Scholarship
Scholarship Opportunities
The National Honor Society Scholarship
NHS is the oldest and best-known student recognition program. For nearly 100 years, NHS members have been making a difference in their schools and communities through their scholarship, service, leadership, and character. Alumni include celebrated individuals from all walks of life, including the arts and sciences, government, education, medicine, the military, politics, and athletics.
To recognize the most outstanding NHS members, the organization has been awarding its respected NHS Scholarship to hundreds of students every year-helping make their higher education aspirations more affordable.
Find more information about this scholarship, valued up to $25,000 here.
Does NHS membership automatically qualify me for an NHS Scholarship?
All senior members in good standing who attend a school that has an active chapter of NHS may apply for the NHS Scholarship. Members must obtain the application procedures from their NHS adviser.
Davidson Fellowships are awarded by the Davidson Institute for Talent Development to US students under age 18 who have completed a significant piece of work in the fields of Mathematics, Science, Technology, Music, Literature, Philosophy or Outside the Box. The significant piece of work should have the potential to benefit society. The focus of the program is on gifted and talented students. There is no minimum age for eligibility. Four $50,000 scholarships, seven $25,000 scholarships, and five $10,000 scholarships are awarded each year. The deadline is March 31 (receipt); there are earlier deadlines for some forms.
Elks National Foundation Most Valuable Student Competition
The Elks National Foundation "Most Valuable Student" Competition awards 500 four-year scholarships to high school seniors. US citizenship is required. Two renewable $15,000 scholarships, two renewable $10,000 scholarships, two renewable $5,000 scholarships, and 494 renewable $1,000 scholarships are awarded each year. The application deadline is in early January. Contact your local Elks lodge for more information. Applicants do not need to be related to a member of the Elks.
The Gates Millennium Scholarship program is sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and administered by the United Negro College Fund. Nomination by a professional educator (principal, teacher, guidance counselor, etc.) is required. The focus of this program is on students who will be pursuing careers in mathematics, science, engineering, education or library science. Candidates must be African America, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Asian Pacific Islander American, or Hispanic American, a US citizen or permanent resident/national, have a cumulative GPA of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale, and be entering a US accredited college or university as a full-time degree-seeking freshman in the fall. Candidates must also be eligible for the Federal Pell Grant. Nominations must be submitted by early to mid January. Applications must be submitted by February 1. For more information, write to Gates Millennium Scholars, PO Box 10500, Fairfax, VA 22031-8044, or call 1-877-690-GMSP (4677).
Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship (NOAA)
The Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship was established in 2005 by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to honor retired Senator Ernest F. Hollings of South Carolina who promoted ocean research and the study of our atmosphere throughout his career. Approximately 100 scholarships of up to $28,425 are awarded each year. The awards provide support to full-time undergraduate students during their junior and senior years (up to $8,000 per year) and a 10-week full-time summer internship at a NOAA or partner facility ($650 per week, plus a housing subsidy for non-local interns). The award also provides travel expenses to attend a Hollings scholarship program conference at the end of the internship. The program supports a variety of majors related to oceanic and atmospheric science, research, technology and education, including earth, environmental and marine sciences, biology, agricultural science, life sciences, mathematics, computer science, physical science, engineering, social and behavioral sciences, and teacher education. US citizenship is required. Candidates must have a GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
The Intel Science Talent Search, formerly known as the Westinghouse Science Talent Search, is one of the most prestigious scientific research competitions for high school seniors in the United States. Winners are selected on the basis of their potential as future scientists and researchers. Each year 300 students are named semifinalists and receive a $1,000 award. 40 of the semifinalists are named finalists and are invited on an all-expense-paid trip to the Science Talent Institute in Washington, DC in March, where the winners are selected. The first place finalist receives a $100,000 four-year scholarship, the second place finalist a $75,000 scholarship, and the third place finalist a $50,000 scholarship. Fourth through sixth place finalists receive $25,000 scholarships and seventh through tenth place finalists receive $20,000 scholarships. The remaining 30 finalists receive $5,000 scholarships. All finalists also receive a high performance computer. The entry deadline varies, but is typically in early to mid November.
NIH Undergraduate Scholarship Program
The NIH Undergraduate Scholarship Program (UGSP) is a competitive scholarship program sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for students from disadvantaged backgrounds who are interested in pursuing biomedical, behavioral and social science careers at the NIH. The UGSP program provides up to $20,000 a year for up to four years to pay for tuition, educational expenses and reasonable living expenses. Approximately 15 scholarships are awarded each year. Recipients must participate in the NIH 10-week Summer Laboratory Experience after each year of scholarship support. Recipients also commit to one year of full-time employment at the NIH for each year of support. Candidates must have a GPA of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale or be within the top 5 percent of their class
National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC)
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) sponsors the National Merit Scholarships and National Achievement Scholarships programs, as well as the Special Scholarships. These are among the largest scholarship competitions in the United States, with more than 10,000 students receiving college scholarships totalling $47 million. High school students enter the competitions by taking the PSAT test, also referred to as the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT). The top 16,000 or so students with the highest selection index scores are named Semifinalists. Of these, approximately 15,000 are named Finalists. 8,000 of the Finalists are selected to receive a National Merit Scholarship. An additional 1,600 participants who were not Finalists are selected for Special Scholarships sponsored by corporations. The National Achievement Scholarship Program recognizes outstanding African American students, with 1,600 being named Semifinalists. 1,300 of the Semifinalists are named Finalists, and 775 Finalists are selected to receive the Achievement Scholarship. Scholarship amounts in both programs range from $2,500 to renewable four-year full tuition scholarships.
Presidential Scholars Program (alternate site)
The Presidential Scholars Program provides recognition (but no scholarship funding) for up to 121 high school seniors each year on the basis of academic achievement. An additional 20 students each year are selected on the basis of scholarship in the visual arts, performing arts or creative writing. US citizenship is required. Students who take the SAT or ACT Assessment on or before October of each year are automatically considered, as are students who are registered for the Arts Recognition and Talent Search (ARTS) (contact the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts (NFAA) at 1-800-970-ARTS).
Siemens Westinghouse Competition in Math, Science and Technology
The Siemens Westinghouse Competition is one of the most prestigious scientific research competitions for high school students in the United States. Students submit research reports individually or in teams of two or three. Some of the projects are selected for further competition in six regional events. One individual and one team are selected as Regional Winners and are invited to participate in the National Competition. The top individual and team winners at the National Competition receive $100,000 scholarships. The sixth through second place National Finalists receive scholarships ranging from $10,000 to $50,000. The Siemens Westinghouse Competition is administered by the College Board and funded by the Siemens Foundation. For more information write to Siemens Foundation, 170 Woods Avenue South, Iselin, NJ 08830, call 1-877-822-5233, or fax 1-723-603-5890.
Siemens Awards for Advanced Placement
The Siemens Awards for Advanced Placement (SAAP) are open to students who score at least one 5 in one of the following AP tests: Biology, BC Calculus, Chemistry, AB Computer Science, Environmental Science, Physics C, and Statistics. The students who have the most AP scores of 5 are selected as winners. Two male and two female students are selected as winners in each of six regions and receive $3,000 scholarships. The two national student winners (one male and one female) receive an additional $5,000. For more information, call the College Board at 1-703-707-8999.
- Check back for more scholarship opportunities soon!