2025, a qualified panel of judges will select one (1) potential winner based on the criteria of writing ability (25%), creativity (25%), originality (25%), and overall excellence (25%). Show Less

Ocean Awareness Art Contest

Offered by Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programs

Are you an 11 - 18 year old who has a passion for saving the environment and/or the ocean? Additionally, would you like to make… Show More

Are you an 11 - 18 year old who has a passion for saving the environment and/or the ocean? Additionally, would you like to make a statement about the impact of climate change through writing, artwork, or even dance? You might consider applying for the Ocean Awareness Art Contest! Dedicated to encouraging the next generation to get involved in ocean conservation (and environmentalism as a whole), the contest asks its applicants to create a piece of artwork that reflects an impact/aspect of the current environmental crisis and its effect on the ocean. Each year has a specific theme to focus on, with this year being climate change. If you would like to make a statement about climate change’s impact on the ocean through art, we encourage you to apply! Show Less

US Bank Student Scholarship

Offered by U.S. Bank

The US Bank Student Scholarship is an opportunity for U.S. residents aged 17 or older who have been accepted to or are enrolled in a… Show More

The US Bank Student Scholarship is an opportunity for U.S. residents aged 17 or older who have been accepted to or are enrolled in a post-secondary institution to receive help funding their education. Each year, the scholarship awards up to $20,000 to multiple incoming and current undergraduate students who complete some of the U.S. Bank's "financial education lesson" modules. Each module takes approximately 1-2 minutes to complete, and the more that students complete, the more money they become eligible to earn. Applicants who complete up to 35, 100, and 200 modules are eligible to receive up to $2,000, $10,000, and $20,000, respectively. If this scholarship sounds like a fit for you, keep on reading for more application details. Show Less

Across Cultures No-Essay Scholarship

Offered by Keepgoingforward.org

The Across Cultures No-Essay Scholarship annually awards $1,000 to one student who demonstrates an openness to learning about other cultures and sharing their own. The… Show More

The Across Cultures No-Essay Scholarship annually awards $1,000 to one student who demonstrates an openness to learning about other cultures and sharing their own. The award will be granted to help them continue on their path to traveling and learning. This may include studying new languages, traveling to study in a new place, teaching or learning art styles, musical instruments, or cooking methods from a different culture, or anything else that demonstrates openness to new cultures in your school, work, or hobbies. The scholarship is open to high school graduates and those who have already graduated. It can be used to pay student debt for people who have graduated and aren't even in school anymore. If you're a high school, college, or graduate student curious to learn about other cultures and share their own, we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more. Show Less

$2,000 CampusReel Virtual Tour Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by CampusReel

Easy scholarship program open to all students who watch a student-led virtual college tour

$1,000 SuperCollege.com Scholarship

Offered by SuperCollege.com

Are you a current or incoming college student wanting help to pay for tuition, books, computers, room and board, or any education-related expenses? If so,… Show More

Are you a current or incoming college student wanting help to pay for tuition, books, computers, room and board, or any education-related expenses? If so, consider applying for the $1,000 SuperCollege.com Scholarship! Each year, the scholarship awards $1,000 to one high school senior, college student, graduate student, or returning adult student who is currently enrolled in college or plans to start. You can use the scholarship to pay for tuition, books, computers, room and board or any education-related expense. If this sounds like a good opportunity for you, we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more. Show Less

ISL Midwest Senior Scholarship

Offered by ISL Education Lending

The ISL Midwest Senior Scholarship awards ten $1,000 college scholarships to high school seniors residing in Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, or Wisconsin who will… Show More

The ISL Midwest Senior Scholarship awards ten $1,000 college scholarships to high school seniors residing in Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, or Wisconsin who will attend an eligible U.S. college in the Fall following their high school graduation. To be eligible, applicants must be legal United States residents and be set to attend college in the U.S., physically or virtually, following their high school graduation. There are no income, grade point average, or class rank requirements. If you're a college-bound high school senior residing in Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, or Wisconsin, we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more. Show Less

Top 5 no essay scholarships

Our editors hand-picked the following 10 no essay scholarships with an eye for large awards, prestigious organizations, and scholarships that are open to a wide variety of students. Apply with confidence to the following no essay scholarships:

• Coca Cola Scholarship – $20,000 scholarship for college-bound high school seniors
• Dell Scholars Program  – For Pell Grant-eligible high school seniors who participated in a college readiness program. Worth $20,000 with 500 scholarships awarded every year. Recipients also receive a free laptop, textbooks, and more
• Taco Bell Live Mas Scholarship  – Video scholarship for students between 16 and 26 with a passion for the field they are pursuing. Worth up to $25,000
• Burger King Scholars – Scholarship for high school seniors worth up to $50,000
• Doodle for Google Scholarship – Scholarship for K-12 students who submit a Doodle to be featured on Google’s homepage. Worth up to $55,000

Tips for students applying to no essay scholarships

Look for competitions rather than randomized drawings.

No essay scholarships are alluring because they do away with the pressure that comes with writing an essay for your application. Between your other academic responsibilities, extracurriculars, and other commitments, these essays can present a big roadblock for applicants.

However, you should bear in mind that you are not the only student with this idea. Many applicants are attracted to opportunities that are easy to apply to, and since many no essay scholarships are essentially scholarship sweepstakes, that means you have a very low chance of actually winning.

This is not to say that you should not apply to these opportunities, but that you should seek out scholarship opportunities that assess some materials submitted by applicants. Whether this is a video submission, a portfolio, or a photograph you took, it can help your chances greatly.

Be wary of scholarship scams

No essay scholarships are very popular with students because they typically don’t take much time to apply to. Unfortunately, this makes them all the more popular with scammers. 

Before applying to any scholarship, and especially no essay scholarships, ensure that you are not giving away any personal information that could be used to steal your identity. Additionally, you should never pay a fee to enter a scholarship competition. For more information on how to avoid scholarship scams, check out our article on how to spot them .

If at first you don’t succeed…

Many no essay scholarships, especially the random drawings, select a winner each month and then reopen. To maximize your chances of winning, make sure to check back each month to throw your hat back in the ring.

Check out similar scholarship categories

If you are looking to apply for scholarships without putting too much time into essays, check out our lists of video scholarships and easy scholarships . While some of these may include short essays, they are generally much less of a commitment than typical scholarship applications.

Don’t over-rely on no essay scholarships

No essay scholarships can be a great no-effort way of applying for educational funding, but make sure that your overall scholarship strategy makes use of all potential funding sources. Make sure especially to seek out local scholarships through community organizations and your high school counselor.

Don’t forget financial aid

If you have demonstrable financial need, there is one source of free funds for your higher education that is even easier to get than no essay scholarships. This is federal financial aid, including the Pell Grant . Make sure to fill out the FAFSA on-time and send your results to your school in order to gain eligibility for federal, state, and institutional financial aid.

Apply to affordable schools

In addition to scholarships, it’s a good idea to ensure that you apply to some colleges that are known for offering an affordable education to their students. In-state public schools offer steep tuition discounts to their students, and tuition reciprocity agreements extend these benefits to some neighboring states as well. We also have a list of the best schools in the country for affordability . These schools are known for charging low tuition, offering generous financial aid, and offering a good value to their students.

Frequently asked questions about no essay scholarships

Are “no essay” scholarships legit, how can i increase my chances of winning a no essay scholarship.

• For scholarships with a creative or artistic element, make sure that you put all of your effort into your project! Remember, your application will be completely assessed on your creative project as there is no essay required.
• For scholarships that have minimal requirements, you should apply to them as often as possible to increase your odds. However, these types of scholarships should not be the only part of your application strategy.

Who can apply for no essay scholarships?

What qualifies as a no essay scholarship, are there gpa requirements for no essay scholarships.

Also see: How to write a scholarship resume

Explore these other scholarship categories:

• Top easy scholarships
• Scholarships for high school seniors
• Top scholarships for college students
• Top STEM scholarships
• Scholarships for women

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Top 20 No Essay Scholarships to Apply for in 2024

Introduction: no essay scholarships.

Let's talk about no-essay scholarships. Whether you've been applying to scholarships for a while or you're completely new to the scholarship process, chances are, at some point you've felt tired, frustrated, or even fully on fed-up with writing all of those essays. Finding financial aid can be a lot of work - I feel you!

A smart strategy when applying for scholarships is to mix up the types of scholarships you're applying for. But what does this actually mean?

Well, if you're familiar with the world of scholarships, you've probably discovered that there are scholarships out there of all sorts, shapes, and sizes.

Some scholarships are for small amounts (think: anywhere from $100 to a few thousand dollars) while others go for larger amounts (sometimes even full-tuition!). Some scholarships have long lists of application requirements, while others only ask you to write a sentence, upload your transcript, or fill out a form.

So, when I say "mix up the types of scholarships you're applying for", I'm saying that it's important to consider things such as scholarship type (is there an essay required?), amount (generally, scholarships with  bigger awards  are harder to earn), and category (how specific does the scholarship get in terms of matching your unique profile?).

This post covers one specific type of scholarship that I'm sure you'll enjoy incorporating into your scholarship strategy: a no-essay scholarship!

Most of these no essay scholarships are open to high school , college , and  graduate  school students, be sure to get those easy applications in, and keep your toes crossed while you get to work on some of those other more labor-intensive opportunities.

*Pro-tip - While some of these no essay scholarships currently have specific deadlines, keep them bookmarked because they often renew monthly, quarterly, or yearly!

20 No essay scholarships to apply for ASAP!

Too cool to pay for school no essay scholarship.

Award Amount:  $1,000

Scholarship Deadline:  Quarterly (last day of the month in September, December, March, and June)

PS - this is one of no essay scholarships awarded by Access Scholarships (that's us!). It's open to high school, undergraduate, and graduate students studying in the United States, and is an easy way to win $1,000. 

Niche $10,000 No Essay Scholarship

Award Amount:  $10,000

Scholarship Deadline:  Rolling

ScholarshipPoints No Essay $2,500 Monthly Scholarship

Amount : $2,500 

Deadline : Expires on the last day of each month

Eligibility: The ScholarshipPoints Scholarship is a monthly no essay scholarship open to all high school and college students ages 16 and older, who are US residents!

Smart Owl No Essay $1,000 Scholarship

Amount : $1,000 (4 awards per month!)

Deadline : Expires on the 28th or 29th of each month

Eligibility: The Smart Owl Scholarship is a monthly no essay scholarship open to all high school and college students ages 16 and older, who are US residents!

Sallie Mae College Scholarship

Award Amount : $2,000

Scholarship Deadline : Monthly

Eligibility- Open to high school juniors & seniors and all college students

CollegeVine No Essay $2,000 Scholarship

Award Amount:  $2,000

Scholarship Deadline:  December 31

Open to high school students of all years (must be a US resident).

Bold $25,000 Scholarship

Amount:  $25,000

Deadline:  Continuous

CollegExpress Monthly Scholarship

Award Amount:  $2,500

Scholarship Deadline:  Last day of each month

Niche No Essay Scholarship

Scholarships360 $10,000 scholarship.

Scholarship Deadline:  Rolling 

Open to high school sophomores and juniors in the US. 

Appily Easy Money Scholarship

Around the corner from college scholarship.

Award Amount : $1,000

Scholarship Deadline : December 31, June 30

Open to all high school students, including students with DACA status and international students who are planning on attending a higher education institution in the US! 

Be Bold No-Essay Scholarship

Award Amount:  $25,000

Scholarship Deadline: Rolling

Christian Connector Scholarship

Eligibility:  Open to high school juniors and high school seniors who are interested in or planning to enroll in a Christian college or university.

Direct Textbook Photo Essay Scholarship

Award Amount:  $500

Discover Student Loans Scholarship Contest

Scholarship Deadline:  January 4

Lounge Lizard Web Design Scholarship

Scholarship Deadline:  February 27 and October 10

Create A Greeting Card Scholarship

Scholarship Deadline:  March 9

Frame My Future Scholarship

Award Amount:  $2,000 each (5 awards)

Scholarship Deadline: March 15

ULoop Dorm Survey Scholarship

Scholarship Deadline:  June 30

Frequently asked questions about no essay scholarships

Are no essay scholarships legit.

No essay scholarships are 100% legit!

No essay scholarships are created to be more like contests or sweepstakes. Generally, all you have to do to be considered is enter some information on an application page and you're good to go. This is in contrast with other more labor-intensive scholarships, that require a greater amount of work and time commitment (think: essays, letters of recommendation, videos, interviews).

The fact that no essay scholarships don't require a whole lot of effort (they're definitely the easiest opportunities out there!) doesn't mean that they aren't just as real as other scholarships that do have more detailed eligibility and application requirements to apply. In fact, no essay scholarships can sometimes be just as competitive as full-ride scholarships , given the fact that so many students apply for these opportunities.

At the end of the day, each and every scholarship we feature in our database and in our blog posts aims to guide students in the direction of legitimate opportunities to help you navigate the journey of paying for college.

What are some common qualities of a no essay scholarship?

The most identifiable quality of a no essay scholarship is the fact that it doesn't require an essay! Rather than asking students to upload an essay on the application page, these scholarships generally will ask for the completion of a form, or for students to upload a photo, video, or other unique type of submission. The fact that these scholarships can often be completed much more quickly and easily than other scholarships is what makes them so great.

You'll also find that the majority of no essay scholarships are open to a wide variety of students, and they usually won't have any specific eligibility requirements such as only being open to students in certain majors or with a certain minimum GPA.

Who is eligible to apply for no essay scholarships?

When it comes to eligiblity, as I mentioned just above, no essay scholarships are usually open to a wide range of students. For example, a no essay scholarship might be open to students ages 13 and older in the US, or maybe it's open to all high school students in the US. These eligibility criteria are very generous and intended to give all (or nearly all) students who want to apply an opportunity to do so.

How difficult is it to win a no essay scholarship?

Because no essay scholarships are usually open to so many different types of students, along with the fact that they often require very little effort on the part of the student (and run more like sweepstakes than real in-depth scholarships), means that they are difficult to win, and the process is unpredictable.

Luckily, because these scholarships require so little time commitment to apply, not winning one of these types of scholarships doesn't necessarily indicate that you've wasted your time applying, since it likely didn't take that much time in the first place!

How can I increase my chances of winning no essay scholarships?

No essay scholarships are open to such a wide variety of students in terms of eligible areas of study, state residency, and year in school. This, in combination with the fact that the winners for these scholarships are generally always selected at random, means that increasing your chances of winning one of these scholarships is very, very difficult.

In the spirit of full-transparency: the only way that you can actually increase your chances of winning no essay scholarships is by applying for all of them and not missing any deadlines.

For example, take Tallo's monthly no essay scholarships . They pick at least 12 winners each year, usually at the end of each month. If you want to maximize your chances of winning one of Tallo's no essay scholarships, you should set a reminder to make sure that you apply for them every month, so that you don't miss out on an opportunity to win.

Most of the no essay scholarships I've come across are for small amounts, such as $1,000. Why is this the case?

Most no-essay scholarships are for small amounts (think: $500 - $2,000) because, in comparison to other scholarships that have lots of application requirements, no-essay scholarships tend to run more like contests.

Organizations love to give back to students in any and all ways possible, and they also like to try to make student's lives easier by offering easy scholarship opportunities.

However, from the perspective of private organizations, many of them would rather save their scholarships of higher amounts to be distributed through competitive opportunities where they can select students on the basis of merit, leadership, and other qualities. That's why you'll probably never come across a full-ride scholarship that doesn't require an essay or extra submission of some sort!

Where can I find more scholarships to apply for?

There are tons of resources and places out there that you can use to find "harder" scholarships to apply for to pair with your efforts in applying to the easy ones.

The first place I recommend you go is over to the Access Scholarship Search Engine or Blog, where you can find all types of scholarships based on criteria such as home state, area of study, ethnicity, and more.

After that, I recommend you also do some surfing of the web, as well as outreach to your guidance counselor or financial aid office to help you find local scholarships and even more nuanced opportunities.

Important tips and things to keep in mind with no essay scholarships

Tip #1: apply often..

Many of these scholarships run continuously on a monthly or quarterly basis.

Set a reminder for yourself to revisit these scholarships each month and reapply to give yourself the best chance at winning one!

Tip #2: Find ways to get a leg up.

Scholarships with no essays that have any sort of additional component (like an art or video submission) will tend to give you a "leg up" because they involve more than some luck.

Take full advantage of scholarships like these by putting your best foot forward with that extra submission!

Tip #3: Make no essay scholarships one piece of the puzzle.

Scholarships with no essays should be a key component of your scholarship application strategy because of how easy they are to apply for.

However, it's important to remember they should be balanced with other scholarships that have more specific and stringent requirements.

When you apply for essay-based scholarships, you're given the opportunity to tell the committee about you, who you are and why you should be selected for the opportunity. The winners for these scholarships, unlike their no-essay counterparts, are not chosen at random, so if you choose these scholarships carefully, apply for ones that are specific to your qualities, and write strong essays, you'll have the best chances of winning at the end of the day!

General tips for applying for all kinds of scholarships

Navigating the world of scholarships can be stressful and confusing to say the least. Follow these tips to make sure you’re covering all of your bases and giving yourself the greatest possible chance at success!

#1: Get yourself organized before you dive right in.

Just like with any other part of the college / financial aid process, organization is crucial to success when it comes to searching and applying for scholarships.

My top organization-related recommendation for students is to start by creating a readily-accessible folder on your computer where you can then create subfolders for your scholarship essays, transcripts, and other application materials. This is also the place where you’ll want to house your scholarship tracker , which will help you keep track of scholarships you find, upcoming deadlines, and your overall progress.

#2: Do your brainstorming.

You likely wouldn’t start an essay on the American Revolution without doing some initial brainstorming and planning first. The same rule should apply for when it’s time to search for scholarships.

Sit down with a pen and paper or a blank word document open, and start to bullet out a list of traits and things that you feel make up who you are as a person. These things should be both academic and personal. To give you an idea of what I’m talking about, here’s a sneak peek into what my own personal list might look like:

-I am from New Jersey

-I am a business student with an interest in marketing

-I like to play sports (tennis, basketball, etc)

-I hold leadership positions in my extracurriculars

-I identify as female

-I am a twin

-I am left-handed

-I enjoy doing crossword puzzles

-I go to college in Wisconsin

I could go on and on with this list, but I won’t bore you! What I’m trying to get at though is that creating a list like this to track your hobbies, academic pursuits, and other things that make up who you are can be incredibly helpful in allowing you to find scholarships that are highly specific to you.

PS - For some students, this may also fall under the initial organization step of the process, but ultimately it doesn’t matter when you do it as long as it gets done.

#3: Know where to look.

Knowing what types of scholarships you want to search for doesn’t really matter if you don’t know where to actually search for them! Here are a few ideas on where you can get started in searching for scholarships:

- Scholarship search engines like AccessScholarships.com, which allow you to search through thousands of scholarship opportunities all in one place

- Normal search engines , such as Google (the more specific you can be here, the better)

-Your school’s college prep, guidance, or financial aid page/website

- Social media (you can follow scholarship accounts and hashtags that might be relevant to help you discover local scholarships)

- Family, friends, teachers, coaches, and other people in your community who might know of local or community-based scholarships that you’re eligible for

#4: If a scholarship has an essay or additional type of submission, make sure you put your absolute best foot forward.

This is, in my opinion, the biggest key to help students see success in actually winning scholarships.

You can have a 4.0 GPA and solid letters of recommendation, but if you don’t also take the time to carefully craft, edit, and perfect the essay (or other additional submission), you’re missing out on giving the scholarship committee the opportunity to learn more about who you are as a person and why you’re a great fit to win the award.

#5: Keep those grades up.

Although this eligibility requirement can definitely vary, many scholarships require students to have at least a 2.5 or 3.0 GPA. Sometimes, the minimum requirement can be even higher, such as a 3.75/4.0.

While grades certainly aren’t the end-all-be-all, keeping your GPA up (as high as you possibly can!) will make sure that you are opening yourself up to as many opportunities as possible.

#6: Apply often.

Unfortunately, applying for scholarships is not a “one and done” process. To give yourself the highest chance at seeing success, you should apply for scholarships as often as you can, or whenever you come across an opportunity that you think is worth applying for.

Many students find it helpful to set specific goals in this area, like to apply for 3 scholarships each month. Ultimately, the goal you set should be one that is specific and realistic, based on all of the other things that you’re juggling!

#7: Ask for feedback along the way.

If you don't ever take the time to assess your weak spots, how can you possibly improve?

Asking for feedback throughout the scholarship process, whether it be from a committee, a teacher, or someone who is helping you along the way, is crucial to helping you grow and becoming a stronger applicant. 

Getting feedback is especially important when it comes to the scholarship essay piece of the puzzle. When we write and edit, we tend to overlook our own mistakes because we're so used to making them. Sometimes it takes an extra set of eyes on an essay to help lead you in the direction of success.

No-essay scholarships: To conclude...

To summarize, no-essay scholarships can be a great addition to any overall scholarship strategy for high school, college, and graduate students.

Since no-essay scholarships often operate on a monthly or quarterly basis, you can give yourself a better chance at winning these scholarships if you enter in every application period that you're eligible for.

Although no-essay scholarships usually aren't for large amounts, the process of entering to win is usually an easy one, so there's no harm in applying for these scholarships to round out your strategy and yes, give you a break from all those essays!

30 NO-ESSAY Scholarships for the Class of 2023

With so many application deadlines and SAT test dates piling up, applying for scholarships can quickly become overwhelming. Especially when those scholarships make you jump through hoops by writing essays and submitting transcripts. The stress of writing a scholarship essay on top of keeping up with school can deter students from taking advantage of free money . That’s not the case with these no essay scholarships. From surveys to sweepstakes these easy scholarship applications are a breeze. These programs want to help busy students like you pay for school, without adding extra stress to your life. Calling Class of 2023, these scholarships are looking for you! 

Applying to these scholarships is a no-brainer. Want more opportunities to score free money? 

Check out our other scholarship lists! 

Our Top Scholarship Pick

The $25,000 “be bold” no essay scholarship.

Rolling monthly application deadlines. Next deadline: June 1, 2023

Award: Awards $25,000

Overview: The $25,000 “Be Bold” Scholarship is a no-essay scholarship that will be awarded to the applicant with the boldest profile. No-Essay Scholarship in just a few clicks! Fund your education with verified new scholarships, available only on Bold.org. New scholarships are added daily, and membership is 100% free for students.

$2,000 Nitro Scholarship

Deadline: March 3, 2022 

Award Amount: $23,410 20 winners, $1,170 each

Overview: The Skin Grip Diabetes Scholarship will be awarded to 20 individuals who live fearlessly and fight to make the world a better place despite their diagnosis.

To be eligible for this scholarship, you must be a high school senior or any undergraduate in a 2- or 4-year degree program who has diabetes. To apply, please upload a short video (can be filmed via cell phone, Zoom, etc) two minutes max, answering this question:

How do you live fearlessly with diabetes?

$1,000 Cappex Easy College Money Scholarship

Deadline: December 31, 2023

Award Amount: $2,000

Overview: Apply to Nitro’s monthly No-Essay Scholarship in seconds for a chance to win $2,000!

2022 HireAHelper Skilled Trade & Technology Scholarships

Deadline:  July 17, 2023.

Award: $2,000

Overview: Growing demand and lack of qualified workers in skilled trades like the moving industry means it’s a great time to go back to school and enter these lucrative and fast-growing industries. To help keep up with demand and assist the next generation of professionals, HireAHelper will award a $2,000 scholarship four times a year to eligible students.

Kahoot Live Scholarship

Deadline: May 26, 2023

Award Amount: $500

Overview: Do we have any Swifties in the house? If so, this Kahoot scholarship is just for you! We will quiz you on all things Taylor Swift to test out just how much of a Swiftie you really are.

Hop on our Instagram live on Thursday, May 25 at 9 PM Eastern to join us as we give away another $500 scholarship to the winner of this Swifie-fied Kahoot game!

As always, we must have at least 1,000 viewers on the live stream and 1,000+ players in the Kahoot game to award the scholarship, and you must be a current or future college student with a Bold.org profile to participate.

ScholarshipPoints Scholarships

Deadline: See Website

Award Amount: Up to $10,000

Overview: Complete the form to be automatically entered into our $10,000 scholarship!

Scholly No-Essay Scholarship

Deadline: June 1, 2023

Overview: Are you looking to secure funding for college or graduate school?

We’ve partnered with Scholly to create this exclusive scholarship for high school students, transfer students, college students, and current or prospective graduate students.

CampusReel No-Essay Scholarship

Award Amount:$500

Overview: Are you on the hunt for financial aid for college?

We’ve partnered with CampusReel to create this exclusive scholarship for high school students, transfer students, college students, and current or prospective graduate students.

AFSA High School Senior Contest

Deadline: January 1, 2024.

Overview:  The High School Senior College Scholarship Contest is open to high school seniors who are citizens or aliens legally residing in the USA. Scholarship funds are payable to the winner’s college/university or certified trade school in the United States; winner must enroll for classes beginning no later than Fall 2022 session. Winner selection is NOT based on financial need, GPA or demographic criteria. Home-schooled students may apply as long as course of study is equivalent to that of a senior in high school.

GoSkills Scholarship

Deadline: Fall Deadline: Sept. 15 (11:59PM PST) Fall Award Date: Oct. 15 Spring Deadline: March 15 (11:59PM PST) Spring Award Date: April 15

Overview: Okay, Female high school and college students, here is your time to debut your online business ambitions. There are open-ended questions on the application, but it’s more like a friendly conversation. The questions ask you about your concerns and your role models. Besides the application, you need to provide a link to your business plan (GoSkills provides instructions for your business plan right above the area for the link). If you don’t get excited about writing an essay, try your hand at mapping a business plan

Nitro Pay For College No-Essay Scholarship

Award Amount: $10,000

Overview: We’ve partnered with Nitro to create this exclusive no-essay scholarship for anyone thinking through how to pay for college.

Nitro is a leading financial aid and loan resource platform, guiding you on everything from the FAFSA to best practices for federal and private loans.

By applying, you’ll automatically get registered for Nitro, setting you up for success in funding your education in the most effective way. The scholarship will be awarded to applicants who get the most out of the Nitro platform.

Bold.org No-Essay Community Scholarship

Award Amount: $5,000

Overview: This scholarship is for students who recognize the value of a strong community, and are always on the lookout for ways to help their friends and strengthen their community. It will be awarded to a student who has invited many friends to join Bold.org.

To invite a friend, visit your Invite Friends page on the Bold.org dashboard to copy your unique invite code and text it to your friends. For each friend who creates a profile, your chances of winning the Community Scholarship go up.

AFSA $2,000 College Scholarship

Deadline: January 1, 2024

Overview: The Second Chance College Scholarships Contest is open to citizens and aliens legally residing in the USA with High School Diploma, GED or equivalent. Scholarship funds are payable to the winner’s college/university or certified trade school in the United States; winner must enroll or already be enrolled for Spring 2022 session. Winner selection is NOT based on financial need, GPA or demographic criteria.

Expand Your Horizons Scholarship

Deadline: April 28, 2024

Overview: Getting the most out of life requires both the courage to explore the world, and the kindness and openness to welcome and accept all those you meet along the way.

One student whose profile demonstrates an openness to learning about other cultures and sharing their own will receive $2,000 to help them continue on their path to travel and learn.

This may include studying new languages, traveling to study in a new place, teaching or learning art styles or cooking methods from a new culture, or anything else that demonstrates openness to new cultures in your school, work, or hobbies.

Launchy Web3 Scholarship

Deadline: April 30, 2024

Award Amount: $1,000

Overview: Chain Catalyst by Launchy is a free newsletter for web3 builders and investors.

We’ve partnered with Chain Catalyst by Launchy to create this exclusive scholarship. By applying, you’ll automatically be subscribed to the Chain Catalyst by Launchy newsletter, getting web3 tips, news, and insights delivered directly to your inbox.

The scholarship will be awarded to applicants who get the most out of Chain Catalyst by Launchy.

Scholarships4Moms

Deadline: June 15, 2023

Overview: Over $1.2 million in scholarships given away. You could be the next winner!

CARiD.com Scholarship

Deadline: May 31, 2023

Overview: CARiD is giving away $1,000 to offset your educational expenses for college! Just getting the essentials can add up quickly and CARiD wants to help – books, food, backpacks, some sweet spinners for your commuter vehicle, or whatever else you need to get ready for school! Most importantly – CARiD believes in higher education and wants to help you achieve your goals!

Barbara Lotze Scholarship

Deadline: December 1, 2023

Overview: Undergraduate students enrolled, or planning to enroll, in physics teacher preparation curricula and high school seniors entering such programs are eligible. Successful applicants receive a stipend of up to $2,000 and a complimentary AAPT Student Membership for one year. The scholarship may be granted to an individual for each of four years.

Richard “88 Fingers” Turner, Jr. Music Scholarship

Deadline: August 1, 2023

Overview: Richard “88 Fingers” Turner, Jr. is a beloved husband and talented pianist.

Known for his dexterity and musical talent, Richard has inspired the next generation of aspiring African American musicians. In order to truly thrive in the industry, it’s critical for musicians to have a strong educational foundation, which can often be inaccessible due to the high cost of college.

This scholarship seeks to honor Richard Turner, Jr. by supporting African American musicians in their pursuit of education.

Any African American two or four-year undergraduate student who is pursuing a music degree and career may apply for this scholarship.

To apply, submit a 2-3 minute video of yourself performing.

“A Bold Mind” Psychology No-Essay Scholarship

Overview: Psychology is a great career field for students with a deep sense of curiosity about human behavior and the mind.

This scholarship seeks to support students who are passionate about psychology so they can afford to pursue their education.

Any student who is pursuing psychology may apply for this exclusive no-essay scholarship!

“Science for Life” Biology and Health Sciences No-Essay Scholarship

Overview: Biology and health sciences can require significant education which can be difficult for the average student to afford without becoming buried in debt.

This scholarship aims to support students who are pursuing biology and the health sciences so that they can complete their degrees no matter their financial status.

Any student who is interested in studying biology or the health sciences may apply for this no-essay scholarship opportunity!

Milk Road Crypto and Web3 No-Essay Scholarship

Deadline: August 16, 2022

Packed with insights, analysis, and entertainment, The Milk Road helps you get smarter about crypto without ever feeling dumb, regardless of how much you already know.

We’ve partnered with The Milk Road to create this exclusive scholarship. By applying, you’ll automatically be subscribed to The Milk Road, giving you essential crypto insights straight to your inbox.

This scholarship will be awarded to applicants who get the most out of The Milk Road. You will be a strong applicant if you:

• Read The Milk Road every day
• Share The Milk Road with your friends
• Apply what you learn to accelerate your education and career

CollegeXpress No-Essay Scholarship

Award Amount: $1,200

Overview: Are you a high schooler preparing to navigate through your college experience?

We’ve partnered with CollegeXpress to create this exclusive scholarship for high school students who are interested in college resources, an opportunity related to our 30 other no-essay scholarship awards.

This scholarship is also unique in that it will favor students who apply earlier—who are bold and seize the day without procrastinating.

The Discover Student Loans Scholarship Award Sweepstakes

Overview: Sign up for emails to get helpful college tips and resources, and enter for the chance to win a scholarship! Throughout the year, 12 eligible students or parents will be randomly selected to win a $5,000 Discover Student Loans Scholarship Award to help cover college expenses.

Huntington’s College Scholarship Sweepstakes

Deadline: June 30, 2023

Award Amount: $4,000

Overview: Scholarship contest for college-bound students. Simply submit this Official Entry form by the deadline posted in the Official Rules and you could win a $4000 College Scholarship!

Italian Catholic Federation Scholarships

Deadline: See Website 

Award Amount: Up to $1,000

Overview:  Since 1964, the Italian Catholic Federation has awarded over $2,000,000.00 in scholarships to more than 6,000 high school students, of the Catholic faith, attending college. Each spring, the Italian Catholic Federation receives nearly 400 applications for its yearly scholarship awards. Applications are received from students in public as well as Catholic high schools in California, Arizona, Nevada, and Illinois.

No Essay Smart Owl Scholarship

Deadline: May 29, 2023

Award Amount: $7,000

Overview:  Apply Me, Inc. (“ScholarshipOwl”) is pleased to offer this scholarship sweepstakes (“Scholarship Sweepstakes”) in which you can apply for a chance to win a scholarship to be paid by ScholarshipOwl directly to your qualified high school, college or university.

For What It’s Worth Scholarship

Overview: We’ve partnered with For What It’s Worth to create this exclusive scholarship. By applying, you’ll automatically be subscribed to the For What It’s Worth newsletter, getting tips and news delivered directly to your inbox so you can invest in the world that you want.

The scholarship will be awarded to applicants who get the most out of For What It’s Worth. You will be a strong applicant if you:

• Read For What It’s Worth every week
• Share For What It’s Worth with your friends
• Engage with For What It’s Worth’s content

Stuck At Prom Scholarship Contest

Deadline: June 7, 2023 

Overview: We’re giving away $20,000 in cash scholarships to high school students who make the best prom attire out of Duck® Brand Duct Tape! New this year? You can document your journey to prom perfection in a short video or written essay. Plus, once the voting period starts, a live voting counter lets you see the results in real time.

“A Bold Life” No-Essay Scholarship

Deadline: July 31, 2023

Overview: Regardless of where you find yourself today, remember that you only have one life to live, and it’s up to you to make it count. Embracing the world with boldness can help you do that.

To encourage people to create an adventurous and exciting life as they define it, the “A Bold Life” No-Essay scholarship exists to support a student who will do what it takes to live life to the fullest.

The scholarship is open to all students and non-students from any field of study. The only requirement is that you’re committed to overcoming fear and relentlessly pursuing a life that will leave you fulfilled.

More Helpful Guides:

How to Find—and Win—Scholarships: Your Complete Guide

How I Landed My Dream Internship

Make a List, Check It Twice: A College Applications Guide

Three Difficult Conversations to Have About Affording College

Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links to products and services. We may receive commissions for purchases made through these links.

The 30 Hardest Colleges to Get Into by Acceptance Rate

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The 10 Best No Essay Scholarships

So many students have been there before. 

They filled out their application to the best of their abilities, they applied to every internal scholarship imaginable at their hopeful college, and they calculated their odds of winning certain awards ad nauseum. 

And then the acceptance letter comes in, and it’s cause for such a wonderful celebration. Getting into university is incredibly difficult, and you’ve done it. 

But then there’s the second letter—the financial aid award letter. And for so many students, that award just isn’t enough to keep a student from navigating debt for many years to come. 

Even for those students who can utilize internal, university-wide funding to mitigate their tuition costs, having external funding sources will always make a big difference in one’s attempts to finance their education. 

But there are a lot of scholarships out there. And many of them will provide wonderful opportunities, but in order to make the most of one’s scholarship hunt to ensure they will receive enough external aid to impact their tuition costs, they’ll need to apply for a lot of scholarships. 

School, work, and attempts to make the most of one’s teenage/early 20s can make the prospect of writing dozens of scholarship essays and answering a plethora of scholarship questions daunting. 

But there are scholarships out there that provide actual money, which one can apply to in mere minutes. And although the odds of winning such scholarships can be slim, it never hurts to cast as wide of a net as possible. 

And no-essay scholarships are a simple addition to one’s list of scholarship applications that increase one’s chances of receiving funding without increasing the number of hours one spends on the scholarship hunt. 

As such, this article will break down 10 of the best no-essay scholarships out there. 

In making this list, attention was given to the legitimacy of the scholarship organization, the amount of funding each scholarship provided, and the range of students who would be eligible to apply for the scholarship. 

In no particular order, here are the ten best no-essay scholarships that will make easy additions to your scholarship list. 

Big Future’s $40,000 Scholarship

Big Future is an organization that helps students with the step-by-step process of applying for college. 

Big Future is a service offered by the larger College Board website, a non-profit organization that seeks to aid students in their quest to both attend college and succeed while there. 

In order to apply for the $40,000 scholarship , students must make an account on the Big Future section of the College Board website and subsequently begin steps to plan for college. 

Completing steps to prepare for college on Big Future include making a list of potential colleges, preparing for a standardized test, applying for colleges, and more. 

Each year, roughly 25 winners are selected to receive the $40,000 scholarship. Winners’ profiles can be found here . 

“Be Bold” No-Essay Scholarship

Bold.org is a scholarship website that hosts a wide array of no-essay scholarships. Many of the no-essay scholarships on Bold.org are not available elsewhere and are centered around various themes (i.e. international travel, the arts, etc.). 

One of the largest of Bold.org’s many exclusive no-essay scholarships is their Be Bold , $25,050 scholarship. 

This scholarship is awarded annually to a Bold.org user, and previous winners can be found at the bottom of the scholarship’s page. 

In order to increase one’s likelihood of winning this scholarship, students attain “bold points,” which can be gained by watching advertisements, providing feedback to the website, or otherwise. 

Niche No-Essay Scholarship

Niche is a trusted source for all things college.

They provide rankings for the world’s best universities in a wide array of subject matter, they collect data on acceptance rates, and they are a hub of information for anything a student may need to know regarding their school of choice. 

And alongside this, they also aid students on their scholarship hunt. 

As part of this, they provide a $2,000 no-essay scholarship which is given to students on a monthly basis. 

In order to apply, students need only create an account on Niche.com via the scholarship application. 

Previous winners of the no-essay scholarship can be found on Niche’s website . 

Nitro College No-Essay Scholarship

Nitro has a remarkably easy no-essay scholarship.

In order to apply, students do not even need to make an account on Nitro’s website, but instead merely have to provide the school they hope to attend and their contact information, and they are set to apply. 

Each month, Nitro selects a winner of the $2,000 no-essay scholarship. Previous scholarship winners can be found at the bottom of the scholarship application page. 

Nitro is a website dedicated to helping students understand all things financial regarding the college experience. This includes information on scholarships, loans, and tools to help calculate one’s cost of college. 

CollegeXpress $10,000 No-Essay Scholarship

CollegeXpress hosts an annual no-essay scholarship competition , where one winner will receive a generous scholarship worth $10,000. 

By making an account on the CollegeXpress website via the no-essay scholarship portal, students are automatically enrolled for the chance to win the $10,000 scholarship. 

CollegeXpress is another organization that does not merely offer one no-essay scholarship but several. 

For example, after applying for the $10,000 no-essay scholarship, students can apply for the $2,000, “Favorite Color” scholarshi p—where students only need to answer what their favorite color is in order to apply. 

College Covered $5,000 No-Essay Scholarship

College Covered is an organization owned by Discover that seeks to aid students in financing their education while simultaneously promoting Discover’s student loans. 

Because College Covered seeks to aid students in all things financial, it is no wonder that they also host a variety of scholarship competitions. 

One of the largest of these scholarship competitions is the $5,000 no-essay Discover student loans no-essay scholarship. 

In order to apply, all a student needs to do is provide their basic contact information. 

$1,000 Dorm Survey Scholarship

ULoop is a hub for all odds and ends associated with college preparation. 

Whether it be finding a roommate, a tutor, or finding a place to live, ULoop strives to be a marketplace for all of one’s miscellaneous college needs. 

To best achieve this goal, ULoop naturally needs to harvest a fair amount of data regarding a wide array of colleges to provide accurate and up-to-date information. 

This is where the $1,000 Dorm Survey Scholarship comes in. 

To apply for this scholarship, students fill out a brief questionnaire regarding their experiences living in dorms at their particular university. 

Alongside the dorm survey, students can also enter the off-campus apartment survey scholarship contest, which has an award of $1,000. 

Winners of both scholarships are announced annually, and previous winners can be found on ULoop’s website . 

Tallo $1,000 Scholarship

Tallo is an app where students can update schools, scholarship competitions, and employers regarding their various academic or professional achievements. 

Through this platform, professionals and students connect to develop meaningful relationships. 

By joining the Tallo app, students join a network of over 1 million students and professionals and have access to a scholarship database that includes over $20 billion in scholarships.

When a student joins Tallo, they are automatically enrolled in the $1,000, no-essay scholarship contest. 

Joining Tallo and completing a profile is considered the application for this scholarship. 

Scholarship Owl $7,000 Scholarship

Scholarship Owl is a scholarship database that both seeks to connect students with scholarship opportunities and to provide education to students regarding how scholarships work during the process. 

Their $7,000 scholarship does not require an essay and merely requires that students create a profile on the Scholarship Owl website. 

Although only 1 in 140,000 students win, approximately every applicant is considered equal during the scholarship drawing. 

As such, no one student has a significantly greater chance of winning the no-essay scholarship compared to another. 

ScholarshipPoints $10,000 Scholarship

ScholarshipPoints hosts a variety of no-essay scholarship contests, with the largest of these having a $10,000 value .

ScholarshipPoints operates by having students gain “scholarship points” by doing things like surveys, watching ads, or engaging with website sponsors. 

Then, students spend these points to enter scholarship sweepstakes. 

One point spent is the equivalent of 1 entry in the random drawing of scholarship winners. 

The more points one spends in entering a scholarship, the more likely it is that a student will win the said scholarship. 

As such, not only do Scholarship points offer the large, $10,000 no-essay scholarship, but several no-essay scholarships in which spending scholarship points takes the place of writing a formal scholarship application. 

Even if the chances of winning can be slim for some of these scholarships, it is real money that real winners have received in the past.

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18 Essay-Free Scholarships to Apply for in 2020-2021

Scholarships are a fantastic way to save money on your college tuition and avoid taking on too much  student debt. But, let’s face it, the process of applying for scholarships can be time-consuming and, sometimes you just want something a little easier.

The good news is that easy scholarships–in particular, scholarships without essays–do exist. Some require as little effort as simply entering your name and email address (a scholarship “sweepstakes”), while other scholarships without essays require you to submit something else (like a short video, social media post, or illustration) rather than an essay. These second group of scholarships rewards effort and creativity. 

Avoiding Scholarship Scams

5 sweepstakes-style scholarships with no essays, 3 easy scholarships with short answers, 10 creative, essay-free scholarships, ready to apply for your own scholarships without essays, it’s important to keep in mind two things about the easiest scholarships without essays:.

• Your chances of winning a scholarship award are much lower than with traditional scholarships. This is because often way more people apply for these easier scholarships. 
• You run the risk of being spammed with loads of emails. In fact, many scholarship sweepstakes are created with the sole idea of getting your email address in mind. We therefore recommend using easy scholarship sweepstakes as a secondary option for paying for college. Consider using the majority of your time applying for scholarships with essays that you find on reputable scholarship sites.

And if you’re mostly worried about saving time, consider using Going Merry to apply for scholarship bundles , which combine multiple scholarships with the same essay prompts into one application. Sign up for Going Merry today to begin applying.

Another thing to keep in mind is that some easy, no essay scholarships are actually scams.  Follow the tips below to avoid getting scammed.

Scam Tip #1: Say “No” to Upfront Fees!

A scholarship shouldn’t cost anything at all to apply for (except postage). Be wary of any company or scholarship provider who requires you to pay an upfront fee in order to apply. Chances are they have nothing to offer you!

Scam Tip #2: Do The Paperwork Yourself

Some scammers will try and lure you in by telling you that they’ll take care of all the scholarship paperwork for you, including answering all the questions. You can just sit back, relax, and wait for the money to start rolling in. It almost seems too good to be true, doesn’t it? We hate to break it to you, but that’s because it is. Doing your own applications will save you loads of trouble!

(Psst – You can, however, save on some of the paperwork and the repetitive form filling by using Going Merry , which auto-fills your scholarship forms with information from your profile. You’ll still need to answer any scholarship application-specific questions yourself though!)

Scam Tip #3: Guaranteed Scholarships Don’t Exist

If scholarships were guaranteed, student loans would be a thing of the past. Avoid any company claiming to offer you a guaranteed scholarship. It’s a guaranteed scam.

Scam Tip #4: Avoid Dodgy Offers

If you receive an email from an unknown and unprofessional-looking company claiming to offer an amazing scholarship if you enter personal information on their site, it’s best to avoid it. If you’re unsure, simply do a quick Google Search and see if others have reported it as a scam before , and talk to your guidance counselor to see if he or she has information or experience working with the company.

Scam Tip #5: Do Your Research!

Doing a quick search (on Google or snopes.com ) can save you tons of trouble in the end.  Unfortunately, easy scholarships are too good to be true a lot of the time.

Get matched to scholarships

See how much money you qualify for. Personalized matches . Click below to get started.

Match me to scholarships

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, here’s our list of 27 scholarships without essays:

These are scholarships that require almost no effort.

1. Going Merry Seasonal Scholarships ( Spring, Summer )

Amount: $1000 per year (one $250 winner each season)

Provider : Going Merry

When you create a free profile on Going Merry, you’re automatically matched with thousands of scholarship opportunities, including the Going Merry No Essay Scholarship, offered four times a year in the Spring , Summer , Fall , and Winter . Simply click “Start application,” and then “Submit application” to apply. It’s that easy!

Bonus: When you first register, we’ll prompt you to apply for our bundle of four no-essay, seasonal scholarships for the next year. This way, you won’t even have to think about submitting a new application each season. It’s our way of welcoming you to our platform! Sign up today to take advantage.

2. Christian College Scholarship

Amount: $2,500

Provider: The Christian Connector Inc

If you’re planning on attending a two- or four-year Christian college, you’re eligible to enter the drawing for this $2,500 Christian College Scholarship . Simply fill out a short online survey and you’re good to go!

Loving these scholarships, but need help applying for your government financial aid? We can help you fill out your FAFSA and state aid.

3. AFSA High School Senior Contest

Amount: $2,000

Provider: AFSA Scholarships

If you’re ready for an extra $2,000, simply fill out the online entry form on the AFSA website and be registered to win one of 10 prizes. The AFSA High School Senior Contest is open to high school seniors during the school year and deadlines change on a yearly basis, so head to the scholarship website for the most up-to-date information.

4. AFSA Second Chance Scholarship

Amount: $1,000

If you didn’t have the luck of winning the AFSA High School Senior Contest, try your luck again after graduation with the AFSA Second Chance Scholarship . This $1,000 award is awarded to five high school graduates during the summer months. Deadlines change on a yearly basis, so check out the scholarship website for the most up-to-date information.

5. Scholarship4Moms

Amount: $10,000

Provider: Scholarships4Moms

The Scholarship4Moms scholarship and its organization was created by a group of mothers who wanted to help bring financial relief to moms who are seeking to further their education. Simply register with your first name, last name, and phone number, and you’ll be entered to win!

Want more scholarships? Get 20 new scholarships delivered to your inbox each week.

These are scholarships that don’t require essays (you know, those longer 500-word type ordeals), but  do  require you to answer a few questions or to write a short piece (e.g. letter, caption, tweet).

6. C.I.P. Scholarship

Provider: College is Power

While the C.I.P Scholarship technically has an essay, it’s only a short 150 words, so we’re adding it in! To apply, just fill out the super short application form and write a mini-essay about the goals you have for your university education.

7. $5,000 Course Hero Scholarships

Amount: $5,000

Provider: Course Hero

In order to win one of the $5,000 Course Hero Scholarships , simply answer a short prompt in 150 words or less, such as “How do you prepare and study to feel confident for your final exams?” If you have more than one college class you’d like to review, you can improve your chances by leaving as many reviews as you’d like!

8. The Customized Girl Annual Scholarship

Provider: Customized Girl

Amount: $500

Submit: An Instagram post

Customized Girl prints bold statements on customized shirts. Naturally, they know an eye-catching quote when they see one. To apply to the Customized Girl Annual Scholarship , post your statement as a caption on Instagram to be chosen as one of two winners, and your statement may be featured on a customized shirt! Check out past winners on the scholarship page for inspiration.

These are scholarships that require you to submit videos, drawings, business plans, etc. instead of essays. Get creative!

9. Two Ten Higher Education Footwear Design Scholarship

Provider: Two Ten Footwear Foundation

Amount: Up to $3,000

Submit: Three design drawings

Sneakerheads can show-off their inner hypebeast/hypebae for th e Two Ten Higher Education Footwear Design Scholarship ! Students studying design with a focus on footwear are encouraged to apply. Provide three design drawings from your portfolio for consideration.

10. MUD Makeup Scholarship

Provider: Beauty Changes Lives, Make-up Designory (MUD)

Submit: A video, a storyboard, or an essay

This glam scholarship allows you to avoid an essay by providing submission options! Students pursuing beauty and wellness careers can apply to win one of 5 prizes from Make-up Designory (MUD). You can ignore the essay and choose between a video or storyboard submission. For the MUD Makeup Scholarship , you need to be a student attending an accredited Cosmetology and/or esthetics school with MUD makeup in their program.

11. Create-A-Greeting-Card Scholarship

Provider: The Gallery Collection

Amount: $10,000 (+$1,000 prize for the school)

Submit: An original photo, art, work, or graphic design

If you have a knack for art and sentiment, apply for the Create-A-Greeting-Card Scholarship with your original art. You can use all art forms. Just upload an example as a JPEG (.jpg) for the application. Students 14 years or older are eligible to send their ideas.

12. Axon Optic’s ‘Migraine Story’ Scholarship

Provider: Axon Optics

Submit: A video, an image, or an essay

Share your story of dealing with migraines or light sensitivity. All full-time students of accredited two- or four-year American universities may apply. Choose from a video (less than 1 minute in length) or an image (photo, drawing, etc.). To qualify for the Axon Optic’s ‘Migraine Story’ Scholarship , the submission must be posted on at least one of the following social media platforms: YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.

13. #YouAreWelcomeHere Scholarship

Provider: U.S. Higher Education (Led by Temple University)

Amount: At least 50% of tuitio n

Submit: A video or an essay

First-year international students at participating American universities can cut down the cost of education with the #YouAreWelcomeHere Scholarship . The #YouAreWelcomeHere campaign gained nationwide support in creating a scholarship awarding two students per university. The video submission must express ideas of advancing intercultural learning. Check the list of participating universities on the campaign’s scholarship page .

14. “Create Real Impact” Contest

Provider: Impact Teen Drivers

Amount: $500- $1,50 0

Submit: A video, music, creative writing, or graphic design

Students between 14-22 years old may apply to the “Create Real Impact” Contest . The contest seeks original work about a solution and strategy regarding reckless and distracted driving. Choose either video, music, creative writing, or artwork. There are many submission options and contest categories, so make sure to visit the scholarship page for details!

15. GoSkills Scholarship

Provider: GoSkills

Submit: An application and business plan

Calling future girl bosses: Here is your time to debut your online business ambitions. The GoSkills Scholarship (Fall) and (Spring) is open to female high school and college students. There are open-ended questions on the application, but it’s more like a friendly conversation. The questions ask you about your concerns and your role models. Besides the application, you need to provide a link to your business plan (GoSkills provides instructions for your business plan right above the area for the link). Try your hand at mapping a business plan to be your own boss in the future.

16. GloFX Scholarship

Provider: GloFX

Submit: A 3-minute video, a PowerPoint, a PDF,  your own creative measure, or an essay

GloFX wants to hear from students like you with your own creative project. Simply answer their prompt in the format of your choice. The prompt: “Every person has failed at some point in his or her life, and dealing with the outcome is rarely an enjoyable experience. However, failure is how we learn, and it allows us to see our mistakes and make changes. Describe a time in your life you tried your best and still failed. How did this shape your thinking moving forward?” The GloFX Scholarship encourages applicants to post the project on their own social media accounts (this is optional, not required). Applicants must be a current or incoming student at a university in the United States.

17. Live Bearded Academic Scholarship

Provider: Live Bearded

Submit: A video

The Live Bearded team is focused on lending a hand to those building their future through higher education. While the company Live Bearded focuses on grooming products for men, their Live Bearded Academic Scholarship opportunity is open to males, females, high school students, college students, undergraduate, and graduate students. Send a 90-second video sharing your goals, facts about yourself, and why you deserve the scholarship. Upload your video to a social media platform, fill out your application with a link to your video, and you’re good to go!

18. HeadSetPlus.Com College Scholarship

Provider: HeadSetPlus.Com

HeadSetPlus.Com wants to help you pay for college with the HeadSetPlus.Com College Scholarship …no essay needed! Be creative and create a video with a maximum length of five minutes detailing why you deserve the scholarship and what inspired you to pursue a degree in your field.

You can find and apply for scholarships without essays right on our website. You can request letters of recommendation, upload your resume, and apply for scholarships. Sign up for free today .

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Ready to find scholarships that are a match for you?

$2,000 No Essay Scholarship

Help cover the cost of college without writing a single essay!

Niche is giving one student $2,000 to put toward tuition, housing, books or other college expenses — no essay required.

Apply below for your chance to win so you can focus on your education, not your finances. Good luck!

Min 7 characters

By proceeding you acknowledge and agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use .

By proceeding you acknowledge and agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and  Scholarship Rules .

Who Can Apply

All high school and college students, as well as anyone looking to attend college or graduate school in the next year. Please note: Not everyone is eligible for this scholarship. Niche sponsored scholarships and sweepstakes are for people with US citizenship or a valid Visa/US passport only. Read the scholarship rules for full eligibility requirements.

How It Works

The $2,000 “No Essay” Scholarship is an easy scholarship with no essay required! Only one entry allowed per person. The winner will be determined by random drawing and then contacted directly and announced in Niche's email newsletter and on the Scholarship Winners page.

About Niche scholarships

We believe cost shouldn’t keep anyone from pursuing a higher education, so we connect students with thousands of scholarships — many of which don’t require an essay — to help them afford college. In 2023 alone, we offered over $285,000 in Niche scholarships. Read more about Niche scholarships here or visit our FAQs .

"Be Bold" No-Essay Scholarship

At Bold.org , we believe that the world will be shaped by the bold—the fighters, the risk-takers, the earnest overachievers who won’t take no for an answer—the ones who know that a mountain is climbed a step at a time.

Bold.org is built for students, like you, who are determined to make the climb.

As you join the Bold.org platform, you get the opportunity to showcase your goals, achievements, and drive to scholarship panels via your student profile.

The $25,000 “Be Bold” Scholarship is a no-essay scholarship that will be awarded to the applicant with the boldest profile.

To us, boldest does not mean “best”, or “most accomplished”. Being bold means being:

The scholarship will be awarded to the student whose profile is most bold, according to these characteristics.

Furthermore, this scholarship will be similar to the many easy scholarships available on Bold.org in that it will favor students who apply earlier—who are bold and seize the day without procrastinating.

Students at any education level , state , field of study , and GPA will be considered.

Winners and Finalists

December 2023.

December 2022

November 2021

November 2020

Explore All Kinds of Scholarships for All Kinds of Students

The application deadline is May 1, 2024. Winners will be announced on Dec 1, 2024.

Your privacy is a top priority on the Bold.org platform, and you can find our privacy policy in full here . You may opt out of communications from Bold.org at any time, and unless we’ve first notified you and gotten your consent, you’ll never receive communication from any third parties related to personal information you give us.

Award amounts per winner are designated by the donor. Check the award amount for a detailed breakdown.

The winner will be publicly announced on Dec 1, 2024. Prior to the announcement date, we may contact finalists with additional questions about their application. We will work with donors to review all applications according to the scholarship criteria. Winners will be chosen based on the merit of their application.

Award checks will be sent to the financial aid office of the winner's academic institution or future academic institution in their name to be applied to their tuition, and in the name of their institution (depending on the school's requirements). If the award is for a qualified educational non-tuition expense, we will work with the winner directly to distribute the award and make sure it goes towards qualified expenses.

Before we award the scholarship, the winner will be required to confirm their academic enrollment status. Depending on the circumstances, verification of Student ID and/or their most recent transcript will be required.

If you have any questions about this scholarship or the Bold.org platform, just email [email protected] and we’ll get back to you as quickly as we can.

Yes. The terms and conditions for this scholarship can be found here .

Top 15 No Essay Scholarships For High School Seniors

Scholarships are the financial assistances that help make a high schooler’s college education dream possible. The students with financial unavailability but with exceptional talent or academic excellence opt for scholarships to keep their studies’ plans fueled. Scholarships require students to fulfill certain criteria; submitting essay is one of them. Sometimes, essays make getting scholarships difficult because of the stringent checking procedures.

So, is there any way of getting scholarships without going through the grill of writing an essay?

The answer is yes. Let’s take a look at some of the no essay scholarships for high school seniors that offer easily available financial assistance.

No essay scholarships to watch for in 2022

1. be bold no essay scholarship.

Key features:

• Educational level: Any
• No of awardees: 1 per year
• Amount: $25,050

Be Bold No Essay Scholarship requires students to be well-determined to achieve a goal. They are required to build their profile in such a way that showcases their goals and achievements made. The most ‘Bold’ candidate is selected based on their profiles to grant a scholarship of $25,000.

Last date to apply: April 1, 2022

Scholarship announced in: November, 2022

Sponsorship Details

2. Hustle Tech & Business News No-Essay Scholarship

• Amount: $10,000

This scholarship provides educational grants to people interested in tech and business news or has plans to be an entrepreneur. Applying for this scholarship automatically makes you a subscriber to Hustle. You have to read Hustle every day, share the Hustle newsletter with friends, and apply learnings from the news to boost your career/education. On the basis of an interview, the winner of this scholarship is decided.

Winner announced in: June, 2022

Sponsorship details

3. Nitro Pay for College No Essay Scholarship

Key Features:

Nitro is a loan and financial assistance platform that helps students with debt issues. Those students who get the best support from Nitro and use it for various purposes are recognized by Bold.org funders. The candidate with the boldest Bold.org profile can apply for this scholarship. The application deadline is rolling every month. So, keep pouring the platform with applications whenever you get the chance.

Last date to apply: Every month

Scholarship awarded in: December, 2022

These are the three easiest scholarships to apply at Bold.org. Let’s move to other scholarships that allow you to have funds in hand without writing an essay.

4. Too Cool to Pay for School No Essay Scholarship

Key Features

Educational level: high school, undergraduate, graduates No of awardees: 1 per quarter Amount: $1,000

Too Cool to Pay for School No Essay Scholarship is open to all students studying at high school and above levels. It is announced for those who are currently enrolled in high school in a full-time course or plan to do so in the next 24 months. The winner is selected randomly and announced at the end of every quarter. All US residents, DACA, undocumented students, and international students studying in the US are eligible to apply for this no essay scholarship. One entry per student per quarter is allowed. This scholarship is an initiative of Access Scholarships.

Deadline: Last day of March, June, September, December

5. Ascent Monthly Shining Stars Scholarship Giveaway

• Educational level: high school and above
• No of awardees: 1 per month
• Amount: $1,000

To become eligible for this scholarship, the candidate needs to demonstrate his knowledge of how credit works. By answering a simple question about what they wish they knew about credit before getting a credit card, they can apply for this sponsorship. They need to like Ascent’s Instagram post on credit card and leave a comment that necessarily be followed by #AscentSponsored. This scholarship is open for high school seniors who are above 18 years of age and wish to pursue higher education.

Announcements made: Every month

6. Around the Corner from College Scholarship

Key features

• Educational level: high school seniors, sophomores, freshmen
• No of awardees: 1 per application period

Around the Corner from College Scholarship is open for US residents as well as those international students who intend to study in the US. The applications are invited online only. There is no purchasing required. Also, the response to the question asked in the sponsorship application is evaluated to decide the winner. Read other terms and conditions here .

Last date to apply: June 30th, Dec 31st.

Winner announced on: Drawing date intimated by email

Scholarship Details

7. Scholly’s $1,000 Tuition Relief Scholarship

• Educational level: high school students above 18 years of age

Scholly’s Tuition Relief Scholarship covers all vital expenses like tuition, student debt, etc. This scholarship is a joint initiative of Scholly and Aspiration. It does not require any essay submission. The applicants can submit their application form on their website and they need to open a cash management account at Aspiration to be eligible for this no essay scholarship for high school seniors.

Last date to apply: May 31st, 2022

8. $2,000 No Essay College Scholarship by Niche.com

• Education Level: High school
• No of awardees: 1
• Amount: $2,000

It is an easy scholarship to try to win. Students can apply for this scholarship every month. They are not required to submit any essay. All they need to do is apply for this scholarship online or via email and open an account with the sponsor Niche. Even GPA is not asked. They can get the scholarship for 2-year, 4-year college, and trade/technical school.

Winner announced: Every month

Scholarship details

9. Skin Grip Diabetes Scholarship

• Education Level: High school Senior, College
• No of awardees: 20
• Amount: $1,170 each

Just upload a video on how you live fearlessly with diabetes and continue to contribute to the world’s progress despite the condition and be eligible for this scholarship. Those diagnosed with diabetes can apply for this scholarship. Skin Grip Diabetes Scholarship can be helpful in managing various challenges that come with this medical condition and may cost students additional expenses

Last date to apply: March 03, 2022

Winner announcement date: March 31, 2022

10. The Discover Student Loans Scholarship Award

• Education Level: High school Senior, Junior, etc.
• No of awardees: 12
• Amount: $5,000

12 students who sign up for emails from Discover to know about college tips and other resources can enter this scholarship scheme. The students must be enrolled at least half-time in Bachelor’s degree program within a year of winning this scholarship. It is a no essay scholarship scheme that helps cover college expenses.

Last date to apply: Last day of every month

Result announced: Every Month or Quarterly

11. #FinancialFreedom No-Essay Scholarship

• Education Level: Any
• No. of Awardees: 1 every six months

Financial freedom no-essay scholarship requires you to submit an online application form only. By evaluating your profile based on your ambition, your want to become free financially, and the motivation to improve life through education, winners are selected for this sponsorship. This grant is sponsored by Calvin Rosser, a writer, and a startup owner, who supports people who want to rise above the odds and contribute to make the world a better place for all.

Last date to apply: May 31, 2022

Winner Announced: June 30, 2022

12. AFSA High School Senior Scholarship Contest

• Education Level: High School Senior
• No. of Awardees: 10

The AFSA High School Senior Scholarship Contest is open to all high school seniors who are legal U.S. residents. This scholarship program provides aid in pursuing college academics. The students are required to enroll in the classes no later than the Fall session ensuing immediately after the award. Students need to visit AFSA scholarship official website for applying online.

Last date to apply: April 01, 2022

Winner Announced: A fortnight of the contest end date

13. Top Friend Scholarship

• No. of Awardees: 1

Top Friend Scholarship is for those contestants who are invited to be a part of Bold.org. The contestant must have the place among the boldest profiles on Bold.org. This scholarship is quite easy to get and requires no essay submission. The selection is done solely on profile analysis and the number of friends made at Bold.org.

Last date to Apply: April 1, 2022

Winner Announced: November 2022

14. Dr. Magidson Memorial Theater Scholarship

Education Level: Any No. of Awardees: 1 Amount: $5,000

If you are aiming at excelling in theater arts and have no financial means to pursue your interest, this scholarship is for you. A background in theater is required for this scholarship. It is sponsored by the Magidson family. 5-10 minutes of video demonstrating your work in the theater is required along with the application form submitted online to prove candidature for this grant.

Last date to apply: Apr 20, 2022

Winner Announced: May 20, 2022

15. College Express Monthly Scholarship

Education Level: High school senior No. of Awardees: 1 Amount:$1,000-$2,500

Have an interest in sports and want to study beyond high school? Just mention in one sentence how you plan to pursue sports in college, that is it! It is an easy scholarship to apply for and helps you apply for a $10,000 scholarship draw automatically. You require to be a sports fanatic and demonstrate the need for finance through relevant documents. Apply online every month to increase your chances of winning.

Last date to apply: Rolling Winner Announced: Rolling

If the soccer sponsorships for high school sound tough to you due to essay requirements, you can opt for the grants mentioned above. With all conditions made as simple as possible, the sponsors stand by the high schoolers’ college education dream genuinely. Also, the segregation based on personality traits, specific medical conditions, or will to change the world around makes these sponsorships quite interesting to contend for. Apply for these to avoid finances becoming a hurdle in your path to higher education.

Sananda Bhattacharya, Chief Editor of TheHighSchooler, is dedicated to enhancing operations and growth. With degrees in Literature and Asian Studies from Presidency University, Kolkata, she leverages her educational and innovative background to shape TheHighSchooler into a pivotal resource hub. Providing valuable insights, practical activities, and guidance on school life, graduation, scholarships, and more, Sananda’s leadership enriches the journey of high school students.

Explore a plethora of invaluable resources and insights tailored for high schoolers at TheHighSchooler, under the guidance of Sananda Bhattacharya’s expertise. You can follow her on Linkedin

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30 Best Scholarships for High School Seniors in 2023

What’s covered:, overview of scholarships, 30 best scholarships for high school seniors, tips for applying for scholarships.

The final two years of high school are filled with classes, activities, and friends. It’s also time to think about post-graduation and college. As you look at different colleges, you need to consider how you are going to pay for your education. It’s important to think realistically about what your school will offer in financial aid and how you will pay for your share of the cost. 

The difference between scholarships and loans is huge. Scholarships don’t require repayment and loans must be repaid, with interest. Sometimes, student loans are unavoidable. However, you want to ensure that you minimize the amount of student loan debt that you take on.  

Start your scholarship search early in your high school career. Create a calendar with deadlines for each scholarship that you will apply for. Add notes for the different requirements for each application, such as an essay, your latest transcript, or financial information. Some scholarships are available for you in your junior year and many deadlines will land in the summer before your senior year.  

There are scholarships based on merit and academic performance. Others are most interested in meeting financial needs. Some organizations are looking to support students who are interested in certain fields of study. Others are open to students from the same community or geographic region. Check with your high school guidance office as they will have information on opportunities that are unique to your school or community. Your employer may also have a scholarship program. Starbucks, Burger King, and McDonald’s are just a few businesses that support their employees in this way. There’s almost certainly something for every student.

Now, let’s get into some amazing scholarship opportunities.

General Opportunities

1. equitable excellence scholarship.

Amount: $2,500-5,000 (plus a $500 donation to the high school of winners)

Deadline: N/A

Eligibility:  

• High school seniors who demonstrate positive qualities such as courage and determination shown in community volunteer work 
• U.S. citizen, legal resident, or current resident in the U.S., District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico 

Application Requirements: Transcript

The Equitable Excellence Scholarship is awarded to driven and determined students of high character, with recipients coming from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. In addition to a scholarship, recipients are also provided with development opportunities such as mentoring, networking, and skill-building programs. 

2. Live Más Scholarship – Taco Bell Foundation

Amount: Up to $25,000

Deadline: January 11 

• Employed in a restaurant position with Taco Bell
• On track to apply to a post-high school or post-secondary program (both two- and four-year programs are eligible)
• Have not previously won a Live Más Scholarship

Application Requirements: A two-minute video describing your passion 

The Live Más Scholarship selects winners a little differently than the traditional scholarship award winners. The Taco Bell Foundation is less concerned with academic and athletic excellence and more interested in finding passionate students who blaze their own paths, pursue their dreams, and inspire others. Students who have already been awarded a Live Más Scholarship can apply for a renewal.

3. Too Cool to Pay for School  

Amount: $1,000

Deadline: Last day of the months of March, June, September, and December

Eligibility: Full-time high school, college, or graduate students

Application Requirements: Short application form 

The Too Cool to Pay for School Scholarship is Access Scholarships’ contribution to help four lucky students each year cover school-related expenses. The scholarship can be used to cover any education-related expenses, such as tuition, textbooks, housing, and other fees. This scholarship is super quick and easy to enter (no essay required!), making it a great opportunity to apply for each quarter. 

4. GE-Reagan Foundation Scholarship Program

Amount: Up to $40,000

• U.S. citizen
• A high school senior
• Demonstrated leadership, integrity, drive, and citizenship within the community, school, and workplace
• Planning on enrolling full-time in a bachelor’s degree program at an accredited four-year college or university

Application Requirements:

• Minimum 3.0 GPA 
• Personal statement 

Sponsored by General Electric (GE) and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation, this scholarship is dedicated to honoring the legacy of the 40th President of the United States, Ronald Reagan. Awarded to skilled and successful students, the scholarship promotes principles important to its namesake: individual liberty, economic opportunity, global democracy, and national pride. The GE-Reagan Foundation Scholarship Program is looking for students with demonstrated leadership, drive, and citizenship. 

See our blog post on GE-Reagan Foundation Scholarship Program for more information.

5. VFW Voice of Democracy Scholarship

Amount: Up to $35,000 

Deadline: October 31 

Eligibility:  

• 9th-12th grade students
• Enrolled in a public, private, or parochial school, or home study program in the U.S., its territories, or its possessions

Application Requirements: Three-five minute audio-essay

The VFW works to promote patriotism while investing in future generations, particularly “democracy-loving” high schoolers. Dating back to 1947, the Voice of Democracy Competition is an audio-essay program giving students the chance to express their thoughts through a recorded essay about democratic- and patriotic-themed principles. Essays are judged on three criteria: originality, content, and delivery. Applicants can win awards ranging from $1,000 to $35,000, making this an exciting scholarship opportunity.

6. Doodle 4 Google Competition

Amount: $30,000 for the student and $50,000 technology grant for their school

Deadline: March 7

• K-12 students
• U.S. citizen or legal resident 
• Enrolled in a U.S.-based school (including homeschool or a school in Puerto Rico, Guam, or the U.S. Virgin Islands)

Application Requirements: Unique doodle that includes the letters G-O-O-G-L-E

The Doodle 4 Google Competition gives applicants the opportunity to create one of the doodles that graces Google’s homepage every day. The competition’s themes change yearly (this year’s theme is to share what you appreciate the most) and the only requirement for them is that they must include the letters G-O-O-G-L-E. Applicants are encouraged to express themselves through whatever medium they desire—although if you create a 3D doodle, you’ll need to submit it in a 2D format. 

7. Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest

Amount: Up to $10,000 

Deadline: November 6

Eligibility: High school senior, undergraduate, or graduate student (no citizenship requirements)

Application Requirements: Original essay between 800 and 1,600 words

Applicants for the Atlas Shrugged Essay contest are tasked with writing an essay about one of three provided topics on Ayn Rand’s novel, Atlas Shrugged . Judges of the contest are looking for clear, articulate writing; well-organized thoughts; and an exceptional grasp of the philosophy underlying Rand’s book. 

8. Create-A-Greeting Card Scholarship

Amount: $10,000 (plus a $1,000 donation to the winner’s school)

Deadline: March 2

Eligibility: 

• 14 years of age or older
• High school, college, or university student enrolled in an academic program designed to conclude with a diploma or degree
• Legal resident of one of the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, or Puerto Rico
• International students who have a student visa to attend school in the United States are considered legal residents and are also eligible

Application Requirements: Submit a design for the front of a greeting card

Express your artistic side for a chance to win a $10,000 award from the Create-A-Greeting-Card Scholarship. Submit a photo, artwork, or computer graphic for use as the front of a greeting card that will both wow judges and win votes on the scholarship’s Facebook page for the chance to win this generous award. 

9. Tall Clubs International (TCI) Foundation Academic Scholarship  

Deadline: March 1

• Entering the first year of higher education 
• Meet height requirement: over 6′ 2″ for men and 5′ 10″ for women (in stocking feet) 
• Sponsorship from a TCI member club 
• Transcript 
• Essay between 550-650 words
• Two letters of recommendation 

This scholarship is aimed at students with their heads in the clouds, literally. Men must stand over 6′ 2″ and women 5′ 10″ in their stocking feet to qualify for the scholarship. In addition to meeting the height requirement, applicants must demonstrate merit in fields like academics, athletics, and community service to earn this award.

10. Niche $25,000 No Essay Scholarship

Amount: $25,000 

Deadline: March 29

Eligibility: High school senior, undergraduate, or graduate student 

Application Requirements: Create a Niche account 

You can enter for a chance to get a $25,000 scholarship in just minutes without the need to write an essay—all you need to do is create a Niche account for your chance to win. 

Scholarships for Academic Merit

11. cameron impact scholarship.

Amount: Full tuition 

Deadline: September 8

• High school seniors 
• Demonstrated excellence in leadership, activities, and community service or civic affairs
• Planning on enrolling full-time at an accredited four-year college or university
• Minimum 3.7 GPA 
• Letters of recommendation

This scholarship is awarded to high school seniors who have demonstrated excellence in numerous pursuits—academics, extracurricular activities, and community service—with a desire to make a positive change in their communities and the world. Left intentionally broad, the scholarship welcomes students with the aspiration to make a positive impact in both the private and public sectors, and through any number of professional careers. A quarter of scholarships are allocated to students pursuing careers in education, nonprofits, government, and the military who have a goal of public service.

12. Coca-Cola Scholars Program

Amount : $20,000 

Eligibility:

• High school senior
• U.S. citizen, U.S. national, U.S. permanent resident, asylee, Cuban-Haitian entrant, or Humanitarian Parole as defined by the U.S. Department of Education for Federal Financial Eligibility
• Planning to pursue a post-high school education
• Minimum 3.0 GPA
• Complete an eligibility quiz
• Must provide information on academic performance, leadership, and service

The Coca-Cola Scholars Program Scholarship is awarded to exceptional students with a thirst for knowledge and a desire to make a difference in the world. Coca-Cola Scholars are high achievers and demonstrate leadership, service, and a commitment to change in their school and community. 

13. Davidson Fellows Scholarship

Amount: $10,000-$50,000

Deadline: February 15

• 18 years old or younger
• U.S. citizen or permanent resident
• Created a significant piece of work
• Nominations from two individuals who are not family members
• Available to attend an in-person or virtual awards ceremony 

Davidson Fellows are gifted students who experts believe have the potential to make significant contributions to society. These students have completed a significant and meaningful piece of work in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Literature, Music, Philosophy, or “Outside the Box”. This can include the creative application of existing knowledge, a high-impact new idea, an innovative solution with a broad range of implications, or a remarkable performance, just to name a few examples. 

14. National Elks Foundation Most Valuable Student (MVS)

Amount: $4,000-$50,000

• Plan to be a full-time student pursuing a four-year degree at an accredited U.S. institution of higher learning

Applicants work through the ranks of local, district, and state levels to be considered for the MVS. The Foundation selects the top 500 students from these applications for the national semi-finalist competition. The top 20 students from the semi-final competition will participate in a Leadership Weekend with in-person interviews. The top two students (one male and one female) are awarded $50,000 scholarships. Runners-up receive $40,000 and $30,000 scholarships. The remaining 14 students receive $20,000. The additional 480 of the top 500 applicants earn a $4,000 scholarship.   

Opportunities for Students with Significant Financial Need

15. horatio alger association – targeted scholarships.

Amount: Up to $52,000

Deadline: Varies

• Critical financial need (defined as $55,000 or less gross adjusted household income)
• Demonstrated integrity and perseverance through overcoming adversity

Horatio Alger scholarships are awarded to promising young students from low-income families. These targeted scholarships are endowed by members of the Horatio Alger Association at several different universities and colleges. Some are also targeted to specific fields of study. 

16. Jack Kent Cooke Foundation

Amount: Up to $55,000 per year

• Cumulative, unweighted GPA of 3.5
• Demonstrated unmet financial need—applicants with a family annual gross income up to $95,000 are considered 
• JKCF uses the Common App (include JKCF as one of your “schools”)
• Common App asks for a recommendation from your school counselor and two teachers
• Several short essays
• Household financial information

The Cooke College Scholarship Program offers scholarships to high-achieving high school seniors with financial need. JKCF Scholars join a nationwide community with ongoing personal and professional support and development opportunities. Recipients can use their scholarship funds to cover tuition, living expenses, books, and required fees. 

17. Engebretson Foundation Scholarship

Amount: $5,000 per semester

• In need of financial assistance 
• Planning to attend a four-year college

Application Requirements: 

• Minimum 3.75 GPA and/or in the top 5% of graduating class
• Score of 28 or higher on the ACT 
• Teacher recommendation 

The Engebretson Foundation Scholarship is aimed at high-achieving, academically talented students with financial need. One winner is chosen annually to receive a $5,000 per semester scholarship. 

18. Dell Scholars Program

Amount: $20,000, a laptop, and $500 of textbook credits annually for four years 

• Enrolled in an approved college-readiness program, like College Possible or Upward Bound
• On track to graduate from high school in the coming academic year
• Demonstrated financial need 
• Pell-eligible

Application Requirements: Minimum 2.4 GPA

This program is for students with “grit, potential, and ambition” to strive for a college degree. Dell Scholars are also provided with wrap-around support for academic success, financial matters, and teletherapy professional counseling.

Opportunities for First-Generation Students 

19. colgate-palmolive haz la u educational grant program.

Amount: Up to $100,000

• Of Hispanic heritage (includes Spain, Brazil, Philippines)
• High school senior 
• Planning to enroll in an accredited institution of higher education 
• U.S. citizen, resident, or DACA-eligible
• 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale

This scholarship program is designed for Hispanic students who have maintained academic excellence throughout high school, participated in community service, and demonstrated leadership. Colgate-Palmolive offers this program in partnership with the Hispanic Heritage Foundation in support of higher education for Hispanics.

20. Fontana Transport Inc. Scholars Program

Amount: N/A

Deadline: March 18

• Planning to enroll in an accredited four-year higher education institution 
• Demonstrated financial need
• First-generation college student 
• Planning to study: Transportation Management, Math, Science, Engineering (any field), Architecture, Environmental Design, Pre-Med, Psychology, or Spanish Language/Literature
• Minimum 3.5 GPA
• Teacher/advisor letter of recommendation (optional, but highly recommended)

This scholarship seeks to support first-generation, underrepresented college students studying in select fields. The intent of the award is to help students who are passionate about pursuing higher education overcome barriers—like lack of resources and hardships encountered in their communities—and achieve successful futures.  

For more info, check out our list of first-gen scholarships . 

Opportunities for Students of Color

21. ron brown scholarship.

Amount: $40,000

• African American 
• Academically excellent  
• Community service participation 
• Two essays 

This scholarship program provides awards for academically gifted African Americans who are active within their communities. Applicants should have demonstrated an interest in public service, community engagement, business entrepreneurship, and global citizenship—the four pillars of the late Ronald H. Brown’s mission to uplift people of all races, cultures, and ethnicities. 

22. McDonald’s HACER National Scholarship

Amount: $5,000-$100,000

• U.S. resident or a DREAMer/DACA recipient
• Under 21 years old 
• Have at least one parent of Hispanic heritage
• Minimum 2.8 GPA
• Letter of recommendation 
• List of community service projects

This scholarship program provides 30 college-bound students of Hispanic heritage awards ranging from $5,000 to $100,000. Recipients are selected based on a variety of factors including academic achievement, community involvement, and financial need.

23. APIA (Asian Pacific Islander) Scholars

Amount: $2,500-$20,000

Deadline: January 19

• Asian or Pacific Islander ethnicity, heritage, or ancestry 
• Citizen, national, or permanent resident of the U.S
• Citizens of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau are also eligible
• Planning to enroll or continue in an accredited undergraduate program in the U.S.
• Minimum 2.7 GPA

This scholarship is an excellent opportunity for students of Asian or Pacific Islander descent to receive valuable funds for college. APIA Scholars works to support underserved APIA students through their scholarships—a special focus is given to students who live at or below the poverty line, students who will be the first in their family to attend college, and students from backgrounds underrepresented in higher education. Strong applicants will have also demonstrated leadership and community service. 

24. Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholars

Amount: Up to $35,000 over four years 

Deadline: January 11

• High school seniors
• U.S. citizen 
• Excellent academic performance 
• Plan on attending a four-year, accredited college or university in the U.S.
• Four essays 
• Standardized test scores
• Household information

The Jackie Robinson Foundation goes beyond sponsoring scholarships, to guide minority students through the process of higher education. JRF Scholars have access to many benefits, including networking and mentorship, internship and employment opportunities, an annual conference, and year-round programming. 

25. National Society of High School Scholars STEM Scholarship

Deadline: October 13

• Planning to pursue a degree in a STEM field
• List of STEM activities

The NSHSS STEM Scholarship provides support for students from groups underrepresented in STEM fields. The goal is to increase diversity in STEM-related professions through college and university education. Check out the other NSHSS scholarship opportunities for high school and post-secondary students.

26. Native American Education Undergraduate Scholarship–American Indian Education Fund

Amount: Up to $2,000

Deadline: April 4

• Native American, Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian
• All future undergraduate students in a two- or four-year college, university, vocational, or technical school are encouraged to apply
• Personal summary 
• Tribal enrollment card/documentation
• There is an essay of no more than four, double-spaced pages typed in 12-point font

The American Indian Education Fund believes that “education is one of the most important cornerstones of self-sufficiency and quality of life.” With that in mind, the AIEF works to end the cycle of poverty by providing scholarships, literacy programs, and school supplies to Native American students. A GPA between 2.0 and 3.5 is desirable—as is an ACT score of 14 or above—however, all current or future undergraduate students are encouraged to apply.

Opportunities for Student-Athletes

27. foot locker scholar athletes.

Amount: Up to $20,000 

Deadline: January 30

• U.S. Citizen or Permanent Legal Resident
• Entering an accredited four-year institution for an undergraduate degree
• Involved in high school sports, intramural sports, or community-based sports
• Minimum GPA of 3.0
• Two essays—one written and one video

Unlike most athletic scholarships, the Foot Locker Scholar Athletes Program is as likely to reward the student who kept team spirit high as it is the student who led the state in scoring. This scholarship honors athletes exhibiting excellence and leadership cultivated on the field and in the locker room to positively change the lives of others. 

28. Sara Scholarship

Amount: $2,000 per year—renewable for four years for a total of $8,000

Deadline: April 30 

• Female high school seniors 
• Active engagement with the sport of golf as a hobby, as a member of a team, working as a caddy, or at a golf course
• Minimum 3.3 GPA 
• Standard application
• Personal essay
• Student Aid Report (SAR)

Established in 2012, the Sara Scholarship was founded in memory of Sara Sheehan through the Henry & Sara Sheehan foundation. This scholarship grants awards to high-achieving female high school seniors who demonstrate financial need, excellence of character, a passion for golf, and a plan to pursue a college degree.

29. Lindsey Vonn Foundation Scholarships

Amount: $5,000

Deadline: March 31

• Ages 10 to 18 
• Passion and promise in a sport
• Essay about you and your sport (students are encouraged to create submissions that will stand out)

The Lindsey Vonn Foundation provides scholarships, programs, and mentorship in order to support future generations by helping them pursue their passion, overcome obstacles, and achieve their goals. Applicants that are 200% below the Federal Poverty Line are prioritized. 

30. United States Tennis Association

Deadline: May 1

• High school seniors  
• Involved in community service or volunteering
• Participant in National Junior Tennis and Learning
• Two letters of recommendation
• Recent photo
• FAFSA student report

There are several endowed scholarships available through USTA and students are encouraged to apply to all those that they are eligible to receive.

31 (Bonus). CollegeVine Scholarships

Amount: $2,000

Deadline: Quarterly

Eligibility: high school student and US resident

Application Requirements: create a free CollegeVine account or fill out chancing profile if you already have an account.

CollegeVine provides a quarterly, no-essay scholarship of $2,000. All you have to do is sign up for a free account, which allows you to see your chances of acceptance at 1,600+ schools, get your essays reviewed by a peer, ask questions in our community forum, and more. If you already have an account, just make sure your chancing profile is filled out.

Awards will be paid out directly to students to help them cover any educational costs. Learn more about the CollegeVine scholarships .

More work = fewer applicants

The more work applying for a scholarship is, the smaller the applicant pool will likely be. Scholarships involving video production, such as the Live Más Scholarship, or a well-thought-out essay, like the Dell Scholars Program, all demand a healthy amount of hard work which keeps the competition at bay. 

Apply to a mix of larger and smaller awards

All the above scholarships are relatively well-known, so they will still be incredibly competitive even if they involve a lot of work. Don’t limit yourself to applying for huge national awards—look for local groups who may have smaller awards, but also smaller pools of candidates.

Research past winners

Scholarship committees tend to have an idea of “what they’re looking for.” To present yourself in the best light, research past winners to get a better sense of what scholarship committees want to see. Most scholarship pages will have a section dedicated to past winners, what their application was like, and where they are now. If not, you can always Google the name of the scholarship and “past winners.”

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

How to Find and Apply for Scholarships

College board scholarship search, what are scholarships .

Scholarships are a type of financial aid commonly referred to as “free money” or “gift aid.” Scholarships usually require an application and are often awarded to students based on a combination of factors including merit. Merit scholarships tend to have specific requirements and are awarded to applicants based on certain skills and accomplishments and may not be based on financial need. Scholarships may be renewable, meaning you can receive scholarships for more than one year. A new application may be required along with maintaining certain eligibility requirements, such as GPA or a certain major.

Why do I need scholarships?

Scholarships are a great type of financial aid because they do not have to be repaid. Receiving scholarships can help cover the remaining bill and indirect costs, while also minimizing the amount you need to borrow in loans while in college.

What are some common scholarship application requirements?

Many scholarships require similar application materials, which commonly include:

• The application, which can be paper or an online form. 
• Essays, often personal statements, that provide insight into your activities inside and outside the classroom. 
• Letters of recommendation from teachers, coaches, guidance counselors, community members, or other mentors. 
• Honors or awards you have received, academic or otherwise. 
• Information about your high school or college, which may include your transcript, GPA, Student Aid Report, or financial aid offer.
• A résumé that includes any employment, volunteer, or extracurricular experiences.

Specialized scholarships may require additional information and may have a priority deadline. For example, scholarships supporting the arts may require portfolios or writing samples. Be sure to read each application thoroughly for requirements so you don’t miss any.

What should I do before college to increase my chances?

Since many scholarships are merit based, maintaining good grades and increasing your involvement in school and community activities are important. Some scholarships have GPA requirements, so keeping your grades up will help open more opportunities. Additionally, many applicants with varied extracurriculars and volunteer or job experiences may stand out. The more scholarships you’re eligible for and apply for, the better the odds you have of receiving one.

What are the best ways to find and receive a scholarship?

There is no guarantee that you’ll receive a scholarship, but there are a few things you can do to increase your chances while applying. One of the most important things to remember is that the scholarship committee wants to get to know you through the applications—you want to show why your college education is worth investing in. 

There are a few things that you can do to increase your chances, including: 

• Start early and search year-round: No matter what stage in the college process you’re at, you should start looking for scholarships now. There are even scholarships that high school students can receive before senior year. Scholarship deadlines vary, so setting some time aside every few weeks to search and apply will open up more opportunities of securing a scholarship. 
• Use the right search engine: Finding scholarships to apply for can be difficult, but with the right search engine you can narrow your search and find scholarships you’re eligible for. BigFuture’s scholarship search is a great resource to use.
• Find a balance: You should apply for several scholarships—the more you apply for, the better your chances of receiving one. However, it’s important to use your time wisely. You should only apply for those you’re eligible for, based on the requirements. 
• Research local scholarships: Local scholarships tend to have fewer applicants, meaning you may be more likely to get them. Your high school counselor or college financial aid department might have insight about where to find and apply for local scholarships. Be sure to talk to others in your community, and check with local businesses and organizations like banks and churches. 

How do I know a scholarship is legit? 

While plenty of legitimate scholarships are available, some fake scholarships are set up to scam students out of money or personal information. Using reliable search engines, like BigFuture, can help avoid this. Scholarships should always be free to apply. Some may ask for your bank account information after choosing you as a recipient, but they should not ask for this information as an application requirement. If you’re unsure, contact the organization or company providing the scholarship to ensure they are legit. 

Finding and applying to scholarships sounds like a lot of work—how can I make this process easier?

Because scholarships don’t need to be repaid, they can be an important part of making college affordable. However, we know that it might not always be feasible to spend a lot of time applying. There are a few things you can do to simplify the process and save time where possible. 

• Start early: Prioritize getting two or three letters of recommendation, and write your essay/personal statement before you start searching to help save time.
• Time management: Plan to spend a day or two a month searching and submitting applications with your prepared materials to avoid last-minute applications, missed deadlines, and stress.
• Stay organized: Collecting and organizing your application materials and tracking due dates will help you stay on track and avoid missing out on opportunities. 
• Reuse essays when possible: Many scholarship essay topics are similar, so editing one of your previously written essays to fit the scholarship you’re applying for can save you time.

With these tips and resources, you’ll be better prepared for scholarship applications and increase your chances of receiving scholarships to help cover your college costs. Check out your chance to earn $500 and $40,000 scholarships in monthly drawings offered by BigFuture to students who complete the steps to plan for college .

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How to Find Scholarships

How to get scholarships.

Scholarships are a type of financial aid awarded to students based on academic achievements, athletic skills, community involvement, financial need, or other considerations. Earning scholarships can help make college more accessible and affordable. Dive into our guide for an overview of how to find and apply for scholarships to ease the financial burden of college. 

Understanding Scholarships

Several types of scholarships are available, such as merit-based aid, skill-based, and need-based aid. Every scholarship comes with unique requirements to both receive and keep the funds. Be sure to carefully read the scholarship eligibility requirements, application process, and other details before applying.

Do you have to pay back scholarships? 

College scholarships are a type of financial assistance that you won't need to repay. It’s essentially free money given to help cover your educational expenses like tuition, housing, class supplies, and more. This makes them an excellent option for students looking to reduce the cost of college without worrying about student loan debt. 

How do scholarships differ from grants?

While both grants and scholarships offer financial aid for college, they differ in several important ways. Scholarships are usually merit-based, meaning they're awarded based on achievements like academic excellence, athletic skills, or involvement in community service or clubs. They're often provided by private organizations, colleges, or individuals.

On the other hand, grants are typically need-based and awarded to students who demonstrate a financial need. They are often provided by either state or federal government sources. A well-known example of a government-backed grant is the Pell Grant, which is federal aid given to undergraduate students with significant financial need.

You can visit the official Pell Grants page for more detailed information. This resource details qualifications, application processes, and how Federal Student Aid can help fund your college education. 

Why You Should Apply for Scholarships

Scholarships are an important tool for making your college education more affordable. Despite what many think, there's actually a lot of unclaimed scholarship money out there every year. According to the National Scholarship Providers Association (NSPA), about $100 million worth of scholarships are not awarded annually, mainly because students do not apply for them.

With so many available scholarships going unclaimed, it's important to explore your options thoroughly. Doing well on standardized tests like the ACT is one way to enhance your chances of tapping into this unclaimed scholarship pool. Actively seeking out and applying for scholarships can increase your likelihood of receiving financial support, which not only eases the financial strain of college but also supports your academic and personal growth, smoothing the path to a brighter and more secure future.

Typical application requirements for scholarships

When applying for scholarships, students must meet a variety of requirements to be considered for aid. Common requirements include:

• Academic performance: Keeping up a certain GPA or academic level.
• Extracurricular activities: Being active in clubs, sports, or community service projects.
• Standardized test scores: Some scholarships ask for scores from tests like the ACT to measure your academic readiness.
• Essays: Crafting an essay that reflects your personal achievements or aspirations.
• Letters of recommendation: Securing support from teachers or mentors who can speak to your character and achievements.
• Financial need evidence: Showing that you require financial support to pursue your education. Often this requires you to submit your FAFSA.
• Unique qualifications: Adhering to specific conditions outlined by the scholarship, like studying in a certain field or identifying with a particular demographic. 

Will all scholarships require an essay?

How to find scholarships.

While earning a scholarship isn't guaranteed, there are several steps you can take to increase your chances of securing these valuable funds. Focus on the factors within your control such as timing, research, preparation, organization, and commitment. Taking your scholarship search seriously can help you tremendously in the long run.

Start the process early

It's important to start your scholarship application process as early as possible. Studentaid.gov suggests getting a head start on your research and applications during the summer between junior and senior years of high school. Starting the process early gives you ample time to find opportunities, meet deadlines, and prepare stronger applications.

Utilize scholarship searches

Various lists and resources are available that specialize in helping you find scholarships that fit your needs. One notable option is the  ACT free scholarship list , which includes more than 80 scholarships that require an ACT score. The Department of Labor also provides information for over 9,500 scholarships on their sponsored  scholarship finder . These searches can help you discover a wide range of opportunities that align with your specific academic and extracurricular achievements.

Check local scholarships

Students should also focus on local scholarships, which often have fewer applicants and higher chances of winning compared to larger, national scholarships. Check with local businesses, community and religious organizations, clubs, and your school counselor if they offer any scholarship opportunities. Often the scholarship details and application can be found on their website. You might also consider searching for scholarships through word of mouth, community Facebook pages, or local newspapers

Apply for several scholarships

Increase your chances of receiving financial aid by applying for multiple scholarships. Each application improves your likelihood of success, broadening your range of opportunities. You can enhance your chances for securing a scholarship by applying for a range of scholarship types from many different sources. 

Look out for fake scholarships

Students and parents need to be vigilant to identify fake scholarships. Warning signs include requests for personal financial information or payments, such as application fees or processing charges, no past recipients mentioned, or saying you won a scholarship you don’t recall applying for. Legitimate scholarships will never ask for money or sensitive personal financial details as part of the application process. 

How to apply for scholarships

The process of applying for scholarships will largely depend on the type of scholarship you're pursuing, but several standard steps are involved in most applications. Understanding and following these common steps can help you collect and prepare the documents you’ll need when applying. Here are some ways in which the process may differ:

• Eligibility criteria: Some scholarships are open to all students, while others may target specific groups, such as students pursuing certain majors, belonging to certain demographic groups, or having specific talents or interests. 
• Application requirements: While some scholarships may require essays, others might request video submissions, artistic portfolios, or project proposals, depending on the criteria. 
• Submission method: Methods range from online forms to mail-in or even in-person presentations. Be sure to adapt your approach based on each scholarship’s guidelines. 
• Selection process: Each scholarship committee will assess candidates based on what was submitted. Recipients are typically students who had a well-rounded application, met all the criteria outlines, and demonstrated their readiness for college. 
• ​​ Financial need assessment: Some scholarships are merit-based and don't consider financial need, while others may require financial information and a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine need-based eligibility. 
• Recommendation letters: Some scholarships might ask for multiple letters of recommendation from a teacher, mentor, or community leader.  
• Deadlines: Deadlines can vary significantly. Some scholarships offer multiple application rounds, while others may be once-a-year chances. 

​​It's important to keep track of deadlines for each scholarship and submit your applications promptly, as late submissions can disqualify you even if you’re an outstanding candidate. Try using an online calendar or planner specifically for scholarship deadlines to stay organized and ensure you never miss a submission date. You can also keep a digital folder with all your scholarship materials —essays, recommendation letters, transcripts, and any other required documents. This makes it easier to tailor each application without starting from scratch. 

Explore more resources to help pay for college

To learn more about paying for college and managing your expenses, check out some  additional resources  that offer helpful tips and advice. Starting to look for scholarships that match your interests early in high school gives you plenty of time to set your goals and plan how to achieve them. 

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Regions Riding Forward® Scholarship Contest

Their Story. Your Voice.

Your voice is your own. But it's also been impacted by others. Who, we wonder, has inspired you? Let us know by entering the Regions Riding Forward Scholarship Contest. 

You could win an $8,000 college scholarship

For the opportunity to win an $8,000 scholarship, submit a video or written essay about an individual you know personally (who lives in your community) who has inspired you and helped you build the confidence you need to achieve your goals.

The details

The 2024 Regions Riding Forward Scholarship Contest consists of four (4) separate Quarterly Contests - one for each calendar quarter of 2024. Regions is awarding four $8,000 scholarships through each Quarterly Contest.

Each Quarterly Contest has its own separate entry period, as provided in the chart below.

The entry deadline for each Quarterly Contest is 11:59:59 PM Central Time on the applicable Quarterly Contest period end date (set forth in the chart above).

No purchase or banking relationship required.

Regions believes in supporting the students whose passion and actions every day will continue to make stories worth sharing. That’s why we have awarded over $1 million in total scholarships to high school and college students.

How to enter, 1. complete an online quarterly contest application.

Enter the Regions Riding Forward Scholarship Contest by completing a Quarterly Contest application.  The second Quarterly Contest runs from April 1, 2024 through June 30, 2024. Complete and save all requested information. 

2. Prepare your Written Essay or Video Essay

For each Quarterly Contest, the topic of your Written Essay or Video Essay (your “Essay Topic”) must be an individual you know personally, who lives in your community. Your Written Essay or Video Essay must address how the individual you have selected as your Essay Topic has inspired you and helped you build the confidence you need to achieve your goals.

Written Essay and Video Essay submissions must meet all of the requirements described in the contest Official Rules. Your Written Essay or Video Essay must be (i) in English, (ii) your own original work, created solely by you (and without the use of any means of artificial intelligence (“AI”)), and (iii) the exclusive property of you alone.

Written Essays must be 500 words or less. You can write your Written Essay directly in the application, or you can copy and paste it into the appropriate area in the application form.

Video Essay submissions must be directly uploaded to the contest application site. Video Essays must be no more than 3 minutes in length and no larger than 1 GB. Only the following file formats are accepted: MP4, MPG, MOV, AVI, and WMV. Video Essays must not contain music of any kind nor display any illegal, explicit, or inappropriate material, and Video Essays must not be password protected or require a log-in/sign-in to view. You must upload your Video Essay to the application, and you may not submit your Video Essay in DVD or other physical form. (Video Essays submitted via mail will not be reviewed or returned.)

Tips to Record Quality Videos on a Smartphone:

• Don’t shoot vertical video. Computer monitors have landscape-oriented displays, so shoot your video horizontally.
• Use a tripod. Even small movements can make a big difference when editing.
• Don’t use zoom. If you need to get a close shot of the subject, move closer as zooming can cause pixilation.
• Use natural lighting. Smartphone lighting can wash out your video.

3. Review and submit your Quarterly Contest application

Review your information on your Quarterly Application (and check the spelling of a Written Essay) and submit your entry by 11:59:59 p.m. Central Time on the applicable Quarterly Contest period end date. The second Quarterly Contest period end date is June 30, 2024.

4. Await notification

Winning entries are selected by an independent panel of judges who are not affiliated with Regions. If your entry is selected as a Quarterly Contest winner, you will need to respond to ISTS with the required information.

Eligibility

For purposes of this contest:

• The “Eligible States” are defined as the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.
• An “accredited college” is defined as a nonprofit, two- or four-year college or university located within one of the fifty (50) United States or the District of Columbia.

To be eligible to enter this contest and to win an award in a Quarterly Contest, at the time of entry, you must:

• Be a legal U.S. resident of one of the Eligible States.
• Be age 16 or older.
• Have at least one (1) year (or at least 18 semester hours) remaining before college graduation.
• If you are not yet in college, begin your freshman year of college no later than the start of the 2025 – 2026 college academic school year.
• As of your most recent school enrollment period, have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 in school (and if no GPA is provided at school, be in “good standing” or the equivalent thereof in school).

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NPR Editor's Critical Op-Ed Ignites Debate Over Political Bias in Journalism: 'This Essay Has It Backwards'

A scathing op-ed from NPR veteran and current senior business editor Uri Berliner published in The Free Press on Tuesday has intensified debates over whether the publicly funded news organization has adopted a partisan lean in recent years. 

In the piece , Berliner details a culture shift at the organization, in which "An open-minded spirit no longer exists within NPR, and now, predictably, we don't have an audience that reflects America."

Berliner argued that NPR is plagued with an "absence of viewpoint diversity," which he considers to be a result of leadership's emphasis on promoting diversity and inclusion on the basis of race and sexual orientation. He also claims that he found "87 registered Democrats working in editorial positions and zero Republicans."

NPR editor-in-chief Edith Chapin defended the organization in response to the piece, saying she the leadership team "strongly disagree with Uri's assessment of the quality of our journalism."

While Chapin backed the "exceptional work that our desks and shows do to cover a wide range of challenging stories," she added that "None of our work is above scrutiny or critique. We must have vigorous discussions in the newsroom about how we serve the public as a whole."

According to NPR media reporter David Folkenflik , several journalists inside the organization question how they can proceed with Berliner as a colleague, with concerns about whether he can be a trusted member of NPR in the aftermath of the op-ed. Additionally, Berliner did not seek NPR's approval to publish the piece, nor did he seek comment from the organization ahead of time; though he does say in his piece that he sought to raise his concerns with leadership on several occasions.

Meanwhile, outside of the organization, debates regarding the content of Berliner's piece have sprouted up across social media, with many coming to the defense of the storied NPR institution. 

Some argued that the shift that occurred in political coverage across the media industry was forced on institutions due to the changing nature of the Republican Party since the election of Donald Trump in 2016. 

Some came to Berliner's defense, including former NPR vice president for news Jeffrey Dvorkin who vouched for the changes to the organization. 

The post NPR Editor's Critical Op-Ed Ignites Debate Over Political Bias in Journalism: 'This Essay Has It Backwards' appeared first on TheWrap .

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NPR defends its journalism after senior editor says it has lost the public's trust

David Folkenflik

NPR is defending its journalism and integrity after a senior editor wrote an essay accusing it of losing the public's trust. Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

NPR is defending its journalism and integrity after a senior editor wrote an essay accusing it of losing the public's trust.

NPR's top news executive defended its journalism and its commitment to reflecting a diverse array of views on Tuesday after a senior NPR editor wrote a broad critique of how the network has covered some of the most important stories of the age.

"An open-minded spirit no longer exists within NPR, and now, predictably, we don't have an audience that reflects America," writes Uri Berliner.

A strategic emphasis on diversity and inclusion on the basis of race, ethnicity and sexual orientation, promoted by NPR's former CEO, John Lansing, has fed "the absence of viewpoint diversity," Berliner writes.

NPR's chief news executive, Edith Chapin, wrote in a memo to staff Tuesday afternoon that she and the news leadership team strongly reject Berliner's assessment.

"We're proud to stand behind the exceptional work that our desks and shows do to cover a wide range of challenging stories," she wrote. "We believe that inclusion — among our staff, with our sourcing, and in our overall coverage — is critical to telling the nuanced stories of this country and our world."

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She added, "None of our work is above scrutiny or critique. We must have vigorous discussions in the newsroom about how we serve the public as a whole."

A spokesperson for NPR said Chapin, who also serves as the network's chief content officer, would have no further comment.

Praised by NPR's critics

Berliner is a senior editor on NPR's Business Desk. (Disclosure: I, too, am part of the Business Desk, and Berliner has edited many of my past stories. He did not see any version of this article or participate in its preparation before it was posted publicly.)

Berliner's essay , titled "I've Been at NPR for 25 years. Here's How We Lost America's Trust," was published by The Free Press, a website that has welcomed journalists who have concluded that mainstream news outlets have become reflexively liberal.

Berliner writes that as a Subaru-driving, Sarah Lawrence College graduate who "was raised by a lesbian peace activist mother ," he fits the mold of a loyal NPR fan.

Yet Berliner says NPR's news coverage has fallen short on some of the most controversial stories of recent years, from the question of whether former President Donald Trump colluded with Russia in the 2016 election, to the origins of the virus that causes COVID-19, to the significance and provenance of emails leaked from a laptop owned by Hunter Biden weeks before the 2020 election. In addition, he blasted NPR's coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

On each of these stories, Berliner asserts, NPR has suffered from groupthink due to too little diversity of viewpoints in the newsroom.

The essay ricocheted Tuesday around conservative media , with some labeling Berliner a whistleblower . Others picked it up on social media, including Elon Musk, who has lambasted NPR for leaving his social media site, X. (Musk emailed another NPR reporter a link to Berliner's article with a gibe that the reporter was a "quisling" — a World War II reference to someone who collaborates with the enemy.)

When asked for further comment late Tuesday, Berliner declined, saying the essay spoke for itself.

The arguments he raises — and counters — have percolated across U.S. newsrooms in recent years. The #MeToo sexual harassment scandals of 2016 and 2017 forced newsrooms to listen to and heed more junior colleagues. The social justice movement prompted by the killing of George Floyd in 2020 inspired a reckoning in many places. Newsroom leaders often appeared to stand on shaky ground.

Leaders at many newsrooms, including top editors at The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times , lost their jobs. Legendary Washington Post Executive Editor Martin Baron wrote in his memoir that he feared his bonds with the staff were "frayed beyond repair," especially over the degree of self-expression his journalists expected to exert on social media, before he decided to step down in early 2021.

Since then, Baron and others — including leaders of some of these newsrooms — have suggested that the pendulum has swung too far.

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New York Times publisher A.G. Sulzberger warned last year against journalists embracing a stance of what he calls "one-side-ism": "where journalists are demonstrating that they're on the side of the righteous."

"I really think that that can create blind spots and echo chambers," he said.

Internal arguments at The Times over the strength of its reporting on accusations that Hamas engaged in sexual assaults as part of a strategy for its Oct. 7 attack on Israel erupted publicly . The paper conducted an investigation to determine the source of a leak over a planned episode of the paper's podcast The Daily on the subject, which months later has not been released. The newsroom guild accused the paper of "targeted interrogation" of journalists of Middle Eastern descent.

Heated pushback in NPR's newsroom

Given Berliner's account of private conversations, several NPR journalists question whether they can now trust him with unguarded assessments about stories in real time. Others express frustration that he had not sought out comment in advance of publication. Berliner acknowledged to me that for this story, he did not seek NPR's approval to publish the piece, nor did he give the network advance notice.

Some of Berliner's NPR colleagues are responding heatedly. Fernando Alfonso, a senior supervising editor for digital news, wrote that he wholeheartedly rejected Berliner's critique of the coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict, for which NPR's journalists, like their peers, periodically put themselves at risk.

Alfonso also took issue with Berliner's concern over the focus on diversity at NPR.

"As a person of color who has often worked in newsrooms with little to no people who look like me, the efforts NPR has made to diversify its workforce and its sources are unique and appropriate given the news industry's long-standing lack of diversity," Alfonso says. "These efforts should be celebrated and not denigrated as Uri has done."

After this story was first published, Berliner contested Alfonso's characterization, saying his criticism of NPR is about the lack of diversity of viewpoints, not its diversity itself.

"I never criticized NPR's priority of achieving a more diverse workforce in terms of race, ethnicity and sexual orientation. I have not 'denigrated' NPR's newsroom diversity goals," Berliner said. "That's wrong."

Questions of diversity

Under former CEO John Lansing, NPR made increasing diversity, both of its staff and its audience, its "North Star" mission. Berliner says in the essay that NPR failed to consider broader diversity of viewpoint, noting, "In D.C., where NPR is headquartered and many of us live, I found 87 registered Democrats working in editorial positions and zero Republicans."

Berliner cited audience estimates that suggested a concurrent falloff in listening by Republicans. (The number of people listening to NPR broadcasts and terrestrial radio broadly has declined since the start of the pandemic.)

Former NPR vice president for news and ombudsman Jeffrey Dvorkin tweeted , "I know Uri. He's not wrong."

Others questioned Berliner's logic. "This probably gets causality somewhat backward," tweeted Semafor Washington editor Jordan Weissmann . "I'd guess that a lot of NPR listeners who voted for [Mitt] Romney have changed how they identify politically."

Similarly, Nieman Lab founder Joshua Benton suggested the rise of Trump alienated many NPR-appreciating Republicans from the GOP.

In recent years, NPR has greatly enhanced the percentage of people of color in its workforce and its executive ranks. Four out of 10 staffers are people of color; nearly half of NPR's leadership team identifies as Black, Asian or Latino.

"The philosophy is: Do you want to serve all of America and make sure it sounds like all of America, or not?" Lansing, who stepped down last month, says in response to Berliner's piece. "I'd welcome the argument against that."

"On radio, we were really lagging in our representation of an audience that makes us look like what America looks like today," Lansing says. The U.S. looks and sounds a lot different than it did in 1971, when NPR's first show was broadcast, Lansing says.

A network spokesperson says new NPR CEO Katherine Maher supports Chapin and her response to Berliner's critique.

The spokesperson says that Maher "believes that it's a healthy thing for a public service newsroom to engage in rigorous consideration of the needs of our audiences, including where we serve our mission well and where we can serve it better."

Disclosure: This story was reported and written by NPR Media Correspondent David Folkenflik and edited by Deputy Business Editor Emily Kopp and Managing Editor Gerry Holmes. Under NPR's protocol for reporting on itself, no NPR corporate official or news executive reviewed this story before it was posted publicly.