Tips to Finding and Applying to Scholarships
- Make a spreadsheet or paper and write down all of the scholarships you plan to apply to.
- Note what the due date is for the scholarship and what information it requires you to provide (Like how many essays, job or school info ect.)
- Order your list of scholarships by the most important (deadlines) or most likely to win
- Gather application materials early and keep them together
- Ask for your letters of recommendations early and choose people who know you well and can attest to your character
- Focus on two or three scholarship websites, doing more than that if you don’t have the time can get overwhelming
- Even if it is a small scholarship you should still apply to as many as you can
- Ask a mentor, family member, or teacher to help you go over and edit your essays
- Start applying to scholarships early on, there are a lot of early deadlines
- Try finding scholarships that have similar or the same requirements
- Know what you are applying to, some scholarships will go directly to the university you attend and some will go to you so you can use them towards books, housing, fees, etc.
Scholarships Every Student Should Apply To
Education is important and so is easing your stress about how to pay for college. These scholarships are easy to apply to, they have low requirements and will help fund your future education.
1. FAFSA Amount Varies
The FAFSA is federal student aid, once you fill out your part as the student parents then fill out financial information and it gives you a SAI or student aid index number which you can use to apply to other scholarships.
2. Tempe Diablo $2,000/year
The Tempe Diablos provide numerous scholarships each year to students to attend Arizona State University or a Maricopa County Community College who demonstrate involvement in the community.
3. Unigo $10,000 Annual Scholarship $10,000
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?”
4. Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship Up to $35,000 over four years
This scholarship is available to graduating, minority high school seniors who plan to attend a 4-year college or university. Applicants must submit 4 essays and one letter of recommendation to be considered.
5. McDonald’s HACER National Scholarship $5,000-$100,000
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.
6. Horatio Alger State Scholarship $10,000
This scholarship is available to high school juniors in all 50 states who have critical financial needs. Applicants must “exhibit a strong commitment to pursue and complete a bachelor’s degree at an accredited non-profit public or private institution in the United States,” and must have a GPA over 2.0.
7. Women at Microsoft Scholarship Up to $5,000 offered one time or renewable for up to four years
High school seniors who identify as women or non-binary and plan to attend a vocational school or college to pursue a career in STEAM are eligible for this scholarship. Students must have a cumulative high school GPA of 3.0 or higher.
8.Shawn Carter Scholarship Fund $10,000
The Shawn Carter Scholarship Fund (SCSF) offers scholarships to students who demonstrate resilience in the face of hardship and give back to their communities. Scholarship recipients can use the money to cover tuition expenses and related educational expenses, and are also able to re-apply yearly, from admission to graduation! All Shawn Carter Scholars are required to “give back” by conducting community service and serving as mentors to younger, aspiring Shawn Carter Scholars.
9. Dell Scholars Program $20,000
The Dell Scholars program was designed to provide a support system for the challenges many students face while pursuing a degree. 500 winners will be awarded $20,000 as well as year-round support to help them succeed in college.
10. Ron Brown Scholar Program $40,000 over four years
Black high school seniors with plans to attend a 4-year accredited college or university in the fall of 2023 are eligible to apply to this scholarship. Must submit two letters of recommendation and two essays, each 500 words.
11. Cooke College Scholarship Program Up to $55,000
To be eligible for this scholarship, students must intend to enroll full-time in a college or university, have an unweighted cumulative high school GPA of 3.5 or above, and have unmet financial need.
12. P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship (IPS) The maximum amount is $12,500, lesser amounts may be awarded according to individual needs.
The scholarship is based upon demonstrated need; however, the award is not intended to cover all academic or personal expenses. At the time of application, the applicant is required to indicate additional financial resources adequate to meet her estimated expenses. Examples of additional resources are personal and family funds, tuition waivers, work scholarships, teaching assistantships, study grants and other scholarships.
13. Hispanic Scholarship Fund $500-$5,000
This scholarship is awarded to people of many talents. The winners have access to lots of career, conferences, and support opportunities. To apply you must be of Hispanic heritage, a US citizen, a minimum 3.0 GPA, submit the FAFSA and plan to enroll full time at a four year university.
14. Dorance Scholarship $12,000 per year
This scholarship is a need-based award that is awarded too Arizona residents that are currently graduating seniors who will be a first-generation college students. They must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and have a minimum test score of 1110 SAT, 22 ACT, or 72 CLT. They have to plan to attend ASU-Tempe, NAU-Flagstaff, UA-Tucson and agree to live in on-campus housing during freshman and sophomore year
15. Snow, Carpio & Weekly, PLC Academic Scholarship $2,500
This scholarship is for high school seniors graduating this year who show merit and need. They must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and plan to attend a university in the fall.
16. Conrad Carpio Dreamers Scholarship $2,500
This scholarship is for immigrants who are high school seniors or recent graduates who are looking to get a degree. Requirements are you must have entered the United States before age 16, be under 25, have lived in the US for five years or more, they must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and plan to attend a university in the fall.
17. Unlimited Lights Scholarship $1,000
For the Unlimited Lights Scholarship, submit a 800-1250 word essay on one of the following three topics: “How has technology in emergency lighting impacted disaster response efforts?”, “In what ways can emergency lighting contribute to building resilient communities?”, “Share a personal experience highlighting the importance of reliable emergency lighting in a critical situation.”.
18. Character Counts Scholarship $10,000
The Character Counts Scholarship, offered by Parker & Sons in partnership with Arizona Sports, awards $10,000 to an Arizona high school student who demonstrates exceptional character, good sportsmanship, and community involvement. Nominations are open until December 31st, with ten finalists being featured on Arizona Sports platforms and honored at an award ceremony where the scholarship winner is announced.
High Achievement Scholarships
These scholarships will take more time to apply to and are a little more advanced. They have more requirements (like achievements, essays etc.) and need more proof of achievement. However, some of these scholarships also come with computers, all expenses paid trips, and new communities.
1. The Coca-Cola Scholars Program Scholarship $20,000
This scholarship program “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.”
2. Elks Foundation Most Valuable Student Scholarship Up to $12,500 per year
Students pursuing a four-year degree can apply to this scholarship by the Elks National Foundation. They will be awarding 500 students scholarships for four years, ranging from $1,000 to $12,500. The top 20 scholarship applicants will participate in an all-expenses paid trip to Elks National Foundation’s Leadership Weekend, where they are eligible to win even more money for college.
3. Cameron Impact Scholarship Covers the full tuition, fees, and books at any accredited U.S. based college or university that the recipient chooses to attend
The Foundation is specifically looking for candidates who have displayed strong evidence of leadership, involvement in extracurriculars and community service, and who want to make a positive impact on the world around them.
4. Burger King Scholars Program $1,000-$60,000
Recipients of this scholarship will be selected based on their GPA, work experience, extracurricular activities, and community involvement.
5. Davidson Fellows Scholarship Up to $15,000 per year
Applicants must write a 1,000 word essay about their experience with progressive social activity, as well as their long-term goals and how they plan to achieve them. A complete application, letters of recommendation, transcripts, and a completed FAFSA must also be submitted.
6. The Gates Scholarship, Full scholarship
High school seniors of color are eligible for this highly competitive scholarship. Ideal candidates have “an outstanding academic record, demonstrated leadership ability, and exceptional personal success skills.”
7. Footlocker Scholar Athletes Up to $20,000
Each year, 20 high school seniors who are leaders on their sports teams, in their classrooms, and in their communities will be awarded up to $20,000 to go towards their college education.
8. National Merit Scholarship, Full ride to in state university
Awarded for outstanding PSAT/NMSQT scores
9. Flynn Scholarship more than $130,000 value
This scholarship is looking for high achieving, articulate, fun-loving, and hard-working. Applicants should have excelled in their high-school classrooms while maintaining purposeful involvement in extracurricular activities, whether in the arts or athletics, in laboratory research or community service. Students are evaluated based on their academic achievement, leadership, involvement, service to the community, ability to communicate, and personal characteristics. This scholarship has lots of benefits and is worth applying too.
Websites That Will Match You With Scholarships
These websites will match you with different scholarships based on your demographics, affiliations with organizations, involvement in school, sports, etc.