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The 10 Easiest Scholarships to Apply For

Financial Aid

Scholarships are awesome resources if you're checking out different ways to pay for college. It's free money after all—what's not to love?

As it turns out, most scholarship programs have application processes that aren't exactly lovable. Students generally have to submit a lot of information about themselves: transcripts, GPAs, test scores, resumes, community service activities, and so on. There might even be a few essays and grade requirements thrown in as well. You don't want to complain—because, again, free money—but these applications sure are tedious when you're working on college apps, high school courses, and financial aid applications all at the same time.

The following easy scholarships have application processes that are a bit more manageable. Some ask you to write short essays, while others don't require any essays at all! The awards might not be as large as some other scholarships out there, but when the application process is so easy, you really don't have much to lose. I'll start off with some words of warning before getting into the good stuff: essay and no-essay scholarships that are so easy to apply for, you might end up applying to all of them!

Caveat: If a Scholarship Seems Too Good to Be True ...

Unfortunately, there aren't too many legitimate "easy" scholarships out there. If a scholarship application sounds too good to be true, be cautious—you don't want to fall victim to a scholarship scam!

Here are some things to look out for:

• A scholarship application that asks for personal information that isn't relevant to the award: Many top scholarship programs ask for personal information (transcripts, SAT/ACT scores, and even financial information for need-based scholarships); however, this info is all relevant to candidate evaluation. If you're ever uncomfortable providing personal info for a scholarship program, dig deeper. Can you verify that the program is legitimate? Does it have its own website, or can you only find info about it through a third party? Try Googling "[award name] scam" to see whether anything suspicious pops up.
• A scholarship that asks you to make payments to enter or win: Scholarship programs are in the business of giving money to students, not taking it. A scholarship program is likely just a scam if the application asks you to make a payment—especially if it asks you to enter credit card information.

Now that we've got that out of the way, it's time to get to the good stuff: all the best easy essay and non-essay scholarships and how to win them!

Essay Scholarships

The scholarships in this section ask students to submit short essays with their applications. Even though you'll have to write an essay, the rest of the application (and the essay itself) should be easy and manageable for all these awards. In fact, most of these applications shouldn't take more than one to two hours to complete.

Bachus & Schanker, LLC Scholarship

This scholarship program is a bit different from most of the other awards included in this post—it's funded by a private law firm in Colorado. Students compete for a $2,000 award by writing an essay (at least 800 words) about the 7th Amendment and how it affects their lives. Scholarships are awarded twice a year, to be paid toward tuition for the upcoming semester.

• Eligibility: High school seniors who have been accepted to a four-year university and university students with a minimum 3.0 GPA
• Deadline:  July 30 (to win a scholarship for the fall semester) and November 30 (to win a scholarship for the spring semester)

Courage to Grow Scholarship

This $500 award is given out to one lucky student every month. To compete for the award, applicants must explain in 250 words why they think they deserve the scholarship, intended to support students who found “courage to forge ahead when sometimes it would be easier to give up.” Past recipients’ essays have discussed overcoming obstacles from bullying to breast cancer.

• Eligibility: US high school juniors and seniors and college students with a minimum 2.5 GPA
• Deadline: Last day of every month 

Odenza Marketing Group Scholarship

Odenza Marketing Group gives away two $500 scholarships each year, once in the spring and again in the fall. To compete for this award, applicants must like the Odenza Facebook page and write two short essays of about 500 words each. Each scholarship must have a clear thesis statement, offer supporting evidence in paragraph format, and be grammatically correct. In other words, these essays should follow the argumentative essay format you've learned in English class.

• Eligibility: Current high school students (US or Canadian citizens) aged 16-25 or students who have at least one year of college remaining. Applicants must also have a minimum 2.5 GPA.
• Deadline March 30 for spring, November 15 for fall

Some of these applications won't take you longer than a few minutes.

No-Essay Scholarships

When it comes to easy applications, you can't get much easier than the following scholarship programs. You'll still have to submit some information about yourself (and, in some instances, complete some brief activities or tasks), but you won't have to write any essays to qualify.

AFSA High School Scholarship

For this scholarship, all you need to do is complete an entry form and answer an eight-question quiz. Five $1 ,000 awards are given out each year. Winners are randomly selected by a computer-generated drawing. Your odds of winning are based on the total number of entries received. Essentially, it’s a scholarship raffle, and you get one ticket per “draw.”

• Eligibility: Current high school seniors (US citizens or legal residents)
• Deadline: June 30, 2023

Too Cool to Pay for School Scholarship

This scholarship has one of the easiest applications out there: just fill out a few questions, and you're done! A $1,000 scholarship is awarded every three months. Winners are selected randomly.

• Eligibility: Current high school, college, and graduate students studying in the US
• Deadline: The last day of every March, June, September, and December

The Annual Haiku Society of America Haiku Award in honor of Harold G. Henderson

This scholarship program gives out three prizes of $200, $150, and $100 , but the application process is fun and easy. Students qualify by simply writing and submitting up to five original haikus. If you win, your haiku also gets published in an anthology and on the HSA website! Note: There is a small fee to apply, but the site is indeed reputable.

• Eligibility: All students in grades 7-12
• Deadline: Open June 1 - July 31

"No Essay" College Scholarship

This $2,000 award is given out monthly. To apply for this scholarship, submit an application that includes basic identifying information, your GPA, and your SAT/ACT scores. Winners are randomly selected, and you can submit a new application every month.

• Eligibility: High school students, adults heading back to school, current college students, and anyone else looking to attend college or graduate school within the next year

Stuck at Prom Scholarship Contest

Do you have a creative side and an eye for fashion? Students can compete for the grand prize of $10,000 (one each for the dress and tux categories) by designing and wearing prom outfits made out of duct tape. Check out the website for fun pictures of past winners!

Eight $500 prizes are given to runners-up (four for dresses and four for tuxes).  Applicants can enter as individuals or as part of a couple. Submissions that get the most votes win prizes, so be sure to recruit your friends to vote for you!

• Eligibility: High school students in the US and Canada (excluding certain states and territories—refer to the official rules for details)
• Deadline: The submission window is generally open from March through June, and winners are announced in July. Check the website for exact dates. 

U.S. Bank Student Union Scholarship

Multiple awards are available through this scholarship. To qualify, you'll need to create an account and complete learning modules about financial education. The more modules you complete, the more money you're eligible to earn. 

One first prize winner and one second prize winner are randomly selected during each of two entry periods. Winners can receive up to $20,000 , depending on how many learning modules they complete 

• Eligibility: Current US undergraduate students
• Deadline: Spring and fall of each year. Check website for more details.

Because College is Expensive Scholarship

This $500 scholarship is awarded to one student four times a year (March, June, September, and December) .If you want to enter, all you have to do is fill out the form on the Cedar Lending website.

• Eligibility : High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors; current college students; anyone else looking to attend college or grad school
• Deadline : March 31st, June 30th, September 30th, and December 31st. One winner is selected by the 15th of each month. 

3 Tips for Winning Easy Scholarships

Just because a scholarship is easy to apply for, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s easy to win. Since these scholarship applications are so simple to complete, you'll probably have a lot of competition. Here are some strategies to help you submit your best applications possible:

#1: If you have to write an essay, you'll have a better shot at success if your views align with those of the organization awarding the scholarship. To prepare, do some research about the company or charity's mission statement. For instance, don't write an essay about how much you love fossil fuels if the scholarship is offered by an environmental organization! 

#2: Make sure your application is polished. You won't have the opportunity to make more than a first impression (remember, these apps are short and sweet!), so double-check for any grammar, spelling, or punctuation errors.

#3: Last but not least, be sure that your application is complete and on time!

What's Next?

These scholarships are excellent options if you want to churn out as many applications as possible. As you might've noticed, though, the award amounts are a bit underwhelming (though keep in mind that several smaller awards can be just as helpful as one big award!). Larger scholarships and grants are often available through colleges directly and applying for financial aid using the FAFSA .

You'll have to spend more time on your applications if you're gunning for a top scholarship, but the payoff can be more than worth it. To learn more about some of the best scholarships out there, check out our guides to the top scholarships for high school juniors and seniors .

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Francesca graduated magna cum laude from Harvard and scored in the 99th percentile on the SATs. She's worked with many students on SAT prep and college counseling, and loves helping students capitalize on their strengths.

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28 Super Easy Scholarships to Apply for in 2023

What’s covered:, 28 easy scholarships to apply for, strategies for applying to easy scholarships.

Applying for scholarships is an important part of preparing for college. Given how expensive higher education is, these awards can relieve lots of anxiety and provide students with unique opportunities. Unlike loans, scholarships do not have to be paid back.

That said, after a grueling college application process, the thought of completing more applications can feel overwhelming to many students. Fortunately, there are plenty of easy scholarships you can apply for in under an hour. Some don’t even require essays. We’ve rounded up X super-quick scholarships with applications you’ll complete in no time at all.

1. CollegeVine Scholarships

Amount: $2,000

Deadline: Quarterly

Eligibility: High school student and US resident

Application Requirements: Create a free CollegeVine account or fill out your 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 .

2. Because College Is Expensive Scholarship

Amount: $500

Deadline: End of each quarter at 11:59 pm EST

Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors, college students, and graduate students

Application Requirements: Simple online form

Cedar Education Lending gives out the aptly-named Because College Is Expensive Scholarship once per quarter. All you need to do to apply is complete a simple form, and you’ll be entered into a $500 random drawing.

3. I Have a Dream Scholarship  

Amount: $1,500

Deadline: January 31, 2024

Eligibility: Must be a legal U.S. resident; must be at least 14 years old at the time of application

Application Requirements: Short answer question

For this scholarship, applicants will submit an online written response to the following prompt in 250 words or fewer:

“We want to know… what do you dream about? Whether it’s some bizarre dream you had last week, or your hopes for the future, share your dreams with us for a chance to win $1,500 for college.”

4. SmarterCollege Scholarship

Amount: $2,500

Deadline: Recurring (next deadline is June 30, 2023)

Eligibility: Must be at least 17 years old; must be a US resident

All you have to do to apply for this scholarship is complete a 5 question application! You can apply each month.

5. Cappex Easy Money Scholarship

Amount: $1,000

Deadline: The end of each month

Eligibility: Must be a registered Cappex user; must be at least 13 years old; must be a US resident; must be planning to enroll in an accredited post-secondary institution of higher learning within 4 years

In order to enter this scholarship contest, sponsored by Cappex, all you need to do is complete the online registration form. Perhaps that’s why it’s called “Easy Money!”

6. “No Essay” College Scholarship

Deadline: Monthly (next deadline is May 31, 2023)

Eligibility: High school students, college students, and others planning to attend college or graduate school within the next year ( additional eligibility requirements )

As noted in the name, this scholarship requires no essay to enter. The recipient is selected by a random drawing, and you can enter once per month. If you win, you can use the award for education-related expenses, such as tuition, housing, and books.

7. No Essay Smart Owl Scholarship

Deadline: May 29, 2023

Eligibility: Must be at least 16 years old and a U.S. resident in any state, territory, or the District of Columbia, except for Rhode Island and Michigan; must be enrolled in a U.S. high school, college, or university

When you create an account on Scholarship Owl on or after April 30th, 2023, you’ll automatically be entered to win the scholarship. You can then enter again once every seven days during the Sweepstakes Period. 

8. Make Me Laugh

Deadline: August 31, 2023

Here’s one for the comedians out there. This is not only an opportunity to win $1,500 in scholarship money but also a chance to showcase your comedy set. In 250 words or fewer, respond to this prompt:

“OMG… finding and applying for scholarships is serious business, but it’s time to lighten things up a little. We don’t want to know why you deserve $1,500 or how great your grades are, we simply want to LOL. Describe an incident in your life, funny or embarrassing (fact or fiction), and make us laugh!”

9. ScholarshipPoints Scholarship

Deadline: Monthly

Eligibility: Legal residents of the U.S. who are at least 13 years old; must sign up as a member of ScholarshipPoints.com

This simple online form secures $2,500 scholarships for randomly selected students each month. Completing the form means you will be automatically entered.

10. Flavor of the Month Scholarship

Deadline: July 31, 2023

I don’t know about you, but I love ice cream. The premise of this scholarship is simple: you just need to talk about your favorite flavor of the (objectively) best dessert out there. In 250 words or fewer, respond to this prompt:

“Summer and ice cream go hand-in-hand. In fact, July is National Ice Cream Month, and that’s the inspiration behind this award. We think people are very similar to ice cream; some are nutty, others a little exotic, while some are very comforting. If you were an ice cream flavor, which would you be and why?”

11. Courage to Grow Scholarship

Eligibility: Must be a high school junior or senior or a college student with a minimum GPA of 2.5 and a U.S. citizen

This scholarship is awarded once per month. To enter, you just need to describe in 250 words or fewer why you believe you should receive the scholarship.

12. College Is Power Scholarship

Deadline: May 31, 2023

Eligibility: Must be at least 17 years old and plan to start college within the next 12 months or already be enrolled; must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident

Full- or part-time students may apply for this easy scholarship. Judging is mainly based on your response to the following prompt, which you should address in 150 words or fewer:

“What is your primary goal for going to school?”

13. Nitro Scholarship

Eligibility: Must be at least 17 years old and a high school senior or college student, parent of a high school senior or college student, or loan-paying college graduate or parent of a graduate; must be a legal U.S. resident

This scholarship, open to both students and their parents, is offered once per month. All you need to do is complete a short form to enter the competition.

14. SuperCollege Scholarship

Deadline: May 31, 2023 

Eligibility: High school seniors, college or graduate students, or adults planning to enroll in college or university; must be a permanent U.S. resident; Employees, officers, and directors (and their relatives) of SuperCollege and its affiliates are not eligible

To enter the SuperCollege Scholarship drawing, you just need to complete this form . Winners are chosen at random and may apply the award to education-related expenses.

15. Tallo + Niche Scholarship

Eligibility: Must be 13 years of age

Application Requirements: Create a profile and short answer questions

You don’t need to write an essay for this scholarship—you just need to create a profile on the sponsoring site, click “Opportunities,” and enter “Niche” in the keyword field. From there, you can apply by answering very brief questions:

“What’s your next step after school? Is there a company you have your eye on? Tell us! Just answer a few questions—no essays, we promise—and you’ll be entered to win!”

16. $40,000 BigFuture Scholarships

Eligibility: High school students, college students, community college students, and graduate students

Application Requirements: Make account and complete simple steps

The College Board offers scholarships with easy requirements—advance your college application process. You get entries into their drawing for things like building your college list, practicing for the SAT, exploring scholarships, strengthening your college list, completing the FAFSA, and applying to colleges.

17. Book Recommendation Scholarship

Amount: $1,300

Eligibility: N/A

Application Requirements: Simple online form and short answer question

All you have to do to get entered to win this scholarship is register and answer the following question in one sentence:

“What is a good book you’d recommend to a friend for the summer?”

18. $5,000 Christian Connector Scholarship

Amount: $5,000

Eligibility: Must request Christian college, university, and/or Bible college information; must be enrolling for the first time as a full-time student at a Christ-centered Christian college, university, or Bible college

Students planning to attend a Christian college can fill out a simple online form to submit for this online drawing, which will surely draw fewer students than others on the list. 

19. $2,000 CampusReel Virtual Tour Scholarship

Deadline: June 30, 2023

Eligibility: Open to all high school, college, community and graduate students

Application Requirements: Watch a video

Students can easily get their name entered into this lucrative drawing by watching a student-led virtual tour!

20. Annual Catholic College Scholarship

Eligibility: Must be at least 13 years old

To submit to this drawing, students must complete a form to receive information from Catholic colleges and universities.

21. Community Champions Scholarship

Eligibility: Must have applied to or be enrolled in a degree program; or the parent or legal guardian of a person who has applied to or who is enrolled in a degree program; Must be legal resident of the US; Must be age 18 or older

Application Requirements: Social media engagement and a simple online form

To be entered in this drawing, students must follow @AscentFunding on Instagram,“like” a specific post, tag two friends in a post with a specific hashtag, save the post, and complete a contact form.

22. Shining Stars Scholarship

To be entered in this drawing, students must follow @AscentFunding on Instagram,“like” a specific post, leave a comment about mental health with a specific hashtag, save the post, and complete a contact form.

23. Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship

Deadline: October 31, 2023

Eligibility: Students age 14 or older; Must be planning to enroll in a postsecondary institution sometime before the Fall of 2027

This application asks you to respond to a specific prompt in 250 words or less:

“ Describe your escape plan if there were a zombie outbreak at your school.”

24. Education Matters Scholarship

Deadline: November 30, 2023

Eligibility: Must be U.S. student; Must be 14 years of age or older; Must be a legal U.S. resident

To submit to this competition, students must respond to the following prompt in 250 words or less:

“What would you say to someone who thinks education doesn’t matter, or that college is a waste of time and money?”

25. Top Ten List Scholarship

Deadline: December 31, 2023

“Create a Top Ten List of the top ten reasons you should get this scholarship.”

26. Unigo $10k Scholarship

Amount: $10,000

“Would you rather be smart, funny or rich? Why?”

27. Too Cool to Pay for School No Essay Scholarship

Deadline: Quarterly (next deadline is June 30, 2023)

Eligibility: Must be high school, college, or graduate school student; Must be currently enrolled full time (in high school or at an accredited university) or planning on enrolling within 24 months

This easy online form submits you for a drawing that will happen four times this year.

28. Around the Corner from College Scholarship

Deadline: June 30th, 2023

Eligibility: Open to current high school students (freshman, sophomores, juniors, and seniors)

This drawing requires filling out a quick and simple online form.

1. Apply to as many easy scholarships as possible. 

Given that many of these scholarships are lottery-based, it’s easy to apply. Even those that have short essays require minimal time to complete the application process, so they won’t eat up too much of your day. You can maximize your chances of winning one by applying to as many as possible.

Additionally, many of these scholarships you can apply to every month. Make a schedule and fill out the simple online forms for each drawing.

2. Balance easy scholarships out with more specific ones.

You shouldn’t focus solely on “easy” scholarships since your odds of winning are much lower. Because applying to these scholarships takes minimal effort, they draw a high number of entrants. This means your odds of winning are lower than they are for scholarships with a more rigorous application process. 

If you apply to scholarships that are tailored to your profile and require more of a time commitment to enter, you will increase your award potential. That might mean entering scholarship contests for people who share your background or demographics or for students intending to study a certain discipline. Find more opportunities on the scholarship section of our blog .

3. Apply to schools with generous merit scholarships.

Most scholarship money comes from schools themselves and not external providers. Many schools consider students for merit scholarships just based on their application, so it’s no extra work; in fact, many schools have automatic scholarships based on SAT/ACT scores . Applying to schools where you’re in the top 75th percentile or above in terms of grades and test scores can maximize your chances of getting merit scholarships.

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

21 Easy Scholarships for Busy Students

For high school students, balancing coursework and applying to college can feel like a full-time job. The last thing you want to worry about is filling out lengthy scholarship applications. Plus, the more time you spend applying for college scholarships, the fewer scholarship applications you’ll have time to submit. Ultimately, that leaves you unable to win as many awards.

Applying for a bunch of “easy scholarships” is one way to maximize your chances of winning free money to put toward your tuition. Another is to sign up for a platform that can help you streamline your scholarship application process.

With Going Merry, you can keep all your application materials in one place, get matched to scholarships , reuse documents, learn about financial aid , and apply to multiple scholarships at once. Added bonus: You can even switch on “auto-apply,” and we’ll automatically submit an application to any future No-Essay scholarships you’re eligible for. One of the best parts of Going Merry is that we only feature free scholarships, so it’ll never cost you even a dollar to apply.

Sign up to simplify your scholarship search.

21 Easy scholarships for higher education

From no-essay scholarships to scholarships with easy application processes, these 21 awards are quick and painless to apply for. None require long essays, and very few require test scores, community service hours, or letters of recommendation. So take a look, find the ones you’re eligible for, and start applying with just a few simple clicks. 

1. Burger King James W. McLamore Whopper Scholarship Award

Amount: Up to $60,000

Provider: Burger King Foundation

Eligibility Requirements:

• Minimum GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale
• Planning to enroll as a full time freshman to a four-year accredited, college or university that is located in the United States or Canada
• Graduating high school senior 
• Must be a U.S. Citizen
• Demonstrate an active leadership role in community service, athletics, and/or similar co-curricular activity (such as student government, team sports, fraternal life, etc); and
• Demonstrate substantial work experience and financial need

Application Requirements: Transcript, relevant work experience, and list of extracurricular activities

Each year, the Burger King James W. McLamore Whopper Scholarship Award gives out over $7 million in free money to academically qualified college students across the United States. Winners can receive between $1,000 and $60,000. The scholarship application is straightforward and takes very little time — you only have to list your previous work experience and community involvement.

2. Doodle for Google

Amount: Up to $55,000

Provider: Google

• Enrolled in kindergarten through twelfth grade 
• Must be a U.S. Citizen or a permanent legal U.S. resident 

Application Requirements: Essay, drawing

If you’re a student with artistic flair, the Doodle for Google scholarship program could send you to college with money in your pocket. This scholarship competition includes multiple tiers, which means one winner gets the grand prize of $55,000, a $50,000 supplies and tech package for their school or non-profit organization, and five national finalists receive awards of $5,000. To apply, you’ll need to create a creative, original doodle to be featured on Google.com. Incorporate the Google logo in a unique way, then write a few sentences about what you’ve drawn. 

3. VFW – Voice of Democracy National Audio Essay

Amount: Up to $35,000

Provider: Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)

• Enrolled in high school

Application Requirements: Audio essay

All high school students are eligible to apply for the VFW – Voice of Democracy National Audio Essay scholarship competition. It’s an award created by Veterans of Foreign Wars, the oldest U.S. organization supporting U.S. vets. To apply, record a three- to five-minute audio file that speaks to the scholarship’s annual theme. Applicants will be judged based on originality, content, and clarity. 

4. “Be Bold” No Essay Scholarship

Amount: $25,000

Provider: Bold.org

• Enrolled or planning to enroll in a college or university

Application Requirements: None

An organization dedicated to fighting student debt, Bold.org created the “Be Bold” No Essay Scholarship giveaway for students who demonstrate boldness and determination. All you need to do to apply is create a profile on Bold.org and explain what makes you unique. This scholarship fund is available to students of all grade levels. There are monthly scholarship deadlines, so check back frequently and re-enter as needed. 

5. Taco Bell Live Más Scholarship

Provider: Taco Bell

• Enrolled in an accredited post-secondary educational program located in the United States or D.C. (including accredited two- and four-year colleges, universities, vocational-technical, and trade schools) and in good academic standing
• Between 16 and 26 years old 
• Not an employee of Taco Bell
• U.S. Citizen or U.S. Permanent Resident (Green Card)

Application Requirements: Video essay

Do you love making TikTok videos? Are you passionate about something? If you answered yes to both questions, check out the Taco Bell Live Más Scholarship . This scholarship award has one simple application step: create a video. Use your film to express your passion and explain how you plan to utilize it to improve your community. Also be sure to describe how higher education will help you achieve your goals. The video can be no longer than two minutes, so keep your answers short and sweet.

6. National GEM Consortium Fellowships

Amount: $16,000 minimum stipend + full tuition and fees 

Provider: The National GEM Consortium

Eligibility Requirements: 

• Minimum GPA of 2.8 on a 4.0 scale
• Graduate student
• Declared study in engineering or computer science 
• Availability to intern with the sponsoring company for two summers

Application Requirements: Transcript, resume, recommendation letters, statement of purpose

The National GEM Consortium Fellowships are for graduate students pursuing engineering or computer science degrees. Unlike many graduate school scholarship applications, this one is pretty simple. The selection committee wants to see your grades and previous work history. This generous award includes coverage of full tuition and fees. Scholarship winners are also offered internships with a sponsoring company for two summers, which means it could lead to future job opportunities, too. 

7. Sprout Social UNCF Scholarship Program

Amount: Up to $11,000

Provider: Sprout Social

• Minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• Black/African American
• College senior
• Declared field of study in computer or information science or engineering

Application Requirements: Transcript, resume 

The Sprout Social UNCF Scholarship Program is a fantastic option for Black college seniors. All you need to do to apply is submit your transcript and resume. On your resume, be sure to list your extracurricular activities, awards, and level of proficiency in different programming languages. Winners will also get the chance to apply and interview for a full-time position at Sprout Social upon graduation. Students can attend any university in the U.S., but Sprout Social gives some preference to applicants from Howard University, North Carolina AT&T, and Georgia Tech.

8. For A Bright Future STEAM Scholarship

Amount: Up to $10,000

Provider: For A Bright Future Foundation

• Asian American, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latinx, and/or Native American
• Declared field of study in a STEAM-related field 

Application Requirements: Transcript, essay, tax return

The For A Bright Future STEAM Scholarship is a prestigious scholarship fund that supports students of color pursuing undergraduate degrees. The award is merit-based but also takes financial need into account. That means you’ll need to submit your family’s financial information to apply. Otherwise, the only application component is a short, 250- to 500-word essay. Write about overcoming adversity and how education will help you give back to your community. (To take your essay to the next level, check out some of Going Merry’s helpful tips .)

9. Unigo $10K Scholarship

Amount: $10,000

Provider: Unigo

• 14 years old or older

Application Requirements: Essay

To apply for Unigo’s $10k Scholarship opportunity , you’ll need to write a 250-word essay answering this question: Would you rather be funny, smart, or rich? Unigo wants to hear what skill you prioritize and how it can help you in your future. The selection committee will judge your application based on the quality of your answer as well as your creativity and originality, so have fun with it.

10. Scholarship4Moms

Provider: Scholarships4Moms

• 18 years old or older
• A mother or an expectant mother

If you’re a mother or expectant mother with plans to pursue higher education, Scholarship4Moms has an application that’s easy enough to squeeze into your busy schedule. While this award is a bit niche, the sweepstakes occur five times per year and the only requirement is your contact information. This is one of the easiest scholarships to apply for on our list, and winners can use the cash for any education-related expenses. 

11. No Essay Smart Owl Scholarship

Amount: $1,000

Provider: ScholarshipOwl

• Enrolled or planning to enroll in a high school, college, or university
• 16 years old or older 
• Residing in any state except for Rhode Island or Michigan

The ScholarshipOwl platform helps students apply for many scholarships at once. It charges a fee for this service, but its scholarship sweepstakes is totally free. To apply for the No Essay Smart Owl Scholarship, applicants must register for the ScholarshipOwl website. Anyone who registers is automatically entered into the scholarship contest, which chooses winners at random. The only fine print is that Rhode Island and Michigan residents are not eligible for this award. 

12. Stephen J. Brady Stop Hunger Scholarship

Provider: Stop Hunger Foundation

• Enrolled or planning to enroll in a primary school, secondary school, or college or university
• Between ages 5 and 25 

Application Requirements: Community service history

Named for the passionate founder of the Stop Hunger Foundation, the Stephen J. Brady Stop Hunger Scholarship rewards students committed to community service. To apply, you must demonstrate that you’ve been doing unpaid volunteer work for a minimum of twelve months. If you win, you’ll also get free money for a nonprofit of your choice. Winners receive $10,000 to put toward education-related expenses and a $5,000 grant to the hunger-related charity of their choosing in their local community. 

13. ABA Diversity Scholarship

Amount: $5,000

Provider: American Bus Association

• You must demonstrate your diversity (this includes varying cultures, socioeconomic backgrounds, nationality, minorities, age, race, or ethnicity)
• You must be a freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, or graduate student at an accredited University (4-year university/college or junior college).
• Declared field of study in tourism or hospitality

This easy scholarship application is open to undergraduate and graduate students alike. Sponsored by the American Bus Association — which supports the bus and travel industries — the ABA Diversity Scholarship is for students from underrepresented groups interested in pursuing a career in the tourism industry. To apply, write a 500-word essay about how you hope to advance the future of travel and tourism. If this scholarship sounds niche, don’t discount yourself: the travel industry encompasses everything from hospitality to transportation. 

14. Christian College Scholarship

Provider: The Christian Connector, Inc.

• Planning to enroll in a Christian college or university
• 13 years old or older

The Christian Connector assists students around the U.S. as they explore Christian colleges. To help combat the rising cost of student loans, the organization has sponsored the Christian College Scholarship , which awards multiple $5,000 prizes via a random drawing. All you have to do to apply is fill out a short survey about your college aspirations. 

15. Future Designer Scholarship

Amount: $1,500

Provider: CardsDirect

• 17 years old or older 
• U.S. Resident

Application Requirements: Piece of art

If you’re the kind of student who always finds yourself doodling in the margins, the Future Designer Scholarship could put those artistic skills to use. CardsDirect is on the hunt for its next best-selling holiday card design. All you have to do to apply for this scholarship program is submit one piece of original artwork and the name of the college or university where you’re enrolled or planning to enroll. 

16. Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship

Amount: $2,000

Do you love science fiction? Have you ever fantasized about surviving a zombie apocalypse?? If so, Unigo wants to hear about it. The Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship will award one lucky applicant $2,000 to help pay their college tuition. Just write a 250-word essay about how you’ll creatively escape a zombie takeover, and you’ll be entered for a chance to win.

17. Wizeprep USA High School Scholarship 

Amount: $500

Provider: Wizeprep

• Enrolled in high school 

The Wizeprep USA High School Scholarship is open to high school students of all ages, and it has one of the easiest scholarship applications on our list. To apply, just create a profile on Wizeprep, an online education platform, and fill in some basic contact information. That’s it! You’ll be entered to win a $500 scholarship you can use to help pay for any education-related expenses, including tuition, textbooks, and school supplies.

18. Going Merry Refer-A-Friend Scholarship

Provider: Going Merry

Application Requirements: Email addresses

The Going Merry Refer-A-Friend Scholarship has two perks. First, it’s a super easy scholarship to apply for. Second, scholarship winners get to share the wealth with a friend. This scholarship contest works like a raffle, which means winners are selected at random. To apply, you just have to refer a friend to Going Merry and encourage them to sign up. Once they do, you and your bud each receive an entry into the scholarship drawing. This competition is open to high school and current college students alike.

19. CareerFitter Scholarship

Provider: CareerFitter

• Minimum GPA of 2.4 on a 4.0 scale
• Enrolled or planning to enroll full-time in a college or university

Application Requirements: Transcript, essay

The CareerFitter Scholarship is open to both undergraduate and graduate students — and all you have to do to apply is write a 700-character essay about your dream career. Not sure what your dream career is? Try CareerFitter’s career test. The quiz isn’t required for your application, but it could help spark some good ideas.

20. Don’t Text and Drive Scholarship

Provider: Digital Responsibility

Application Requirements: Personal statement

Texting while driving is extremely dangerous and extremely common. To help raise awareness of its risks, Digital Responsibility created the Don’t Text and Drive Scholarship . To apply, students must write a 140-character statement about texting and driving. This contest is open to students from high school to graduate school. If you’re selected as a finalist, you’ll be asked to expand on your original statement. 

21. Perfecting The Craft Annual Scholarship

Provider: Red Label Abrasives

• Enrolled or planning to enroll full-time in a college, university, or trade school in the U.S.
• U.S. Citizen

Application Requirements: Transcript and video or written essay

This scholarship application is another fun and easy one. Fintech Abrasives wants to help students in their journey to pursue higher education through its Perfecting The Craft Annual Scholarship . To win this scholarship money, you’ll need to get creative: The selection committee wants to hear about your passion for your craft in whatever way you want to share it. Feel free to submit a written essay, video, artwork, or whatever format fits your expertise.

Get more easy scholarships on Going Merry 

Applying for scholarships doesn’t have to be overly time-consuming. In fact, there are a ton of easy scholarships out there (like those listed above) that don’t require test scores, letters of recommendation, or super long essays. Some have application processes that take as few as five minutes. The only trick is finding them — which is where Going Merry comes in.

Unlike other scholarship websites , Going Merry makes it easy to apply for scholarships like these. We help students fill the gap between financial aid and student loans with lucrative, high-quality scholarships. With an extensive database, you can also find niche scholarships with less competition to give you a greater chance of winning free scholarships. Going Merry takes the legwork out of the scholarship search process: The platform automatically matches you with relevant awards. All you have to do is create a profile, and we’ll generate a personalized list of scholarship opportunities you’re eligible for.

If you want to win free money to help you pay for your higher education, sign up for Going Merry and complete your profile today. 

Disclaimer: This blog post provides personal finance educational information, and it is not intended to provide legal, financial, or tax advice.

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Ready to find scholarships that are a match for you?

Best Essay Scholarships to Apply for in 2024

Apply below to essay scholarships with upcoming deadlines. Exclusive Scholarships found only in Bold.org!

Thomas Mashig Foundation Scholarship

Eligibility criteria:.

• Education Level : High school or current/future trade school student
• Financial Status : Financial Need

Anthony McPherson Memorial Automotive Scholarship

• Field of Interest : Automotive
• Education Level : High school or undergraduate student

Fishers of Men-tal Health Scholarship

• Field of Study : Mental health
• Education Level : Undergraduate or graduate student
• Background : Religious and/or spiritual

Matthew E. Minor Memorial Scholarship

• GPA : 3.0 or higher
• Education Level : High school senior

Grassroot Heroics Scholarship

Joseph a. monachino memorial scholarship.

• Financial Status : Financial need
• Education Level : High school student
• State : Nevada

Dr. Edward V. Chavez Athletic Memorial Scholarship

• Background : Has lost one or both parents
• Passion : Sports

Harvest Achievement Scholarship

• Gender : Female-identifying

Boatswain’s Mate Third Class Antonie Bernard Thomas Memorial Scholarship

• Background : Military service member, police officer, or family of military or police

Brandon M. Greber Memorial Scholarship

• Education Level : High school junior or senior or undergraduate student
• Background : Plans to enter the military

Slater Miller Memorial Fund

• Education Level : Trade school student
• Financial Status : Low-income
• Background : Non-profit or volunteering experience

Chris Struthers Memorial Scholarship

• Education Level : High school, undergraduate, or graduate student
• Field of Study : Graphic design

Next Chapter Scholarship

• Education Level : Community college or trade school student
• GPA : 2.0 GPA or higher

Walking In Authority International Ministry Scholarship

• Education Level : High school senior or undergraduate
• Experience : Volunteering
• GPA : 2.5 or higher

Dr. C.L. Gupta Young Scholars Award

• Background : High standardized test scores

Nursing Student Scholarship

• Field of Study : Nursing

Jason David Anderson Memorial Scholarship

• State : New Jersey
• GPA : 3.0 GPA or higher
• Background : Has been affected by addiction (personally or through a loved one)
• Field of Study : Healthcare or rehabilitation

Sewing Seeds: Lena B. Davis Memorial Scholarship

• Education Level : High school or four-year undergraduate student
• Identity : Underrepresented minority
• Field of Study : Psychology, social work, counseling, or other mental health-related fields

Curtis Holloway Memorial Scholarship

• Background : Has lost a parent or lives in a single-parent household

Ken Larson Memorial Scholarship

• Education Level : High school senior or four-year undergraduate student
• Field of Study : Public services or law

Ashanti McCall Life & Legacy Scholarship

• Background : Has a parent who is/was incarcerated

Make Your "Truth" Your Own Scholarship

• Background : Former Jehovah’s Witness

AB Foundation Scholarship

• Education level : High school senior & undergraduates
• Background : Teen mom and/or child of a teen mom

Juanita Robinson English Book Scholarship

• Education Level : Undergraduate student
• School : Howard University

Joseph Lipovits Memorial Aviation Scholarship

• Field of Study : Aviation/flying

Billy Downey Memorial Agriculture Scholarship

• Field of Study : Agriculture
• Background : Volunteering experience

Reindeer Jill Memorial Scholarship for Veterinary Medicine Students

• Field of Study : Veterinary medicine

Dental Hygiene Basics Scholarship

• Field of Study : Dental hygiene

Jeff Stanley Memorial Scholarship

• Field of Study : Theater or performing arts

Wellness Visionary: Radiant Shenti Scholarship

• Field of Study : Alternative medicine/holistic healing

About essay scholarships 

Essay-based scholarships are the most common and traditional form of scholarships available to students pursuing higher education. Though essay scholarships may seem intimidating at first glance, this type of scholarship can be invaluable to students looking to earn money through scholarships. 

An essay scholarship is a financial aid opportunity that requires students to write a short statement in order to apply. No-essay scholarships, on the other hand, do not require written statements as part of the application process. 

Students tend to gravitate towards no-essay scholarships, as they are easier to apply to in regards to both time and effort. While no-essay scholarships are a great resource as well, students should consider applying to a mix of both no-essay and essay scholarships to have the best chances of winning. 

Since fewer students take the time to apply for essay scholarships, there is less competition for them. This means that students that do apply for essay scholarships will often have higher chances of winning money than students who exclusively apply for no-essay scholarships.

Though no-essay scholarships can save time in the application process, they typically attract a large number of applicants. Both college students and high school students will usually face more competition with this type of scholarship. 

In many cases, it isn’t as difficult to apply for essay scholarships as college students imagine. The written statement is often quite short and usually hovers around 400-600 words. That’s around a page of writing or even a little less. There are even many opportunities that require even shorter essays, such as 100-300 words!

If that still sounds daunting, remember that essay scholarships will provide a prompt to write on. Most scholarships will focus on a certain aspect of a student’s life. For example, a mental health awareness scholarship might ask students to write about their personal struggles with mental health and how they have overcome those challenges in pursuit of a better education. 

Similarly, major-based scholarships, like STEM or arts scholarships, often ask students to write about why they chose to study that particular field. Typically, no additional research needs to be done to write the essay portion of the application. In nearly all cases, donors simply want to hear about who the applicant is. 

To write the essay scholarship, students only need to draw on their personal experiences or life goals to show the donor who they are as a person. High school students might focus more on their goals for the future, while undergraduate and graduate students might talk about their current studies. 

Whatever the case, both high school students, as well as undergraduate and graduate students, should focus on showcasing their talents, goals, and personality in the essay. The more detailed and unique an essay is, the easier it is for the donor to feel a connection with you, making your application stand out from the competition.

Essay scholarships are available to students of all ages and all grade levels. College students and high school students alike can apply for essay scholarships. As long as the scholarship allows applicants of your grade level, you can apply.

Though some essay scholarship prompts may seem better suited towards one age group than another, students should still apply as long as they are eligible. For example, a scholarship that asks applicants to write about their major and why they chose it might seem easier to answer as a college student. 

However, if high school students are eligible, they can likely answer the prompt by writing about their intended major. Both high school students and college students should be able to write most scholarship essays.

The purpose of the essay scholarship is to allow the donor to get a better view of the applicant, so make sure to add personality and detail to your essays. You can also check out  this guide  on writing scholarship essays for exclusive tips!

Best essay scholarships

 The majority of scholarships available are essay-based, so there are plenty of opportunities to choose from. Each scholarship has its own benefits, so it's important to apply for a variety of scholarship opportunities. The highest-value scholarships can be the most helpful when paying your tuition, but they often receive the most competition as a result. To have the best chances of winning, consider smaller scholarships with fewer eligible applicants.

Essay scholarships for high school students

There are plenty of high school scholarships available for students of all grade levels. Additionally, high school students can apply for scholarships specific to their grade level.

Essay scholarships for high school freshmen 

Freshman year is the earliest students can begin applying for scholarships, meaning that applicants who start as high school freshmen can get ahead of the game. The earlier you start applying, the longer you'll have to earn college funding. The following scholarships are a great place for high school freshmen to begin their search!

• Bold Climate Changemakers Scholarship
•   M.R. Brooks Scholarship  
• "Equal Opportunity" Scholarship

Essay scholarships for high school sophomores

There are also plenty of scholarship opportunities for high school sophomores who are looking to get a jump on their scholarship applications. The scholarships below are a great way for sophomores to get started!

• Bold Community Activist Scholarship  
• CollegeXpress No-Essay Scholarship
• Bold Great Books Scholarship  

Essay scholarships for high school juniors

As upperclassmen, high school juniors have even more scholarships available to them than freshmen and sophomores. In addition to scholarships open to all high school students, juniors can also apply for scholarships exclusively open to juniors and seniors. Check out the list below and start applying!

• Cat Zingano Overcoming Loss Scholarship  
• Scorenavigator Financial Literacy Scholarship  
• Janey Mae Memorial Scholarship

Essay scholarships for high school seniors

Senior year of high school is one of the most popular times to apply for scholarships. As a result, there are many scholarships created specifically for high school seniors. Since other grade levels can't apply, there are often fewer eligible applicants for senior scholarships, giving you a better chance of winning! You can check out the scholarships below to begin applying. 

• MJM3 Fitness Scholarship  
• Michael Valdivia Scholarship
• Charlotte Emery Memorial Scholarship   

Essay scholarships for college students

While it's great to start securing scholarship funding in high school, it's never too late to apply! There are plenty of scholarships for those currently in college, such as those listed below.

• Live Your Dash Entrepreneurs Scholarship
• Dr. Sharyn First-Generation in Business Scholarship   
• Chris Jackson Computer Science Scholarship  

Essay scholarships for graduate students

Many graduate students aren't aware of all of the scholarships available to them, meaning that many miss out on available financial aid. If you're a graduate student, consider applying for the scholarships below!

• Jameela Jamil x I Weigh Scholarship
• Derrick Richardson Law Student Scholarship  
• Chang Heaton Scholarship for Music Excellence

Essay scholarships for international students 

International students are often left behind when it comes to earning financial aid. With fewer government resources available, international students pursuing their degrees in the US may have unmet financial needs. The following scholarships for international students in the US are a great place to start!

•   International Studies Scholarship
• Crenati Foundation Supporting International Students Scholarship   

Essay scholarships for women 

Many scholarship donors aim to help underrepresented or disadvantaged students, such as racial minorities, low-income students, LGBTQ+ students, or women. If you're a female student, consider applying for the following scholarships!

• Taking Up Space Scholarship  
• Indigenous Women in STEM Scholarship  
• Charlotte Emery Memorial Scholarship

Frequently asked questions about essay scholarships 

How do i win essay scholarships.

The most important part of the essay application is simply finishing it. Many high school students and college students won’t even bother to apply for essay scholarships. As a result, just turning in an application that meets all of the requirements and answers the prompt places you ahead of a good chunk of your peers. 

Still, it’s good to fine-tune your scholarship essays and make sure you turn in your best work. There are several steps students can take in order to take their scholarship essays to the next level. Click here to read our full guide on how to write a scholarship essay .

First, make sure your essay stays on topic and answers the prompt. Don’t get sidetracked by tangential experiences. Read the question carefully and make an outline of what you want to write before you start writing. This can help make sure your essay is focused and coherent. Make a list of what points you want to include in your answer and in what order. Then, make sure to stick to those points.

One important point is to make sure you maintain your basic writing skills. If grammar is something you struggle with on occasion, make a plan to catch any mistakes you might make. Using a tool like Grammarly or Microsoft Word’s spell check can be very helpful in making sure no minor errors are made. You can also try reading your essay out loud, or asking a friend to look it over. Sometimes two pairs of eyes are better than one. 

Another way to elevate your essay is to open with a hook. Perhaps you have a funny story about your academic experiences that relates to the question asked. Or, you could retell the moment you decided to pursue your current major. Any impactful experience you’ve had that relates to the question asked can be a good way to open your essay. 

Opening with a hook makes your essay more memorable and makes the reader want to keep reading. If your essay sounds generic or uninspired, the donor may pass you over for someone else. Making your essay personal and engaging is a key way to make an impact on your reader and stand out from other competitors. 

Most of the time, when a donor includes an essay question, it’s because they’re looking for a specific type of student. Many donors favor students that are driven, motivated, and willing to work hard to achieve their dreams. Look carefully at the prompt for hints on what qualities the donors are looking for. 

An essay question that asks about a student’s struggle with finances, for example, is likely looking for a high school student or college student that has worked hard to pursue education despite the challenges they faced. A prompt that asks students to talk about their chosen major is likely looking for a student that is inspired and has a special interest in their field. 

A mix of your personal experiences, academic interests, and goals for the future are usually good points to work into your essay. It’s important to both answer the question clearly and help the donor understand who you are as a person. 

How do I apply for scholarships? 

Applying for scholarships is not as difficult as it seems. Most applications give clear instructions and are easy to complete. A good place to start is finding a scholarship search resource that works for you. 

One easily accessible way to find scholarships is through your school. For high school students, the guidance office may be able to connect you with scholarship opportunities. College students, including graduate students, will want to talk to their financial aid office instead. 

The advantage of finding scholarships through your school is that the financial aid or guidance office may be able to find opportunities specifically made for your school. This means the competition pool will be much smaller as you will only be competing with your classmates. 

As for how high school students and college students can apply for these opportunities, the instructions will likely depend on that specific school’s process for applying. Administrators in the financial aid or guidance office will be able to guide students through the application process. 

An alternative is using online platforms to search for and apply for scholarships. High school students and college students alike will benefit from this method, as online platforms typically allow students to apply for multiple scholarships at once. Making a free profile with  Bold.org , for example, will allow high school students and college students to quickly apply with just one click to no-essay scholarships. 

Creating a profile with online scholarship platforms allows the site to submit applications on your behalf. In addition, the information stored in the profile can be used to help find more relevant scholarship search results for each student’s needs.

For example, high school students will automatically be barred from applying to scholarships that only look at college students, and vice versa. This can help save some time and ensure students don’t waste their efforts applying for scholarships that will not consider them. 

In order to apply for a scholarship on an online platform, students simply need to create a free profile and find the scholarships they want to apply for. Their information will be sent to the donors for review. 

If there is an essay requirement, students must prepare a written statement ahead of time. Students can then paste their essays into the application on the online platform. The essay will be submitted along with the student’s personal information from their profile. 

When can I start applying? 

High school students, as well as undergraduate and graduate students, can apply whenever they like. Very few scholarships exist for students below the high school level, and while some opportunities are available to recent college graduates, most are for those still in school. 

Students at any level between high school and graduate school can start to apply for scholarships at any time. High school seniors are the group of high school students that will likely have the easiest time finding scholarships they can apply for. Many donors looking to create opportunities at the high school level view high school seniors as the demographic most concerned with generating funding for college. 

Winning scholarship money while still in high school can help students in their college search. Getting an idea of how much money you will be able to spend on college is a good way to narrow down your search for the perfect school for you. In addition, winning scholarship money might make it possible for high school students to attend a college they previously thought would be too expensive. 

As a result, starting to apply for scholarships as a high school senior or junior would be a reasonable time to begin. 

Applying earlier is typically better than applying for scholarships later on. This is simply because starting to find and apply to scholarships earlier will allow students more time to apply, get their results back, and apply again. The more this cycle is repeated, the more money students typically make. 

Remember that not every scholarship you apply to will yield positive results. Therefore, applying to as many scholarships as possible will increase the possibility that a few of those applications will win. 

However, there’s nothing wrong with trying to find scholarships even before your senior year in high school. In addition, starting to apply as an undergraduate student or a graduate student is completely fine as well. There are many opportunities made specifically for college students, many of which include graduate students as well. 

It may seem counterintuitive to start applying for scholarships after committing to a college. However, winning scholarship money can help not just with creating a budget for college, but also with the expenses of continuing your college education. Each new semester means new textbooks and new school supplies, for example. 

In addition, college is a path to many educational opportunities that are usually not available to high school students. For example, many college students study abroad, whether as undergraduate students or graduate students. Saving up some scholarship money for the costs of continuing your education and taking advantage of college opportunities like studying abroad can be very helpful. 

How do I know if I’m eligible for a scholarship?

Every scholarship posting will clearly state its requirements, so be sure to read the entire description. Remember that your efforts may be wasted if you do not fit the criteria for a certain scholarship. No matter how much you excel in school, you cannot win a scholarship that you are not eligible for. 

Scholarships often tend towards very general requirements or more exclusive requirements. General scholarships are often open to students of any major and any grade level, meaning the vast majority of students will be able to apply.

Exclusive scholarships, on the other hand, are made for a more specific purpose. For example, the donor of an exclusive scholarship might want to use their money to uplift indigenous students in the medical field. As a result, the scholarship might only accept applicants that are indigenous students and focused on nursing or medicine. Students that do not match these criteria will not be considered. 

Some common restricting factors in exclusive scholarships are education level, demographic, income level, academic interest, and GPA. An exclusive scholarship might restrict the applicant pool by all or some of these criteria. 

Certain opportunities might be open to graduate students only, and not high school students or undergraduate students. Some scholarships might require students to study a particular major, such as graphic design. A more general scholarship might use an umbrella term, like the humanities, instead of a specific major. Whatever the case, be sure you have carefully read each of the requirements before applying. 

Many exclusive scholarships will be specific enough that most students will not be able to apply. For example, a scholarship open only to Asian American molecular biology graduate students will receive a lower volume of applications than a scholarship available to all STEM majors. 

However, there’s no need to get discouraged if you find it difficult to locate an exclusive scholarship that matches your needs. The multitude of scholarship opportunities available on sites like  Bold.org  means that there is a scholarship for everyone. New scholarships are created and added each day, meaning students who continuously look for and apply to scholarships are more likely to find relevant opportunities. 

In addition, it’s a good idea to apply for both general and exclusive scholarships. This helps students cast a wider net and hopefully increase their chances of winning money. 

What do I have to do to apply?

The application process for most scholarships is fairly simple, especially if students choose to apply through an online platform. 

Sometimes, the most difficult part of applying for a scholarship is simply qualifying, especially if there are many requirements. Once students find opportunities that match their needs, very little action is required.

Students will need to send some of their personal information to the donor to confirm they match the criteria listed. This is often done automatically through online platforms, or students may need to fill out a form through the appropriate school office if the scholarship is not listed online. 

If the scholarship does not require an essay, then that’s all you need to do. If the scholarship does require a personal statement, then that will be the second and final part of the application. 

The essay question, as we’ve covered, can appear intimidating but is usually answered in a page or less. Since donors simply want to hear about you as a person and your academic pursuits, staying honest and true to yourself is usually the best way to tackle the essay. 

It’s not necessary in most cases to do more research to answer the essay question. Sharing personal experiences that relate to the question can be a good way to start. Students should already have all the information they need to answer the question. The only thing left is presenting that information and any personal experiences in an orderly, coherent manner. 

To summarize, scholarships are relatively low-stress to apply to. Students will only need to submit their personal information and write a short personal essay about themselves to be considered.

Are scholarships counted as income? 

Typically, scholarships are not counted as income. 

Scholarships will remain tax-free as long as the scholarship money is used for necessary educational expenses. Necessary educational expenses include tuition fees, textbook and equipment fees, mandatory course fees, and mandatory enrollment fees. It’s important to note that housing and travel expenses do not count as necessary educational expenses. 

In other words, if failing to pay an expense would obstruct your ability to graduate with a degree, that expense likely qualifies as a necessary educational expense. 

In addition, the following requirements must be met for your scholarship money to be considered tax-free. First, the total money earned from all essay scholarships cannot be greater than the total amount your university or college charges you for your education. This rarely happens and is usually not a problem for most students. 

Secondly, the recipient of the essay scholarship money must be currently completing a degree at an accredited college or university. Third, the money cannot be given in exchange for a service or job provided. Scholarship money is not a payment or a salary; it is gift aid that is given to a student to help them pay for college. 

Lastly, the money cannot be marked for other expenses such as room and board (which are not necessary educational expenses). Typically, donors will not stipulate how the money should be spent, so this is rarely an issue. 

Frequently Asked Questions

The most important part of the essay application is simply finishing it. Many high school students and college students won’t even bother to apply for essay scholarships. As a result, just turning in an application that meets all of the requirements and answers the prompt places you ahead of a good chunk of your peers. Still, it’s good to fine-tune your scholarship essays and make sure you turn in your best work. There are several steps students can take in order to take their scholarship essays to the next level. Click here to read our full guide on how to write a scholarship essay.

Applying for scholarships is not as difficult as it seems. Most applications give clear instructions and are easy to complete. A good place to start is finding a scholarship search resource that works for you. One easily accessible way to find scholarships is through your school. For high school students, the guidance office may be able to connect you with scholarship opportunities. College students, including graduate students, will want to talk to their financial aid office instead.

High school students, as well as undergraduate and graduate students, can apply whenever they like. Very few scholarships exist for students below the high school level, and while some opportunities are available to recent college graduates, most are for those still in school. Students at any level between high school and graduate school can start to apply for scholarships at any time. High school seniors are the group of high school students that will likely have the easiest time finding scholarships they can apply for. Many donors looking to create opportunities at the high school level view high school seniors as the demographic most concerned with generating funding for college.

Easy Scholarships

David Apr 12, 2019

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What are Easy Scholarships?

Applying for scholarships can be a hard and long process. You have to write essays, fill out long applications and much more. Sometimes this can feel overwhelming and with so many students applying for scholarships, you might feel like you don’t have a chance.

But, this is not always the case. There are many easy scholarships out there that have simple requirements (if any) and a quick application process. These opportunities can be great for students who are looking for scholarships without putting in much effort or time. With the easy process, you can submit applications to many scholarships so you’ll have a greater chance of winning. One thing to keep in mind is that many students will apply for these scholarships so there is still a lot of competition.

In this guide, we will look at and explain some of the most common and popular types of easy scholarships.

No-Essay Scholarships

One of the most tedious tasks in scholarship applications is the essay. You may feel like all you do is write essays and that they are getting you nowhere!

The fastest path to earning scholarships

Simplify and focus your application process with the one-stop platform for vetted scholarships.

Believe it or not, there are scholarships out there which don’t need essays at all! Instead, you may have to submit a quiz, a short text about something interesting and fun or information about your grades in school. In some applications, you may need to learn something new in an online course. In others, you may have to submit information about your plans to play sports in your college or university.

If you want to apply for many scholarships in a short amount of time, finding those which don’t require an essay can be an excellent way to save time and effort. It’s important to make your application perfect because you won’t have a chance to introduce yourself in another way. You also won’t be able to show your writing skills through your essay (which may be a negative aspect for those with excellent writing skills).

Quick Scholarships

Some scholarships that do ask for an essay may want something short or unique. These types of essays may be easier and quicker to write than your typical scholarship applications.

You may have to write a 250 word essay , or 500 word essay about why you deserve to win the scholarship or to write a short essay relating to the topic of the scholarship. For example, for a law school scholarship, you may have to write a short essay discussing the 7th amendment. For a sports scholarship to discuss your career aspirations as an athlete. These short essays are generally not difficult and often interesting to write.

Social Media Scholarships

Today, social media is everywhere and pretty much everything. If you love Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook or other forms of social media, these scholarships are perfect for you. If you want to apply for these scholarships you often just have to show your skills and the process is fun!

Here are some examples of types of entries for social media scholarships:

• Answer a simple question on whichever social media platform you prefer to apply for the scholarship.
• Create a 3-8 minute video on a specific topic relating to the scholarship.
• Submit a 140 character statement relating to technology for a technology scholarship.
• Create a 30-second commercial
• Answer quizzes to test common and general knowledge.

These easy scholarships are great for students who love social media! If this is you, definitely check out these interesting scholarships.

No-GPA Required Scholarships

This is a big one. Sometimes it seems that the only thing that matters when applying to college and scholarships is your  GPA. Extreme emphasis is placed on standardized testing and applications are often numbers games.

For some students, this is a major problem. Some people are unable to succeed in standardized testing, while others seem to thrive in these situations. Lucky for us, many colleges and universities are starting to drop their demands for standardized testing. Instead of focusing on tests, they want to get to know their potential students. They look at your work in high school, extracurricular accomplishments, your application and more.

The good news here is that some scholarships are starting to follow this trend as well. There are more and more scholarships that have no requirements for minimum GPA and have simple application processes. These easy scholarships are an excellent option for students who wish to focus less on the numbers and more on themselves as an individual. By doing this, they can prove themselves in order to receive the scholarship or be accepted to their school of choice.

Some of these scholarships believe that all students should have the chance to go to college or university. This is regardless of their academic accomplishments in high school. For example, there are scholarships which prefer students who once lived in foster care. There are also scholarships for students who went to alternative high schools or special high school programs.

These scholarships may also have themes aimed at supporting students with specific life goals. For example, scholarships for students who want to enter the army or nursing scholarships. If you want to study abroad there are scholarships for that too. Other types are community-service based scholarships, race and gender-focused scholarships and more.

Scholarship Sweepstakes

It doesn’t get much easier than this. Scholarship sweepstakes are easy scholarships that are simply based on luck. Entering them couldn’t be any more simple and everyone has an equal chance to win. Some sweepstakes allow many entries if you perform certain actions (like referring the scholarship to a friend). This gives you an even better chance of winning.

Each of these sweepstakes scholarships has different entry requirements. Some just ask you to enter the contest or sweepstakes, some require a short essay or statement, some require to enter quizzes and more.

Scholarship sweepstakes are an easy way to apply for many scholarships, especially if you don’t meet the requirements of others.

Weird Scholarships

Do you have a strange hobby? An obsession with something that isn’t common? Outstanding knowledge of a subject that others often don’t have? Use these skills to find a weird scholarship!

One of the best ways to win scholarships is to use skills that make you unique and stand out from the crowd. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of scholarships out there which appeal to specific kinds and types of people. These could be unique or strange interests or hobbies. These are amazing and great opportunities for you to win an easy scholarship.

We searched for some of the weirdest scholarships out there and came across many. For example:

• a Zombie Apocalypse scholarship asking students to plan for the apocalypse
• unique and antique dolls scholarship
• Christmas tree scholarship
• scholarships for tall students
• foreclosure scholarship- explain how you would deal with a certain situation
• Zolp scholarship- only for those with the last name Zolp

If you have a unique interest or talent, make sure to look for scholarships in the field. This is an excellent way to isolate yourself and make sure to be rewarded for your special interests.

Interest-Based Scholarships

Even if your interests or skills aren’t unique or strange, there are plenty of scholarships in whatever field you choose or specialize in.

Agriculture and Animals

If you’re looking for a career dealing with animals or agriculture these are great scholarships for you.

Athletics and Sports

There are many sports-based scholarships out there. Some focus on specific sports and some are more general. Many require minimum GPA requirements and often an essay.

These scholarships often ask students to show their management skills and abilities. Sometimes they are based on specific types of business adventures such as real estate.

Food and Drinks

Love food? These scholarships are for you! Some food based scholarships require the winners to work or volunteer in the field, study a relevant subject or have experience in the food industry. Others less involved and you can win just for liking coffee and writing an essay!

Hobbies and Interests Based Scholarships

These scholarships are based on certain hobbies- if you have one of them you’re in luck! Some examples are marbles, ice carving, coin collection and more.

Literature and Writing

Applicants are often asked to submit unique pieces of writing or literature. They are rewarded based on their love and appreciation of this field.

Performing Arts and Music

These scholarships can be for musicians or even revolving around a particular musician. Some require applicants to submit original music or work or a video. Prizes can involve cash or even being featured in music publications.

Photography

These scholarships are for students looking to major in art or become photographers. There are different requirements for different scholarships. Some only want a few pictures and others may want a portfolio including an essay describing your future plans. There are also scholarships available for the film. Some photography scholarships will give you equipment in addition to cash for school.

Travelling and Languages

Do you know a unique language? Use that to your advantage in your scholarship search! Some of these scholarships are also for those who wish to travel internationally or who come from certain countries or places. These may also be particularly relevant if you’re looking for a scholarship to help you study abroad.

Here we have listed just a few interest based scholarships. If you have a particular hobby or interest, it’s always a good idea to look for scholarships in the same field. These scholarships are unique and can be considered easy scholarships for you to win.

Corporate Scholarships

Many major companies offer scholarships for high school students. These corporations like Coca Cola and Burger King give easy scholarships to students who match their criteria. For example, John Deere has a scholarship for students who want to study agriculture, engineering or other related fields.

Many of the corporate scholarships are focused around specific types of business and studies. If you already know what you will be studying and are looking for an easy scholarship- these can be for you!

Conclusions

The scholarship field today is large. There is almost every kind of scholarship imaginable available for future students.

By focusing on easy scholarships, you will be able to submit your application to a large number of scholarships.  This will increase your chances of winning. In addition, you will save time by not slaving over countless long applications and essays.

Many of the unique types of scholarships outlined here are also perfect for those who possess special or unique skills or interests. These scholarships are particularly interesting and worthwhile for relevant students.

We hope that this guide has helped you to understand what easy scholarships are and why they may be worth your time. Good luck!

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David Tabachnikov is the CEO of ScholarshipOwl. Formerly at Waze and Google, David is an experienced CTO/R&D manager with over 10 years of experience of leading tech teams. David fervently believes that students should have greater access to education, and is passionate about using technology to help them achieve that goal.

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Articles & Advice > Financial Aid > Articles

The Ultimate List of Easy Scholarships to Apply for Now

No long essays. No recommendation letters. Just lots of scholarships that are easy to apply to and practically anyone can win. Updated for 2024!

by CollegeXpress

Last Updated: Aug 13, 2024

Originally Posted: Jan 22, 2020

These are the easiest-to-win college scholarships out there right now. Most take only a couple minutes to enter, with super simple applications and minimal writing. Awards that require 500+ word essays, letters of recommendation, intense projects, etc. are not included. We’re talking  easy  scholarships ,  people! Many of the scholarships are open to anyone ,  and most winners are chosen totally at random.

Now, before you dive into this list, remember: your scholarship search shouldn’t end here! There are  so many scholarships out there. Also, just because a scholarship isn’t advertised as “easy” doesn’t mean applying for it is hard. It can take a lot of time to find all the awards that fit you and fill out those applications, but it’s so worth it in the end. So enjoy this ultimate (and up-to-date!) list of easy college scholarships—and apply to as many as you can. Yes, they get a lot of entries because they’re so easy to apply to, but you have nothing to lose by trying. After all, somebody has to win these awards. Why not you?

CollegeXpress Easy One-Question Scholarships

Amount: Varies Awarded: Monthly Deadline: Last day of the month How to win: New and currently registered users on CollegeXpress just have to answer one question to enter this monthly scholarship contest. That's it! The question changes month to month; for example, in previous months, we’ve asked, "What is a good book you'd recommend to a friend for the summer?" and "What is your favorite subject in school?" Check out our Easy Scholarship Winners blog to see winners from each month this year and learn about the current month's opportunity. 

CollegeXpress $250 Refer-a-Friend Contest

Amount: $250 Awarded:  Monthly Deadline:  Last day of the month How to win:  Anyone in the CollegeXpress community can win this monthly contest, including parents and counselors! For every person who creates a free CollegeXpress account using your unique referral link, you'll get one entry in our monthly $250 Refer-a-Friend contest . Winners are then chosen at random. There’s no limit to how many entries you can get or how many times you can enter. (We’ve had people win more than once!) Just make sure your referrals complete their free registration so you can earn entries; only sharing and/or clicking the link doesn't count.

CollegeXpress Scholarship for Students of Color

Amount: $1,500 (plus $500 donated to a charity of your choice) Awarded: Quarterly Deadlines: March 31, June 30, September 30, December 31 How to win: If you're a Black, Indigenous, or Person of Color (BIPOC) student who's a US citizen and 13 years or older, you're eligible for the  CollegeXpress Scholarship for Students of Color . To apply, just create a free CX account (or log back in) and submit your answer to this question in one sentence: What is your dream career? The winner will be chosen randomly every quarter, and finalists will be contacted via email.

10 Words or Less Scholarship

Amount:  $500 Awarded:  Annually Deadline: April 15 How to win: For the 10 Words or Less Scholarship , you just need to explain why you should get this award in 10 words or fewer. They even let you post it as a comment on their Facebook page, for cryin’ out loud. You’re also required to “like” their Facebook page. In addition, you need to be between the ages of 14–25 and attending college in the fall.

1 st Financial Bank Financial Goals Scholarship

Amount: $2,000 Awarded: Monthly Deadline: Last day of each month How to win: This is a monthly scholarship opportunity sponsored by 1 st Financial Bank and is open to US residents who are 18 or older and planning to enroll or are currently enrolled in a college degree program. This is a random drawing, but it does require you to submit a short essay of 500 words or fewer on pursuing your educational and financial goals. 

Americanism Essay Contest

Amount: Up to $1,500 Awarded:  Annually Deadline:  December 1 How to win:  Every year, the Fleet Reserve Association awards the Americanism Essay Contest scholarship based on a single patriotic theme. They do require an essay, but it’s only 350 words. Last year’s theme was “What Freedom of Speech Means to Me.” In addition to the $1,500 grand prize, there are awards for first, second, and third place ($1,000, $750, and $500, respectively). This scholarship is open to students in grades 7–12.

Ascent Shining Stars Scholarship

Amount: $1,000  Awarded:  Monthly Deadline: First day of the month How to win:  Like many of the scholarships you’ll find on this list, most of the process to enter the Ascent scholarship sweepstakes involves filling out a form and following them on social media. Just complete the short form with your contact information, school, and a few other questions to create an account on their partner website, Kaleidoscope, and log in to finalize your entry. You also have to follow Ascent on one social media platform and tag them in a comment with the hashtag #AscentSponsored, plus be at least 18 years old to enter.

Barbizon’s $100,000 College Tuition Scholarship

Amount: $100,000 Awarded: Once every four years Deadline: December 31, 2024 How to win: As an effort to assist students outside of the classroom, Barbizon Modeling and Acting awards the College Tuition Scholarship to one lucky winner to make their college dreams a reality. Applicants have a full two years to get entries every time the new scholarship cycle opens. The most recent cycle opened in January of 2023 and will be closing in December of 2024, with winners announced sometime the following year. All students have to do to enter is complete the application, and the winner will be chosen by random drawing. 

“Be Bold” No-Essay Scholarship

Amount: $25,000+ Awarded: Annually Deadline: March 1 How to win: The  “Be Bold” No-Essay Scholarship offers $25,000 to bold students. Bold, by their definition, means earnest, determined, and moving. To win, you simply have to build your platform on the website to showcase your goals and achievements. The bolder your profile, the higher the chance you have to win. Although you can only enter once, the earlier in the year you do so, the better your chance to win. 

CampusReel Student-Led Virtual Tours

Amount: $2,000 Awarded: Annually Deadline: December 31 How to win:  CampusReel is all about encouraging students to get to know schools through campus tours, even if they can't make it to campus in person. Applicants just have to make a free account on CampusReel's website and watch one student-led virtual tour to enter. This opportunity is a win-win! Enter a great scholarship opportunity  and learn more about potential colleges to apply to. 

College Is Power Scholarship

Amount:  $1,000 Awarded:  Annually Deadline: May 31 How to win:  Whether you’re a full- or part-time student, whether you’re going to school online or in person, you could snag the College Is Power Scholarship (CIP). You need to be at least 17 years old and a US citizen, and you need to be attending school within the next 12 months. The only application requirements include a short form and a 150-word statement about your primary goal for going to school.

Christian College EDGE Scholarship

Amount:  $1,000 Awarded:  Annually Deadline: May 31 How to win:  Just create an account with this Christian college search site to be entered into the Christian College EDGE Scholarship . You’ll then have a chance to get information from Christian colleges and universities. It’ll enter you in their drawing and help you get recruited by those schools! This is different from their $5,000 Christian College Scholarship Drawing; see below.

Christian College Scholarship Drawing

Amount: $5,000 Awarded:  Annually Deadline: May 31 How to win:  You need to complete the registration form for the Christian College Connector to be entered into their Christian College Scholarship Drawing . Then winners are chosen at random, but they must be planning to enroll as full-time, first-year college students at a “Christ-centered Christian college or Bible college” within 16 months of winning.

Courage to Grow Scholarship

Amount:  $500 Awarded:  Monthly Deadline:  Last day of the month How to win:  The monthly Courage to Grow Scholarship is awarded to high school juniors, seniors, and college students with a minimum 2.5 GPA. And the only thing you need to do to win is to submit a short 250-word statement about why you deserve the money.

Create-A-Greeting-Card Scholarship Contest

Amount:  $10,000 Awarded:  Annually Deadline: March 1 How to win:  You’re already Snapchatting and Instagramming beautiful shots. Put your skills to work by creating a winning greeting card image for the  Create-A-Greeting-Card Scholarship Contest ! It could snag you $10,000, which is almost as good as getting a bajillion likes. To apply for this scholarship, you also need to be a US citizen and at least 14 years old.

Discover ®  Student Loans Scholarship Award

Amount:  $5,000 Awarded:  Monthly Deadline:  Last day of each month How to win:  Sign up to receive handy college money tips from Discover (you know, the credit card people) and you’re entered to win the monthly Discover® Student Loans Scholarship Award ! Plus, you can earn bonus entries by sharing the giveaway on social media. One winner will be chosen at random each month, but participants may only enter once per year for the overall one-year sweepstakes period. You also need to be a high school or college student at least 16 years old, and you have to go to an eligible college or university (although parents of eligible students can also enter on their behalf).

Doodle for Google

Amount: Up to $55,000 Awarded:  Annually Deadline: March 14 How to win:  Who knew your doodles could earn you tons of scholarship money and money for your school,  plus  get you featured on Google for a day? The Doodle for Google contest is open to all US students from kindergarten to seniors in high school. This year’s theme is “I show kindness by…” You have to include the Google logo, but you can make your doodle using any medium (hand drawn, painted, using software, etc.). The grand prize is a $55,000 scholarship, and the organization will award your school or a charity $50,000 in resources. There are also four national prizes of $5,000—still a lot of money for college!   

DoSomething.org Easy Scholarships

Amount:  Up to $22,000 Awarded:  Varies Deadline:  Varies How to win:  Okay, this isn’t a particular scholarship. That’s because DoSomething.org offers  a lot  of easy scholarships . And they move pretty quickly, with many lasting only a month. But, man, they are fun, creative, and fast. You typically sign up, complete a simple task, and upload a picture proving you did it. Then the winners are chosen at random. No essay, GPA, etc. The best part? These scholarships help you do some good in the world! So check the easy scholarships page at DoSomething.org to see what’s new.

Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway

Amount:  Up to $100,000 Awarded:  Annually Deadline: January 15 How to win:  To enter Dr Pepper’s Tuition Giveaway  scholarship contest, you need to do a few things. First, describe how you’ll change the world in 350 characters or fewer. Next, get your friends to vote for your entry. If you get 50 or more votes, you’ll need to create an inspiring video. Then comes the crazy part: If you’re a finalist, you’ll compete during a Big Ten, SEC, PAC-12, or ACC football championship game. Yup, it doesn’t get much bigger than that—but neither does the prize: up to $100,000 in tuition money. Talk about the big show. 

Equal Opportunity No-Essay Scholarship

Amount: $500 Awarded: Annually Deadline: March 31 How to win:   As a small way to help create a more equal playing field for disadvantaged students, the Equal Opportunity scholarship supports two motivated high school, undergraduate, or graduate students who want to improve their lives and the lives of the people around them. Just complete an application and you're entered. Students from any field of study who have a 2.0 GPA or higher are eligible to apply.

Forget Your Student Debt No-Essay Grant

Amount: $500 to multiple winners Awarded: Annually to all winners in December Deadline: The first day of each month (rolling deadlines until December 1) How to win: Bold.org offers anyone with student loan payments the  Forget Your Student Debt No-Essay Grant to cancel some of their college debt. The only requirement is to be a student carrying student debt. That’s it! Much like the other scholarships offered by Bold.org, the sooner you apply in the year, the better chance you have to win.

HeadSetPlus.com College Scholarship

Amount:  $1,000 Awarded:  Annually Deadline: December 31 How to win: All you have to do is record a short video talking about who you are, what you’ve achieved, why college is important, and what motivates you. Yeah, that seems like a lot, but since you need to fit it into a video that’s no longer than five minutes, you’ll fly through “applying” for the HeadSetPlus.com College Scholarship ! You need to be at least 16 years old and a high school senior or current college or grad student with a minimum 3.0 GPA to enter.

keep going forward No-Essay Scholarships

Amount: $1,500 Awarded:  Annually Deadline: April 28, August 31, October 30 How to win: The organization keepgoingforward.org sets out to increase opportunities and foster connection by fundraising for disadvantaged youth, advocating for sustainable travel, and amplifying other philanthropic organizations. Students can apply for all three scholarships throughout the year, as there are no set requirements for grade level or academic field. In fact, one of the scholarships doesn't even require applicants to be current students, as long as they are applying for the money with the intent to move forward with something new in life.

Let Grow: Think for Yourself Scholarship

Amount:  Up to $5,000 Awarded:  Annually Deadline: April 30 How to win:  Okay, the  Let Grow: Think for Yourself Scholarship   does require an essay, but they give you nine options, it only has to be between 500-800 words, and it encourages you to speak your mind. What’s easier than sharing your opinion? For instance, one of your options is, “Please write a thank-you note to a jerk you listened to… and learned something from (although perhaps you didn’t think so at the time.” There are a lot of fun places to go with that. And even if you don’t win the big $5,000, three people are chosen for $1,000 runner-up scholarships.

Make Me Laugh Scholarship

Amount:  $1,500 Awarded: Annually Deadline: August 31 How to win:  What if you could win money just by making someone laugh? Well, you can with the Make Me Laugh Scholarship ! Unigo sponsors a $1,500 scholarship where all you have to do is describe a story (in 250 words or fewer) about a funny or embarrassing incident in your life to make them laugh. We all have plenty of stories that come to mind… As long as you’re at least 14 years old, get going on this one!  

New Mexico Legislative Lottery Scholarship

Amount:  Varies  Awarded:  Varies Deadline:  Varies How to win:  If you graduated from a New Mexico high school, you’re continuing your education in New Mexico, and you earned at least a 2.5 GPA your first semester in college, you’ve got New Mexico Legislative Lottery Scholarship in the bag.  There isn’t even an application!  You just need to contact your college or university and ask them about it. It’s that easy. Really!

Nicholas A. Virgilio Memorial Haiku Competition

Amount:  $100 Awarded:  Annually Deadline: March 27 How to win:  $100 may not seem like much against your college tuition payments, but every little bit helps, and the  Nicholas A. Virgilio Memorial Haiku Competition is a pretty fun and fast scholarship. High school students in any grade can submit up to three haikus. A panel of judges will then select six winning poems each year.

Nitro Monthly Scholarship

Amount:  $2,000 Awarded:  Monthly Deadline:  Last day of the month How to win:  Nitro is another college search website that gives away annual scholarships every month . Just complete a short entry form about which college you’ll be attending and when you anticipate graduating. This application even allows parents to enter for their children. As long as you're at least 17 years old, you should apply! 

No Essay CollegeVine Scholarship

Amount:  $2,000 Awarded: Annually Deadline: March 31 How to win:  All high school students have to do to enter for a chance to win this award is create a free CollegeVine account and complete their profile. That's all you have to do! After that, the winner of the scholarship will be chosen based on a lottery system and you'll notified via email if you are the lucky recipient.

No Essay College Scholarship™

Amount:  $2,000 Awarded:  Monthly Deadline:  Last day of the month How to win:  Just create a free profile with Niche to enter their  No Essay College Scholarship™ . And if you already have one, all you need to do is log in each month for a chance to win! One winner is chosen at random every month. The contest is open to all high school and college students (though there are other eligibility requirements). The money can be applied toward any education-related expenses.  

Odenza Marketing Group Scholarship

Amount:  $500 Awarded:  Twice a year Deadline: March and November How to win:  Okay, this might not seem like the simplest scholarship in the world because you technically have to write  two  essays. But they both only call for a maximum of 500 words. So you could write 250 for each prompt—of course, you’d need to really knock them out of the park. The first essay is about where you would go to further your career, and the second is about why you deserve to win the Odenza Marketing Group Scholarship . You also need to be between 16–25 and have at least a 2.5 GPA. Oh, and you need to like their Facebook page too, but that’s easy enough. This scholarship is awarded twice a year in the spring and fall.

Sallie Mae $2,000 Scholarship Sweepstakes

Amount: $2,000 Awarded:  Monthly Deadline:  Last day of the month How to win: Sallie Mae offers a monthly $2,000 Scholarship Sweepstakes that both students and parents can enter each month. This contest is open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, or any US Territory who are age 17 or older at the time of entry. To learn more about the rules and policies for this award, you can view their eligibility page here . 

ScholarshipPoints Scholarship Giveaways

Amount: $10,000 and $2,500 Awarded:  Quarterly and monthly Deadline:  Varies How to win:  The “points” in ScholarshipPoints come from completing activities like taking surveys, reading emails, and playing games. Then you can use those points to enter scholarship drawings and improve your chances of winning. Pretty sweet deal, right? Well, in addition to all that pointy goodness, they randomly choose a registered user for a $2,500 scholarship each month and  $10,000 each quarter. Yes, please!

Scholarships 4 Moms

Amount:  $10,000 Awarded:  Five times a year Deadline: Varies (multiple drawings throughout the year) How to win:  Are you or are you about to become a mother? You could win $10,000 for educational purposes with  Scholarships 4 Moms , and all you need to do is register on their site. It’s quick, easy, and free—which is good because goodness knows you have your hands full if you’re a mom! You also need to be 18 years or older and a US citizen.

School Survey Sweepstakes

Amount:  $1,000 Awarded:  Monthly Deadline:  Last day of the month How to win:  Niche gathers reviews for all kinds of schools, from K-12 institutions to colleges and universities. They reward students, parents, and recent alumni for leaving those reviews by offering a $1,000 School Survey Sweepstakes . All you have to do is leave a (legit!) review to be entered. And you know you have lots of feelings about your school anyway.

School Band and Orchestra Magazine Scholarship

Amount:  $1,000 Awarded: Annually to 10 winners Deadline: March 31 How to win:  Do you play in your high school band or orchestra? Can you write 250 words about a music-related essay prompt? (You totally can.) Then you should apply for the School Band and Orchestra  Magazine Scholarship . Sure, learning how to play the clarinet wasn’t easy—but applying for this scholarship is.

ServiceScape Scholarship

Amount:  $1,000 Awarded:  Annually Deadline:  November 30 How to win:  The ServiceScape Scholarship  contest is open to students who are attending or who will attend an accredited college, university, or trade school. Applicants should fill out the application form and submit a super-short statement (no more than 300 words) on the following topic: "How does writing impact today's world?"

Student-View Scholarship

Amount: Up to $10,000 Awarded:  Annually Deadline: April 23 How to win:  No essay. No GPA or test scores. No application, even. All you need to do is complete a 15–25-minute online survey about colleges in your area. Then winners are chosen at random for the Student-View Scholarship . Yes, that’s "winners"— plural . In addition to the $10,000 top prize, two $1,000, and five $500 scholarships are handed out. In terms of scholarships awarded at random, those are pretty good odds!

Tallo Scholarships

Amount:  Varies Awarded:  Monthly Deadline:  Varies How to win:  Tallo is a website that aims to help students network with colleges and employers. To enter the Tallo Scholarship Contests , simply create a profile on their website, go to "Opportunities" and search for "Tallo" under "Organization Name." Several opportunities will be listed, including easy monthly scholarships and their $1,000 Invite-a-Friend Scholarship. Just follow the instructions and answer the questions to be entered!

The $1,000 SuperCollege Scholarship

Amount:  $1,000 Awarded:  Monthly Deadline:  Last day of the month How to win:  Okay, here’s how to enter the $1,000 SuperCollege Scholarship : Fill out their online application. Hit “Submit.” End of instructions. Yup—it’s that easy. It’s open to high school seniors, college students, grad students, and adult learners, and winners are chosen at random.

UNIGO $10K Scholarship

Amount:  $10,000 Awarded:  Annually Deadline: December 31 How to win: For the Unigo 10K Scholarship , you just need to submit an online written response (in 250 words or fewer) to this prompt: Would you rather be smart, funny, or rich? Why? You also need to be a legal resident of the US, at least 14 years old when you apply, and enrolled in an accredited post-secondary institution. 

You Deserve It! Scholarship

Amount:  $1,000 Awarded:  Monthly Deadline:  Last day of the month How to win:  The You Deserve It! Scholarship  only requires you to register on a website to enter. Plus, it’s kind of a meta award. It’s from Scholarship Owl, and creating an account with them also helps you apply to a lot of other scholarships with a single form, so you don’t need to complete a bunch of separate scholarship applications!

Related: Easy No–Essay Scholarships You Need to Know About Right Now

We’ll keep adding to this list as we discover more easy scholarships. (If you have any that we missed, let us know on Twitter  @ CollegeXpress  so we can make this the best and most up-to-date list of easy scholarships anywhere!) Reminder:  Always double-check the scholarship rules and regulations before starting an application. Some of these awards move pretty fast, particularly the monthly scholarships and things like eligibility requirements or deadlines might change.

Find even more scholarships you're eligible for on CollegeXpress using our Scholarship Search tool !

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Easy Scholarships That You Can Apply to Right Now!

Last updated August 1, 2024

Here's our ultimate list of easy scholarships you can apply to now! We selected these scholarships based on a few criteria: Do they require a long essay? Do they have a minimum GPA requirement? Do they have an extensively long application process?

Disclaimer: Some scholarship websites or organizations found on this list may sell your personal information to third parties, including (but not limited to): your name, email address, home address, and phone number. While we aim to share scholarships and scholarship websites that do not sell any student data, we know that those with larger money scholarships may. We encourage you to always be intentional about the scholarships you apply to and the information you share with them.

Looking for more? We have lots of resources to help you in your scholarship search!

• Use our free scholarship application requirements tracker .
• Text #Scholarships to 33-55-77 with any scholarship-related questions.
• Submit your scholarship essay for free review.
• Use Get Schooled’s brand new Scholarship Finder to gain access to over 16,000 scholarships just for YOU!

BigFuture College Scholarships //  College Board

Amount: Varies

Deadline: Varies

BigFuture by College Board regularly gives scholarships to students who are in the process of applying to college and navigating financial aid for the first time. They award scholarships for things like  completing your FAFSA ,  searching for scholarships ,  practicing for the SAT , and more.

Niche + Tallo Scholarship // Niche + Tallo

Amount: $1,000

Deadline: Monthly; deadlines vary.

Niche and Tallo are partnering to bring monthly scholarship awards of $1,000! All you have to do is create a profile with Tallo and click this link to apply .

Easy Money Scholarship // Cappex

To apply, all you have to do is create a Cappex profile and tell them what you like to do in your free time. Easy, right?

School Survey Scholarship // Niche

Deadline: Monthly; Upcoming deadline August 31, 2024

To apply for this scholarship, all you need to do is take a short survey about your high school. The scholarship is open to current high school students, parents, and recent alumni.

Nitro Scholarship // Nitro

Amount: $2,000

To apply for this scholarship, all you need to do is fill out 5-question application. 

$2,000 No Essay Scholarship // Niche

To apply for this scholarship, high school and college students only need to create a free Niche account. 

SuperCollege Scholarship // SuperCollege

The SuperCollege Scholarship is open to all students — high school students, college students, grad students, or adults planning on going back to school. It’s an easy scholarship that only requires you to fill out a simple application.

C.I.P. Scholarship // College is Power

Deadline: August 31, 2024

Students ages 17 years or older who plan to start a program of higher education within the next 12 months or who are currently enrolled in a program of higher education are eligible to apply for this scholarship. Applicants must be citizens or residents of the U.S. and write a 150-word statement answering the following prompt: "What is your primary goal for going to school?"

Be Bold No-Essay Scholarship // Bold.org

Amount:  $25,124

Deadline: September 1, 2024

This scholarship will be awarded to the student with the "boldest" Bold.org profile. Students at any education level, state, field of study, and GPA will be considered.

Be the Boss Scholarship // GoSkills

Deadline: September 15, 2024

This scholarship was created for a female student who wants to start her own online business. Financial need and academic performance will not be considered when applying.

Education Matters Scholarship // Unigo

Amount: $5,000

Deadline: November 30, 2024

Does your education matter? Yes, it does! Unigo is awarding one applicant $5,000 if they can answer the prompt, "What would you say to someone who thinks education doesn't matter, or that college is a waste of time and money?"

Top Ten List Scholarship // Unigo

Amount: $1,500

Deadline: December 31, 2024

Why do you deserve this scholarship? Tell Unigo the top ten reasons why you deserve this scholarship in 250 words or less and you'll be entered in to win!

Unigo $10,000 Annual Scholarship //  Unigo

Amount:  $10,000

To apply for this scholarship, all you have to do is answer a simple question in 250 words or less: "Would you rather be smart, funny, or rich? Why?"

Superpower Scholarship //  Unigo

Amount: $2,500

Deadline: March 31, 2025

Having superpowers is cool, but which superhero or supervillain would you want to swap places with for one day? Tell Unigo your answer in 250 words or less to be considered for this scholarship!

Fifth Month Scholarship // Unigo

Deadline: May 31, 2025

This scholarship is open to U.S. citizens and residents 14 years or older. Applicants must submit a maximum 250-word essay answering the following prompt: "May is the fifth month of the year. Write a letter to the number five explaining why five is important. Be serious or be funny. Either way, here's a high five to you for being original."

Missed the deadline on any of these scholarships? That’s okay! We’ll save this list so you can apply next year.

Brown girls do college scholarship // brown girls do ballet.

Deadline: June 30, 2024

This scholarship is available to full time college undergraduate students across any field of study. Must write a 500 word essay on first-generation status (if applicable), plan for completing your undergraduate degree, and how dance has impacted your life. You don't need to be a dancer to qualify for this scholarship.

Career & Technical Scholarships // Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans

Amount: Up to $10,000

Deadline: June 17, 2024

Eligibility requirements for these scholarships may vary.

LGBTQ+ Student Scholarship //  Study.com

Deadline: May 31, 2024

LGBTQ+ students who are accepted to or enrolled in a college or university in the U.S. are eligible to apply for this scholarship. Financial need will not be considered.

WayUp Dream Job No-Essay Scholarship // Bold.org

Deadline: May 16, 2024

This scholarship will be awarded to the student who makes the most of the WayUp platform, including creating a profile and applying to jobs and internships.

National Scholarship // National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs

Deadline: March 29, 2024

This scholarship is open to African American high school seniors who have a GPA of 3.0 and above and submit a typed essay of no less than 300 words on the topic: “Explain the Benefits You Have Gained through the Contributions of Two (2) Trailblazers of African Descent within the past twenty (20) years, and How It Has Benefited You as a Person.”

McDonald’s HACER National Scholarship //  McDonald's

Amount:  $5,000-$100,000

Deadline:  February 13, 2024

High school seniors who have at least one parent of Hispanic heritage and have a minimum 2.8 GPA are eligible to apply for this scholarship. DACA recipients are eligible to apply.

Rise to Legacy HBCU Scholarship //  Get Schooled

First-gen trailblazers scholarship // get schooled, reach for your peak scholarship (washington & oregon only) // get schooled, minority/women in stem scholarship //  bold.org.

Amount: 5 winners, $1,000 each

Deadline: November 15, 2023

Any BIPOC and/or female high school senior or undergraduate who is a first-generation, low-income student interested in STEM may apply for this scholarship. Applicants must write a 400-600 word-essay answering the following prompt: “What are some challenges you've had to overcome while pursuing your education and how do you plan on making a positive impact on the world through your STEM education?”

Hustle Tech & Business News No-Essay Scholarship // Bold.org

Amount: $500

Deadline: November 1, 2023

This scholarship will be awarded to students who read The Hustle, a free daily newsletter aiming to change how young professionals consume news, and can apply what they've learned to accelerate their education and career.

I Can Do Anything Scholarship // The Scholarship Collective

Deadline: October 1, 2023

Any high school junior or senior or undergraduate college student may apply for this scholarship. To apply, write one sentence telling the Scholarship Collective about your dream version of your future self.

Advocates Law Scholarship // The Advocates Injury Attorneys

Deadline: June 30, 2023

This scholarship is open to current and incoming students currently enrolled in an accredited college in the United States. Applicants must submit a 300-500-word essay answering the following prompt: “What are some of the problems we face on the roads? How can you contribute to improving road safety? What laws (if any) could be changed to accomplish the goal of making streets safer for everyone?”

Community Champions Scholarship // Ascent

Deadline: June 15, 2023

To apply for this scholarship, all you need to do is follow @AscentFunding on Instagram, like the Instagram post linked on their site, and leave a comment sharing what success means to you. Be sure to end your comment with #AscentSponsored.

Study.com Scholarship for Latin American Students // Study.com

Deadline: May 1, 2023

Graduating high school seniors with plans to attend college in the fall of 2023 and current undergraduate college students in any field of study are eligible to apply for this scholarship. Applicants must be of Latin American descent and be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

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Top 100+ Undergraduate Scholarships in August 2024

Gabriel Jimenez-Ekman is a content editor and writer at Scholarships360. He has managed communications and written content for a diverse array of organizations, including a farmer’s market, a concert venue, a student farm, an environmental NGO, and a PR agency. Gabriel graduated from Kenyon College with a degree in sociology.

Learn about our editorial policies

Whether you are a prospective or current undergraduate student, you are probably facing overwhelming educational expenses. We gathered this list of vetted undergraduate scholarships to help. We’ve included undergrad scholarships for students in STEM, social sciences, the humanities, and any other field of study.

This list includes scholarships for high school students looking to attend undergrad, as well as current undergraduate students looking to fund the rest of their education, and even their grad school. Scroll down to start your search, and consider signing up for our free app to get custom scholarship recommendations, updated daily.

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.

“Get Inspired” TikTok Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Online platforms like TikTok have given people all around the world the opportunity to create and share content. But sometimes with so many people constantly… Show More

Online platforms like TikTok have given people all around the world the opportunity to create and share content. But sometimes with so many people constantly posting and sharing, it’s hard to break out of all the noise. That’s why Scholarships360 is asking what or even who inspires you to create, to share, and to connect with others. To apply for this scholarship, simply follow these steps: 1. Follow us on TikTok. 2. Like the "Get Inspired" TikTok Scholarship post pinned at the top of our grid. 3. Drop a thoughtful comment on the post about what inspires you. For extra consideration, tag some friends who inspire you as well! Show Less

BigFuture $40k Essay-Free Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by The College Board

Open to US-Based high school students in the class of 2025 — no essay, minimum GPA, test score, or citizenship requirements.

“Jump for Joy” InstaScholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

When you’re not searching for scholarships, what do you like to do for fun? Do you dance? Play sports? Watch movies? Here at Scholarships360, we… Show More

When you’re not searching for scholarships, what do you like to do for fun? Do you dance? Play sports? Watch movies? Here at Scholarships360, we know how important it is to follow your passions. That’s why we’re offering a $500 scholarship to one student who tells us what makes them jump for joy! Whether it’s spending time with your friends, reading a good book, or jamming out to music, we want to know what brings a smile to your face. To apply for this scholarship, simply follow these steps: 1. Follow us on Instagram. 2. Like the “Jump for Joy” InstaScholarship post pinned at the top of our grid. 3. Drop a thoughtful comment on the post about something that brings you joy. Extra consideration will be given to students who mention at least one friend in their comment! Show Less

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!

“College Here I Come” Essay Scholarship for High School Seniors This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

The "College Here I Come" Scholarship for Class of 2025 is open to just who you think: high school seniors graduating in the class of… Show More

The "College Here I Come" Scholarship for Class of 2025 is open to just who you think: high school seniors graduating in the class of 2025! Here at Scholarships360, scholarships are our passion–we know that you can never have enough of them! After all, scholarships are essentially “free money” to help fund your education. We want to help out a lucky high school senior who is just starting out on their higher education journey and actively looking for ways to fund it. Please note that applicants will be reviewed based on both the quality of their essay and quantity of scholarships applied for on the Scholarships360 platform. Scholarships360 users who are more active on the platform will be given higher consideration. We hope that you apply and look forward to reading your application! Show Less

“Scholar Dollars” Essay Scholarship for Black Students This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

In offering the “Scholar Dollars” Essay Scholarship for Black Students, we want to help offset the cost of attending college for Black students. Open to… Show More

In offering the “Scholar Dollars” Essay Scholarship for Black Students, we want to help offset the cost of attending college for Black students. Open to high school juniors and seniors (graduating class of 2024 and 2025) and undergraduate and graduate students enrolled during the 2024-25 academic year, this scholarship aims to lighten your financial worry and allow you to take fewer loans. Remember, scholarships are essentially “free money” that need not be paid back. This scholarship, specifically, aims to help out a Black student who is passionate about their higher education journey and actively looking for ways to fund it. Please note that applicants will be reviewed based on both the quality of their essay and quantity of scholarships applied for on the Scholarships360 platform. Scholarships360 users who are more active on the platform will be given higher consideration. We look forward to reading your application, and wish you much success on your academic journey!  Show Less

$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, juniors and seniors.

“Making Waves” Scholarship for Women This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Are you a woman in high school, college, or graduate school enrolled during the 2024-25 academic year? If so, let us help you! Our $500… Show More

Are you a woman in high school, college, or graduate school enrolled during the 2024-25 academic year? If so, let us help you! Our $500 “Making Waves” Scholarship for Women aims to help women cover the costs of pursuing their dreams. Whether that dream is starting a business, learning a foreign language, or attending college on the path to fulfilling your dream, the scholarship will cover those costs and make your journey a little easier. No matter your goals, we want to help out a woman who is passionate about their higher education journey and actively looking for ways to fund it. In order to apply, simply write an essay about how the $500 “Making Waves” Scholarship for Women will help you fulfill your dreams. Please note that applicants will be reviewed based on both the quality of their essay and quantity of scholarships applied for on the Scholarships360 platform. Scholarships360 users who are more active on the platform will be given higher consideration. We encourage you to apply and look forward to reading your essay. Good luck! Show Less

“Tuition Solution” Scholarship for STEM Students This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Do you like figuring out solutions to difficult problems? Well, if you’re a current or aspiring STEM major, we have one for you! Our $500… Show More

Do you like figuring out solutions to difficult problems? Well, if you’re a current or aspiring STEM major, we have one for you! Our $500 “Tuition Solution” Scholarship is meant for high school juniors and seniors (graduating class of 2024 or 2025), as well as undergraduate and graduate students enrolled during the 2023-24 academic year who are looking for ways to fund their postsecondary education in STEM. In order to apply, you must write an essay about how your passion for STEM started and how the scholarship will help you fulfill your dreams. No matter which STEM field ignites your interest, we look forward to reading your essays. Please note that applicants will be reviewed based on both the quality of their essay and quantity of scholarships applied for on the Scholarships360 platform. Scholarships360 users who are more active on the platform will be given higher consideration. Apply today - it’s time to cell-e-brate you! Show Less

$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.

“A Helping Hand” Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

At Scholarships360, we know how hard it can be to pay off the hefty costs of a college tuition. Oftentimes, this is even more difficult… Show More

At Scholarships360, we know how hard it can be to pay off the hefty costs of a college tuition. Oftentimes, this is even more difficult for students coming from low-income backgrounds or for those who demonstrate financial need. This is where our “A Helping Hand” Scholarship comes in! We're offering a $500 scholarship to help out a low-income student who is passionate about their higher education journey and is actively looking for ways to fund it. This award is open to high school juniors and seniors (graduating class of 2024 and 2025), as well as undergraduate and graduate students enrolled during the 2024-25 academic year. In order to apply, students should submit an essay detailing how winning the scholarship would help you fulfill your dreams. Please note that applicants will be reviewed based on both the quality of their essay and quantity of scholarships applied for on the Scholarships360 platform. Scholarships360 users who are more active on the platform will be given higher consideration. We look forward to reading your application! Show Less

“Follow Your Own Path” Essay Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

At Scholarships360, our mission is to help students find and fund their postsecondary education. We know that students have a variety of educational and career… Show More

At Scholarships360, our mission is to help students find and fund their postsecondary education. We know that students have a variety of educational and career interests and aspirations. That is why we are offering the “Follow Your Own Path” Essay Scholarship. This scholarship aims to support all current postsecondary students, regardless of the type of education they are pursuing. Thus, no matter your own unique educational path, we hope you apply for this $500 scholarship. In order to apply for the “Follow Your Own Path” Essay Scholarship, students must submit an essay about their career ambitions. Please note that applicants will be reviewed based on both the quality of their essay and quantity of scholarships applied for on the Scholarships360 platform. Scholarships360 users who are more active on the platform will be given higher consideration. We look forward to reading your application! Show Less

$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

“Commencing at Community College” Essay Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Community college, also known as two-year college, is a golden opportunity for the right student. These schools offer an affordable education to a diverse range… Show More

Community college, also known as two-year college, is a golden opportunity for the right student. These schools offer an affordable education to a diverse range of students in a wide range of majors. If starting your postsecondary education at a community college is right for you, we have a scholarship just for you! The “Commencing at Community College” Essay Scholarship aims to financially support community college students who are passionate about their higher education journeys and actively looking for ways to fund it. In order to apply for the “Commencing at Community College” Essay Scholarship, students must submit an essay explaining how earning their degree at community college will help them achieve their educational and career goals. Please note that applicants will be reviewed based on both the quality of their essay and quantity of scholarships applied for on the Scholarships360 platform. Scholarships360 users who are more active on the platform will be given higher consideration. We look forward to reading your application!  Show Less

“Outstanding Undergraduate” Essay Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

The U.S. is home to over 2,000 four-year universities offering bachelor’s degrees. However, attending such universities can sometimes come with hefty costs that can deter… Show More

The U.S. is home to over 2,000 four-year universities offering bachelor’s degrees. However, attending such universities can sometimes come with hefty costs that can deter students from attending. If you’re in a situation similar to this, we may just have the perfect scholarship opportunity for you: the “Outstanding Undergraduate” Essay Scholarship! With this scholarship, we aim to help out a lucky undergraduate student (enrolled during the 2024-25 academic year) who is passionate about their higher education journey and actively looking for ways to fund it. The scholarship is open to any U.S. citizen who is enrolled as an undergraduate at a four-year university in the U.S. during the 2023-24 academic year. In order to apply, submit an essay explaining how earning your bachelor’s degree will help you achieve your educational and career goals. Please note that applicants will be reviewed based on both the quality of their essay and quantity of scholarships applied for on the Scholarships360 platform. Scholarships360 users who are more active on the platform will be given higher consideration. We look forward to reading your application! 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.

Sharing is Caring Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Did you know you can win a $1,000 scholarship just by sharing Scholarships360 with your friends? The Sharing is Caring Scholarship is open to all… Show More

Did you know you can win a $1,000 scholarship just by sharing Scholarships360 with your friends? The Sharing is Caring Scholarship is open to all Scholarships360 users who refer their friends to Scholarships360. The more people you refer, the higher your chances of winning! To apply, just send your personal referral link to your friends. For every person who creates a Scholarships360 account using your personal referral link, you’ll gain an entry to the Sharing is Caring Scholarship. Get started by visiting the Scholarships360 Referral Center! Show Less

$1,000 Stress-Free Scholarship Giveaway

Offered by Ascent Funding

The $1,000 Stress-Free Scholarship Giveaway is an easy scholarship open to college and graduate students! Applicant must be at least 18 years old and a… Show More

The $1,000 Stress-Free Scholarship Giveaway is an easy scholarship open to college and graduate students! Applicant must be at least 18 years old and a legal resident of the United States or the District of Columbia or DACA student. Learn more and see Official Rules at AscentFunding.com/Scholarships. Show Less

Top 10 undergraduate scholarships overall

We went through our database of thousands of undergraduate scholarships and hand-selected the opportunities below based on three criteria:

• The scholarship is from a well-known organization that has been offering the opportunity for several years
• The award amount is substantial
• The eligibility information is not too narrow, so many students can apply

Here are our picks for the overall top 10 undergraduate scholarships:

• Questbridge College Match  – For high school seniors with financial need, offers a full ride to college
• The Gates Scholarship  – For low-income minority high school seniors, offers a full ride to college
• Collegiate Inventors Competition  – For college students who submit an original invention. Worth up to $10,000
• 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
• Regeneron Science Talent Search  – For high school seniors interested in pursuing an individual STEM research project. Worth anywhere between $2,000 and $250,000
• Blacks at Microsoft Scholarship  – For Black high school seniors pursuing a bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science, computer information systems, or a business field. Worth up to $20,000
• Ayn Rand Institute Novel Essay Contest (Atlas Shrugged)  – For students who submit an essay about the novel Atlas Shrugged. Worth $25,000
• Jack Kent Cooke College Scholarship  – For high school seniors with financial need, worth up to $55,000 per year
• Elie Wiesel Foundation Prize In Ethics  – For college upperclassmen who write an essay about ethics. Worth $10,000
• Create-A-Greeting-Card Scholarship Contest  – For high school and college students who submit a greeting card of their own creation. Worth $10,000

Top 3 undergraduate scholarships for Black students

• Scholar Dollars Essay Scholarship for Black Students  – For Black high school upperclassmen, college students, and graduate students. Worth $500
• Generation Google Scholarship  – For HS seniors, college, and grad students who plan to study computer science or engineering. Worth $10,000. Preference given to women and ethnic minorities
• Ron Brown Scholarship  – For Black high school seniors who plan to study global entrepreneurship and/or community engagement. Worth $10,000 per year

Top 3 undergraduate scholarships for Hispanic students

• El Cafe Del Futuro Scholarship  – For undergraduate and graduate students attending Hispanic-Serving Institutions in the US. Worth $5,000
• Hispanic Scholarship Fund  – For Hispanic students who will be enrolled at a 4-year college or grad school the following year. Worth up to $5,000. Approximately 10,000 awards granted per year
• Dream.US Opportunity Scholarship  – For undocumented high school seniors and college freshmen with high financial need living in a state where public colleges do not offer in-state tuition to undocumented students. Worth $20,000 per year

Top 3 undergraduate scholarships for women

• Navisite’s Next Steminist Scholarship Program  – For women who are HS seniors or college students and submit a 60-second video about their dream STEM career. Worth $10,000
• “Making Waves” Scholarship for Women – For women in all grade levels who write a short essay. Worth $500
• Hyundai Women in STEM Scholarship  – For HS seniors and college undergrads who identify as female and are pursuing STEM. Worth $10,000

Top 3 undergraduate STEM scholarships

• Barry Goldwater Scholarship  – For college students pursuing a research career in STEM. Worth $7,500
• Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers Scholarships  – For high school seniors and above who are Hispanic and pursuing a STEM degree. Worth $25,000

Scholarships for undergrads by grade level

Whether you are a college freshman or a transfer student, we have specific guides to help you find and apply for scholarships:

• Scholarships for High School Freshman
• Scholarships for High School Sophomores
• Scholarships for High School Juniors
• Scholarships for High School Seniors
• College Freshmen
• Community College Students
• College Sophomores
• College Juniors
• Transfer Students
• College Seniors

How to win undergrad scholarships

Here are a few tips for finding and winning scholarships and financial aid for an undergraduate education.

Apply for need-based financial aid

Your first step should be to apply for need-based aid, including  Pell Grants ,  Federal SEOG Grants , and  work study . These are strictly based on your need, so your academic standing should not impact them as long as you are making Satisfactory Academic Progress .

The two major financial aid applications are the  FAFSA  and the  CSS Profile . These applications serve to assess your financial need. Schools have their own deadlines for each application, so make sure that you get everything in on time!

Apply to many scholarships to increase your odds of winning

A key part of any good scholarship strategy  is applying to a broad array of scholarship opportunities. The more you apply to, the more chances you have of winning! Scholarships can take many forms, such as  video scholarships ,  local opportunities , and scholarships based on your  major  or your  background .

Check your college’s financial aid office or high school counseling office for scholarships

Your college’s financial aid office or your high school’s counseling office should be your first stop for college scholarships since they may be able to offer other forms of aid as well (like grants or work study programs). If you are not currently on campus, you can consult their website and reach out to a representative via email.

Look for departmental scholarships

Many colleges, such as the  University of South Carolina , offer scholarships to current students on a departmental basis. Students who show particular promise in one field of study may be eligible to receive funding from their department for their additional years of schooling. You can try consulting your professors, your advisor, or the chair of the department you’re majoring in to see what opportunities are out there.

Study abroad scholarships

If you plan on studying abroad, you may be eligible for scholarships! There are many places to look for study abroad scholarships. These include your school’s study abroad department, the organization running the program you’re enrolling in, and  our very own list of scholarships for students who are studying abroad ! As studying abroad can often end up being expensive for students, it’s a good idea to pursue these options to reduce your costs. 

Frequently asked questions about undergraduate scholarships

How do i find scholarships that no one applies for, is the sallie mae $2000 scholarship legit, what is the most prestigious undergraduate scholarship.

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24 Easy College Scholarships To Apply For Right Now

Great way to cover tuition!

Paying for college isn’t easy, but scholarships can help keep students out of debt. Unfortunately, many of them have strict eligibility requirements, and/or the application process is very time-consuming. The whole process can be pretty discouraging. That’s why we’ve put together this list of easy scholarships to apply for. With just a little effort, applicants could have some extra cash for school! 

Tips for Scholarship Applications

Before you dive into our list of easy scholarships to apply for, check out these tips to help you get started. 

Apply for Everything

OK, maybe not everything , but it’s best to apply for scholarships early and often. When the criteria is simple, these scholarship committees will receive many applications. So, get them in as early as possible and move on to the next one. 

Create a New Email Account

When applying for these easy scholarships, applicants are usually opted in to mailing lists that provide updates on the scholarship. Keep everything well-organized and in one place by having a separate email account just for communications about scholarships. 

Watch Out for Scams

Scammers know that students are desperate for money, so there are some sketchy things going on out there. Always take a few minutes to research an organization before submitting personal information to make sure they are reputable. Also, Scholarships360 has a great article on how to avoid scholarship scams . It’s worth the read!

Don’t Give Up

As we’ve already mentioned, a lot of students apply for these scholarships. Prepare for the fact that many applicants face some disappointment, but keep going!

Find Other Scholarship Opportunities

While exploring these easy scholarships to apply for is a great idea, there are many other financial awards worth considering. We have a lot of great resources to help students cover the cost of tuition:

• Full-ride scholarships
• Merit-based scholarships
• Scholarships for high school students
• Great scholarships for Black students
• Top scholarships for women
• Scholarships for future teachers
• Top STEM scholarships

Top Easy Scholarships To Apply For

Niche $50,000 “no essay” scholarship.

• Amount: $50,000
• Eligibility: High school, college, and graduate students
• Deadline: December 14, 2022

The Happy Holidays Scholarship

• Amount: $1,500
• Eligibility: Open to all high school students
• Deadline: December 31, 2022

Top Ten List Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to all students who are 14 or older

$2,000 “No Essay” College Scholarship

• Amount: $2,000
• Eligibility: High school and college students

$2,000 Nitro College Scholarship – No Essay

• Eligibility: High school, college/community college, and graduate students

The 1st Financial Bank Financial Goals Scholarship

• Eligibility: Students who are in college and 18+ years old

$2,000 Student-Led Virtual Tour Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to all students

$2,000 College Repayment Grant

• Eligibility: Open to college graduates (or their parents!) who are paying back student loan debt

$2,500 December ScholarshipPoints Scholarship

• Amount: $2,500
• Eligibility: High school, college, community college, and graduate students

The “No Sweat” Scholarship

• Eligibility: Students who are at least 13 years old

$5,000 Christian Connector Scholarship

• Amount: $5,000
• Eligibility: Current high school students planning to attend a Christian university or college

$5,000 Graduate School Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to all current and prospective graduate school students

Education Matters Scholarship

Unigo $10k scholarship.

• Amount: $10,000

“Be Bold” No-Essay Scholarship

• Amount: $25,000

$40,000 BigFuture Scholarships

• Award: Up to $40,000 per month
• Eligibility: Open to U.S.-based high school students in the class of 2023—no essay, minimum GPA, test score, or citizenship requirements

I Have a Dream Scholarship

• Deadline: January 31, 2022

Discover Student Loans Scholarship Award

• Eligibility: U.S. residents who are age 16 or older
• Deadline: January 31, 2023

Lounge Lizard Web Design Scholarship

• Amount: $1,000
• Eligibility: High school seniors through graduate students who submit a web design
• Deadline: February 19, 2023, and October 2023

$10,000 CollegeXpress Scholarship

• Deadline: May 1, 2023

Annual Protestant Faith Based College Scholarship

• Eligibility: High school students planning to attend a Protestant university or college
• Deadline: May 31, 2023

Annual Catholic College Scholarship

• Eligibility: High school students planning to attend a Catholic university or college

Young Filmmakers Contest 

• Amount: $200 to $2,000
• Eligibility: Students in grade 3 up through age 25 who submit short films about sustainability
• Deadline: June 25, 2023

$10,000 “No Essay” Scholarship

• Eligibility: U.S.-based high school, college, and graduate students
• Deadline: June 30, 2023

Do you know of any easy scholarships to apply for? Share them below!

Want more suggestions check out  the ultimate guide to college scholarships, want more articles like this be sure to subscribe to our newsletters ..

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