college scholarship application ideas

Top 10 scholarship essay prompts and how to answer them (with infographic)

Checking each scholarship application’s questions and essays can be time-consuming. But what if you could find out what the most common essay topics were–and then reuse those same scholarship essays across multiple applications?

Well, Going Merry can help you do just that. We took a random sample of about 700 scholarship applications on our scholarship platform and categorized the prompts for any essays requiring 250 or more words. Finally, we ran the numbers to find out what the top 10 most common scholarship essay prompts are. 

These 10 topics represented a whopping 90% of all scholarship essay prompts. So that means if you had these 10 essays ready to go, you could apply to the vast majority of scholarships with very little additional work, especially when you use Going Merry’s auto-filled application forms .  

Here’s our list of the Top 10 Most Common Scholarship Essay Prompts.

• Here’s an excerpt of the winning scholarship essay from John Flowers Jr.:

2. How have you contributed to your community?

3. tell us about yourself., 4. tell us about a time you failed and what you learned from it., 5. what are your academic and/or career goals, 6. what impact has sports had on your life.

• And here’s a winning essay on this scholarship topic from Jesús Adrian Arroyo-Ramirez:

Here’s an example of a winning scholarship essay from Gabby DeMott in which a student developed a new understanding of herself and others.

Here’s a winning going merry scholarship essay from daniel gill on what makes him unique (hint: he brings puppetry and education together with expressive arts):, 10. why do you want to study/pursue [x], download the top 10 scholarship essay prompts, more resources related to writing for college, ready to start writing some of these top scholarship essay prompts.

1. How will this scholarship help you?

You should answer this scholarship essay prompt by explaining how the award money will help you in at least one of the following ways: financially , professionally, and/or academically. 

Financially, you can share family hardships or goals on how you plan to use the money to help pay for portions of college – for textbooks, tuition, a laptop, or other school supplies. 

Professionally, the scholarship might help you pursue a degree in a field you’re interested in. If you’re a first-generation student, you can highlight that this would help you pursue both academic and career dreams as the first in your family.

For example, John Flowers Jr., a Going Merry scholarship winner , described in his scholarship essay that the award would help him be able to pay for his books. 

“Winning this scholarship will make a difference to me because it will allow me to cover college financial issues that may hold me back from reaching my career. Being less stressed about worrying about college fees will allow me to focus more of my attention in class to earn the credits, and not worry about how I’m going to pay for the class.”

Here’s an excerpt of the winning scholarship essay from John Flowers Jr. :

My parents were never given a shot at having an education beyond high school. They were never given a shot to show their full potential and make a difference in the world  […] Being young and seeing my parents struggle is hard for me. It’s challenging seeing the people you love go through a hard time and you can’t do anything about it. […] But then I realized I can do something about it. I can get good grades in school. I can take college level courses throughout high school. I can attend a 4-year university and earn my bachelor’s degree in Business Entrepreneurship. That was my thought process as a Freshman.  Now being a Senior I turned those “I cans” into “I did.” I DID get good grades all through school. I DID take college level courses. I will be walking straight out of high school with 17 college credit hours.  […] I DID get into a 4-year university; and 4 years from now I want to be able to say I DID earn my bachelor’s degree in Business Entrepreneurship. Nothing would make me happier than to be able to take care of my parents the way they have been taking care of my all my life; and nothing would make me better as a person than to be able to say I did this. […] Winning this scholarship will make a difference to me because it will allow me to cover college financial issues that may hold me back from reaching my career. Being less stressed about worrying about college fees will allow me to focus more of my attention in class to earn the credits, and not worry about how I’m going to pay for the class. Even book fees will add up over time due to how many different classes there are. Being able to use this scholarship to pay for books that are required for a certain class will be a big help, especially for a student who has lots of classes that have to be taken.

This is a common essay prompt for community service scholarships . In this essay, describe your experience in community service, explain how you’ve given back, or share volunteer opportunities you’ve participated in. For example, if you’ve organized a community donation box and taken the donations to a nonprofit organization, share how you got involved in that and how it helped the community. 

Two more things to mention–even when they’re not explicitly asked: 

• How have you learned or grown due to your community service? Scholarship committees want to know how this work has contributed to your character. 
• How do you plan to continue to support your community in the future? Bonus points if your college plans (which they’d be partially funding!) help you further contribute. Sometimes this is easy because your intended career path is service-oriented (for example, if you want to be a nurse, doctor, teacher, or social worker), but other times you may wish to give back on the side (for instance, by doing pro-bono work if you want to be a lawyer). 

You have a lot of creative freedom with this scholarship prompt! But don’t get too crazy. Generally, this kind of “open-ended” prompt is a bit of a trick. In the end, the scholarship committee still wants to know: 

• What motivates you to do (study or pursue a career in) what you plan to do? Remember, they’re funding your future, so they want to know about your plans and why you’re passionate about them. 
• What kind of (good) characteristics do you have? They’re ultimately choosing people to invest in, so they want you to be a good person. Characteristics you might want to show are empathy, service, leadership, perseverance, or determination. 
• What kind of successes have you had in the past? This is your chance to brag about what you’ve accomplished so far. 

This essay topic is quite similar to writing a college personal statement , except that with this one, you want to more explicitly tie things back to your future plans.

Scholarship providers understand that no student is perfect, and they want to know how you learned from a failure – this can be an academic, professional, or personal failure. Break down how you failed, why you failed, and how it made you better. You can also reveal something you learned from that failure, such as what you would do differently in the future, so you don’t run into that situation again, or how that moment changed your life and how you picked yourself up. This is a moment to show how you can learn and persevere. 

If the essay is very short (say, 100-300 words), be clear and concise. Explain what you want to study, and then what kind of career you want to lead afterwards. Be sure to save room for 1-2 sentences explaining why you’re motivated to pursue that path. 

If you have a longer essay (for example, 500-1000 words), take the time to describe what inspired you to pursue certain academic and/or career goals. For example: One of your parents has always owned his or her own business and now you’re inspired to be an entrepreneur, to pursue a degree in business. Describe that moment of realization when you decided that would be your career goal. Maybe a conversation with that parent sparked inspiration to pursue that, or maybe it was simply watching them work as you grew up. Looking to the future, how do you plan to pursue that career goal? How will the scholarship award help you pursue it? Tell a story; paint a picture. Get creative with it!

Check out these blog posts for additional information on writing an essay about your academic goals and/or career goals .

This essay prompt is generally for scholarships supporting student-athletes.

So if you played sports throughout high school, share how it’s affected your life, You can reflect on experiences with teammates (if it’s a team sport), what you learned (or gained) from practices or meets/competitions, any injuries you had to overcome, how you balanced athletics and academics, how it affected your schedule (early-morning wake-ups, anyone?), and time with your coach(es) or sports mentors. 

You’ll also want to look forwards and not just backwards. How will you take your sports experiences with you, into college and beyond? Maybe there’s a direct connection: being on a team inspired you to one day pursue a career in sports and eventually coach. Or the effects can be more indirect: You’ve learned time management skills that will help you in college, or you’ve learned teamwork skills that will help you when you begin working.

7. Why do you deserve this scholarship?

Scholarship providers are basically asking, “Why should it be you?” with this scholarship essay prompt. Paint a picture of why you’re the most deserving student for this scholarship award. 

You’ll want to establish at least these two things:

• You’ve proven yourself as high-achieving (in the past). Discuss accomplishments you’re proud of or any accolades (honors, awards, or simply verbal compliments) you’ve received. 
• You’re driven to succeed (in the future). Show that you’ve got clear future plans and the gusto to make them happen. 

In addition to that, a strong essay will show at least one of these additional traits: 

• You’re passionate. If you’ve got a good story to explain your motivation for your studies or future career plans, now’s the time to tell that tale. Here’s the moment to wow the scholarship committee with why you care more than anyone else, and why. 
• You’re unique. Scholarship committees love finding someone who’s just different and stands out from the rest. If you’ve had an unusual upbringing or an uncommon interest, lean into that. (For instance, scholarship winner Daniel Gill wrote about his passion for using puppetry to help autistic children — now that’s cool and unique!)
• You’ve got a particular financial need . For need-based scholarships, this essay question may in part be asking you why your financial need is greater than other applicants’.

Want more tips? We have a whole separate post dedicated to answering this scholarship essay prompt.

And here’s a winning essay on this scholarship topic from Jesús Adrian Arroyo-Ramirez :

I always knew I was different than my friends in some way. Growing up, I struggled to speak English while everyone else had little to no problems. I needed extra help in school while my friends coasted by with ease. My friends would hop on planes and travel all around the world while I had to stay at home. At the age of 13 all of my friends started driving while I still couldn’t. I built up the courage and asked my mother why I did not have access to the simple liberties everyone else did. My name Is Jesús Adrian Arroyo-Ramirez, and I was illegally brought to this country when I was just six years old. At the time I had no clue that I was breaking any laws, and I did not realize the fact that my life was going to change forever. Growing up with a different citizenship situation than my peers was and still is the biggest challenge I have to face in my life. Looking back there is not a single thing that I would change. Knowing that I had to work harder than everyone else led me to be the person that I am today. I took that fire inside of me, pushed myself, graduated first in my class with a cumulative 4.0 GPA, became a Kansas Scholar, and graduated High School with a semester’s worth of college credit. In November of 2016, everything began to look up for me. I received a work permit and a social security card all thanks to the DACA program. I was finally able to get my license, get a job, and most importantly attend college. I plan to continue my success in the classroom and do everything to the best of my ability as I know that under my current circumstances it can all be ripped away from me at any moment. Growing up with my situation has taught me to not take advantage of a single opportunity. There has been continued support around me past and current and I know there are people out there rooting for my success. I will strive to be the first generation in my family to graduate from an American University and I will set a stepping stone for my future family so they will not have to struggle as I did. My citizenship is not a setback, it is a mere obstacle that I will always learn to work around if it means giving my future children a better life, just like my mother did for me.

8. Tell us about a time when you had a belief or idea challenged.

Have you studied abroad? Visited a foreign country on a family trip? Had a thought-provoking discussion with a teacher, religious leader, or friend? Think about an experience or a moment that challenged – or even changed – one of your beliefs or ideas. Explain what your original understanding of the idea was, when that idea was challenged, and how you felt about it afterward. Scholarship providers are interested in seeing reflection and growth, so expanding on every detail, including where you were, who you were with, and what you were feeling, can help tell your story in your essay.

There were only a few minutes to go and our eyes were glued to screen. On the edge of our seats, clutching whoever happened to be next to us, we watched as the referee blew his whistle and the German players took their free kick. The ball was hit with precision and skill; it flew up over the Swedish players, past their goalie, and was caught safely in the back of the opposing team’s net. We all jumped up and screamed, a mixture of German and English, of excitement and relief, of pride and anticipation. We stood, enraptured, for the last several minutes of the game as Germany kept its 2-1 lead over Sweden. The horde of us, Germans and Americans alike, hugged and cheered and made our way out onto the balcony, where we chanted “Deutschland! Deutschland! Deutschland!” for the whole village, the whole country, the whole world to hear. Never have I felt so accepted while being an outsider, so proud of a country that isn’t even mine, so part of something I didn’t really belong to. My German friends didn’t care that we were from different countries; they didn’t care that we would only be staying for three weeks. They accepted us into their homes and their daily lives, their traditions and their celebrations. In watching that World Cup game, it didn’t matter that we were from different places; we were all cheering for the same team. The acceptance I felt in Germany extended beyond that living room. I came to the country on a three week exchange with ten other students from my school. We each stayed with host families and attended the Wildermuth Gymnasium, which was surprisingly accommodating to a gaggle of loud American teenagers. The teachers were friendly and welcoming, the students treated us like ordinary peers, and even the people I interacted with in public were understanding. Before coming to Germany I feared judgment based on my level of the language (which is nowhere near as good as the German students’ English) and American politics. It was intimidating to be in a country with limited knowledge of the language and the customs, even though everyone was welcoming. People did ask myself and the other students about the US’s political climate, but no one blamed us for it. They recognized that we were outsiders, that the place we came from had flaws, and they accepted us anyway. Since that trip, I’ve found myself trying to provide that acceptance to people in my own country. For example, I work at a canoe livery and we receive a lot of visitors with limited English. Some of my coworkers will avoid such customers because they don’t want to take the time to explain things, to exercise patience with someone who may not understand them. If people had done this to me in Germany, my time there would have been much less enjoyable; in fact, I would have been offended. So now when someone walks up to me at the livery and asks a question in English that isn’t perfect, I smile and welcome them. I take my time to make sure they understand, that they can have a good time, and that they feel accepted. It’s a small action, but I know firsthand that it can make a big impact, at my place of work and in the world.

9. How are you unique? (Discuss your background, identity, interest, or talent) 

Everyone has a trait, a quirk, an activity that makes them unique, whether it’s sports, their upbringing, their hobbies, or interests. Go into as much detail as you feel comfortable to answer this scholarship essay prompt.

Share a story about your family culture, how you were raised, moments that shaped you into being who you are today. If sports is your thing, for example, share how playing sports at a young age taught you about teamwork, working with a coach, discipline and structure. If you couldn’t play sports due to an injury or a disability, explain how you felt when you learned that you had to find other ways to thrive and how it affected your actions.

Sometimes we think that a topic has been written about so many times that it doesn’t matter, but what makes you unique – your story, your history – is your story to tell.

As an Expressive Arts specialist, I use puppet play and the arts (with three to five-year-olds) to teach sharing, identifying and working with feelings, making friends, mindfulness, and asking for what you need in peaceful ways. Additionally, I perform developmentally appropriate puppet shows in classrooms about fairness, valuing difference (including differences in gender expression and skin tone), and peaceful conflict resolution. By teaching diversity, equity, and inclusion through puppetry, I feel that I am making a difference. In this work, I have noticed an unexplained phenomenon. Educational puppetry is particularly effective in helping children with ASD develop social and communication skills. One girl with ASD in my school refused to follow the daily routine until a parrot puppet helped guide her through the transitions. Through puppet play, a boy with impulse control challenges learned to manage his feelings and stop hitting other children. One boy with Autism showed remarkable progress with puppet play. Now in Kindergarten, his ability to communicate and make friends makes his academic success possible. Teachers value this work; it reinforces the social and emotional teaching they practice daily. One teacher told me, “What you do with puppets and our kids is amazing. You need to share this work beyond our preschool.” Application Questions and Answers My goal is to support young children with Autism in public school settings develop the social-emotional skills they need for academic and personal success. I aim to accomplish this by creating and implementing evidence-based strategies that use puppets as intervention tools. A Masters and Credential in ECSE, and the Autism Spectrum Graduate Certificate program I will complete, are essential to broadening my impact. The program will provide me with the theoretical foundation, the student teaching experiences, the credentials, and the academic community required to work with children and families in public school settings. For example, as part of the ECSE Program Masters and Credential Roadmap, I am taking the Seminar in Educational Research course. I am learning how to conduct scholarly research, a fundamental skill in creating innovative approaches that work. I am eager to apply the knowledge and skills I learn at SFSU toward helping more children open doors to connection. Additionally, I am learning leadership skills by volunteering for SFSU’s Early Childhood Special Education Conference. Most conference attendees are undergraduate students, interested in working with young children at-risk and with disabilities. As Co-Chair of the Presenter Committee, I am recruiting dynamic and engaging speakers who will lead workshops. I am eager to apply all of the knowledge and skills I learn at SFSU toward helping more children open doors to connection. I am at a critical juncture in my path. Helping children who experience social disconnection integrate into their classrooms, is my passion. This scholarship will help me work toward a world where every child has access to education and all children know they belong.

Reflect on what inspires you to want to pursue a certain field of study. If you’re interested in studying psychology and pursuing a career as a psychologist, for example, explain how you enjoy understanding how and why people make certain decisions, how you became fascinated by the science behind it.

Another example: Let’s say you’re interested in pursuing a career in communications. This might seem like a broader category, but you can highlight your love for writing, your ability to pick up on details in and out of school, and presenting this in a way that makes sense to the people around you. Just be careful not to get stuck in broad generalities. For this essay prompt in particular, many applicants will often have the same basic answer as you. So you’ll want to use specific anecdotes to make your essay stand out. 

Check out these blog posts to continue researching how to answer scholarship essay prompts:

• How to write an essay about yourself
• Writing about your career goals 
• How to write the best personal statement
• Write a winning scholarship essay about your academic goals
• Scholarship essay format and structure

Now that you have a better understanding of how to answer these scholarship essay prompts, it’s time to put your knowledge in motion with your scholarship applications. Sign up for a free Going Merry profile where you can upload your scholarship essays. You’ll enter your information once – such as your expected graduation year, what you plan to study in college, and your location – and then we’ll match you with thousands of scholarships. You can even sort scholarships by competitiveness, location, amount, and deadline!

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The 16 Most Popular Scholarship Essay and Application Questions

by Gabrielle McCormick | Nov 17, 2018 | Applying for Scholarships , Finding Scholarships , Scholarship Essays | 0 comments

Believe it or not, scholarship committees generally ask the same types of questions and have similar applications.

That’s right! The scholarships you find are going to fit into specific themes which you must be able to identify in order to save your family time, frustration, stress, and most importantly – money.

The 16 themes below are designed for you to use as a reference until you can spot them on your own. Also, make sure you check out our Scholarship Fast Track videos , specifically the Application Accelerators Module , that outlines these scholarship essay themes and questions even more!

The Top 16 Scholarship Essay Themes

• Committee Composition
• Competition
• Contribution
• Credentials

I’ve provided a definition as well as common scholarship question examples for each theme.

[info-box type=”success”] Real Talk: These questions are not made-up and, in fact, come from actual scholarship applications that are open to students at all levels. I hope that they serve you well in preparing for your upcoming applications. [/info-box]

Common Scholarship Questions and Essay Prompts

Scholarship essay theme: career.

The career theme is pretty self-explanatory. The committee wants to know any and everything relating to you or your student’s career goals.

Common Scholarship Questions:

• What do you want to do after you graduate from college?
• Why did you select this career?
• How will you change the field/industry?
• Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?

Scholarship Essay Theme: Catch-All

This is a student’s life summary or autobiography which usually includes information about the past, present, and future. Some committees refer to it as a personal statement or brief bio. (Warning: Not all personal statements will be looking for a life summary. Make sure you read the application carefully.)

• Please write a short autobiography including information about your family, work experience, community involvement, hobbies, spare time activities, and what you hope to do in the future.
• Please include a short summary or personal statement describing your accomplishments and goals.
• List any honors and awards you’ve received.
• List your extra-curricular activities.

Scholarship Essay Theme: Challenges

Everyone loves a good underdog story. An essay theme that focuses on Challenges asks the student to identify a time when they were down or faced conflict. The committee wants to hear how instead of giving up, you rose to the occasion or at least learned what was necessary to achieve success.

• Write a short essay that describes areas in your life where you demonstrated leadership and overcame obstacles either through your school, social, or family life.
• What’s the most difficult challenge you’ve ever faced? How did you handle it?

Scholarship Essay Theme: Champion

Why you? Out of all the available applicants, why should you or your student earn the scholarship?

• Why do you need this scholarship?
• Please list any additional comments you believe would be helpful in the committee’s decision.
• In 100 words or less, tell why you would like to receive the XYZ scholarship.

Scholarship Essay Theme: Change

This is one I’m starting to see more and more of in the scholarship world. Committees are interested in the opinions, thoughts, and ideas of applicants. With topics like legislation, population control, and the environment, committees want to see analytical and critical thinking skills.

• What do you think we should do about gun control in this country?
• How would you handle texting and driving?
• Create an innovative solution to reduce waste.

Scholarship Essay Theme: Character

As Defined by Merriam-Webster , “Character is the way someone thinks, feels, and behaves .” Essentially, it’s what makes you who you are.

• Describe a time in your life that has shaped who you are as a person.
• This is what I believe in…
• How do you define success?
• What traits do you possess that will enhance your education or future career?

Scholarship Essay Theme: Classroom

Academics, teaching methods, assignments, and anything that pertains to student learning fall under this category.

• How has technology impacted student learning?
• If you could design a college curriculum, what would it be?
• Do you believe that standardized testing has helped or hindered student learning?

Scholarship Essay Theme: College

This is one of the most common scholarship essay themes. The premise: Why do you want to go to college?

You’ll often see this theme attached to others as an additional question or a required component of the application.

• Why do you want to go to college?
• What do you expect to gain from earning a college degree?
• What are your educational goals?

Is this helping you? Are you beginning to see how this can save you a lot of time? If so, let me know in the comments below, Tweet Me @ScholarshipTalk, or just share the following message and I’ll know you see the benefits of organizing your scholarships based on themes. ?

[clickToTweet tweet=”Organizing my scholarships based on the 16 core essay themes has saved me time! #OwnYourDegree” quote=”Organizing my scholarships based on the 16 core essay themes has saved me time!”]

Scholarship Essay Theme: Committee Composition

I’m sure you’ve seen some of the eccentric scholarships out there that challenge you to write about your favorite ice cream, talk about using their product, or design a logo for their company. These scholarships tend to be unique or inspired by the sponsoring organization.

• Create a greeting card and be featured in our upcoming holiday card collection.
• Design a mascot for our company.
• Write an essay about how lights and fixtures could impact your mood.
• Develop an innovative video to end smoking.

Scholarship Essay Theme: Community

This is also a popular scholarship theme. Instead of looking at a student’s GPA, test scores, or major, the community essay theme focuses on community service, community initiatives, and community improvement.

• Describe a meaningful volunteer experience?
• Make thank-you cards for military service members.
• Share a project you developed to change your community.

Scholarship Essay Theme: Competition

A common theme for athletes, band members, dancers, or those involved in groups/organizations is the Competition scholarship essay. It highlights participation and its associated benefits.

• What does it mean to be a good student on the field, in the classroom, and in the community?
• Define what it means to be a good teammate?
• Describe a moment of sportsmanship.

Scholarship Essay Theme: Contribution

Again, this is another scholarship essay theme that you may see added to another scholarship question or application. The committee wants to know about you or your student’s contribution to society at various levels.

• How will you make a difference in our world?
• How have you made a difference in your community?
• What do you think our country should do to foster unity?

Scholarship Essay Theme: Control

Control , i.e. leadership, oftentimes stands alone as a scholarship theme because of the many questions that can be asked. From being a leader to follower and everything in between, the committee is seeking answers regarding group interaction, the organization of people, or participation within a group setting.

• What does leadership mean to you?
• Explain a family, social or school situation, in which your leadership made the difference. What was accomplished?

Scholarship Essay Theme: Creative

I’m starting to see a rise in Creativ e scholarship essays as well. You may notice some similarities with the Committee Composition theme because these scholarships are usually committee-driven and created.

The committee will provide a question, but give you freedom in depicting or representing the theme or category they’ve selected.

• Write a short story of 2,000 words or less.
• Create a video of 2-minutes or less to encourage young people to stop texting and driving.
• Submit a photograph depicting the word “family”.

Scholarship Essay Theme: Credentials

As defined by Merriam-Webster , “Credentials are a qualification, achievement, personal quality, or aspect of a person’s background, typically when used to indicate that they are suitable for something.”

These scholarships will require specific credentials to apply or may use the credential within application questions.

• To apply for this scholarship, you must be a female student majoring in a male-dominated industry. Please tell us why you selected this career?
• Applicants must be a member of the LGBTQI community. Describe a volunteering activity you conducted for your community.
• Students must be a dependent of an active military member or veteran. Why do you need this scholarship?
• Students applying for this scholarship must be undergraduate students entering their first semester. What study habits do you think are imperative to freshmen student success?

Scholarship Essay Theme: Culture

Cultures can be comprised of many different components. From college communities to hometown traditions, the Culture theme is based on the defining characteristics of a student’s environment.

• Tell the committee why you decided to attend college out-of-state?
• What does your university’s tradition and pride represent?
• Submit a piece of artwork that captures your town.

[info-box type=”alert”]Do you want a downloadable version of these themes and questions for your notes? Click here for a FREE copy . [/info-box]

Save a Ton of Time by Using These Themes

Scholarship applications may have one or several themes present. Focus on identifying your possible scholarship themes.

Labeling scholarships by themes and working on them at the same time allows the student to divide and conquer. If your family can get good at identifying themes, you’ll immediately save hours of time on applications .

As I start to see new themes emerge, I’ll be sure to add them to the list. For now, this should keep you pretty busy as you continue to find and apply for scholarships.

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• How to Write a Scholarship Essay | Template & Example

How to Write a Scholarship Essay | Template & Example

Published on October 11, 2021 by Kirsten Courault . Revised on May 31, 2023.

A good scholarship essay demonstrates the scholarship organization’s values while directly addressing the prompt. If you plan ahead , you can save time by writing one essay for multiple prompts with similar questions.

Table of contents

Apply for a wide variety of scholarships, make a scholarship tracker spreadsheet, tailor your essay to the organization and the prompt, write a focused and relevant personal story, scholarship essay example, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about college application essays.

Scholarships are a type of student financial aid that don’t require repayment. They are awarded based on various factors, including academic merit, financial need, intended major, personal background, or activities and interests.

Like college applications, scholarship applications often require students to submit their grades, standardized test scores, letters of recommendation, and an essay.

A scholarship essay shares your values and qualities in the context of a specific question, such as “How does technology affect your daily life?” or “Who has had the greatest impact on your life?”

Be wary of scholarship scams

While some applications may not require an essay, be wary of scholarship scams that do the following:

• Guarantee you scholarship money for a fee
• Claim scholarship information is exclusive to their company
• Ask for your bank or credit card information to hold the scholarship

Some legitimate companies do charge for releasing comprehensive scholarship lists or creating a tailored list of scholarship opportunities based on your profile.

However, you can always discover scholarship opportunities for free through your school counselor, community network, or an online search.

Many students focus on well-known, large scholarship opportunities, which are usually very competitive. To maximize your chance of success, invest time in applying for a wide variety of scholarships: national and local, as well as big and small award amounts. There are also scholarships for international students .

In addition to charitable foundation and corporate scholarships, you should consider applying for institutional scholarships at your prospective universities, which can award money based on your application’s strength, your financial situation, and your demonstrated interest in the school.

Check with your guidance counselor, local organizations, community network, or prospective schools’ financial aid offices for scholarship opportunities. It’s a good idea to start applying as early as your junior year and continue throughout your senior year.

Choose the right scholarships for you

Choose scholarships with missions and essay topics that match your background, experiences, and interests. If the scholarship topic is meaningful to you, it will be easier for you to write an authentic and compelling essay.

Don’t shy away from applying for local scholarships with small dollar amounts. Even a few hundred dollars can help you pay for books.

Local scholarships may be more tailored to your community, background, and activities, so they’re likely more relevant to you. Fewer students apply for these scholarships, so you have less competition and a higher chance of success.

Some places to look for local scholarships include

• Civic organizations, such as the Rotary Club, Lions Club, etc.
• Your church, mosque, synagogue, or place of worship
• Community groups, such as the YMCA
• Ethnicity-based organizations
• Your local library or local small businesses
• Organizations related to your intended major
• Your city or town
• Your school district
• Unions, such as SEIU, the Teamsters, CWA, etc.
• Your employer or your parents’ employers
• Banks, credit unions, and local financial institutions

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

While researching scholarship opportunities, create a scholarship tracker spreadsheet to keep track of the following:

• Scholarship amounts
• Required application materials

You can use our free Google Sheets template to track your scholarship applications.

Scholarship application tracker template

You can also include scholarship essay prompts in your college essay tracker sheet . By grouping or color-code overlapping essay prompts, you can plan to write a single essay for multiple scholarships. Sometimes, you can also reuse or adapt your main college essay .

Even if you’re adapting another essay, it’s important to make sure your essay directly addresses the prompt, stays within the word count limit , and demonstrates the organization’s values. The scholarship committee will be able to tell if you reuse an essay that doesn’t quite respond to the prompt, so be sure to tailor it to the questions asked.

Research each organization

Before writing, research the scholarship organization’s mission and reason for awarding the scholarship. Learning more about the organization can help you select an appropriate topic and relevant story.

While you should tailor your essay to the organization’s values, maintain your authentic voice. Never use false or exaggerated stories. If the organization’s values don’t align with yours or you can’t brainstorm a relevant story for the scholarship, continue searching for other scholarship opportunities to find a more appropriate one for you.

After researching the organization, identify a specific personal experience that embodies its values and exemplifies why you will be a successful student.

Choose a story with the following criteria:

• Responds to the prompt
• Demonstrates the organization’s values
• Includes an authentic story
• Focuses on you and your experience, not someone else’s

A good scholarship essay is not

• A resume of your achievements
• A lengthy opinion piece about the essay topic
• An essay featuring a negative tone that puts down others

If appropriate, you can briefly address how the scholarship money will help you achieve your educational goals. You should also end with a brief thank-you.

Take a look at the full essay example below. Hover over the underlined parts to read explanations of why they work.

Prompt: Describe how working for Chelsea’s Chicken restaurant has developed leadership skills that will help you succeed in college. Give specific examples of leadership characteristics that you have exhibited during your employment with us.

As a nervous 16-year-old, I walked into Chelsea’s Chicken for my first day of work determined to make enough money to put gas in my car and buy pizza on the weekends. My only previous job was mowing my neighbors’ lawns when they were on vacation, so I had no idea what to expect. I was a bit intimidated by my new responsibilities, especially handling money and helping disgruntled customers.

However, it didn’t take me long to learn my way around the cash register and successfully address customer complaints. One day, Roger, the store manager, asked me if I wanted to join Chelsea’s Chicken Leadership Training Initiative. He said he saw leadership potential in me because of my attitude with the customers and my enthusiasm for learning new job responsibilities. It surprised me because I had never thought of myself as a leader, but I quickly agreed, and Roger handed me a three-ring binder that was thicker than my math and science textbooks put together! He told me to take it home and read over it during the following week.

In that binder, I discovered that being a leader means taking the initiative, especially when the job is undesirable. One week later, I got to practice that idea when a little kid threw up in the bathroom and missed the toilet. It smelled terrible, but I stepped forward and told Roger that I would clean it up. My coworkers thought I was crazy, but I started to believe in my leadership potential.

That night as we closed the store, Roger pulled me aside in the parking lot and told me that he could tell that I had been studying the manual. He wanted to give me more responsibility, along with a dollar-per-hour pay raise. I was surprised because I had been working there for only a couple of months, but his encouragement helped me make a connection: good leadership helps other people, and it often is rewarded. I was determined to experience more of both.

Within a month, I was ready to take the Team Leader exam, which mattered because I would receive a promotion and a much bigger raise if I passed. But, when I got to work, two of the scheduled team members had called in sick. We were noticeably short-handed, and our customers weren’t happy about it.

I walked back to the lockers, put on my vest and hat, and took my place behind an open register. Customers immediately moved into my line to place their orders. Roger looked at me with surprise and asked, “Did you forget that you’re testing tonight?” I responded, “No, sir—but what’s the use of taking a leadership test if you aren’t going to lead in real life?” Roger smiled at me and nodded.

He stayed late that night after we closed so that I could leave early and still take the test. I noticed that Roger was always staying late, helping employees learn new skills. His example taught me that leaders take the initiative to develop other leaders. He gave me a clear picture of what shared leadership looks like, making room for others to grow and excel. When I asked him where he learned to do that, he said, “From the same leadership manual I gave you!”

Chelsea’s Chicken has offered me so much more than a paycheck. Because of Roger’s example, I have learned to take the initiative to care for my family and friends, such as being the first to do the dishes without my mom asking or volunteering to pick up my friend for our SAT prep course. Now, as I prepare to enter college, I have confidence in my leadership ability. I know I’m signing up for a challenging major—Biology, Pre-Med—yet I also know that Chelsea’s Chicken has helped me to develop the perseverance required to complete my studies successfully.

If you want to know more about academic writing , effective communication , or parts of speech , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Academic writing

• Writing process
• Transition words
• Passive voice
• Paraphrasing

 Communication

• How to end an email
• Ms, mrs, miss
• How to start an email
• I hope this email finds you well
• Hope you are doing well

 Parts of speech

• Personal pronouns
• Conjunctions

A scholarship essay requires you to demonstrate your values and qualities while answering the prompt’s specific question.

After researching the scholarship organization, identify a personal experience that embodies its values and exemplifies how you will be a successful student.

Invest time in applying for various scholarships , especially local ones with small dollar amounts, which are likely easier to win and more reflective of your background and interests. It will be easier for you to write an authentic and compelling essay if the scholarship topic is meaningful to you.

You can find scholarships through your school counselor, community network, or an internet search.

You can start applying for scholarships as early as your junior year. Continue applying throughout your senior year.

Yes, but make sure your essay directly addresses the prompt, respects the word count , and demonstrates the organization’s values.

If you plan ahead, you can save time by writing one scholarship essay for multiple prompts with similar questions. In a scholarship tracker spreadsheet, you can group or color-code overlapping essay prompts; then, write a single essay for multiple scholarships. Sometimes, you can even reuse or adapt your main college essay .

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Home News 14 tips for completing fantastic scholarship applications

14 tips for completing fantastic scholarship applications

Applying to college can be a challenging process, but scholarship applications can be even more challenging! For many students, affording college can be difficult and securing scholarships is a must.

We’ve compiled 14 tips that will help you successfully complete scholarship applications, write great scholarship essays and rock your scholarship interviews!

Conquering the Application

Tip 1: Start Your Research Early

A good rule of thumb is to start researching scholarships at about the same time you begin applying to schools.

Research the background, history and goals of both the scholarship and the organization sponsoring it. Find out who is funding the scholarship and w hy  they are funding it. This research will help you weed out any potential “scam scholarships” — and yes, those really do exist!

Tip 2: Read Eligibility Requirements Carefully

Remember to read the fine print!

There’s no point in completing scholarship applications for ones that you’re not eligible to receive. If you have a question about whether you qualify for a certain scholarship, contact the scholarship sponsor.

Tip 3: Pay Attention to the Details

Put your best foot forward on all scholarship applications.

Ask yourself questions like: When is it due? How long should the essay be? How many letters of recommendation do they want? The details matter, folks! 

Tip 4: Be Intentional About Your Letters of Recommendation

The best letters of recommendation come from the teachers whose classes challenged you. Teachers who watched you persist and persevere are likely to write the best recommendations.

Tip 5: Ask for Help

Don’t be afraid to ask for help! Ask your guidance counselor, a teacher or a family member to help you review your work before you submit it. It’s always helpful to have another set of eyes look over your application.

Start by asking a friend what they think one of your strengths are. A little awkward, but trust us — it’s worth it!

Tackling the Essay

Tip  6: Focus on What Makes You Unique

Use your uniqueness to your advantage! Your scholarship essay should reflect what makes you stand out.

Don’t be afraid to be edgy or vulnerable when you write. Your writing should be professional and grammatically correct, but don’t put on a facade as you sit down to type your essay. Be intentionally candid. Keep in mind who will be reading your work and why you are writing this essay, but at the same time, don’t shy away from showing your true colors.

Tip 7: Tell Your Story, but Stick to the Prompt

Remember to tell your story in the context of the application. For example, if the scholarship is for “leaders,” highlight experiences in which you’ve shown leadership qualities. Tell a story about a time you may have been asked to lead a group project, or perhaps a time you were inspired to start some kind of movement or club at your school.

It’s essential that you don’t deviate too much from the prompt. Continually ask yourself: Does this detail of the story correlate to the prompt?

Tip 8: Do Several Revisions

Read your essay out loud several times to different people — including older family members, parents or teachers — and get their feedback.

Also, let the essay sit for 48 hours before you come back to it and revise it. Remember in your earlier years of high school when your teachers made you print your essays out, mark them up in your favorite shade of red and then submit a new draft? Do that! Too often, applicants lose the respect of those reading their essays due to grammatical errors and typos.

Don’t be that applicant! Proofread, proofread and proofread again.

Tip 9: Be Authentic

Remember that you are likely not the only person applying for this scholarship. Many, many students who apply for scholarships tend to put on their “best face” possible and unintentionally come across as fake.

Tell  your  story, not someone else’s story.

Acing the Interview

Tip 10: Go in with a Game Plan

Make sure you go into the interview with a plan of action. Often it can help to have a friend or family member run a “mock interview” with you. This will be especially helpful if it’s the first time you have ever been formally interviewed.

Tip 11: Be Prepared to Talk about Yourself

This may seem straightforward, but it is important to keep in mind that this interview is about  you ! 

Be prepared to answer questions about not only your academic achievements but your extracurricular activities as well. You will be asked about your strengths and weaknesses. This is often the hardest question for students to answer.

Tip 12: Ask Good Questions

Don’t let your interviewer make you do all the talking! When the time is appropriate, ask them a couple of questions. Questions like: “What exactly are you looking for in the recipient of this scholarship?” or “What has inspired you most about the previous recipients of this scholarship?” are a couple of good ones to get you started!

Asking questions shows your interviewer that you are engaged and actively participating in the conversation.

Tip 13: Dress to Impress

It is  essential  to dress nicely for your interview. If you want to be taken seriously, the way you dress needs to reflect this.

Tip 14: Stay Calm

Take a deep breath!

Remember: If they’ve called you for an interview, you are one of their top candidates. It is important that you walk into the interview with confidence and a smile on your face.

Remember: You deserve this scholarship! Now walk in, be confident and rock that interview!

Here at Marymount University, we’re here to help!

Here at Marymount University, we know that many college-bound students need help financing a college education  and need guidance when applying to college. That’s why we want to help you figure out how to do just that!

Feel free to  request more information  today!

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10 Common Scholarship Essay Questions and How to Answer Them

Scholarships & Financial Aid

Updated on July 15th, 2022

When your student applies for scholarships, writing the essay often feels like the most challenging part. Luckily, it doesn’t have to be. By learning about common scholarship essay questions and how to answer them, your student can be prepared for most of the topics they’ll need to address.

Knowing how to answer common scholarship essay questions is only part of the battle. You also have to track down great scholarships to pay for college. If you and your student want to learn more about exciting scholarship opportunities,  sign up for our free college scholarship webinar ! Just head to http://thescholarshipsystem.com/freewebinar and reserve your spot today .

If your student wants to get ahead of the curve and write winning scholarship essays , here’s a look at ten common scholarship essay questions and how to tackle them.

• 1.1 1. Tell Us About Yourself
• 1.2 2. How Will This Scholarship Make a Difference for You?
• 1.3 3. Can You Tell Us About a Time You Failed? What Did You Learn from That Experience?
• 1.4 4. Tell Us About a Contribution You’ve Made to Your Community
• 1.5 5. What Are Your Academic (or Professional) Goals?
• 1.6 6. Tell Us About a Time Where You Stepped Up as a Leader
• 1.7 7. Who Has Been Your Biggest Influence (or Inspiration)?
• 1.8 8. Why Do You Want to Go to College?
• 1.9 9. How Are You Planning on Financing Your College Education?
• 1.10 10. Why Do You Deserve This Scholarship?
• 2 Using Common Scholarship Essay Questions to Prepare

1. Tell Us About Yourself

This is possibly one of the trickiest college scholarship essays to write, not because it’s complicated, but because it’s so broad. Students have a lot of freedom with this prompt, so it’s easy to become overwhelmed about how to proceed.

Typically, students shouldn’t just give an overview of their life stories. Instead, they need to provide the committee with insights about their passions and drives, events that shaped their perspective, and relevant successes or achievements.

It’s also wise to be a bit future-focused, discussing not just where they’ve been but where they hope to go. Students can touch on valuable personality traits along the way, too, as that helps the reader gauge who they are as a person.

2. How Will This Scholarship Make a Difference for You?

Generally, students have a few options for addressing this question. First, they could showcase how the scholarship helps them overcome a relevant financial hardship. This can include being able to afford tuition, get needed equipment or supplies, or access a program at a college that may otherwise be out of reach.

Second, they could concentrate on how the scholarship will help them achieve their academic or professional goals. For example, your student might want to discuss how the award would allow them to pursue their preferred field.

Students should focus on how the scholarship eliminates roadblocks, though the exact type of obstacle can vary. Additionally, they should discuss what they’ll be able to achieve if they receive the award, both in the short- and long-term.

3. Can You Tell Us About a Time You Failed? What Did You Learn from That Experience?

For many students, even figuring out how to start a scholarship essay introduction for this topic is hard, let alone writing the whole thing. It’s difficult discussing a failure with others, so many students hold back if they are given this prompt.

However, honesty is the best policy. Additionally, even when talking about a failure, it’s possible to keep the essay positive.

Students should start by outlining the scenario and giving an overview of how the failure occurred. The misstep can be academic, personal, or professional, as long as it’s clear that something went wrong along the way.

After the overview, it’s all about a quick pivot. Students should explain the lessons they learned and what they would do differently if faced with a similar situation again. That helps them demonstrate their self-awareness and growth, along with their ability to persevere.

4. Tell Us About a Contribution You’ve Made to Your Community

This scholarship essay prompt is incredibly common for volunteering scholarships or awards focused on service. Students need to share insights about their community service-oriented activities, as well as the positive impact created by their participation.

Additionally, it’s smart for students to spend some time explaining how the experience impacted them. They may also want to touch on any plans they have to continue to remain active in their community, as that can help them stand out.

5. What Are Your Academic (or Professional) Goals?

With this common scholarship essay question, students need to clearly outline what they want to achieve, either academically or professionally, depending on exactly what they are asked. Usually, it’s best to start off with the basics. Students should explain what they want to study or the career path they hope to have.

However, they shouldn’t stop there. It’s also wise to dig a bit deeper, diving into precisely what motivated them to head in this direction. Some students do this by sharing their epiphany moment, while others talk about how it’s the culmination of a life-long passion. As long as it paints a great picture, any approach is potentially a winner.

6. Tell Us About a Time Where You Stepped Up as a Leader

Leadership is a hot topic for college scholarship essays. Many committees ask questions like this one to see what applicants bring to the table. Usually, your student needs to provide a clear example of when they took on a leadership role.

There are a lot of options for approaching this. Heading up a school project counts, as well as captaining a sports team. Coordinating volunteer efforts may work, along with a wide variety of work-related activities.

Again, exactly what your student chooses is less important than how they describe it. It’s all about sharing a story, ensuring the reader can get a good gauge on what happened and how your student’s involvement made a difference.

7. Who Has Been Your Biggest Influence (or Inspiration)?

Many scholarship essay questions want students to talk about their heroes. While it may seem odd to ask students to discuss someone other than themselves, it’s actually a great way to learn more about an applicant’s passions.

As they describe why the person influenced or inspired them, they incidentally talk about how they are motivated, their priorities, and their values. It also allows the reader to learn more about what shaped your student’s goals and aspirations, which can be quite enlightening.

Ideally, students want to be story-oriented. While they can certainly discuss the person’s traits and background, the focus should largely be on moments that inspired or influenced their way of thinking. That makes the essay more meaningful.

8. Why Do You Want to Go to College?

For some students, this question is surprisingly tough. Many students saw college as a must from a relatively young age, essentially viewing it as anything as optional. However, students do have choices about how they move forward after high school.

Scholarship committees want to know that heading to college isn’t an afterthought or something a student is doing solely because they were pressured in that direction. Ideally, students should discuss personal motivations or goals that made college the right choice for them. That way, their passion can shine through.

9. How Are You Planning on Financing Your College Education?

If a scholarship is focused on financial need, your student may face questions about how they intend to fund their education. This can be a difficult topic, particularly for students who may not be able to afford school without outside support, such as scholarships or grants. It’s hard to talk about financial hardship, but this question makes it necessary.

Students should actually start their essay by giving the committee insight into their situation, particularly regarding personal or household circumstances that make affording college difficult. After the overview, students should outline all of their efforts to secure enough funding. That can include everything from applying to scholarships, exploring work-study, getting a part-time job, or anything else.

Often, scholarship committees appreciate it when students are taking every chance to find ways to pay for college. It lets them know that the student is passionate enough to go the extra mile and demonstrates that they aren’t afraid of challenges if it means achieving their goals. So, students should touch on everything they are doing to make their college dream possible.

10. Why Do You Deserve This Scholarship?

Writing an essay about why they deserve a scholarship can be hard for any student. However, it’s a topic they need to be ready to discuss. This is one of the most common scholarship essay questions around.

Previously, The Scholarship System took a deep dive into how to write an essay on “Why I deserve this scholarship,” making that a great resource for any student who wants to prepare. As an overview, it’s about showcasing their perspective without coming across as arrogant and discussing achievements (academic or otherwise) that highlight why they are a standout applicant.

Using Common Scholarship Essay Questions to Prepare

Simply knowing what the common scholarship essay questions are usually isn’t enough. Instead, students should take extra steps to prepare to write their essays.

First, it’s wise to spend a little time brainstorming about the topics. That way, students can develop several ideas that they may want to explore and see if one approach resonates more than another.

Second, checking out some scholarship essay examples that won money is an excellent idea. This helps students learn more about what scholarship committees connect with, as well as more about how to tackle certain topics.

Finally, it’s wise to learn more about essay writing techniques. Along with reviewing how to write scholarship essays , it doesn’t hurt to research college personal statements , as those can be very similar to scholarship (and college application) essays. Similarly, checking out scholarship essay formats is a smart move. It will help your student figure out how to start a scholarship essay introduction, how to end a scholarship essay, and everything in between.

By doing that additional research, they’ll have as much information as possible. And, in the end, that could increase the odds that their essay will be a winner.

Related Videos:

• 7 College Scholarship Essay Ideas to Win More Funding
• How to Reuse Scholarship Essays & Win Over and Over

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March 9, 2021 at 6:35 am

Thanks for sharing this nice piece of information i personally believe scholarships are very improtant for every student

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Will Geiger is the co-founder of Scholarships360 and has a decade of experience in college admissions and financial aid. He is a former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at Kenyon College where he personally reviewed 10,000 admissions applications and essays. Will also managed the Kenyon College merit scholarship program and served on the financial aid appeals committee. He has also worked as an Associate Director of College Counseling at a high school in New Haven, Connecticut. Will earned his master’s in education from the University of Pennsylvania and received his undergraduate degree in history from Wake Forest University.

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Gabriel Jimenez-Ekman is a content editor and writer at Scholarships360. He has managed communications and written content for a diverse array of organizations, including a farmer’s market, a concert venue, a student farm, an environmental NGO, and a PR agency. Gabriel graduated from Kenyon College with a degree in sociology.

Scholarships are one of the best ways for students to pay for college. While many scholarships require extensive applications and essays, others are more straightforward and easy to apply for . While easy scholarships shouldn’t be the only scholarships you apply for, they are a useful part of your scholarship search strategy.

You can apply to easy scholarships quickly, as they have few eligibility requirements and require only a brief essay (if they require any essay at all). Easy scholarships are often offered on a monthly basis, which means you have multiple opportunities to apply.

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The Scholarships360 Research Team reviews all scholarships individually and strives to exclude any scholarship where any of the below applies:

• The scholarship requires a fee to apply
• The scholarship provider’s privacy policy allows for the misuse of student data
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• Student are required to sign up for a site or service to apply*
• The scholarship seems primarily used for lead generation** or idea harvesting purposes***
• The scholarship website has many grammatical errors and/or advertisements
• The scholarship or scholarship providing organization seem untrustworthy
• There is no evidence the scholarship was previously awarded
• The scholarship has not been awarded in the past 12 months
• There is no available contact information

If you believe a scholarship has been published in error, please reach out to [email protected] and we’ll take a look!

* There are certain exceptions to this, for example if the sponsoring organization is a major corporation or nonprofit with its own scholarship application system. ** Lead generation scholarships will require students to sign up for an app or website and require minimal (if any) application requirements. ***Idea harvesting scholarships will require students to submit blog posts or other materials that companies may use for marketing purposes.

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Sallie Mae will award $2,000 each month to eligible entrants. No essay or account sign-ups, just a simple scholarship for those seeking help paying for school.

Niche $25,000 “No Essay” Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by Niche

Easy scholarship open to all high school and college students, as well as anyone looking to attend college or graduate school in the next year!

$25k “Be Bold” No-Essay Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by Bold.org

Open to high school students, college students, community college students, and graduate students.

$10,000 CollegeXpress Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by CollegeXpress

Annual $10k scholarship from CollegeXpress open to all high school freshmen, sophomores, and juniors.

$1,000 Appily Easy College Money Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by Appily

This easy scholarship from Appily is open to U.S. high school students (Class of 2025, 2026, 2027) and college transfer students. One scholarship will be… Show More

This easy scholarship from Appily is open to U.S. high school students (Class of 2025, 2026, 2027) and college transfer students. One scholarship will be awarded each month. Show Less

$5,000 Christian Connector Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by Christian Connector

Students applying to the $5,000 Christian Connector Scholarship must be current high school students (Class of 2025, 2026, or 2027) interested in attending a Christian…

Students applying to the $5,000 Christian Connector Scholarship must be current high school students (Class of 2025, 2026, or 2027) interested in attending a Christian university or college.

$2,000 No Essay CollegeVine Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by CollegeVine

Easy scholarship open to current high school students and college applicants. A free CollegeVine account with a completed chancing profile required to enter.

$2,000 Niche “No Essay” College Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Easy scholarship from Niche open to all high school, college, and graduate students.

ScholarshipOwl $50,000 No Essay Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by ScholarshipOwl

Easy scholarship open to all US-based high school, college, and graduate students. Each month, 4 winners will be selected to earn $1,000 each. In December… Show More

Easy scholarship open to all US-based high school, college, and graduate students. Each month, 4 winners will be selected to earn $1,000 each. In December 2023, there will be 2 additional winners earning $1,000 each. Applicant must be a resident of any of the 50 United States, District of Columbia or US Territories except for Rhode Island and Michigan. Applicant also must be 16 years of age or older and either be enrolled now, or will be enrolled within three months of registration in the Scholarship Sweepstakes, in a qualified high school, college or university within the United States. Show Less

$2,500 ScholarshipPoints Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by ScholarshipPoints

Easy $2,500 scholarship from ScholarshipPoints open to all students.

US Bank Student Scholarship

Offered by U.S. Bank

The US Bank Student Scholarship is an opportunity for U.S. residents aged 17 or older who have been accepted to or are enrolled in a… Show More

The US Bank Student Scholarship is an opportunity for U.S. residents aged 17 or older who have been accepted to or are enrolled in a post-secondary institution to receive help funding their education. Each year, the scholarship awards up to $20,000 to multiple incoming and current undergraduate students who complete some of the U.S. Bank's "financial education lesson" modules. Each module takes approximately 1-2 minutes to complete, and the more that students complete, the more money they become eligible to earn. Applicants who complete up to 35, 100, and 200 modules are eligible to receive up to $2,000, $10,000, and $20,000, respectively. If this scholarship sounds like a fit for you, keep on reading for more application details. Show Less

Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship

Offered by Unigo

Are you a big fan of The Walking Dead, or maybe Z Nation? Ever thought about what you would do in the case of a… Show More

Are you a big fan of The Walking Dead, or maybe Z Nation? Ever thought about what you would do in the case of a zombie apocalypse? If so, we may have the perfect opportunity for you: the Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship! Each year, this scholarship awards $2,000 to the applicant who, in 250 words or less, best describes their escape plan if there were a zombie outbreak at their school. The scholarship is offered by Unigo in hopes of helping some creative, zombie-obsessed students pay off some of their postsecondary education. If you’ve been inspired by the zombie shows and movies from the past few decades and have come up with a plan of your own, we encourage you to apply to the Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship! It’s due exactly when you’d expect: on Halloween. Show Less

Redefining Victory Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Are you a post-secondary student of any kind? This includes, but is not limited to, students pursuing the traditional 2/4 university route, attending a trade… Show More

Are you a post-secondary student of any kind? This includes, but is not limited to, students pursuing the traditional 2/4 university route, attending a trade school or certificate program, completing an online post-secondary program, or any other program that may lead to a post-secondary certificate or degree. If so, consider applying for the Redefining Victory Scholarship! Each year, the scholarship awards $2,500 each to four current post-secondary students pursuing a certificate or degree in any topic of their choice. To apply, interested students must submit an essay detailing "what success looks like to [them] and how this opportunity will help [them] achieve it." If you're a passionate post-secondary student, we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more. Show Less

Across Cultures No-Essay Scholarship

Offered by Keepgoingforward.org

The Across Cultures No-Essay Scholarship annually awards $1,000 to one student who demonstrates an openness to learning about other cultures and sharing their own. The… Show More

The Across Cultures No-Essay Scholarship annually awards $1,000 to one student who demonstrates an openness to learning about other cultures and sharing their own. The award will be granted to help them continue on their path to traveling and learning. This may include studying new languages, traveling to study in a new place, teaching or learning art styles, musical instruments, or cooking methods from a different culture, or anything else that demonstrates openness to new cultures in your school, work, or hobbies. The scholarship is open to high school graduates and those who have already graduated. It can be used to pay student debt for people who have graduated and aren't even in school anymore. If you're a high school, college, or graduate student curious to learn about other cultures and share their own, we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more. Show Less

$2,000 CampusReel Virtual Tour Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by CampusReel

Easy scholarship program open to all students who watch a student-led virtual college tour

CollegeXpress $1,000 Favorite Color Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

The CollegeXpress Favorite Color Scholarship is an easy scholarship from CollegeXpress open to students who are 13+ and a legal resident of the 50 U.S.… Show More

The CollegeXpress Favorite Color Scholarship is an easy scholarship from CollegeXpress open to students who are 13+ and a legal resident of the 50 U.S. or D.C. A winner will be randomly chosen from among the applicants. If you're eligible, we encourage you to apply! To enter, simply apply on CollegeXpress and answer the following question: What is your favorite color? Show Less

Morgan Levine Dolan Community Service Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Are you a college-bound high school senior or current post-secondary student from New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, or Pennsylvania? Further, do you have a passion… Show More

Are you a college-bound high school senior or current post-secondary student from New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, or Pennsylvania? Further, do you have a passion for (and prior experiences with) either community service or playing sports? If so, consider applying for the Morgan Levine Dolan Community Service Scholarship! Each year, the scholarship awards $5,000 each to five current or incoming post-secondary students with a history of either playing sports or volunteering in their local community. To apply, interested students must submit an essay detailing how earning this scholarship will help them fulfill their future goals. If you're from New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, or Pennsylvania and love either community service or sports, we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more. Show Less

$2,000 Annual Catholic College Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by The Christian Connector

Are you a current high school student interested in attending a Catholic college or university? If so, consider applying for the Annual Catholic College Scholarship!… Show More

Are you a current high school student interested in attending a Catholic college or university? If so, consider applying for the Annual Catholic College Scholarship! In order to apply, you simply need to fill out a form with some simple information about yourself, your high school, and your college plans. You will then be entered into a scholarship drawing with the opportunity to win up to $2,000. The scholarship is offered by The Christian Connector, a "one-stop-shop” for receiving free information from Catholic/Christian colleges and Bible colleges.   If you’re a high school student with plans of attending a Catholic college, we encourage you to apply to the Annual Catholic College Scholarship! Show Less

$2,000 Annual Protestant Faith Based College Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Are you a current high school student interested in attending a Protestant, faith-based college or university? If so, consider applying for the Annual Protestant Faith… Show More

Are you a current high school student interested in attending a Protestant, faith-based college or university? If so, consider applying for the Annual Protestant Faith Based College Scholarship! In order to apply, you simply need to fill out a form with some simple information about yourself, your high school, and your college plans. You will then be entered in a scholarship drawing with the opportunity to win up to $2,000. The scholarship is offered by The Christian Connector, a "one-stop-shop” for receiving free information from Catholic/Christian colleges and Bible colleges.   If you’re a high school student with plans of attending a Protestant, faith-based college, we encourage you to apply to the Annual Protestant Faith Based College Scholarship! Show Less

Top 10 easy scholarships overall

We pick our easy scholarships by finding trustworthy organizations who offer big rewards and have been offering their scholarships for a long period of time. As there are many easy scholarship scams, we have put each of these scholarships through a strict vetting process. Apply with confidence to the following top easy scholarships:

• $10,000 No Essay Scholarship – With a high award and simple sign-up process that matches you with vetted scholarships, our 10k no essay scholarship is our #1 choice for easy scholarships! Open to high schoolers, college students, and grad students
• $2k Sallie Mae Easy Scholarship – Easy scholarship open to high school upperclassmen, college students, and grad students
• $40,000 Big Future Scholarship – Easy scholarship open to high school sophomores and juniors
• Niche $25k No Essay – Easy scholarship open to high schoolers, college students, and grad students
• $25k “Be Bold” Scholarship – Easy scholarship open to high schoolers, college students, and grad students
• $10k College Xpress Scholarship – Easy scholarship open to high school freshmen, sophomores, and juniors
• $1k Appily Easy Money Scholarship – Open to high school students and transfer college students. Awarded every month
• $5,000 Christian Connector Scholarship – Open to high school students planning on attending a Christian college or university
• Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship – For the student looking for an exciting easy scholarship, you must write a 250-word plan for what you’d do in a zombie apocalypse to win this $2k award. Open to all high school and college students
• CampusReel Virtual Tour Scholarship – $2k scholarship for students of any grade level. You are entered if you watch one of their virtual college tours

Top 3 easy scholarships for high schoolers

Top 3 easy scholarships for grad students, types of easy scholarships.

There are several different types of easy scholarships to apply to. Here’s what you should know about the most common types of easy scholarships.

No essay scholarships tend to be some of the easiest options when it comes to applying for scholarship money. Applicants usually just fill out some information about themselves, such as their grade level, GPA , contact information, current school, and occasionally their financial need, such as their EFC , and are entered into the competition.

While these scholarships are easy to apply for, they also give applicants less of an opportunity to stand out as an individual. So, if no essay scholarships are part of your scholarship strategy, you should apply to many in order to increase your chances, and be sure to apply to other opportunities as well.

Short essay

Short essay scholarships are not as involved as in-depth opportunities like Posse and Questbridge , but they do give students a chance to use their own voice to appeal to the selection committee. Remember, a short essay is a great opportunity to say a lot with few words. Make sure you have a strong opening sentence , and be sure to check out our guides on writing 250 word  essays to help.

Sweepstakes

Sweepstakes are some of the easiest scholarships to apply to. Winners are chosen at random and contacted through the avenues they filled out on the application. However, because these are the easiest types of scholarships, they are also the ones that receive the most applicants. That means each applicant has a lower opportunity of winning.

Sweepstakes can be great if you win, but the chances of winning are low. Make sure you keep your eye out for scholarship scams when you apply. Although we vet all of our easy scholarships, some sites may post fraudulent ones that do not actually offer awards, or collect information to scam applicants.

Microscholarships

Micro scholarships, such as the scholarships offered on raise.me , offer money for college for things you may already be doing. With raise.me you can earn scholarships for such simple things as completing the FAFSA, uploading your course catalogue, taking the SAT (no matter the score), and more. Only certain colleges accept these scholarships, but be sure to look into it and see if a school you’re considering is on the list.

Institutional scholarships

Many colleges automatically consider students for a wide range of scholarships when they review applications. For example, Kenyon’s Distinguished Academic Scholarship does not require any additional application and can fund $15,000 per year of your education. Talk about an easy scholarship! Since there is no additional application for these scholarships, the best way to apply to opportunities like this is to apply to a wide range of safety schools where your GPA and test scores are above the average admitted student, as well as schools that are known to give strong merit and need-based aid.

Government grants

Although they are not strictly scholarships, government grants like the Pell Grant and state-based grants like the Illinois Monetary Award Program (MAP) are some of the easiest ways to earn money for your education. The difference between these grants and other scholarships is that if you qualify, you will automatically receive them! There is no competition or review board. You don’t have to spend time perfecting your application. This makes them easier and more reliable than any kind of scholarship!

Tips for students applying to easy scholarships

Apply early and often.

The best strategy for applying to easy scholarships is to cast a wide net. You’re less likely to win any given easy scholarship, because the application is “easy” and there are more applicants. So, the best way to help your chances is to apply to a great many opportunities, since each individual application takes minimal time and effort. 

Applying to easy scholarships is great, but you should make sure to spend a good amount of time on more involved applications too. You have a much better chance of winning scholarship money with a well-crafted application to an opportunity that suits you than a random drawing, which is how many easy scholarships pick their winners. If you’re looking for a place to start looking for more specific scholarships, try out our free scholarship search tool to browse custom-matched, vetted opportunities, updated daily!

Expect a lot of email

Easy scholarships are a great way to put your name in the ring for scholarship money without taking too much time on your applications. But keep in mind that each opportunity you apply for will request your contact information. Most of the time, you will be signing up for a mailing list with each application you submit. You might end up getting monthly, weekly, or even daily email from the organization offering the scholarship.

Many people use two separate email accounts: one for personal communication with friends, family, and professional relationships, and another to manage the emails they receive from businesses, from their banks, and from newsletters they subscribe to. Making a separate email can be a great way to manage the influx of mail you will begin to receive if you apply to a lot of easy scholarships.

Consider no essay scholarships

If you’re in the market for easy scholarships, don’t neglect our list of no essay scholarships for college. Our easy scholarships involve little in the way of application materials, but some of them have a short essay or response. These no essay scholarships don’t require any response on your end, and you can easily sit down and apply to many of them.

Be wary of scholarship scams

There are a great many scholarship scams out there, but they are especially common among easy scholarships. Remember to do some investigation before you send off your application to any organization. You should never submit personal information that could be used for identity theft, and never pay an application fee to enter a contest. For more information on the matter, check out our article on how to avoid scholarship scams .

Expert Perspective

Will geiger.

Scholarships360 Co-Founder

Former Admissions Officer

Don’t forget financial aid

One way to pay for college that’s even simpler than easy scholarships is through financial aid like institutional aid, FAFSA funds such as the Pell Grant , and other federal and state grants. Remember, if you are not filling out the FAFSA , you are potentially giving up free money for your higher education. Unlike a scholarship application, the FAFSA does not require essays or personal statements. The application process only takes you and your parents’ financial information such as tax returns and information about assets.

Downsides to easy scholarships

The biggest drawback of easy scholarship opportunities is that many students can apply for them. They are basically like a sweepstakes with free entry, which means that they will get many more applicants than more complex scholarships.

This means that your chances of winning are lower than scholarships with essays and other specific criteria. Many of these scholarships are more similar to a contest than a true scholarship competition based on merit or talent. You may also be opting into receiving marketing materials and offerings from the scholarship providers, so be aware of that if you are asked to opt-in!

Additional scholarship categories

At the end of the day, the easiest scholarship to win is the one you are best qualified for! Let us help you find the perfect scholarship fit with lists tailored to your interests and strengths:

• Scholarships by state
• Top scholarships for Black students
• Top STEM scholarships
• Top scholarships for students with average grades
• Top scholarships for high school seniors
• Top scholarships for women
• Top writing and essay scholarships
• Scholarships that don’t require an essay

Frequently asked questions

What are some of the easiest scholarships, what is the lowest gpa to get a scholarship, are easy scholarships legit, are there easy scholarships for grad students, are easy scholarships available all year, are easy scholarships available more than once a year, are these easy scholarships need-based, are easy scholarships renewable, are easy scholarships a waste of time.

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Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

Your Complete List of Extracurricular Activities: 900+ Ideas

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What’s Covered:

• What Are Extracurricular Activities?

Why Are Extracurriculars Important?

• How Do Colleges Evaluate Extracurricular Activities?

How Many Extracurriculars Should You Do?

• Complete List of Extracurricular Activities

Most colleges, especially competitive ones, are looking for a “well-rounded” student. This means that, in addition to having grades and test scores that meet their requirements, you must also display other talents and interests in your application. A strong extracurricular profile can help you make a good impression on admissions officers. You’d be surprised how many activities are out there!

What are Extracurricular Activities?

Extracurriculars are anything you do outside of academics. These can include sports, music, community service activities, jobs/internships, clubs, and more. Extracurriculars help colleges get to know you as a person: what do you care about? How committed are you?

It’s important to note that not all hobbies count as extracurriculars. For example, things like watching movies or playing video games would not be counted. Basically, recreational activities that you do for your own enjoyment don’t make the cut because extracurriculars need to involve some concerted effort and contribute to your personal development . If you started an after-school movie club where you and other members watched and then analyzed movies, or decided to develop video games on your own time, then you could list those as extracurriculars. 

While most schools are interested in extracurricular activities to some extent, they are especially important to the top 250 colleges and universities. These 250 schools get too many students who are academically-qualified, so extracurriculars help you stand out. 

The less competitive schools, like large public schools or state universities, receive so many applications that they narrow their focus. Typically, extracurriculars fall to the wayside here as more emphasis is placed on quantitative data, like GPA and test scores, because these require less time on the part of the admissions committee.

That being said, having extracurriculars on your resume, no matter where you apply to, helps you present a robust application that helps the admissions officers gain an overall deeper understanding of the type of person you are. This can make or break their decision to accept you into their university. A well-rounded profile demonstrates that you are passionate and dedicated to the things you care about, both of which are qualities that would make you a valuable addition to their student body.

In addition to showing off your many interests, extracurriculars can also help establish your commitment and interest in your prospective major. This can be especially true for pre-med students; you have to show interest in the field, so having a medical club or hospital volunteering opportunity on your resume would show initiative in that direction. Other examples are video game clubs or coding competitions for a computer science major, or heading a psychology club for an intended psychology major.

How Do Colleges Evaluate Extracurriculars?

At CollegeVine, we’ve divided extracurricular activities into 4 tiers .

Tier 1: Rare activities that show exceptional achievement or leadership. They include national awards or other prestigious achievements.

Tier 2: A little more common than Tier 1, but these activities still showcase high levels of achievement and leadership. They include leadership positions for well-known clubs and organizations, winning regional competitions, or sports/music distinctions.

Tier 3: Lack the distinction of Tier 1 and 2, but still highlight student’s interests. They include minor leadership positions for well-known clubs and organizations and smaller athletic/musical distinctions.

Tier 4: Most common and most often seen by admissions committees. They include general club/sports/musical membership and general volunteering.

Strong applications tend to have between 8 and 10 extracurricular activities. This sounds like a lot, but many activities are seasonal, so it’s possible to fit, for example, three to four sports into one year. That being said, the most important thing to keep in mind is quality over quantity . It’s usually better to try and achieve depth in one to two fields than to do a bunch of things on a surface level. You can certainly start by trying a bunch of things freshman year, but really stick with what you love and are good at. This way, you show a real passion, dedication and progression in the things you care about.

If you want to find out how your extracurriculars stack up, our free chancing engine can help you understand how your activities impact your chances. You can also see more in-depth tiers; the 4-tier system is slightly simplified and our chancing engine runs from Tier A-I.

Complete List of Extracurricular Activities 

Affinity groups.

• African American Club
• Asian Students Association
• Association of Latin-American Students (ALAS)
• Bible School
• Black Lives Matter
• Black Students Union
• Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions
• Caribbean Culture Club
• Chinese School
• Chinese Student Association
• Christians in Action
• Church Involvement
• Climate Change Activism 
• Diversity Awareness Club
• Fellowship of Christian Athletes
• Feminist Club
• Filipino-American Club
• Gay-Straight Alliance
• Gender and Sexuality Alliance
• Girls Everywhere Meeting the Savior (GEMS)
• Girls in the Trades
• Girls Learn International
• Girls Who Code
• Gun Control Activism
• Indian Students Association
• International Students Association
• International Women’s Club
• Italian Club
• Japanese Club
• Jewish Culture Club
• Jewish Student Union
• Junior ROTC
• Latino Students Union
• Mosque Involvement
• Multicultural Student Union
• Muslim Student Union
• Muslim Students Association
• National Organization for Women
• Nigerian Student Association
• Pacific Islander Student Association
• Persian Club
• Racial Justice Club 
• Society of Women Engineers
• South Asian Culture Club
• Synagogue Involvement
• Teens Against Human Trafficking
• Temple Involvement
• Women in Business
• Women in STEM Club
• Women’s March

Community Service

• ACE Mentor Program of America
• Achieve Miami
• Achilles International
• Adopt-a-Highway
• Alzheimer’s Awareness Club
• American Cancer Society
• American Civil Liberties Union
• American Diabetes Association
• American Heart Association
• American Kennel Club
• American Legion
• Amnesty International
• Anchor Club
• Animal Rescue League
• Animal Rights Club
• Anti-Defamation League
• Autism Awareness Club
• Autism Cares Foundation
• Baseball Coaching
• Basketball Coaching
• Beach Cleanup
• Best Buddies
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
• Blankets of Hope
• Blood Drive
• Breast Cancer Awareness Club
• Cesar Chavez Service Clubs (Chavista)
• Cheerleading Coach
• Church Camp
• City Youth Council
• Civil Air Patrol
• Climate March
• Community Outreach Club
• CPR Training
• Dana-Farber Jimmy Fund
• Do Something
• Doctors Without Borders
• Emergency Medical Technician (EMT/EMS)
• English Tutoring
• Epilepsy Foundation
• ESL Instruction and Tutoring
• Feed My Starving Children
• Feeding America
• Fostering Animals
• Girl Scouts
• Habitat For Humanity
• Heifer International
• Human Rights Club
• Humane Society
• Hunger Project
• Hurricane Relief
• Interact Club
• Kids Helping Kids
• KIVA Microfinance Club
• Kiwanis Club
• Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
• Make-A-Wish
• March for Life
• March of Dimes
• Meals on Wheels
• Mission Trip
• Missionary Work
• National Charity League
• National Down Syndrome Society
• Operation Christmas Child
• Operation Smile
• Park Cleanup
• Peer Leaders
• Peer Mentor
• Peer Tutoring
• Red Cross Club
• Relay For Life
• Roots and Shoots
• Rotary Club
• Salvation Army
• Save Endangered Species Club
• School Ambassador
• Shadowing a Physician
• Sisters on the Runway
• Soccer Coaching
• Social Justice Club
• Special Olympics
• Student Ambassadors
• Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD)
• Students Against Drunk Driving (SADD)
• Sunday School
• UNICEF Club
• Upward Bound
• Volunteer at Elementary School
• Volunteer at Middle School
• Volunteer at Soup Kitchen
• Volunteer Trip
• Volunteer with Refugees
• Volunteering at Animal Shelter
• Volunteering at Children’s Hospital
• Volunteering at Food Bank
• Volunteering at Hospital
• Volunteering at Library
• Volunteering at Museum
• Volunteering at Nursing Home
• Volunteering Club 
• Volunteering with the Homeless
• Walk to End Alzheimer’s
• Water Aid International (WAI)
• Wounded Warrior Project 
• Youth Sports Coaching

Discover your chances at hundreds of schools

Our free chancing engine takes into account your history, background, test scores, and extracurricular activities to show you your real chances of admission—and how to improve them.

• Choreography
• Community Theater
• Improv Club
• Musical Theater
• Playwriting
• School Musical
• School Play
• Standup Comedy
• Accounting Internship
• Babysitting
• Camp Counselor
• Concession Stand
• Corporate Internship
• Dog Walking
• Employment at Local Business
• Financial Analyst
• Gymnastics Coach
• Internship at Hospital
• Internship at Law Firm
• Landscaping
• Lawn Mowing
• Meal Delivery
• Public Relations
• Retail Worker
• School Radio Station
• School Store
• Snow Shoveling
• Social Media Management

Hobbies (some of these may double as other categories)

• Aviation Enthusiast
• Birdwatching
• Blacksmithing
• Bullet Journaling
• Cake Decorating
• Calligraphy
• Car Enthusiast
• Cartography
• Coin Collecting
• Cross Stitching
• Dirt Biking
• Dog Training
• Fashion/Fashion Design
• Graphic Design
• Hairstyling
• Home Improvement
• Illustration
• Indian Classical Dance
• Interior Design
• Irish Dance
• Jewelry Making
• Landscape Design
• Latin Dance
• Magic: The Gathering
• Metalworking
• Model Airplanes
• Model Railroads
• Motorcycles
• Mountaineering
• PC Construction
• Puzzle and Sudoku
• Rock Collecting
• Rubik’s Cube
• Scale Modeling
• Scuba Diving
• Skateboarding
• Sports Memorabilia
• Sports Statistics
• Stock Trading
• Tabletop Gaming
• Vehicle Restoration
• Video Editing
• Wakeboarding
• Woodworking

Honor Societies

• Art National Honor Society 
• Business National Honor Society
• California Scholarship Federation
• Dance National Honor Society
• Engineering National Honor Society
• English National Honor Society
• French National Honor Society
• German National Honor Society
• History National Honor Society
• Math Honor Society
• Mu Alpha Theta
• National Art Honor Society
• National Honor Society
• Science National Honor Society
• Thespians International Honor Society
• Tri-M Music Honor Society

Interest Clubs

• 3D Modeling Club
• 3D Printing Club
• Academic Council
• Accounting Club
• Aerospace Engineering Club
• African Heritage Club
• American Meteorological Society
• American Society of Mechanical Engineers
• Anatomy Club
• Animation Club
• Anthropology Club
• Arabic Culture Club
• Architecture Club
• Armenian Club
• Art History Club
• Artificial Intelligence Club
• Asian Cooking Club
• Astrology Club
• Astronomy Club
• Aviation Club
• Baking Club
• Ballroom Dancing Club
• Beauty Club
• Beekeeping Club
• Bible Study
• BioBuilder Club
• Biochem Club
• Biology Club
• Biomedical Engineering Club
• Black History Club
• Board Games Club
• Bollywood Club
• Botany Club
• Brazilian Club
• Break Dancing Club
• Broadcasting Club
• Business Club
• Call of Duty Club
• Calligraphy Club
• Cancer Awareness Club
• Cartooning Club
• Ceramics Club
• Chemistry Club
• Chick-fil-A Leader Academy
• Chinese Club
• Chinese Yoyo Club
• Civics Club
• Civil War Reenactors
• Classical Music Club
• Climate Action Club
• Coffee Club
• Comics Club
• Computer Science Club
• Conservation Club
• Consulting Club
• Cooking Club
• Cornhole Club
• Cosmetology Club
• Criminal Justice Club
• Crossfit Club
• Culinary Club
• Current Events Club
• Cycling Club
• Data Science Club
• Debate Club
• Dungeons & Dragons Club
• Eastern European Culture Club
• Economics Club
• Electrical Engineering Club
• Electronics Club
• Energy Team
• Engineering Club
• Entrepreneurship Club
• Environmental Club
• Equestrian Club
• Ethics Club
• European History Club
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Non-Art Competitions

• AAN Neuroscience Research Prize
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• National YoungArts Foundation 
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• Neuroscience for Kids Competitions
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• Stockholm Junior Water Prize
• Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC)
• TEAMS Competition
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• Technovation Challenge
• The Coleopterists Society- Youth Incentive Award
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• The High School Bridge Building Contest
• The Stock Market Game
• TOPPS Competition for High School Psychology Students
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Own Initiative

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• Teenage Republicans
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• Engineering Research
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• App Development
• Coding Bootcamp
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• MLK Essay Contest
• Programming Club
• Cheerleading
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• Indoor Track & Field
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• Table Tennis
• Track & Field
• Ultimate Frisbee
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• Student Government
• Class Cabinet
• Homecoming Committee
• Judicial Committee (Honor Council)
• Library Advisory Council
• Prom Committee
• School Board Representative
• Spirit Committee
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Summer Programs

• Achieve In Medicine (AIM-High)
• ACLU National Advocacy Institute’s High School Program
• Anson L. Clark Scholars Program
• Bank of America Student Leaders Program
• Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp
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• College Courses
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• Cronkite Summer Journalism Institute (SJI)
• Economics for Leaders
• Exchange Student
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• Leadership in the Business World (LBW)
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Summer Student Program
• Michigan State University High School Honors Science/Engineering/Mathematics Program (HSHSP)
• Middlebury Summer Language Academy
• Minority Introduction to Engineering and Science (MITES)
• NASA High School Aerospace Scholars (HAS)
• National Mathematics Summer School
• National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y)
• Notre Dame Leadership Seminars
• Perimeter Institute International Summer School for Young Physicists (ISSYP)
• Princeton Summer Journalism Program (PSJP)
• Program in Mathematics for Young Scientists (PROMYS)
• Research in Science and Engineering Program (RISE)
• Research Science Institute (RSI) at MIT
• Ross Mathematics Program
• Simons Summer Research Program
• Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR)
• Stanford University Mathematics Camp (SUMaC)
• Student Conservation Association National Crews
• Study Abroad
• Summer Academy for Math and Science (SAMS)
• Summer Camp
• Summer School
• Telluride Association Summer Program (TASP)
• The Summer Science Program (SSP)
• Yale Young Global Scholars (YYGS)
• Young Women’s Institute

Visual Arts

• Art Competition
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• Photography
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• Literary Magazine
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learn how to set up your scholarship essay without any trouble

29 Great Scholarship Essay Topics & Popular Questions

Going through each scholarship application’s essay topics and questions can get cumbersome. However, it gets easier if you can access common essay topics and popular scholarship questions. Then, you can reuse them repeatedly as you apply for more scholarships.

This article will supply common scholarship essay questions that you can start with. You can prepare an essay already on any one of these prompts and use them across multiple scholarships.

Scholarship Application Questions

There are diverse questions a scholarship committee can ask applicants. It would help if you brainstormed several subject ideas; you might come across one you did not consider before.

Sometimes, a scholarship board gives you scholarship essay questions; how you answer those questions matters. You should know what answers they expect and what information they don’t need from you.

6 College Scholarship Essay Questions:

• How do you believe this scholarship will help you achieve your goals?
• Have you contributed anything to your community: How?
• What are the innate or developed qualities that make you unique?
• What field of study are you going into?
• What are your career or academic goals?
• Why should we award you this scholarship position?

5 Other Scholarship Questions Examples:

• Have you ever had a moment of revelation where you’ve had your eyes opened to things you were otherwise blind to?
• If your friends were to write an essay about you, how would they characterize you?
• What dreams do you have; if you look back in 30 years, what do you hope to have achieved?
• How did you develop the attribute, quality, or skill that distinguishes you from everybody else?
• Do you typically have unwavering beliefs or philosophy: What are they?

Scholarship Essay Prompts

These are questions scholarship providers ask to decide whether an applicant deserves the scholarship or not. The way you answer scholarship essay prompts is important because you are selling yourself to the board. When answering scholarship essay prompts, you want to establish that you are high-achieving and well-deserving of the scholarship.

6 Scholarship Essay Prompt Examples:

• Write a short autobiography of yourself telling us about your work experience, family, hobbies, and future plans.
• Talk to us about a time you failed and the lessons you took from it.
• Tell us ways sports have impacted your life, positively or negatively.
• Tell us why we should award you this scholarship out of thousands of others.
• Tell us about a time a belief or idea of yours was challenged, how you reacted, and the result.
• Write a short essay telling us areas in your life, school, social, or family, where you demonstrated a leadership skill that helped you overcome an obstacle.

Scholarship Essay Topics

The scholarship application process also involves essay topics being given to the applicant. This is where an applicant gets to showcase his strength, personality, and abilities in a way that’ll compel the board. This part of the application process can be the most persuasive; therefore, you should put your all into it. Applicants are advised to have 5 to 7 pre-written essays, which can be used across different scholarship applications.

6 Popular Scholarship Essay Topics:

• Traits That Will Enhance My Education and Future Employments
• Innate/Developed Leadership Qualities That Make Me Unique
• A Book That Inspired Me Greatly
• 10 Things I have Accomplished in Life
• Why I Believe I Deserve This Scholarship Award
• Awards and Honorable Titles I Have Received

Scholarship Essay Titles

Scholarship essay prompts may require that applicants come up with titles. However, applicants sometimes find it hard to come with scholarship essay titles. Below are some ideas on scholarship essay titles that you can use to land that scholarship award.

6 Scholarship Essay Titles:

• The Person Who Challenged and Changed My Beliefs
• Goals I Plan to Achieve in 10 Years
• My Dreams and Aspirations
• Issues I Have Resolved in My Family With My Innate Leadership Skills
• What I Consider to Be My Biggest Success Yet
• Things And People That Inspire Me

In conclusion, you shouldn’t wait until you land a scholarship award before writing a scholarship topic. There are many suggestions on scholarship essay questions online, including those listed here. You should choose at least five and write on them and have professionals vet and correct them for you. As such, when the scholarship opportunity arrives, you are ready – and your chance of getting it is high!

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10 Winning Scholarship Essay Examples From Real Students

Make your application shine.

Writing a scholarship essay can be intimidating. The competition is fierce and the stakes are high, so students are bound to feel the pressure. It may be helpful, therefore, to look at essays that were successful. What did those students do to impress the committee? These scholarship essay examples will give you a better idea of how to make an application shine! 

Tips for Writing a Scholarship Essay

We’ve put together a whole guide for how to write a scholarship essay , so if you haven’t read it already, definitely give it a look! In addition, here are some quick tips to help students get started. 

Carefully read the rules

The last thing you need is to be disqualified from winning a scholarship because you didn’t do the right thing. 

Start early

Don’t wait until the last minute to start researching and applying for scholarships. Give yourself plenty of time to work through the process. 

Get to know the provider

Think of the scholarship provider as your target audience. You want to tailor your essay to impress them, so do your research. What kinds of candidates are they looking for? What causes do they support? Dig deep for the information you need!

Think about who you are, what you want to say, and how to appeal to the scholarship committee. Write everything down and then choose the best ideas. 

The scholarship committee will be reviewing many applications. How can you make yours unforgettable? Highlight your strongest assets, share hard lessons if they showcase your growth as a person and/or student, and be honest. Never lie in a scholarship essay!

Be professional

Consider this the most important academic paper you’ve ever written. Don’t use slang or casual language. Submit a properly formatted essay that’s been well-edited and proofread by multiple people.

One last tip

Don’t reuse scholarship essays! Yes, it’s time-consuming, but students need to put the same effort into every application. Use the same process and it will get faster and easier every time!

Scholarship Essay Examples

Afc visionary scholarship essay by nicole kuznetsov.

Award Amount: $5,000

Essay prompt: Why do you want to go to college? Why is it important to you?

Why it was successful: The  beauty of this essay is that it’s well-organized and simple. Nicole Kuznetsov chose to outline her story by using chronology and provided a clean, concise story following a linear path.

North Coast Section Foundation Scholarship Essay by Christine Fung

Award Amount: $1,000

Why it was successful: Christine Fung masterfully shared how her upbringing instilled strong values, a love for education, and a passion for medicine .

The Bill Browning Scholarship Essay by Gabby DeMott

Award Amount: $10,000

Essay prompt: Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

Why it was successful: Gabby DeMott shared her experiences with personal growth and overcoming fears in Germany. She also appealed to the very human feeling of wanting to belong in a way that was inspiring. 

Life Happens Scholarship Essay by Emily Trader

Award Amount: $15,000

Essay prompt: How has the death of a parent or guardian impacted your life financially and emotionally? Be sure to describe how the loss of your parent/guardian impacted your college plans, and explain how the lack of adequate (or any) life insurance coverage has impacted your family’s financial situation.

Why it was successful: Emily Trader fully addressed the prompt in honest, beautiful detail. She knew her audience and tailored her essay to appeal to them while telling her compelling story. 

Change a Life Foundation Scholarship Essay by Isabella Mendez-Figueroa

Essay prompt: Please explain how your experience volunteering and participating in community service has shaped your perspective on humanity. Elaborate on how these experiences have influenced your future ambitions and career choice.

Why it was successful: Isabella Mendez-Figueroa shared an empowering story about her parents overcoming financial adversity so that she and her sister could be the first in their family to go to college. 

Giva Scholarship Essay by Joseph Lee

Essay prompt: Who is (or what makes) a good doctor?

Why it was successful: Joseph Lee offered a captivating , personal story that was essentially a list of things that make someone a good doctor without it feeling boring or calculated. 

New York University College of Arts and Science Scholarship by Ana

Award amount: $39,500 

Essay prompt: Explain something that made a big impact in your life.

Why it was successful: Ana discussed how early experiences w ith learning difficult things has contributed to her passion for teaching and supporting students. 

The Fund for Education Abroad Rainbow Scholarship Essay  by Steven Fisher

Award amount: $7,500

Essay prompt: The Fund for Education Abroad is committed to diversifying education abroad by providing funding to students who are typically under-represented in study abroad. Please describe how you and/or your plans for study abroad could be viewed as under-represented.

Why it was successful: Steven Fisher’s powerful essay   connected his realizations about his own sexual identity with embracing the beautiful diversity found all around the world. 

Women’s World Banking Founder’s Scholarship Essay by Rosaisha Ozoria

Essay prompt: Write about your hopes for the future of women and girls worldwide.

Why it was successful: Rosaisha Ozoria   focused on a very specific topic , financial literacy for Hispanic women, and emphasized its importance and relevance to her own life. 

The Millennium Gates Last Dollar Scholarship Essay by Famyrah Lafortune

Award amount: $3,500

Essay prompt: Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” —Nelson Mandela Describe a change you would like to make in the world. Tell us about how you would plan to make that change, and what obstacles you might encounter along the way.

Why it was successful: Famyrah Lafortune starts with a strong statement about ending racial inequality and then details the steps she’ll take to make it happen. 

Do you have any great scholarship essay examples? Share them below!

Plus, check out  the ultimate guide to college scholarships, want more suggestions be sure to subscribe to our newsletters ..

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60+ College Essay Prompts From Actual 2023-2024 Applications

Ideas to inspire every college applicant. Continue Reading

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25 college scholarships high school seniors can still apply for

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Prices keep going up for college students. This year, attending some American colleges and universities is expected to cost students more than $90,000 a year.

Granted, that’s based on figures for tuition, room and board and other expenses from some of the country’s most elite private institutions. Even so, the Education Data Initiative reports that the average private college student living on campus actually spends about $55,840 per year, with $38,768 of it going towards tuition and fees). And students at public universities spend an average of about $26,027 per year.

That’s still quite a chunk of change, even if you’ve decided it’s worth the cost . In fact, college prices have risen by 169% since 1980, according to a report from Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce . If you’re a high school senior or college student (or the parent of one) who is trying to figure out how to pay these bills, you may want to consider some of the scholarships available to defray costs.

And while the deadlines of some scholarships have passed, there are still lots of options if you act fast. Here are 25 scholarships for high school seniors.

Scholarships That Award Over $15,000

1. breakthrough junior challenge: $250,000.

Deadline to apply:  June 25, 2024

Who’s eligible : High school students

This generous scholarship is offered by the philanthropists Yuri and Julia Milner, who have a special interest in science and technology. To apply, you create a 2-minute video that explains a scientific or mathematical theory or principle.  Think creatively and incorporate elements like diagrams, simulations and physical demonstrations.

If you submit the most impressive video, you’ll receive a $250,000 scholarship to college. Your teacher will receive $50,000, and your school will receive $100,000 for a science lab. Apply here .

2. Niche ‘No Essay’ Scholarship: $25,000

Deadline to apply:  May 31, 2024

Who’s eligible: High school and college students, as well as anyone looking to attend college or graduate school in the next year

Niche is a ranking and review site that runs a scholarship directory and offers many of its own scholarships. This one couldn’t be easier to apply for. Start by creating a Niche account. Then fill out the online application; the winner will be determined in a random drawing by June 15, 2024. They will contact you if you were selected. Apply here .

3. ‘Be Bold’ No-Essay Scholarship: $25,055

Deadline to apply: May 1, 2024

Who’s eligible: Any student of any age or education level

Bold.org is a scholarship search website. To apply for any of their scholarships, you’ll need to create a free profile on the site. And the site wants to challenge you to create the boldest one.

What does being bold mean to you? The folks at the “Be Bold” Scholarship define it in three words: earnest, determined and moving. If your profile does the best job of matching this description, you could win $25,055 towards your college education. The eligibility requirements don’t mention a minimum GPA. All you need to be is … bold!  Apply here ASAP, as the scholarship favors early applicants for rolling application deadlines.

4. Ayn Rand Scholarship: ‘The Fountainhead’ Essay Contest: $25,000

Deadline to apply:  June 7, 2024

Who’s eligible: High school juniors and seniors

The Ayn Rand Institute offers rolling essay contests three times a year to encourage students to engage with this prominent novelist’s works and ideas. The upcoming summer essay contest for “The Fountainhead” is currently open.

You’ll write a double-spaced essay that’s between 800 and 1,600 words, based on a prompt question (about the book) that The Ayn Rand Institute provides. If you are one of the top three entries, you’ll receive a cash prize of up to $3,000, and the first-place entry from each season will go on to compete against the other seasonal winners for an annual grand prize of $25,000. You can spend the money on college — or anything else you like. Apply here .

5. Ayn Rand Scholarship: ‘Atlas Shrugged’ Essay Contest: $25,000

Deadline to apply:  June 14, 2024

Who’s eligible: High school seniors, college students and graduate students

Another one of The Ayn Rand Institute’s rolling essay contests is based on her novel “Atlas Shrugged.” The upcoming summer essay contest for this novel is currently open.

You’ll write a double-spaced essay that’s between 800 and 1,600 words, based on a prompt question about the book that The Ayn Rand Institute provides. If you are one of the top three entries, you’ll receive a cash prize up to $3,000, and the first-place entry from each season will go on to compete against the other seasonal winners for an annual grand prize of $25,000. You can spend the money on college or anything else. Apply here .

Scholarships That Award Between $5,000 and $15,000

6. stuck at prom scholarship contest: $15,000.

Deadline to apply:  June 5, 2024

Who’s eligible: All high school students

Well, this is a fun one. To win the Stuck at Prom scholarship, you need to make your own prom outfit (a dress or a tux) completely out of Duck Brand duct tape or Duck Brand crafting tape. Then fill out the online entry form, which includes a place for you to upload at least one photo of yourself wearing this DIY prom outfit. You can submit up to five photos.

The entry form will ask you to supply some written details about your creation or to upload a video showing the requested details. The first-place winners for dress and tux will each be awarded $15,000, while four runners-up in each category will win $1,000 each. And this year they will also be handing out “Judges’ Choice” awards worth $1,000 each to three finalists. Apply here .

7. ScienceSaves High School Video Scholarship: $10,000

Deadline to apply:  May 6, 2024

Who’s eligible: High school seniors

Not a big fan of writing essays? This scholarship contest asks entrants to create a 20-30 second video, answering the question, “What has science done for me?” or “What has science done for somebody I know?”

Be creative! You can use photos, video clips and text. Add the hashtag #ScienceSaves to your video before uploading it. While the grand prize winner will receive $10,000, there will also be prizes for 2nd place ($2,000), 3rd place ($1,000), and 4th place finishers ($500). Apply here .

8. Exceptional Youth Scholarship: $10,000

Deadline to apply:  May 17, 2024

Who’s eligible:  high school seniors

This scholarship is offered through The Foundation for Global Sports Development, and it’s indeed designed for an extraordinary young person. To apply, you must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and have devoted at least 100 hours to some form of community service, volunteerism or mentorship activities.

It’s also need-based, so you’ll be required to submit a completed FAFSA form (which is the application for federal student aid) and other financial materials. You’ll also need two letters of recommendation (one from your school and one from your community). Ten graduating seniors will each receive this $10,000 scholarship. Apply here .

9. Ted and Holly Rollins Scholarship: $5,000

Deadline to apply:  June 1, 2024

Can you write a compelling essay? For this scholarship contest, you’ll submit at least 500 words that tell your life story, describe your interest in your intended field of study, and/or explain how you plan to impact the world. If you write the winning essay, you’ll be notified by July 15, 2024. Apply here .

10. Ryan T. Herich Memorial Scholarship: $5,000

Deadline to apply:  April 15, 2024

Who’s eligible: High school students or college undergraduates who are studying or plan to study political science, cultural anthropology, geography or history

This scholarship was set up in the memory of Ryan T. Herich, who was interested in how history, culture and politics affect our world today. To apply, incorporate these themes in a 400- to 600-word essay about how you intend to make a difference in the world. Three winners (who will each receive $5,000) will be announced on May 15, 2024. Apply here .

Scholarships That Award Between $1,000 and $3,000

11. all about education scholarship: $3,000.

Deadline to apply:  April 30, 2024

Who’s eligible:  U.S. residents ages 14 and up

This scholarship is through Unigo, a college scholarship directory and search site. To apply, you have to sign up for a free account. Then submit an essay of 250 words or less responding to the question: “How will a $3,000 scholarship for education make a difference in your life?” Apply here .

12. There’s Space For Everyone Scholarship: $3,000

Who’s eligible: High school seniors, undergraduates and graduates enrolled in school

Extra Space Storage is in the business of offering self-storage facilities, but they also offer an annual college scholarship. To apply, fill out the online application form, which includes an essay on the following topic: “How have you exhibited a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, or social justice through work, service, or other extra-curricular activities, and how will your education help you continue this commitment during college and beyond?”

The company will give out eight $3,000 scholarships. Five will go to any student attending or planning to attend a college or university in the U.S., and three are reserved for employees or immediate family members of Extra Space Storage. The winners will be announced on June 21, 2024. Apply here .

13. American College Foundation Visionary Scholarship: $2,500

Who’s eligible: High school students

This is a bi-annual award in which five recipients win each time — with a total of 10 scholarships awarded each year. Awards range from $1,000 to $2,500 each. To apply, submit a completed application along with your most recent high school transcript and a 500-word essay on “Why College is Important to Me.”

The site posts photos of past winners along with their essays, so you can see what impresses the judges. The winners are announced on July 12, 2024, and the awards are distributed on July 31, 2024. Apply here .

14. Creativity Leads to Success Scholarship: $2,500

Deadline to apply:  June 15, 2024

Who’s eligible: Students who are 18 years or older and attending college or grad school by fall 2024

The Dixie Belle paint company awards $5,000 in scholarship money every year. The first-prize winner will receive $2,500, while two runners-up will receive $1,250 each.

To apply, fill out their online application and submit an essay of no more than 500 words that answers the question: “How has creativity helped you in problem solving?” If you’re a finalist, you will be notified on or about Aug. 15, 2024. Apply here .

15. Rover Scholarship: $2,500

Deadline to apply:  May 1, 2024

Who’s eligible: High school seniors and college undergraduates

Rover.com is a pet-sitter marketplace that offers a $2,500 scholarship towards higher education. To apply, you must have a 3.0 GPA. Fill out their online form and submit an essay of 400-500 words on the following topic: “How did growing up with a pet in your life (could be a friend’s or family member’s) impact the person you are today?”

The winner will be notified by May 31, 2024. Apply here .

16. Goodwall #ScholarshipNow Challenge: $2,500

Who’s eligible: High school, college and graduate students and those planning to enroll within 12 months

This scholarship is funded by Goodwall, a skills-based social network that prepares young people for careers. To enter this scholarship contest, download the Goodwall app and create a profile. Submit a short video (between 30 seconds and three minutes long) in which you describe how this scholarship can help you reach your educational and professional goals. Make sure to add the hashtag #ScholarshipNow. Apply here .

17. RonranGlee Literary Scholarship: $2,000

Deadline to apply:  April 22, 2024

Who’s eligible: High school seniors and college undergraduate students

If you have a knack for close reading, this is the scholarship for you. The people at the RonranGlee Literary Scholarship want to see how well you can interpret the underlying meaning in texts. To apply, choose a paragraph (preferably from an ancient literature or philosophy book) and write a short essay that is between 600 and 2,000 words, explaining what’s being conveyed between the lines.

Five winners will be announced on May 22, 2024. Apply here.

18. CollegeVine No Essay Contest: $2,000

Deadline to apply:  June 30, 2024

Who’s eligible: Current high school students and college applicants

CollegeVine is a website that provides college admissions guidance. To take part in this scholarship sweepstakes, you will need to sign up for a CollegeVine account and complete your profile. A random drawing determines the winner. If it’s you, you’ll be notified with an email. Apply here .

19. Sallie Mae Scholarship Sweepstakes: $2,000

Deadline to apply: The last day of every month (the current deadline is April 30)

Who’s eligible: High school juniors, seniors and college undergraduates (and parents can apply, too)

Sallie Mae has a search database with lots of scholarship options. But this particular sweepstakes is the easiest: Fill out a form to enter, and a winner is chosen at random every month. There’s no essay and no GPA requirement — just a form that takes less than two minutes to fill out! Apply here .

20. Ayn Rand Scholarship: ‘Anthem’ Essay Contest: $2,000

Who’s eligible:  8th, 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th grade students

To participate, you’ll submit an essay that’s between 600 and 1,200 words, double-spaced. For the topic, you can choose from among three prompt questions related to Ayn Rand’s novella “Anthem.”

This is significantly easier than the Ayn Rand Institute’s other two essay contests since this novella is only about 100 pages long. The top prize is $2,000, and other finalists will receive between $500 and $1,000.  Apply here .

21. Too Cool To Pay For School Sweepstakes: $1,000

Deadline to apply: Quarterly on the last day of March, June, September and December

Who’s eligible: High school juniors, seniors and college undergrads

This sweepstakes is run through Access Scholarships, an online scholarship search engine. Applying for this one couldn’t be simpler — all you need to do is fill out the online form.  Follow them on Instagram , and they’ll enter you twice. A random drawing determines the winner. You’ll get an email from them if you win. Apply here .

22. Gen & Kelly Tanabe Scholarship: $1,000

Deadline to apply:  July 31, 2024

Who’s eligible: High school seniors, undergraduate and graduate students

The scholarship is funded by Gen and Kelly Tanabe, the authors of “ The Ultimate Scholarship Book 2024: Billions of Dollars in Scholarships, Grants and Prizes .” Entrants submit a 250-word personal statement about why you deserve to win this scholarship or about your academic or career goals. You can also write about any topic of your choice. Apply here .

23. ScholarshipOwl No Essay Scholarship: $1,000

Deadline to apply: The last business day of each month (next deadline is April 29, 2024)

Who’s eligible: High school and college students who will be enrolled in school within three months of the award

ScholarshipOwl is an online scholarship matching service. Each month, they hold a random drawing for this $1,000 scholarship, and four students win every time. To participate, sign up for a free account and fill out their online application form, which doesn’t require an essay. The next draw date is May 11.  Apply here .

24. Blaze Your Own Trail Scholarship: $1,000

This scholarship contest is funded by Trail Heads, a company that makes headbands, gloves, hats and other accessories for outdoor sports. To enter, you’ll need to write a 600-800 word essay about a challenge you faced. Describe how you overcame this obstacle and how it affected you going forward. Also, you have to submit your latest transcript with your GPA.

The winner will be announced on the Trail Heads website on Aug. 6, 2024. Apply here .

25. American Heart Challenge Scholarship: $1,000

Who’s eligible: High school juniors or seniors

This scholarship is for juniors and seniors who have shown leadership skills at their school’s American Heart Challenge program, which aims to educate young people about healthy lifestyle habits while raising money to help end heart disease and stroke. To apply,  fill out a short online application and upload a letter of recommendation from a teacher. Apply here .

This story originally appeared on Don't Waste Your Money .

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Ultimate Guide to Writing Your College Essay

Tips for writing an effective college essay.

College admissions essays are an important part of your college application and gives you the chance to show colleges and universities your character and experiences. This guide will give you tips to write an effective college essay.

Want free help with your college essay?

UPchieve connects you with knowledgeable and friendly college advisors—online, 24/7, and completely free. Get 1:1 help brainstorming topics, outlining your essay, revising a draft, or editing grammar.

Writing a strong college admissions essay

Learn about the elements of a solid admissions essay.

Avoiding common admissions essay mistakes

Learn some of the most common mistakes made on college essays

Brainstorming tips for your college essay

Stuck on what to write your college essay about? Here are some exercises to help you get started.

How formal should the tone of your college essay be?

Learn how formal your college essay should be and get tips on how to bring out your natural voice.

Taking your college essay to the next level

Hear an admissions expert discuss the appropriate level of depth necessary in your college essay.

Student Stories

Student Story: Admissions essay about a formative experience

Get the perspective of a current college student on how he approached the admissions essay.

Student Story: Admissions essay about personal identity

Get the perspective of a current college student on how she approached the admissions essay.

Student Story: Admissions essay about community impact

Student story: admissions essay about a past mistake, how to write a college application essay, tips for writing an effective application essay, sample college essay 1 with feedback, sample college essay 2 with feedback.

This content is licensed by Khan Academy and is available for free at www.khanacademy.org.

Colleges Are Facing an Enrollment Nightmare

A botched effort to streamline the financial-aid process may prevent a huge number of students from going to college in the fall.

Listen to this article

Produced by ElevenLabs and News Over Audio (NOA) using AI narration.

For years, Senator Lamar Alexander was known for theatrically unfurling a paper document so long that he could hold it above his head and still see it drag along the chamber floor. It was the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, a form that every college student and their family must complete to be eligible for federal grants and student loans. Detractors argued that its length (more than 100 questions) and complexity (experts joked that you needed a Ph.D. to complete it) deterred students from getting aid and attending college. In December 2020, on the eve of Alexander’s retirement, Congress finally passed legislation to simplify the form, with implementation ultimately scheduled for the high-school class of 2024. It was a rare win for bipartisan, commonsense governance: less paperwork, more kids going to college.

That was the idea, anyway. In practice, seemingly every phase of the implementation has gone wrong; an ostensible process of simplification has made enrolling in college much harder. And while the government scrambles to fix the problems it created, time is running out for an entire nation’s worth of high-school seniors. The effect on college attendance threatens to be even worse than the coronavirus pandemic was.

The trouble began last fall. First, the Department of Education announced that the FAFSA, which usually launches October 1, wouldn’t be online until December. It went live on December 30, just days before the deadline set by Congress—then went dark less than an hour later. By the second week of January, the FAFSA was up around the clock, but that didn’t mean the problems were over. Students and parents reported being randomly locked out of the form. Because of some mysterious technical glitch, many students born in the year 2000 couldn’t submit it . And students whose parents don’t have a Social Security number couldn’t fill out the form. The department reported “extraordinary wait times” as its helpline was clogged with calls.

On January 30, the day before the department was set to transmit the completed forms to colleges, it announced that the forms actually wouldn’t go out until mid-March. It used the time to change its aid formulas to account for inflation (its failure to do so had left some $2 billion in awards on the table). “We always knew it was going to be rocky, because the changes were so big and significant,” Amy Laitinen, the director for higher education at the think tank New America, told me. “But I don’t think anybody could have imagined how rocky. I don’t even know if rocky is the right word at this point.” Other experts suggested alternatives: “nightmare,” “unprecedented,” and “a mess all around.”

Now most students can at least fill out the application, but the overall situation remains disastrous. The department has processed more than 4 million forms, but 2 million remain in bureaucratic purgatory. And although colleges have at last begun receiving the information that allows them to calculate student-aid awards, issues keep cropping up. Many schools are reporting dramatically higher error rates than usual in submitted FAFSAs, and the Department of Education says that students won’t be able to fix their forms until early April. Last week, the department announced that its processing system had incorrectly calculated aid for about 200,000 applicants. Each mix-up delays when students find out how much aid they’ll get—which, for many applicants, determines where they will enroll or whether they can afford to go to college at all. Many colleges require that students enroll by May 1, potentially giving applicants just weeks or even days to decide where to attend.

Jeffrey Selingo: The college-admissions process is completely broken

Even more worrying are the students who might not enroll anywhere. According to Bill DeBaun, the senior director of data and strategic initiatives at the National College Attainment Network, 31 percent fewer high-school seniors have submitted the FAFSA compared with this time last year—a potentially missing cohort of 600,000 students. That’s a larger decline than occurred in any year during the pandemic, and it’s disproportionately clustered among schools with high shares of low-income students, the exact people who are least likely to go to college without financial aid. Another 2 million adults, mostly current college and graduate students, have yet to apply for the upcoming academic year. “Every time you establish any kind of a barrier to college access, it leads to a permanent drop-off in the number of applications,” Mark Kantrowitz, a financial-aid expert, told me. With declining enrollment, small colleges with high rates of low-income or minority students could fall into financial peril, Fitch Ratings warned earlier this month.

“We’re absolutely going to see a decline in students going to college,” Laitinen said. “The question is how catastrophic it will be.”

Depending on whom you ask , the FAFSA rollout is a story either of insufficient investment in the public sector or of government overreach and incompetence. Both accounts could have some truth to them. “Everyone blames everyone else,” W. Kent Barnds, vice president of admissions and financial aid at Augustana College, told me. “But I think the reality is that nobody made this huge, generational change a priority.”

Congress passed the law in the waning days of Donald Trump’s term, but implementation mostly fell to the incoming Biden administration. The job proved formidable. “The scope of the changes are massive,” Catherine Brown, the head of policy and advocacy at the National College Attainment Network, told me. “They changed everything from the process to the form itself to the formula for determining federal student aid, and they changed it all at once.” Making things harder still, the FAFSA overhaul was just one of many major challenges facing the Department of Education, which was also charged with distributing COVID-relief funds, carrying out Joe Biden’s student-loan-forgiveness plan, updating its loan-servicing system, tightening regulations around career-training programs, and resuming student-loan payments after the pandemic pause. These tasks were mainly the responsibility of the office of Federal Student Aid, a small group of employees nestled within the broader department. Preston Cooper, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity, told me that the Department of Education would have had enough time to complete the congressionally mandated FAFSA simplification if only the Biden administration hadn’t loaded it with so many other priorities.

Others blame Congress, which kept the department’s budget stagnant even as it assigned the department more work to do. During the 2023 budget process, Congress appeared ready to give the department more money. But the effort became snarled in the politics of student-loan forgiveness. Republicans reportedly offered funding to hire new staff, but demanded that the money not be used for student-debt cancellation. Democrats rejected the deal. Nick Hillman, an education-policy professor at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, said that the “hollowing out” of the department forced it to rely on third-party contractors to complete its technical fixes. (The online infrastructure was written in COBOL, a computer language invented during the Eisenhower administration.) But the companies missed deadlines and had bugs in their code.

David Deming: The worst way to do college admissions

By March 2023, it became clear that the FAFSA rollout would not go as planned. Department staff indicated that the form wouldn’t open until December. “At that point, I think it was full-on panic in higher education,” Robert Kelchen, an education-policy professor at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, told me. Since then, the Government Accountability Office has, at Congress’s request, begun investigating the errors. Precisely what went wrong and why is still up for debate.

For now, the Education Department is focused on containing the damage. Employees are working 12-hour shifts, and spare manpower is being shunted toward FAFSA processing. The department announced in February that it would send employees to help colleges process students’ financial records. And earlier this week, it urged states to delay their priority-aid deadlines, and to keep a cash reserve for additional students who complete the FAFSA. More than 100 schools have already pushed back their enrollment deadlines.

Yet even if schools change their deadlines and the department gets through its FAFSA backlog, that still leaves 2.6 million fewer students who have submitted applications compared with this time last year. Education experts are skeptical that all or even most of them will fill out the FAFSA in time to start college this fall, although technically there’s still time. The biggest worry is the 600,000 high-school seniors who have never applied for aid before. Kevin Carey, Laitinen’s colleague at New America, points out that most young people aren’t on a fixed path to college. They’re weighing whether to go to school or take a job. “If you don’t even know what the cost is in your cost-benefit analysis, you just go with the benefit” of getting a job, Carey told me.

In the long run, nearly everyone seems to believe that the new FAFSA will be better. Low-income students will ultimately get more aid, and more students will be eligible for grants. The experts I spoke with said it might even be worth the cascade of delays and errors. But we just might sacrifice the class of 2028 to get there.

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FAFSA is still having major issues and delaying financial aid decisions—how students and families can cope

Numerous hiccups in the rollout of the updated Free Application for Federal Student Aid have upended this year's financial aid award season . 

Technological issues during the soft launch of the application at the end of December meant many students and their families may have struggled just to submit the form from the time of its release through mid-January.

Over 17 million people submit FAFSAs each year, per Department of Education data . But this year, as of late March, FAFSA submissions were down about 29% from the previous year, according to the National College Attainment Network . By now, most of the problems with submitting the form have been resolved, but getting the FAFSA information from the ED's Federal Student Aid office to colleges has introduced another slew of issues.

At the end of March, FSA identified problems with the information some schools were receiving, including inconsistent student tax information from the Internal Revenue Service that could impact a student's aid eligibility. The errors impacted an estimated 5% of processed FAFSA, according to ED and the IRS, all of which will be reprocessed in the first half of April, the department said in a blog post.

Many of those who have filled out an application are waiting in limbo to find out how much they will owe for tuition for the upcoming school year. 

"Every day matters, and with hundreds of thousands of FAFSAs needing to be reprocessed, even more delays for students are coming," Justin Draeger, president and CEO of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators said in a statement . "Continually taking two steps forward and one giant step back is not a sustainable pathway toward getting financial aid offers out to students and families."

While you may have to wait some time until you get your aid package, it's still advisable to submit your FAFSA as soon as you can. Outside of those erroneous forms being reprocessed, FSA said as of April, schools should start receiving students' financial information within one to three business days of the student submitting their FAFSA. 

Typically, most colleges have a May 1 deadline for incoming students to commit to attending, but many schools have pushed that date back in light of the FAFSA delays. Still, some students may feel the pressure to commit to a school before they've seen all the financial aid offers available to them or skip the FAFSA — and potentially college — process altogether. 

Here are a few things to keep in mind if you're stressed about making a college decision amid the FAFSA turmoil.

Patience and communication are key

It's important for students who need financial aid to pay for college — and even those who think they may not qualify for aid — to complete the FAFSA, higher education experts say.  

Despite the delays, "Every high school senior and returning college student should still be completing the FAFSA," Bethany Hubert, a financial aid specialist at Going Merry by Earnest , tells CNBC Make It. "Especially those low-income, minority and first-generation students that can really benefit from this financial aid — they need to make sure they're prioritizing it."

Once you've completed your application, Hubert says all you can really do after that is keep an eye on institution commitment deadlines, be patient and communicate your situation to the appropriate parties —schools awaiting your decision or the FSA office in the event of errors on your FAFSA.

"Make sure that you're being proactive and staying on top of communication from your financial aid office and the Department of Education," she says. "And make sure if you know that you're going to have to do an appeal or a FAFSA correction that you're prepared for that as well."

Make an informed decision

Hubert stresses, however, that you shouldn't feel pressured to commit to a school you don't know you can afford just because the deadline is approaching and you haven't seen your aid package.

"Make sure that you're not committing if you're uncomfortable [with your aid package] or without having all the information in front of you," she says. "If you can wait for those decision deadlines, try and do that so that you can get those award letters hopefully in time to make an informed decision."

Students who have received aid packages they feel are smaller than anticipated may consider appealing that decision with their school's financial aid office, Hubert says. If your student aid index — a number generated by the FAFSA which your college will use to help determine your aid eligibility — feels off, you'll definitely want to ask them to take another look.

Additionally, if something in your family's financial circumstances isn't reflected in your FAFSA, like a recent decline in income or caring for an elderly family member, informing your prospective school's financial aid office of those could help you get more need-based aid, Hubert says.

If you're really in a bind waiting for a financial aid decision, Hubert recommends considering alternate pathways, such as enrolling in community college to help lower the overall cost of your education. Getting a college degree typically pays off in the long run in terms of the jobs you'll be able to get and salary you'll be able to command with a bachelor's versus without.

"You shouldn't just jump to skipping college altogether," Hubert says. She mentions a few small ways you might be able to reduce your cost of attendance like looking for more affordable housing or changing your meal plan.

 "There's lots of ways to kind of nickel and dime some savings out of college," she says.

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