See the results of our 2022 Personal Finance Study!
Scholarships Anybody Can Apply For — Even You!
Scholarships are an easy option to pay for college. Right?
Not always.
You’ve spent hours researching the most promising scholarship options. But you realize the eligibility requirements are ridiculously specific. Live in Delaware. Own a turtle. Be over seven feet tall. Who’s even applying for these? Not you.
Winning a college scholarship is hard enough without a laundry list of requirements. So if you don’t meet the niche criteria, find ones that anybody can apply for — yes, even you.
To get started, use our list of 10 great opportunities for all.
No. 1: Courage to Grow Scholarship
Award: $500
Deadline: End of every month
How to Apply: Submit an application for the Courage to Grow Scholarship
Eligibility: High school juniors, seniors and college students
Twelve lucky students receive a $500 Courage to Grow Scholarship annually — one each month. To enter, students have to explain why they deserve the scholarship in less than 250 words. Keep it short and sweet and you could be the next monthly winner.
No. 2: 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. 3: Discover Student Loans Scholarship Award
Award: $5,000
Deadline: Annually on the last day of January
How to Apply: Submit a registration form for the Student Loans Scholarship
Eligibility: High school seniors and undergraduate students
Visit the Discover website and fill out a registration form with your email address to be considered for the scholarship sweepstakes. That’s it! The deadline is January 31, 2021. Throughout the sweepstakes, entrants will receive emails with helpful tips and resources about college. Twelve eligible students or parents will be randomly selected to each receive a $5,000 scholarship to be put toward college expenses.
No. 4: College Board Opportunity Scholarships and Recognition Program
Award: $40,000
Deadline: Annually on the last day of February
How to Apply: Start the college journey with College Board
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors
Applying to college can be complicated. Luckily, the College Board created a program to guide students through the process with a huge bonus: the chance to win a scholarship. There are seven total scholarships to win — one at each step. The grand prize of $40,000 is available to students who complete the entire process.
The steps include:
- Build a college list.
- Practice for the SAT.
- Improve the SAT score.
- Strengthen a college list.
- Complete the FAFSA.
- Apply to colleges.
- Complete steps 1-6.
No. 5: Create-A-Greeting-Card Scholarship
Award: $10,000
Deadline: Annually in March
How to Apply: Enter a submission to the Gallery Collection
Eligibility: Students 14 years of age and older
Feeling creative? The Create-A-Greeting-Card Scholarship encourages students from all backgrounds to create an original work of art or photography. The prize is a substantial $10,000 prize. The final day for submissions is March 9, 2021, and voting closes on April 20, 2021. The earlier you apply, the better.
No. 6: Project Yellow Light Scholarship
Award: $2,000 - $8,000
Deadline: Annually in March and April
How to Apply: Submit a project to Project Yellow Light
Eligibility: High school seniors and college students
Project Yellow Light is a social good scholarship competition. Everyone knows distracted driving is dangerous. But many do it anyway. To apply, students need to create a PSA to encourage their peers to avoid distracted driving. Submit a unique billboard, video, or radio project. Help spread the word and save a life. The next deadline for the billboard design is March 1, 2021.
No. 7: AED Superstore College Scholarship
Award: $1,000
Deadline: Annually in May and November
How to Apply: Submit an application form to AED
Eligibility: High school seniors and college students
Sudden cardiac arrest affects about 16 people under the age of 18 every day. AED Superstore, which distributes CPR and AED devices, is on a mission to increase awareness about sudden cardiac arrest. But they need your help! To win a scholarship, students need to write an essay and create a video to show how they contributed to spreading awareness in their own community about one of six little-known cardiac arrest facts. Hurry — the next deadline is May 31, 2021.
No. 8: Spirit of Giving Scholarship
Award: $1,000
Deadline: Annually in July
How to Apply: Submit an essay to the Spirit of Giving Scholarship
Eligibility: High school seniors and college students
Wine Country Gift Baskets awards three annual scholarships to students who embody the spirit of giving. The scholarship encourages acts of kindness, service, and giving. The next application deadline is July 31, 2021. To apply, submit a 500-750 word essay on one of the following topics:
- How have you influenced the spirit of giving in your community or abroad?
- How has the spirit of giving affected you?
- How will your education allow you to give to or be of service to others?
No. 9: Bachus & Schanker, LLC Scholarship
Award: $2,000
Deadline: Annually in July and November
How to Apply: Submit an essay to Bachus & Schanker
Eligibility: High school seniors and college students
Write an essay about the Seventh Amendment to win a $2,000 scholarship from Bachus & Schanker, Denver car accident attorneys. Quick tip: the Seventh Amendment distinguishes civil claims tried by a jury from claims and issues heard by a judge. Put on your critical thinking hat to write about how the Seventh Amendment affects your life. The next deadline is July 30, 2021.
No. 10: Stevens & McMillan Education Scholarship
Award: $1,500
Deadline: Annually in November
How to Apply: Submit an essay for the Stevens & McMillan Scholarship
Eligibility: High school and college students
Everyone deserves an education. Stevens & McMillan law firm supports this mission by providing a $1,500 scholarship to one student in good academic standing. To apply, students must submit a minimum 2,000-word essay. Check the website for the latest essay prompt.
