See the results of our 2022 Personal Finance Study!
10 No-Essay Scholarships
Applying for scholarships is a no-brainer — who doesn’t want free money to pay for college, right? But many scholarships involve in-depth essay prompts.
This can be daunting for even the best of writers.
And what if writing isn’t your strong suit? Maybe you thrive in a research-based STEM discipline, or maybe you are an artist who would excel at visually capturing your response. Maybe you’ve already written one too many essays and just want a break.
Check out these 10 no-essay scholarships that don’t require a written essay. Redirect all that essay-crafting brain power into your college applications instead.
No. 1: Niche No Essay College Scholarship
Award: $2,000
Deadline: End of every month
How to Apply: Create an account on Niche
Eligibility: High school and college students
Win a scholarship by creating an account! Niche, a review site for schools, companies, and neighborhoods, enters every student who creates an account into a monthly drawing for $2,000. The scholarship is open to high school and college students — and anyone planning to enroll in undergraduate or graduate courses. Find an easier way to get paid for doing the bare minimum. We dare you.
No. 2: Nitro Scholarship
Award: $2,000
Deadline: End of every month
How to Apply: Submit an application to the Nitro Scholarship
Eligibility: Open to U.S. residents age 17 and up. Even students who have already graduated and are paying back a student or parent loan can apply!
Nitro helps students and their families evaluate how to responsibly pay for and pay off their college education. Their site features insights and advice from a staff of professionals with backgrounds in financial services, communications, and education. The Nitro Scholarship is as easy as filling out the survey-style application — no essay required.
No. 3: ScholarshipPoints Monthly Scholarship
Award: $1,000
Deadline: End of every month
How to Apply: Complete the application form for the ScholarshipPoints Monthly Scholarship
Eligibility: Open to US residents age 13 and up currently attending or planning to attend college
ScholarshipPoints.com is owned by Edvisors, a company dedicated to helping students plan and pay for college. ScholarshipPoints awards three $1,000 scholarships every month of the year exclusively to members. There is no essay required. Simply sign up to be automatically entered into one of the $1,000 scholarships and continue earning points and entering scholarship drawings through daily internet activities.
No. 4: Cappex Easy College Money Scholarship
Award: $1,000
Deadline: Monthly
How to apply: Register for the Cappex Easy College Money Scholarship
Eligibility: High school students
Cappex is a service connecting students with colleges and universities — and it’s free. They also offer a $1,000 monthly scholarship. To apply, simply create a user profile. Once a student completes a profile, they may be connected to certain colleges and invited to apply based on their qualifications and interests.
No. 5: Plan for College Sweepstakes
Award: $1,000
Deadline: Monthly
How to apply: Register for the Plan for College Sweepstakes
Eligibility: High school and college students
Sponsored by Sallie Mae, the Plan for College Sweepstakes offers a $1,000 monthly drawing for high school and college students. To enter, create an account and use one of Sallie Mae’s free tools to kick off your college planning process.
No. 6: Tallo “Tell Us About You” Scholarship
Award: $1,000
Deadline: Monthly
How to apply: Join Tallo, create your account, and apply
Eligibility: Applicants must be at least 13 years of age
Tallo is a social media platform where students can highlight their scholastic and extracurricular accomplishments and share them with colleges and companies looking for the next generation of talent. Tallo also matches students with over $20 billion in scholarship opportunities. They award two winners $1,000 in scholarships every month just for joining.
No. 7: Too Cool to Pay for School Scholarship
Award: $1,000
Deadline: Quarterly
How to apply: Register with Access Scholarships
Eligibility: High school, college, and graduate students enrolled or planning to enroll in the next 24 months. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or international students with a valid visa.
The “Too Cool to Pay for School'' scholarship is a contribution by Access Scholarships to help students save money for higher education. It can be used to cover any education-related expense. The winner of the scholarship is determined by random drawing and announced quarterly.
No. 8: CollegeXpress Scholarship Contest
Award: $10,000
Deadline: Yearly at the end of May
How to apply: Register with CollegeXpress to enter
Eligibility: Open to all college-bound students 13 years of age or older
CollegeXpress is a free college and scholarship resource offering search tools, unique college-related lists, and tons of advice. Their scholarship runs annually so registering for a chance to win $10,000 has never been easier.
No. 9: ConnectHER Film Festival
Award: $5,000
Deadline: June 15, 2021
How to apply: Submit your film to ConnectHER
Eligibility: Open to all students enrolled in high school or undergraduate programs
The ConnectHER Film Festival provides a powerful platform for young storytellers to highlight critical issues facing women and girls. Students submit original short films focused on issues such as girls’ global education, ending violence against women, redefining beauty, women and the environment, and girls in tech.
No. 10: Breakthrough Junior Challenge
Award: $250,000
Deadline: June 25, 2021
How to apply: Complete the Breakthrough Junior Challenge application and submit a 3-minute video on a theory or concept in math, physics, or the life sciences
Eligibility: Open to students ages 13-18
The Breakthrough Junior Challenge is a global initiative aimed at getting more students interested in math and science. They support students by providing opportunities and resources to further develop their skills in STEM, while engaging public interest in key fundamental science concepts.
