You’re now in your senior year of high school. Congratulations on reaching this significant milestone! This period signifies both the culmination of your high school journey and the beginning of your college adventure.
As you wrap up high school, it’s essential to start gearing up for college ASAP. One of the biggest tasks for students preparing for college is finding and applying for scholarships for high school seniors. A scholarship is your lucky chance to unlock education opportunities that might’ve been out of your reach before. It can help you fund your studies and avoid student debt. Despite the huge importance of scholarships, many students make a big mistake by waiting until the last minute to apply for them. This delay can lead to missed opportunities. So, no matter how complicated or time-consuming it looks, now is the time to get on your scholarship journey.Even if this is all new and daunting for you, fear not! We’ve gathered the top scholarships for high school seniors and helpful tips to help you ensure success!
AFSA High School Scholarship Contest
AFSA stands for the American Fire Sprinkler Association, a global non-profit entity. Every year, the organization awards five scholarships of $1,000 to students in the course of its High School Scholarship Contest, which is held between September and January. The contest is not based on demographics, GPAs, financial needs, or other factors. Instead, all winners of the contest are selected through a random computer drawing among valid entries. Awards are not given directly to the winners. Instead, payments are made straight to the recipient’s college, university, or accredited trade school in the US.
- High school seniors who are planning to graduate during the current academic year.
- Citizens or legal residents of the US.
- Must enroll in the college of choice no later than the Fall of the following year.
- Home-schooled students.
- Members of the AFSA or NATIONAL board and their family members aren’t allowed.
- All submissions must be made through the AFSA site.
- Participants need to submit an entry form and complete an 8-question exam.
- Only one entry per person.
Niche.com Scholarship
Niche.com is a popular online resource that connects students and their families to colleges and schools across the US. The platform contains college and grad school rankings, helps with college search, and also offers students a convenient scholarship search tool to find the best opportunities based on different filters. Apart from hundreds of scholarship opportunities presented on the platform, there is one special scholarship awarded by niche.com. The site picks one winner and awards them with $50,000 to cover their tuition, books, housing, and other college expenses. Most importantly, this scholarship is awarded randomly, with no essays or GPA requirements.
- US-based high school seniors, either citizens or legal residents.
- For an entry, students need to create an account on Niche.com and send an application.
Technology Addiction Awareness Scholarship
Technology Addiction Awareness Scholarship is one of the four scholarships offered by the portal. It awards two students with $1,500 and $500 for their personal statements on the given prompt. The core goal of the scholarship is to help young people realize the negative effects of excessive screen time.
- From first-year to senior-level high school students.
- Current or enrolling college or graduate school students.
- Home-schooled students.
- Legal residents or US citizens.
- Members of the AFSA or NATIONAL board and their family members aren’t allowed.
- Applicants need to complete a short online form with their personal information and future education aspirations.
- Every entrant must write a 140-character personal statement that completes the following statement — “Instead of spending time with technology, I’d rather…”
Coca-Cola Scholars Program Scholarship
The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation is a non-profit organization established in 1986 by Coca-Cola to support the young generation. Every year, this organization provides outstanding high school seniors with annual scholarships.
The scholarship provided by the Coca-Cola Scholars Program is entirely merit-based. It seeks applicants with a minimum 3.0 GPA who have demonstrated outstanding academic achievements, as well as their capacity to lead and serve their schools and communities for the sake of making a positive impact. After a careful selection process, the foundation selects 150 Coca-Cola Scholars and gives them a $20,000 scholarship. Every year, the foundation provides millions of dollars to support young scholars.
- Students currently enrolled in a high school in the US, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or select DoD schools who are expecting to receive a degree during the current academic year.
- US citizens, nationals, or permanent residents, asylees, refugees, humanitarian parolees, or Cuban-Haitian entrants.
- Planning to pursue higher education in an accredited school in the US.
- A GPA of at least 3.0.
- No descendants or offspring of Coca-Cola’s present or past employees.
- Entrants only need to complete an online application form.
Unigo Scholarship
Unigio.com is a popular online resource created for students. The platform provides students with a wealth of handy resources on interesting student deals, admission advice, college tips, and more. The primary goal of the resource is to help future students review different colleges, match their needs to the right schools, find loan opportunities, and discover available scholarships.
Apart from helping students find scholarship opportunities offered by third parties, Unigo also awards one scholarship on its own. Unigo offers students a $10,000 essay-based scholarship to fund their future studies. The award is given to a single winner and paid directly to their college or university.
- Students of 14 years or older.
- Citizens or legal residents of the US.
- Presently enrolled (or intending to within the next four years) in an accredited post-secondary institution.
- No current employees, directors, officers, or agents of Unigo and related companies or their family members.
- Entrants must complete an online application form.
- Participants must provide a concise (under 250 words) original response to the question: “Would you rather be smart, funny, or rich? Why?”
US Bank Student Scholarship
US Bank is a large American bank with millions of customers. To support young generations in their academic aspirations, the bank offers various scholarship opportunities.
The US Bank Student Scholarship strives to increase young people’s financial literacy and help them develop healthy financial habits. To enter the competition, students need to complete financial education lessons through a gamified education app. Based on the number of lessons they complete, they can win a $2,000, $10,000, or $20,000 scholarship.
In order to enter the competition, high school students don’t have to be US Bank customers, provide transcripts, or write essays.
- Citizens or legal residents of the US.
- 17 years or older.
- Currently accepted or enrolled as undergraduate students in an accredited institution.
- No prior winners of US Bank scholarships.
- Participants who are eligible will have to complete an online registration form.
- After applying, entrants must download the Zogo app and start completing financial education lessons.
- Complete a minimum of 35, 100, or 200 modules of lessons to enter different parts of the competition.
Taco Bell Foundation Scholarship
The Taco Bell Foundation was founded in 1992 by the same-named company. The goal of the foundation is to support education and career readiness among young people. To do this, the foundation has already awarded over $100 million in scholarships and grants.
The Taco Bell Foundation’s Live Mas Scholarship awards over $10 million to passionate students across the US. The rules of the contest are simple. To enter, students must make a short (under 2 minutes) video or animation exploring their passions and talking about how their passions can make a positive impact on the world. The winners are selected based on their passions.
- Citizens or legal residents of the US.
- Currently enrolled (or planning to enroll in the following four years) in an accredited post-secondary institution.
- No previous winners.
- Entrants must submit a video between 30 seconds and 2 minutes, addressing three questions related to their passion, its possible applications for a positive change in the world, and how earning a degree can help them pursue this passion and contribute to the world.
Equitable Excellence Scholarship
The Equitable Foundation was established in 1859. The primary purpose of the foundation is to help people through grants, volunteerism, and partnerships.
The Equitable Excellence Scholarship is the foundation’s flagship program. Through this scholarship, the foundation aims to create pathways to success for aspiring college students. The scholarship aims to reward ambitious, self-driven students who engage in school, local community, and work activities that aim to make a positive change in their communities. The program awards 100 one-time scholarships of $2,500 per participant and 100 renewable scholarships of $5,000 provided to recipients annually for four years to cover the cost of tuition, books, and others.
- US or Puerto Rico citizens or legal residents.
- Aiming to join an accredited post-secondary institution.
- Possessing a GPA of at least 2.5.
- Demonstrate a willingness to be a force of good in their communities.
- Entrants must fill out an application form.
- Every applicant must also provide a complete transcript of grades to confirm GPA.
Create a Greeting Card Scholarship
The Gallery Collection is the leading B2B online and mail-order publisher of top-quality, custom greeting cards created and owned by a family in the US. The company has been around since 1929.
Apart from providing premium greeting cards, the company also supports young talents in their aspirations to acquire a college degree. Together with Prudent Publishing Company, the Gallery Collection is sponsoring an annual Create a Greeting Card scholarship contest. The rules are pretty simple — eligible applicants need to create and submit their own greeting card design. The winner will have their artwork featured on an actual greeting card by the leading publisher and receive a $10,000 scholarship.
- Students from accredited academic programs in high schools, colleges, or universities.
- Aged 14 or above.
- Citizens or legal residents of the 50 states in the US, the District of Columbia, as well as Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the US Virgin Islands, or the Northern Mariana Islands.
- International students with a valid US visa.
- No employees of sponsors or their family members.
- Submit an application form and a unique, unpublished greeting card artwork or photograph.
Cameron Impact Scholarship
The Bryan Cameron Education Foundation is a private family foundation. It was established in 2015, and the core goal was to make a difference by investing in motivated, ambitious, and talented young people.
The Cameron Impact scholarship is a program developed by the foundation. Every year, the foundation selects a group of 10-15 outstanding future college students based on their academic performances and impact on their families, friends, and communities to give them a full-ride scholarship that covers all expenses, including full tuition, books, fees, etc. To enter the contest, students must demonstrate excellence in school, community service, and extracurricular activities.
- US citizen.
- High school students graduating during the current academic year and planning to enroll in a full-time, accredited degree program in the US.
- A minimum GPA of 3.7.
- Demonstrate leadership, strong work ethics, and excellence in extracurricular activities.
- A strong record of community involvement.
- Entrants must submit a completed online application.
- Every applicant must provide two letters of recommendation and a school transcript.
Davidson Fellows Scholarship
The Davidson Institute is a non-profit organization created to support gifted young people. Since 1999, the organization has been helping outstanding students attain their academic goals and reach their full potential.
The Davidson Fellows scholarship is the flagman program of the Davidson Institute. It’s a prestigious scholarship developed for high-achieving students under 18 years old. The scholarships of $10,000, $25,000, and $50,000 are awarded based on significant student projects that have the potential to make a positive contribution to society. An eligible project can be a new high-impacting idea, a creative application of existing knowledge, an interdisciplinary discovery, etc.
- US citizens or those with permanent residency in the US (or stationed overseas due to US military obligations).
- 18 years old or younger (no minimum age).
- Teams of two students who are both eligible.
- Have completed a significant project on one of the covered categories — Science, Engineering, Technology, Mathematics, Music, Philosophy, Literature, and Outside the Box.
- Students must submit online applications before the deadline.
- Be able to provide proof of work authenticity.
Digital Privacy Scholarship
Earlier, we told you about the Technology Addiction Awareness Scholarship. The Digital Privacy Scholarship is also provided by digitalresponsibility.org — an organization that strives to inform young people about technology and its possible negative consequences.
The Digital Privacy scholarship is also focused on technology. To participate, students need to fill out an application form with their personal data and some academic details, such as a GPA. Additionally, participants need to write a 140-character personal statement on the given prompt. The winner of the contest will receive a $1,500 scholarship, and the runner-up will get a $500 scholarship.
- High school first-years, second-years, juniors, or seniors.
- Students already enrolled or soon to join an undergraduate or graduate program.
- Home-schooled students.
- Legal residents or US citizens.
- Complete a short online form.
- Write a 140-character personal statement that completes the following statement — “I’m taking responsibility for my digital profile by...”
Young Filmmakers Contest
The Young Filmmakers Contest takes place in the framework of the One Earth Film Festival. The contest accepts domestic (US) and international applications from students from grade 3 and up to 25 years.
In order to participate, students need to film a movie (or animation) with at least 3 minutes duration on one of the following topics — Climate, Energy, Food, Transportation, Waste, Water, and Wildlife & Ecosystems. The winners will have their films screened during the festival and published on the festival’s official website. Additionally, winners will receive cash prizes, scholarships, and matching grants from $100 to $1,000 depending on their age.
Award Amount: From $100 cash prize plus $100 matching grant to $1,000 scholarship/cash prize plus $1,000 matching grant depending on the academic level + several $500 Environmental Activism Awards from sponsors.
- Students from grade 3 and up through age 25.
- International submissions are eligible if you are a student of an approved school or institution.
- Individuals or groups.
Applicants must make a 3-8 minute film or animation for one of the following categories:
- Climate
- Energy
- Food
- Transportation
- Waste
- Water
- Wildlife and Ecosystems
Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest
The Ayn Rand Institute (ARI) is a non-profit organization that promotes Objectivism, the philosophy developed by the American writer and philosopher Ayn Rand. The organization provides a wealth of resources and information on the life, work, and philosophy of Ayn Rand.
The organization constantly holds exciting essay contests to find talented students and reward them with scholarships and cash prizes. The Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest is one of the current contests offered by ARI. To participate in the contest, students need to write an essay in response to the Atlas Shrugged book by Ayn Rand.
- All high school, college, and graduate students across the world.
- To participate, entrants must write an essay on Atlas Shrugged. The essay must be written in English and be between 800 and 1,600 words. The essay must follow one of the three prompts provided on the contest’s official web page.
United States Senate Youth Program
The United States Senate Youth Program, originating from a US Senate Resolution in 1962, caters to exceptional high schoolers aiming for public service careers.
Throughout the program, every state will be electing two student delegates to represent their states. The leaders from each state will be invited to spend a week in Washington, watching their national government work in action. All expenses are covered by the program, and every delegate receives a $10,000 scholarship to fund their undergraduate studies.
- Legal permanent residents of the US.
- High school juniors or seniors who demonstrate leadership and are actively servicing in qualified positions, such as a student body president or similar.
- Eligible participants may obtain a USSYP application through their school principals, counselors, or social studies teachers and submit them to their state selection committees.
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation operates independently. The foundation was established in 2000 with the aim of supporting education advancement in exceptionally promising students who have financial needs. The foundation has granted nearly $250 million in scholarships to over 3,000 recipients to date.
The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation offers several scholarships and grants for students of all ages. For high school seniors, in particular, the foundation offers the Cooke College Scholarship program. The program rewards promising seniors planning to attend one of the country’s best four-year colleges and universities.
- High school seniors intending to graduate during the current year and aiming to attend an accredited four-year institution thereafter.
- A minimum of 3.5 GPA.
- Demonstrated unmet financial need (max. annual gross income of $95,00).
- Applicants must create a Common App account and add the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation as one of their schools.
- Then, applicants must complete an application form and submit the needed materials — official transcripts and academic recommendations.
Engebretson Foundation Scholarship
The Engebretson Foundation is an independent foundation established in 2006. The goal of the foundation is to recognize outstanding students and support them financially in the fulfillment of their potential.
The Engebretson Foundation Scholarship is an annual scholarship program awarded to graduating high school seniors who show outstanding academic potential. The program is both need-based and merit-based. Participation is open to all US senior students who meet the minimum eligibility requirements and submit their applications on time. The winner can get up to $40,000 to fund their undergraduate studies in an accredited college or university in the US.
- Engebretson Foundation
- 1309 South 204 Street
- Box 219
- Elkhorn, NE 68025
- A graduating senior student from a US high school.
- Intending to join a four-year academic institution.
- A proven demonstration of financial need.
- A minimum GPA of 3.75.
- Must have at least a 28 on the ACT or 1240 on the SAT.
- Possess a Student Aid Report.
- Applicants must submit their application forms, teacher recommendations, and other documents by mail.
Ron Brown Scholarship
The Ron Brown Scholar Fund is a public charity fund that developed the Ron Brown Scholar Program (RBSP). The program was established in 1996 by Anthony M. Pilaro to honor Ronald H. Brown, an American politician and the late Secretary of Commerce.
The scholarship program is meant for outstanding African-American students who demonstrate strong leadership, public service, and individual excellence. Every year, the Ron Brown Scholar Fund awards 45-50 scholarships of $40,000 to support selected students in attaining their college degrees. Additionally, all program winners receive exclusive leadership experiences, professional mentoring, and service opportunities to help them reach their full potential.
- Current high school seniors who are planning to apply to a four-year college.
- US citizens or holders of permanent resident visa cards.
- Must exhibit academic excellence, showcase leadership, and partake in community activities.
- Must demonstrate financial need.
- Eligible participants are required to fill out an application form and send it online through the official website of the foundation before the deadline.
Lounge Lizard Web Design Scholarship
Lounge Lizard Worldwide, Inc. was established in 1998. It’s an award-winning digital agency with offices all across the US.
The Lounge Lizard Web Design Scholarship is a contest-based program developed by the agency to recognize young talents and support them in their education. The program awards $1,000 in a scholarship to winners semi-annually — during Fall and Spring semesters. To participate, students must demonstrate their creativity and talent by creating a web design or live URL project created by themselves. The projects can be from the past or present. The winner will receive a scholarship and a design critique session with the agency’s founder — Ken Braun.
- Only students attending a school in the US.
- Planning to enroll in an accredited college within the following six months or are already a student of an accredited school.
- Applicants must complete a short application form and submit their projects via the agency’s official website.
Lindsey Vonn Scholarship
The Lindsey Vonn Foundation is a private foundation with a great purpose. The foundation was established in 2015 by Lindsey Vonn. The primary goal of the foundation is to nurture dreams, fuel passions, and create friendly and positive environments for underserved girls where they can reach their full potential and shine.
The Lindsey Vonn Scholarship is a cumulative term. In reality, the foundation offers two types of scholarships simultaneously — an enrichment scholarship and a sports scholarship. Both opportunities are meant for girls who demonstrate significant financial need and are striving to obtain undergraduate education.
- Girls only.
- From 10 to 18 years of age at the moment of application.
- Citizens or permanent residents attending a school in the US.
- Demonstrate financial need based on location and cost of living, the number of dependents, or household income.
- Applicants must meet all eligibility requirements and submit their applications online through the foundation’s website.
Frequently asked questions
Why Are Scholarships Important?
Scholarships provide students with much-needed financial support. They enable students to pay for their degrees without getting into debt or exhausting their own bank accounts. Needless to say, they are incredibly important, especially today when the cost of education is growing every year.
There are a number of benefits that the best scholarships for high school seniors can offer you:
- Scholarships can give you access to high-quality education you may not have access to without financial aid.
- They can help you minimize or avoid student debt.
- They can support your academic performance by providing you with the money to afford the necessary equipment and tools.
- They can allow you to prioritize academics over earning a livelihood.
- Scholarships look great on a resume and can expand your future career opportunities.
Where to Find Scholarships for High School Seniors?
To many students, hunting for scholarships appears to be a very tedious and complicated process. Indeed, though the options are very extensive, finding the right opportunity for you can be rather overwhelming. Luckily, there are several effective ways to get scholarships in high school.
Firstly, you can discover available opportunities through networking. You can consult your school guidance counselor to get started. Also, you can connect with local and community organizations, local businesses, your parent’s employers, religious organizations, professional organizations, etc. Active networking can help you discover relevant opportunities. Secondly, you can handle scholarship research by getting on the web. You can seek available opportunities directly on government, organizations, and university websites. Alternatively, explore online scholarship platforms like:
- Fastweb;
- Scholarships.com;
- Capex, etc.
When Should I Start Applying for Scholarships?
Many students start discovering and applying for the best scholarships for high school seniors during their senior year. But this is a mistake. Sending out your application during the last year in high school is pretty much a last-minute approach. It can make you miss out on a wealth of great opportunities and even leave you with no financial support.
When is a good time to start applying for scholarships? Experts claim that the best approach is to apply for aid before your senior year. Ideally, you should do this during the summer after your junior year.
The thing is that many scholarships are awarded after a year of waiting. So, applying early will boost your chances of gaining a scholarship before arriving at college.
How to Apply for Scholarships in High School?
If you want to make the most out of this process and secure a good scholarship to fund your studies, there is a universal step-by-step guide that will help. Essential steps to consider include:
- Research suitable scholarships for high school seniors and make a list of favorable opportunities.
- Carefully study your target opportunities and note down their primary requirements and due dates.
- Prepare all the information and materials (e.g., test scores, transcripts, etc.) that you will need for your applications.
- Fill out applications and send them out.
Pro tip: After you handle all these steps and send out your applications, don’t stop just yet. Continue searching. New opportunities become available all the time, and you may find more interesting options during your senior year, too.
Winning Tips for Discovering & Getting the Best Scholarships for High School Seniors
Scholarship research and application isn’t always a smooth and carefree process. But the fact that you got to this section of our guide indicates that you are ambitious and determined to reach your goals.
Here are some proven tips to streamline and enhance your scholarship application journey.
Identify Your Needs and Set Clear Goals
Fitting scholarship research and college applications into your already busy schedule can be a real challenge. That’s the reason why you must have clear goals.Define whether you want to aim for government or essay scholarships for high school seniors, how much funds you want to earn, when you plan to search and apply for scholarships, etc. Identifying your needs will help you guide the process. Next, establish SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant/Realistic, Timely) objectives to maintain direction during the process and ensure success.
Know Where to Start Your Research
Once you have a clear understanding of your needs and goals, you can begin your scholarship search. However, to meet your objectives, it’s crucial to know precisely where to find potential opportunities.After reading our guide, you already have a list of the best scholarships for high school seniors. But if you want to look further, be sure to try talking to your school counselor. Also, check popular scholarship search engines and financial aid websites to discover more options for you.
Send Applications Like It’s Your Job
Many students tend to apply for a couple of scholarships or send applications sporadically and then simply wait for success. However, this is a counter-productive approach.There are plenty of opportunities there, including need-based, cultural, academic excellence, essay scholarships for high school seniors, and many others. Needless to say, capitalizing on more chances increases your success odds. Consistent dedication is vital for the scholarship application process. So be sure to apply often and to many different scholarships.
Get Organized
Apart from dedication and consistency, the scholarship process also requires excellent organization and timeliness.Getting organized will help you effectively capture more opportunities. Thus, be sure to organize your process using a physical or virtual spreadsheet. Fill the spreadsheet with your target scholarships, listing the primary requirements, due dates, and other info for each. Then, organize and track the process with the help of your spreadsheet. This will help you send your applications on time and ensure that you don’t miss something important out of sight.
Get Creative
After reading this article, you have a list of great opportunities. But don’t stop here! Feel free to look further for more scholarships that feel the most “you” in every aspect and get creative with your scholarship search.Don’t be afraid to think outside the box when researching and applying for scholarships. Reflect on your identity, hobbies, passions, and what sets you apart. Maybe you are a first-generation student. Or maybe you are an artist? These small details about you can help you discover perfect scholarship opportunities.