There’s no question that the price of college can be overwhelming. A single year costs more than $30,000 on average. That’s why it is so important for students to start searching for scholarships early. The good news is, even if you’re a freshman in high school, there are many amazing scholarships out there. 

You can find scholarships using The University Network’s Scholarship Search Engine. TUN also works with companies to create, manage and promote paths to higher education through their own scholarships. 

In this article, we highlight the upcoming scholarships for high school students that TUN helped create as well as other scholarships that we think present some of the best opportunities out there for high school students.

Scholarships Available Only Through TUN

The RIG Future Academy Scholarship

NACON is accepting applications for The Rig Future Academy Scholarship. 

The company will award three $5,000 scholarships this inaugural year.

To apply, those interested must submit an essay of 300 words or more, or a 2-minute video, describing how gaming has helped them in academics.

Application Deadline: October 9, 2023

Award: $5,000 each (3 awards)

Eligibility: 

• Must be high school seniors and current undergraduate and graduate students in accredited U.S. colleges and universities
• Must reside in the United States

Click here to apply for the Rig Future Academy Scholarship.

The Providence Real Estate Diversity Scholarship

Providence Real Estate is accepting applications for its Providence Real Estate Diversity Scholarship.

The company is looking to award one $5,000 award this year. 

To apply, those interested must submit an essay of 500 words or more on why they are interested in a real estate career.

Application Deadline: December 31, 2023

Award: $5,000

Eligibility: 

• Must be a high school senior, undergraduate or graduate student in accredited U.S. colleges and universities
• Must identify as Black, Latinx, Asian American, Native American, or Pacific Islander American
• Must reside in the United States
• Must be at least 17 years old
• Must plan to attend a post-secondary institution in the United States in the upcoming academic year when applying
• Must be interested in exploring a career in real estate

According to the eligibility requirements, while residents of Providence Real Estate communities may apply for this scholarship, employees (and/or their dependents) of Providence Real Estate and their affiliates are not eligible for this scholarship. 

Click here to apply for the Providence Real Estate Diversity Scholarship.

Best Scholarships at TUN

Davidson Fellows Scholarship

Each year, Davidson Fellows Scholarships are awarded to high-achieving high school students who have completed a significant piece of work in the fields of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, literature, music, philosophy, or “outside the box,” that the judges think is meaningful and could positively contribute to society.

To apply, applicants must first send in a detailed form outlining their projects. Applicants will also need to find two non-family-members to “nominate” their projects. Although the scholarships go to students under the age of 18, the judges are looking for works that are at the college graduate level.

Application Deadline: February 9, 2022

Award: $50,000, $25,000 & $10,000

Eligibility: 

• Must be under 18 years of age
• Must be a U.S. citizen
• Must be able to prove that your project is original 
• Must be able to attend, with at least one parent or guardian, the awards reception in Washington, D.C.

Taco Bell Live Mas Scholarship

The fast-food giant Taco Bell runs a unique scholarship program that rewards students for being passionate. Those who apply aren’t measured on what they’ve accomplished in the classroom, on the court, or on the field. Instead, they’re awarded for their unique skills, talents, and ambition. This year, Taco Bell is awarding $7 million in scholarships.

To apply, all interested students have to do is create a two-minute-long video describing their passion and how they will use it to make a difference. Grades, essays, and test scores do not matter.

Application Deadline: January 11, 2022

Award: $5,000-$25,000

Eligibility:

• Must be a U.S. citizen
• Must be between 16 and 26 years of age
• Must be on track to apply for or enrolled in an accredited post-high school or post-secondary educational program
• Taco Bell employees are not eligible to apply (restaurant employees can apply to the Live Más Scholarship for Restaurant Employees Program)

Must have not previously received a Live Más Scholarship (previous winners may apply to the Live Más Scholarship Renewal Program)

John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest

Every year, the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum runs the Profile in Courage Essay Contest, in which U.S. high school students compete for a share of nearly $20,000. Students are asked to submit a 700- to 1,000-word essay that describes and analyzes an act of political courage by an elected official who served before or after 1917. 

To apply, students must first select a “nominating teacher” who will help throughout the essay writing process. Nominating teachers are expected to review students’ essays for style and grammar. In addition to receiving cash prizes, the first place winner and his/her/their nominating teacher will be invited to Boston in May to receive awards at the annual Profile in Courage Award ceremony. 

Application Deadline: January each year

Award: 

• First place: $10,000 
• Second place: $3,000
• Third-seventh place: $1,000
• Eighth-fifteenth place: $100
• Winning nominating teacher: $500 

Eligibility: 

• Must be a U.S. high school student attending a public, private, parochial, or home school, a U.S. GED student under the age of 20, or a U.S. student attending high school overseas

Stuck At Prom Scholarship Contest

Sponsored by the duct tape brand Duck, the Stuck at Prom Scholarship is a program that awards students for creating and wearing original prom tuxedos and dresses that they made out of Duck Brand tape. 

To apply, those interested must fill out an entry form and upload at least one picture in their prom tuxedo or dress. Judges at Duck will select finalists, and the winners will be determined by an online community vote. 

Application Deadline: June 9, 2021

Award: 

• First place dress: $10,000
• First place tuxedo: $10,000
• Runners-up: $500 (8 awards) 

Eligibility: 

• Must be a legal resident of a U.S. state or territory (excluding Arizona, Maryland, Tennessee, Vermont, and Colorado) or a legal resident of Canada (excluding the Province of Quebec)
• Must be 14 years of age or older
• Must not be a company employee, director, or officer 
• Must not be a relative or household member of a company employee, director, or officer

Scholastic Art and Writing Portfolio Awards

The Scholastic Art and Writing Portfolio Awards is the longest-running scholarship and recognition program for creative teens in the United States. It has a long list of winners, including Stephen King, Joyce Carol Oates, and Andy Warhol, who all won a Scholastic award while they were in their teens. 

It is a program with a lot of opportunities for teen creatives to earn scholarship dollars, recognition, and publication. To enter the program, teens must create an account, upload their best works, and send in an entry form. Entry fees are $7 per individual and $25 per portfolio, but Scholastic offers fee waivers if the entry fee is a barrier. 

Application Deadline: Vary by region

Award: Varies by award

Eligibility: 

• Must be a resident of the U.S. or Canada
• Must be at least 13
• Must be enrolled in 7-12 grade

Other Scholarships

TeenDrive365 Video Challenge

Toyota and Discovery Education offer the annual TeenDrive365 Video Challenge, a competition meant to promote safe driving habits. Students can work individually or in teams to create a 30-to 60-second video that discourages distracted driving. The grand prize winner receives a $15,000 award and an opportunity to work with a Discovery Education film crew to reshoot the winning video so that it can be used as a “TV-ready PSA.”

Application Deadline: February 26

Award: 

• First place: $15,000
• Second place: $10,000
• Third  place: $7,500
• Fourth-tenth places: $2,500

Eligibility: 

• Must be in grades 9-12 
• Must be a U.S. citizen

The Paradigm Challenge

The Paradigm Challenge is a global competition in which students ages 4-18 compete in their respective age groups for a chance to win up to $100,000. It challenges students to use kindness, creativity, and collaboration to solve real-world problems.

Students can enter the competition individually or as teams. Applicants can submit all types of entries, including inventions, videos, posters, websites, mobile applications, or anything else that will serve a purpose and contribute to the global good. Winners are selected by a panel of judges. 

Application Deadline: May 1, 2022

Award: 

• First place overall: $100,000
• First place in each age group: $10,000
• Second place in each age group: $2,000
• Third place in each age group: $1,000

Eligibility: 

• Must be between the ages of 4 and 18
• Must not be a resident of Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, the Crimea Region, or any other U.S.-sanctioned country
• Must have parent/guardian’s permission to compete

VFW Voice of Democracy Competition

First established in 1947, the Veterans of Foreign Wars annually offers the Voice of Democracy Competition, a program in which U.S. high school students compete for a $30,000 scholarship by reading a patriotic-themed essay. 

To apply, students are asked to record three- to five-minute readings of their essays on an audio CD or flash drive and submit them to their local VFW posts, which can be found here. The readings are each judged on originality, content, and delivery. 

Application Deadline: October 31, 2021

Award: 

• National first place: $30,000
• Other national scholarships: $1,000-$16,000
• First place winner from each VFW Department (state): $1,000

Eligibility: 

• Must be in grades 9-12 
• Must be attending a public, private, parochial school, or home study program in the United States, or U.S. territories or possessions

Pilot Pen G2 Overachievers Student Grant

The Pilot Pen G2 Overachievers Student Grant is a $15,000 award that recognizes an outstanding teen who is “making a difference in others’ lives outside of the classroom.”  

The application process is a bit unusual. “Participants” can choose to nominate themselves or a peer. But, they can only submit one nomination. To nominate someone, participants must submit a handwritten essay between 1,000 to 2,500 words about what the nominee is doing to be a difference-maker. The essays are supposed to include information about what the nominee did, where it happened, who it impacted, how it worked, and why it mattered. 

Application Deadline: Varies by year

Award: $15,000

Eligibility: 

• Must be a legal resident of the 50 U.S. states or the District of Columbia
• Must currently attend a middle or high school
• Must be between the ages of 13 and 19

Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Award

Every year, the Helen Diller Family Foundation awards $36,000 grants to 15 Jewish U.S. teens who are leading projects to “repair the world.” Applicants must be engaged in unpaid volunteer work. Students can apply on their own or be nominated by a non-family member. 

To apply, those interested must fill out an extensive application that asks for information about their projects and for references who can speak to their project leadership abilities. Award dollars can be used as scholarships and sent directly to winners’ colleges and universities, or the money can be used to support philanthropic work. 

Application Deadline: January 7, 2022

Award: $36,500 (15 awards) 

Eligibility: 

• Must be “serving in a leadership role on a project aimed at repairing the world”
• Must be between the ages of 13 and 19
• Must be self-identified as Jewish
• Must be residents of the United States
• Must be volunteering without any compensation

Huntington College Scholarship Sweepstakes

The Huntington Learning Center annually offers a $4,000 sweepstakes program. 

All applicants have to do is fill out and submit a simple entry form, and their names will be in the running. Students can apply on their own, or parents, grandparents, friends, or guardians can apply on a student’s behalf. However, there can only be one entry per student. 

Application Deadline: December 31, 2021

Award: $4,000

Eligibility: 

• Must be a high school student
• Must be a legal resident of a U.S. state, except Rhode Island

Create Real Impact Contest

Offered by the Impact Teen Drivers Fund, the Create Real Impact Contest is an annual competition to promote education about the dangers surrounding reckless and distracted driving. 

To apply, students are asked to create an original work that shows an idea for a solution or strategy to put an end to distracted or reckless driving. Students can submit music, a video, a piece of creative writing, or a graphic design. 

Application Deadline: November 3, 2021 

Award: $1,500 (5 awards) 

Eligibility: 

• Must be a U.S. citizen or DACA recipient
• Must be between the ages of 14 and 22
• Must be enrolled as full-time students in an accredited middle school, high school, trade school, college, or university

How to find scholarships

The scholarships listed above are just some of the best scholarships we’ve found for you. There are many other scholarships out there for high school students.

If you know which colleges you’re interested in, check with them to see what they offer. They may offer either merit- or need-based scholarships or both. You can usually find most of the information by clicking on their “financial aid” page. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to email or call their financial aid office.

There are also outside scholarships — like the ones listed above — that are sponsored by companies, organizations, foundations and individuals as a way to give back to their communities. The awards can cover your entire tuition or a portion of it. Some scholarships have a GPA requirement or are based on financial need, while others embrace a cause or emphasize community involvement, athletic achievement, diversity, passion, and much more. For example, the Hyundai Women in STEM Scholarship supports STEM education for female students. The home furnishings company MacKenzie-Childs, which finds inspiration for its designs by observing nature, offers the Black Lives Matter Scholarship for Design, which requires applicants to submit an essay about where they find inspiration.

So, how do you find outside scholarships like these?

Start your search with TUN’s Scholarship Search Engine to find scholarships that are ideal for you. You can search by grade level, GPA, major, state of residency, scholarship name, or deadline month. You can also browse through our featured scholarships, some available only through TUN, and a collated list of scholarships for specific groups of students, including scholarships for high school students, Hispanic high school seniors, women in STEM, female students, Black students, Black female students, Asian American students, and international students. 

To keep on top of new scholarships as they are offered, be sure to join the TUN Community. We will let you know about scholarships that you qualify for. 

You should also check with your high school to see if they have a list of scholarships. Your guidance counselor may have the list or point you to someone who can help you. They may also be in the know about scholarships sponsored by local stores or organizations.

Your family is yet another good source of scholarships. Your parents or guardians may work for a company that offers scholarships for dependents of employees. 
If you work while in high school, you may also qualify for an employee scholarship. For example, Taco Bell has an exclusive scholarship program that’s available only to its restaurant employees. McDonald’s also offers scholarships to eligible employees.

When to apply for scholarships

To be considered for a scholarship, you must meet the deadline. 

So, start your research for scholarships early and note down the deadlines of the scholarships you’re interested in.

Use a spreadsheet to keep track of the scholarships. Grouping them by deadline will help you focus on what’s due next.

Pay attention to what’s required of you. For example, if you need a recommendation letter, you should request one way ahead of time so you have one by the time you apply. If an essay is required, start writing weeks before so you have an essay you can be proud of before the due date.

Aim to send in your application at least a few days before the due date. This way, you avoid the risk of getting sidelined by technical glitches, tests, heavy homework load, or illness.

How to win scholarships

Scholarships, especially ones with high awards, can be very competitive. In some cases, you may be competing against thousands of students. 

So, how do you increase your chances of winning a scholarship?

First, make sure you meet the eligibility criteria and submit all the information required of you, including recommendation letters, transcripts, and resume.

Second, try to distinguish yourself from the other applicants. Your essay, if that’s required, is what makes you unique so let your personality and creativity shine through. How do you do that? 

You can achieve that “by showing instead of telling,” according to Sarah Chomette, an eAdviser with the College Advising Corps. 

“When answering a creative prompt or inputting your personal statement, it’s important to provide the reader with a story instead of just telling them about your goals and accomplishments,” she said. “That can be kind of boring and it makes you get lost in the crowd.”

A successful essay must include four major components, Chomette explained. First, make sure that you convey your personal values. Second, be open and honest to help the reader feel a connection with you. Third, let the reader know why your story is important. Fourth, your writing must show that you put time and effort into it. 

If a scholarship asks for a video or infographic instead of an essay, the same principle applies.

To summarize, always put thought and effort into your whole application and submit your best work. There should be no obvious errors or typos. And if you need to submit a recommendation letter, reflect on who knows you best and whose recommendation would help your application the most.

Jackson Schroeder contributed to this article.