Scholarships & Financial Aid
Check back frequently for updates and newly posted scholarships.
Never pay for applying for a scholarship or pay an entry fee to a scholarship contest. Listed below are only SOME of the many scholarships available to you. At the bottom of this page are search engines you may use to find more scholarships.
Scholarship Search Suggestions:
Start Early! You should start looking for scholarships 12-18 months before your start of college.
Do not ignore small scholarships. Four scholarships for $250 are just as good as one for $1,000.
Apply every year. This is an annual process, not just an incoming college freshman process. You may become eligible for scholarships as you move through college that you were not eligible for as a first-year student.
Look locally. Many local community organizations, churches, and business groups award scholarships to students from their city or county.
Be methodical. Set aside a few hours each week to search for scholarships and to submit applications.
Be strategic. Apply for scholarships that relate to your Major or high school interests and activities. Avoid scholarships where you do not meet the criteria.
Looking for scholarships? Here are just a few search engines for you -
Scholarships.com Want a sneak peak at our scholarship database? Visit our scholarship directory where you can browse scholarships by category
Fastweb.com Expect lots of emails from your scholarship search. You may want to consider creating an email address specifically to field scholarship searches
Courage to Grow Scholarships You must be a junior or senior in high school or college student with a minimum GPA of 2.5 or better.
Cappex.com Start planning as a senior, junior, sophomore, or freshman. Get exactly what you need at any stage of your college journey.
JLV College Counseling There are thousands of scholarships out there. Check back often as scholarships are added on a regular basis.
Big Future @ College Board Big Future will match you with scholarships based on your background, achievements, and future plans.
Fast Web Scholarships Find the money you need to pay for college. Find unique scholarships.
Niche.com Search lists of scholarships by choosing a category or get matched to college scholarships you are eligible for.
StudentScholarships.org We update our site regularly with current scholarships.
Chegg.com Chegg offers online tutors to help students with their scholarship essays.
College Board Opportunity Scholarship Program
Fastweb - national scholarship search
Financial Aid and Scholarships for Students with Learning Disabilities: Specific scholarships are available for students with learning disabilities (LD) and attention issues (i.e., ADHD).
Raise Me: Scholarships students may acquire throughout High School
Unigo $10K Scholarship: Be thirteen (13) years of age or older at the time of application and be currently enrolled (or enroll no later than the fall of 2022) in an accredited post-secondary institution of higher education. Submit an online written response to the question: "Imagine a historical figure is brought back to life. Who is it? What's their favorite mobile app?" (250 words or less).
Taco Bell Live Mas Scholarship: This scholarship is for the innovators, creators, and dreamers who want to share his/her passion and receive support to pursue this passion through a higher educational outlet. This is not needs or obstacle based; it is a passion-based scholarship program.
TechForce Scholarships: TechForce Foundation has awarded $18M+ in scholarships and grants since 2007 to financially-disadvantaged students to obtain their transportation technical education. TechForce helps students to get to school, stay in school, get trained, and be workforce-ready. Check website for more details
MONTHLY SCHOLARSHIPS: These scholarships may be applied every month and are awarded monthly:
Varsity Tutors Scholarship Contest: Varsity Tutors hold a monthly $1,000 college scholarship contest where students must write an essay in response to a monthly prompt. Visitors to the Varsity Tutors webpage can vote via social media for submitted entries. The top 5 entries with the most votes are reviewed by Varsity Tutors at the end of the month, and one winner is subsequently chosen to receive the $1,000 scholarship.
"No Essay" Scholarship: Open to all high school, college, and graduate students and those planning to enroll within 12 months. You must be either: (1) at least eighteen (18) years of age or older (except in the case of legal residents of certain states or commonwealths where the legal age of majority is higher than eighteen (18) years of age, then such legal age of majority) at the time of entry; or (2) at least thirteen (13) years of age at the time of entry and have a parent’s or legal guardian’s consent and supervision to use Niche.com and enter this Sweepstakes.
Sallie Mae College Answer.com: Register online for monthly $1000 drawing and scholarship search. Parents can register for a yearly $10,000 scholarship.
Horatio Alger Association Career & Technical Scholarship: Scholarships are awarded to students who have faced and overcome great obstacles in their lives who wish to pursue a career or technical education at an accredited non-profit post-secondary institution in the United States. The CTE application will remain open on a rolling basis until all scholarships are awarded.
Deadline: 8/31/26
Award Amount: $500 - $5,000
Award Details: The Pizza Hut Foundation Scholarship is available to students between the ages of 17 and 26. You must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 and demonstrate financial need to be eligible for this award. Recipients of this award will be required to participate in a 14 - week mentorship program.
Deadline: 8/31/26
Award Amount: $2,000
Award Details: The RealtyHop Scholarship is available to high school seniors and current undergraduate students. To be considered, you must submit a 500 - word essay on the following topic: "Imagine yourself 10 years in the future after having graduated college and living the life of your dreams: find a listing on RealtyHop you picture yourself living in and write what your favorite room or feature is on the listing and why it is important to your future life."
Deadline: 8/31/26
Award Amount: $40,000
Award Details: Win up to $40,000 — no essay required! BigFuture Scholarships are open to high school students who qualify by completing college and career planning steps on their BigFuture dashboard. The earlier you complete each step, the more entries you earn for $40,000 monthly scholarship drawings. Create your free account and start earning entries now. Every step you take brings you closer to winning!
Deadline: 9/1/26
Award Amount: Full-Tuition
Award Details: The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship is available to graduating high school seniors who reside or attend school in Morgan County, IN. You must plan to enroll full - time at a Indiana college or university to be eligible this award. This award also covers all required fees and a $900 book stipend each year.
Deadline: 9/7/26
Award Amount: $1,000 - $2,500
Award Details: The Leaders Save Lives Scholarship Program is open to high school and college students. You must host an American Red Cross blood drive while school is out of session and collect a minimum of 25 pints of blood to be eligible for this award.
Deadline: 9/8/26
Award Amount: $2,000 - $5,000
Award Details: The Forge2gether Essay Contest is open to high school students. To be considered, you must have a meaningful 30 - minute conversation with someone whose background, culture, generation, faith, or point of view differs significantly from your own, then write an essay reflecting on what shifted in your worldview; what changed and what didn't. Before your conversation, you must complete a short training on active listening.
Deadline: 9/15/26
Award Amount: Full-Tuition
Award Details: The Gates Scholarship is available to high school seniors. You must have a minimum 3.3 GPA and be Pell - eligible to be considered for this award. Ideal candidates for this award will have an outstanding academic record in high school, demonstrated leadership ability, and exceptional personal success skills.
Deadline: 9/15/26
Award Amount: $1,500
Award Details: Headway's Book Lovers Scholarship is available to high school seniors and full - time undergraduate and graduate students. You must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and demonstrate leadership at school and / or in the community to be eligible for this award. To be considered, you must submit a 500 – word essay or two – minute video that outlines your vision for a non - fiction book that has the potential to become a timeless handbook for humanity.
Deadline: 9/30/26
Award Amount: $1,000
Award Details: The Fastweb Invite a Friend Sweepstakes is open to registered Fastweb members who are legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia, and who are at least sixteen (16) years of age. You must log in to your Fastweb account to obtain your personal referral link. For each person who registers for Fastweb via your personal referral link during the Promotion Period, you and your referral will be entered as a pair into the current drawing.
Deadline: 9/30/26
Award Amount: $300
Award Details: The Heal the Body, Power the Mind Scholarship is available to high school seniors and undergraduate students. To be considered, you must submit a 300 - word essay on one of the following topics: 1. The Role of Physical Recovery in Education 2. Overcoming Burnout Through Holistic Wellness 3. Designing a Student Wellness Routine.
Deadline: 10/1/26
Award Amount: $1,000
Award Details: The Sports Gear Swag Scholarship is available to high school seniors and full - time undergraduate and graduate students who are at least 18 years of age. To be considered for this award, you must submit a 500-word essay on one of the following subjects: 1. The Benefits of Playing Sports Competitively 2. The Importance of Sportsmanship in Competitive Sports 3. The Psychological and Physical Benefits of Youth Involvement in Sports.
Deadline: 10/1/26
Award Amount: $1,000
Award Details: The Titan Haul and Honor Scholarship is available to high school seniors and undergraduate students. To be eligible for this award, you must submit an essay addressing one of the following topics: 1. How do everyday products reach your community, and why does reliable transportation matter to society? 2. How can sustainable practices in freight and transportation benefit future generations? 3. Describe a time when planning and coordination were crucial to your success.
Deadline: 10/1/26
Award Amount: Full-Tuition
Award Details: The National College Match Scholarship is available to low - income high school seniors who have excelled academically. This award provides the full cost of tuition and room and board at some of the nation's most selective colleges.
Deadline: 10/31/26
Award Amount: $35,000
Award Details: The Voice of Democracy Scholarship Competition is open to high school students. To enter, you must record an original three - to five-minute audio essay on the following topic: "What a Veteran Taught Me About America."
Deadline: 11/5/26
Award Amount: $250,000
Award Details: The Regeneron Science Talent Search is open to especially talented high school seniors. Students will be challenged to conduct independent science, math, or engineering research. To be considered, you must submit a maximum 20 - page research report explaining your experiments and conclusions. Research must be the work of a single individual; group and team projects are not eligible.
Deadline: 11/12/26
Award Amount: $1,000 - $7,500
Award Details:The Most Valuable Student Competition is open to high school seniors. You must be a U.S. citizen to be eligible for this award. Selection for this award is based on scholarship, leadership, and financial need.
Deadline: 12/31/26
Award Amount: $1,000
Award Details: The College JumpStart Scholarship is available to high school and college students. To be considered for this award, you must submit a 250 - word essay on the topic of your choice.
Deadline: 12/31/26
Award Amount: $1,000
Award Details: The Design Your Space, Design Your Future Scholarship is available to high school seniors and undergraduate students. To be considered for this award, you must submit a 300 - word essay on one of the following topics: 1. The Psychology of Space 2. Sustainable Living Solutions 3. Future of Functionality.
Deadline: 12/31/26
Award Amount: Varies
Award Details: The Oklahoma's Promise Scholarship is available to high school students residing in Oklahoma. You must demonstrate financial need to be eligible for this award.
Deadline: 3/8/27
Award Amount: $10,000
Award Details: The Create-A-Greeting Card Scholarship Contest is open to students who are at least 14 years of age. To enter, you must submit an original design for a Christmas card, holiday card, birthday card, or all - occasion greeting card. All designs or photographs must be the original work of the applicant.
Deadline: 7/31/27
Award Amount: $4,000
Award Details: The Huntington Learning Center College Scholarship Sweepstakes is available to high school students who are 14 years of age and older. To be considered for this award, you must text a four - digit code to the sponsor and opt - in to text messages. Entrants who do not want to opt - in to text messages may submit a mail - in entry. Residents of Rhode Island are ineligible.
Deadline: Varies
Award Amount: $20,000 - $25,000
Award Details: The American Legion National Oratorical Contest is open to junior high and high school students under 20 who are citizens or lawful permanent residents of the United States. To be considered, you must prepare an oration on some aspect of the U.S. Constitution, emphasizing citizens' duties and obligations to our government. A complete list of topics is available on the Legion's website. Each individual state winner certified into and participating in the first round of the national contest receives a $2,000
Deadline: Varies
Award Amount: $1,000
Award Details: The Play! Pokémon Scholarship Program is open to students who are the top finishers in Play! Pokemon Events. You must be a full-time high school student or a full-time or part-time undergraduate or graduate student at a qualified college or university to be considered for this award.
Community foundation website: Check local community foundations' websites, which may also host a list of area scholarships.
College websites where you’re applying: Although not all schools award merit-based scholarships, those that do are very valuable because they’ll likely renew all four years.
The process for giving out scholarship money varies from school to school. You should also check the department of the major you’re considering, which may have its own scholarships and process for awarding them. Go to the college's website and search for the word 'scholarships' to find out more about what they offer.
FAFSA
To apply for federal student aid, such as federal grants, work-study, and loans, you need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Completing and submitting the FAFSA is free. It gives you access to the largest source of financial aid to pay for college or career school. In addition, many states and colleges use your FAFSA information to determine your eligibility for state and school aid. Click HERE to get started!
The FAFSA Process
Each October, the FAFSA is available for the next school year. It's important for seniors and their parents to fill it out as soon as possible to meet school and state financial aid deadlines. The deadline for the state of California is March 2nd each year.
FAFSA Resources
FAFSA: Determining Your Dependency Status
FAFSA and FSA ID Tips for Parents
After the FAFSA: What Happens Next?
Cal Grant
Cal Grant is a financial aid program administered by the California Student Aid Commission providing aid to California undergraduates, vocational training students, and those in teacher certificate programs. Cal Grants give funds to students who meet the GPA and parent income requirements. Your eligibility will be based on your FAFSA application, your verified Cal Grant GPA (uploaded by our district office) and the California colleges listed on your FAFSA. For more information about Cal Grants, click HERE.
CSS/Financial Aid Profile
Students can create an account, fill out one form and apply online for nonfederal financial aid from almost 300 colleges and scholarship programs. Start your profile at HERE.
For a list of participating institutions and programs click HERE.
California Dream Act
The California Dream Act allows undocumented and nonresident documented students who meet certain provisions to apply for and receive private scholarships funded through public universities, state-administered financial aid, university grants, community college fee waivers, and Cal Grants. For more information about the Dream Act, click HERE.
Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE)
Students who are residents of WICHE states are eligible to request a reduced tuition rate of 150% of resident tuition at participating two- and four-year college programs outside of their home state. The WUE reduced tuition rate is not automatically awarded to all eligible candidates. Many institutions limit the number of new WUE awards each academic year, so apply early!
WICHE members include: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. For more information on WUE, click HERE.
Net Price Calculator
The Net Price Calculator is a tool that you can use to estimate your "net price" to attend a particular college. For more information, click HERE.