Scholarships

Scholarships are awarded to students in order to help offset the expenses associated with college. Scholarship money can come from any number of sources. There are scholarships provided by governments, corporations, universities and organizations. Below is a list of scholarships as well as several scholarship search engines you can use to find additional scholarship opportunities.

Active Scholarships

ONGOING DEADLINES:

NAME: CAL VET FEE WAIVER

DUE: Student must provide proof of full time enrollment at university

AMOUNT: FREE tuition for any public university in California (does not cover books or room & board)

CRITERIA: Open to seniors who are the child/ dependents of veterans who have a service-connected disability or had a service-connected disability at time of death or died of service related causes.

APPLY ONLINE: https://www.calvet.ca.gov/VetServices/Pages/College-Fee-Waiver.aspx

NAME: COLLEGE BOARD OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIPS

DUE: Varies by Action - Final deadline March 2022

AMOUNT: $500 - $40,000

CRITERIA: Open to Seniors and Juniors. The College Board offers scholarships for each completed action. Visit the website and get started.

APPLY ONLINE: https://opportunity.collegeboard.org/

NAME: COURAGE TO GROW

DUE: at the end of each month

AMOUNT: $500

CRITERIA: Open to Juniors and Seniors with a minimum 2.5 GPA. Short essay required. One individual will be selected each month.

APPLY ONLINE: https://couragetogrowscholarship.com/

AUGUST 2021

NAME: THE “JUST DO” SCHOLARSHIP

DUE: August 11, 2021

AMOUNT: $5,000

CRITERIA: Open to high school seniors of all educational levels. Essay on a given prompt required (no more than 750 words).

APPLICATION: https://www.thescholarshipplug.com/the-just-do-scholarship

NAME: BBB ETHICAL TORCH ESSAY CONTEST

DUE: August 14, 2021

AMOUNT: $500 - $1,500

CRITERIA: Open to grades 9-12. How do students respond when they are faced with a situation or circumstance in school, at work or within their social circles? Students must write about an essay that conveys what they experienced and how they dealt with an ethical dilemma. Essays should not exceed 400 words.

APPLICATION: https://www.bbb.org/pacific-southwest/student-scholarship/torch-award-scholarship/

NAME: ELKS TEEN OF THE MONTH

DUE: August 15, 2021 [For the SEPTEMBER award)

AMOUNT: $750

CRITERIA: Must be a senior in the Sweetwater Union High School District. Must be a U.S. citizen. Applicants will be judged on scholarship, leadership and financial need.

APPLICATION: Elks Lodge Teenager of the Month Award

NAME: MAKE ME LAUGH SCHOLARSHIP

DUE: August 31, 2021

AMOUNT: $1,500

CRITERIA: Open to grades 9 - 12. Must be a legal U.S. resident. Must submit an online response to the question, “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!” (250 words or less)

APPLICATION: https://www.unigo.com/scholarships/our-scholarships/make-me-laugh-scholarship

SEPTEMBER 2021

NAME: JACK KENT COOKE SCHOLARSHIP

DUE: November 18, 2021

AMOUNT: up to $55,000 a year

CRITERIA: Open to high-achieving seniors with financial need who seek to attend and graduate from the nation’s best four-year colleges and universities.

APPLICATION: https://www.jkcf.org/our-scholarships/college-scholarship-program/

NAME: LARRY ITLIONG SCHOLARSHIP & ART CONTEST

DUE: September 8, 2021

AMOUNT: $500 - $1,000

CRITERIA: Open to seniors of Filipino heritage, must have 3.0 GPA or higher. For the Art Contest, open to students grades 7-12; must be of Filipino heritage.

APPLICATION: https://csdfea.weebly.com/larry-itliong-scholarship-program.html

NAME: NERVO “REVOLUTION” SCHOLARSHIP

DUE: September 1, 2021

AMOUNT: $3000

CRITERIA: Open to female students who want to change the world. To apply, must write about your greatest ambition and how you hope to bring that vision to reality.

APPLICATION: https://bold.org/scholarships/nervo-revolution-scholarship/

NAME: CAMERON IMPACT SCHOLARSHIP

DUE: September 10, 2021

AMOUNT: Full four-year tuition

CRITERIA: Open to seniors; must be a U.S. citizen and demonstrate excellence in academics, leadership and community service; must plan to attend an accredited 4-year college or university in the U.S.

APPLICATION: https://www.bryancameroneducationfoundation.org/scholarship

https://www.bbb.org/pacific-southwest/student-scholarship/torch-award-scholarship/

NAME: ELKS TEEN OF THE MONTH

DUE: September 15, 2021 [For the OCTOBER award)

AMOUNT: $750

CRITERIA: Must be a senior in the Sweetwater Union High School District. Must be a U.S. citizen. Applicants will be judged on scholarship, leadership and financial need.

APPLICATION: Elks Lodge Teenager of the Month Award

NAME: THE GATES SCHOLARSHIP

DUE: September 15, 2021 [applications open on July 15, 2021]

AMOUNT: Full four-year scholarship

CRITERIA: The Gates Scholarship is a highly selective, full scholarship for exceptional, low-income, minority high school seniors.

APPLICATION: https://www.thegatesscholarship.org/scholarship

NAME: CALIFORNIA FREE THOUGHT DAY SCHOLARSHIP

DUE: September 16, 2021

AMOUNT: $2,000

CRITERIA: Open to high school students grades 9-12 who have an interest in free speech, science and separation of church and state, must be involved in or leaders of community organizations or school clubs, and must plan to pursue post-secondary education at a community college, 4-year college, trade or vocational school. Must be inspired to write about voter turnout.

APPLICATION: http://freethoughtday.org/essay.html

NAME: WE THE FUTURE SCHOLARSHIP

DUE: September 17, 2021

AMOUNT: up to $2,000

CRITERIA: Open to grades 9-12 (U.S. citizens or Legal Residents). Must write an essay, submit a song, do a scientific study, create a film or PSA about the U.S. Constitution

APPLICATION: https://constitutingamerica.org/enter/

NAME: QUESTBRIDGE NATIONAL COLLEGE MATCH

DUE: September 28, 2021

AMOUNT: Full ride worth up to $200,000

CRITERIA: Open to academically outstanding seniors from low-income backgrounds.

APPLICATION: https://www.questbridge.org/high-school-students/national-college-match

NAME: DON’T TEXT AND DRIVE SCHOLARSHIP

DUE: September 30, 2021

AMOUNT: $2,000

CRITERIA: Open to seniors who plan to enroll in a 4-year college/university.

APPLICATION: http://www.digitalresponsibility.org/dont-text-and-drive-scholarship

NAME: OppU ACHIEVER SCHOLARSHIP

DUE: September 30, 2021 [additional deadlines December 31, March 30, and June 30]

AMOUNT: $2,500

CRITERIA: Open to seniors who plan to enroll in a 4-year college/university. Must have a minimum 3.0 GPA.

APPLICATION: https://www.opploans.com/oppu/scholarship/

NAME: SHOUT IT OUT SCHOLARSHIP

DUE: September 30, 2021

AMOUNT: $1,500

CRITERIA: Open to grades 9 - 12. Must be a legal U.S. resident. Must submit an online response to the question: “If you could say one thing to the entire world at once, what would it be and why?” (250 words or less).

APPLICATION: https://www.unigo.com/scholarships/our-scholarships/shout-it-out-scholarship

OCTOBER 2021

NAME: ELEVATE WOMEN IN TECHNOLOGY SCHOLARSHIP

DUE: October 1, 2021

AMOUNT: $5000

CRITERIA: Open to current high school students. Must be female. Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident. All GPA’s will be considered. All majors are encouraged to apply.

APPLICATION: https://calvinrosser.com/scholarships/women-in-technology/

NAME: ELKS TEEN OF THE MONTH

DUE: October 15, 2021 [For the NOVEMBER award)

AMOUNT: $750

CRITERIA: Must be a senior in the Sweetwater Union High School District. Must be a U.S. citizen. Applicants will be judged on scholarship, leadership and financial need.

APPLICATION: Elks Lodge Teenager of the Month Award

NAME: HEISMAN HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP

DUE: October 19, 2021 [AMOUNT: $750

CRITERIA: Open to seniors graduating in Class of 2022. Must participate or have participated in grades 9, 10, 0r 11 at least one of the sports recognized by the International Olympic Committee in the Summer and Winter Olympic Games, the Paralympic Games or the National Federation of State High School association. Must have a cumulative weighted GPA of B (3.0) or better. Must be a leader in school and in the community and serve as a role model for underclassmen.

APPLICATION: https://heismanscholarship.com/application/

NAME: COCA-COLA SCHOLARS FOUNDATION

DUE: October 31, 2021

AMOUNT: 150 $20,000 awards

CRITERIA: This Coca-Cola Scholars Program scholarship is an achievement-based scholarship awarded to graduating high school seniors. Students are recognized for their capacity to lead and serve, as well as their commitment to making a significant impact on their schools and communities.

APPLICATION: https://www.coca-colascholarsfoundation.org/apply/

NAME: ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE SCHOLARSHIP

DUE: October 31, 2021

AMOUNT: $2,000

CRITERIA: Open to grades 9 - 12. Must be a legal U.S. resident. Must submit an online response to the question: “Imagine that your high school or college has been overrun with zombies. Your math professor, the cafeteria ladies and even your best friend have all joined the walking dead. Flesh out a plan to avoid the zombies, including where you’d hide and the top-five things you’d bring to stay alive.” (250 words or less).

APPLICATION: https://www.unigo.com/scholarships/our-scholarships/zombie-apocalypse-scholarship

NOVEMBER 2021

NAME: ELKS TEEN OF THE MONTH

DUE: November 15, 2021 [For the DECEMBER award)

AMOUNT: $750

CRITERIA: Must be a senior in the Sweetwater Union High School District. Must be a U.S. citizen. Applicants will be judged on scholarship, leadership and financial need.

APPLICATION: Elks Lodge Teenager of the Month Award

NAME: EDUCATION MATTERS SCHOLARSHIP

DUE: November 31, 2021

AMOUNT: $5, 000

CRITERIA: Open to grades 9 - 12. Must be age 14 or older, must be a legal U.S. resident. Must submit an online response to the question: “What would you say to someone who thinks education doesn’t matter, or that college is a waste of time and money?” (250 words or less)

APPLICATION: https://www.unigo.com/scholarships/our-scholarships/education-matters-scholarship

DECEMBER 2021

NAME: ELKS TEEN OF THE MONTH

DUE: December 15, 2021

AMOUNT: $750

CRITERIA: Must be a senior in the Sweetwater Union High School District. Must be a U.S. citizen. Applicants will be judged on scholarship, leadership and financial need.

APPLICATION:

NAME: TOP TEN LIST SCHOLARSHIP

DUE: December 31, 2021

AMOUNT: $1, 500

CRITERIA: Open to grades 9 - 12. Must be age 14 or older, must be a legal U.S. resident. Must submit an online response to the question: “Create a Top Ten List of the top ten reasons you should get this scholarship” (250 words or less)

APPLICATION: https://www.unigo.com/scholarships/our-scholarships/top-ten-list-scholarship