Think you need to wait until senior year to start applying for scholarships? Think again! If you know where to look, there are, quite literally, millions of scholarship dollars available to students in grades 9-12. Our roundup shows you how to get college scholarships no matter where you are in your high school career.
One of the most prestigious undergraduate scholarships, the Davidson Fellows Scholarship recognizes students who have completed a significant piece of work in the categories of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, literature, music, philosophy, and an "outside the box" category.
Students who take the PSAT or NMSQT in their junior year of high school are eligible to participate in the National Merit Scholarship Program. Awards vary by school, but USF offers finalists full-tuition scholarships, study abroad scholarships, and more.
Art & Writing Awards
To be considered for the Create a Greeting Card Scholarship, submit an original photo, piece of artwork, or computer graphic for the front of a holiday, get well, or birthday greeting card.
Students are invited to create a Google doodle to feature on the Google web page for a day. Winners receive a $30,000 college scholarship, a computer, and a trip to Google to meet the doodlers.
Students submit 3- to 6-minute short films that focus on a variety of global women's issues, including maternal health, microfinance initiatives, child-marriage, sex-trafficking, poverty alleviation, and more.
Take part in the Ocean Awareness Contest to earn cash awards and raise awareness about the climate crisis and potential solutions through art, creative media, and storytelling.
Entrants to the One Earth Young Filmmakers Contest are tasked with creating a 3- to 8-minute film (or 45-second animation) about one of six sustainability topics: energy, food, transportation, waste, water, or open space/ecosystems.
Inspire your peers to drive safely! Create a video designed to stop distracted driving and you could win up to $15,000.
Each year, the Fleet Reserve Association sponsors this contest to promote the spirit of Americanism and patriotism among our country’s youth.
Submit a short 140-character statement about the dangers of texting and driving. Ten finalists will be invited to submit a longer 500- to 1,000-word essay for a chance to win.
This contest challenges students to write an original and creative essay that demonstrates an understanding of political courage as described by John F. Kennedy in Profiles in Courage.
Sponsored by the Bill of Rights Institute, We the Students Essay Contest requires students to write an essay addressing a current issue in civics.
You can earn small awards (known as micro-scholarships) from RaiseMe and the College Board just by documenting things you do anyway – like getting good grades, completing the FAFSA, or working at a part-time job during high school.
Use the RaiseMe app to earn awards — some as small as $50 — for school achievements such as making the honor roll, joining a sports team, being part of a club, or volunteering.
The average award is $22,500, earned from RaiseMe’s more than 225 partner institutions. However, you must be accepted and enroll in the particular college awarding the money.
The list of participating institutions is impressive and includes colleges such as Arizona State University, Carnegie Mellon, University of Pennsylvania, Tulane, Florida International University, and of course, the University of South Florida.
Complete small tasks and earn an award for each, such as building a college list, taking a practice test, and completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA.
Carson Scholars must have a minimum GPA of 3.75 and display humanitarian qualities through community service.
Enter to win by doing community service. There are no essays, GPA requirements, recommendations, or applications, and you can enter multiple scholarships.
This is the largest youth recognition program in the U.S. based exclusively on volunteer community service. To qualify, you must have engaged in a volunteer activity during the 12 months prior to the date of the application.
There are some unusual, but completely legit, scholarships out there. Have fun with a few of these!
What ice cream flavor best reflects your personality and why? Tell Unigo about your ice cream flavor, and you could scoop up a sweet $1,500 scholarship.
Hate essays? This is the scholarship for you! Every month, Niche randomly chooses a winner for this scholarship, and you can apply every month.
Stock up on your favorite Duck® Brand Duct Tape colors and make some amazing prom attire to win this unique scholarship.
Imagine that your high school/college has been overrun with zombies. To win this scholarship, flesh out a plan to avoid the zombies, including where you would hide and the top five things you would bring with you to stay alive.
Now that you know about some of the scholarships available to high school students, start applying! But first, download our tip sheet for ideas on how to put your best foot forward and ensure your scholarship applications rise to the top of the pile.