10 Scholarships for High School Seniors
For all but the most privileged of us, the cost of college tuition is at least an inconvenience and, at most, an impassable obstacle. Anyone over a certain age has seen the extent to which college costs have skyrocketed over the past few decades. In fact, the average price of undergraduate tuition–including fees, room, and board–increased by 169% between 1980 and 2020.
Many of the brightest young minds are being faced with a difficult choice: get priced out of higher education or sign up for potentially life-long debt to pay for school. Student loan debt–which affects 43 million Americans (and counting) and has more than doubled over the past two decades–is growing out of control in the United States, often preventing the very upward mobility former students went to college to achieve.
College costs are frustrating, to say the least. We have a long way to go toward economic and social equity in higher education. However, at Scholar Launch, we believe that every student with the ambition and drive to pursue their academic goals should have the opportunity to do so, regardless of their demographic background. Luckily, countless scholarships are available to help students advance their education.
Sallie Mae Sweepstakes Scholarship
Deadline: The last day of each month in 2024 | Amount: $2,000
Enter monthly for a chance to win $2,000 toward your college education. For U.S. residents only.
“Be Bold” No-Essay Scholarship
Deadline: October 1, 2024 | Amount: $25,124
This scholarship is awarded to the boldest risk-takers whose academic profiles demonstrate earnestness, determination, and consistent progress.
GREAT Scholarships
Deadline: Varies | Amount:￡10,000
GREAT Scholarships offer students from the following 15 countries the opportunity to earn ￡10,000 toward their tuition:
Bangladesh
China
Egypt
Ghana
Greece
Kenya
India
Indonesia
Malaysia
Mexico
Nigeria
Pakistan
Thailand
Turkey
Vietnam
There are 71 universities across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland offering a total of 210 GREAT Scholarships. Entry details vary per university.
Jacques Borges Memorial Scholarship
Deadline: October 13, 2024 | Amount: $2,025
This scholarship will be awarded to one student of Haitian descent who is plans to study civil engineering or is currently enrolled in a civil engineering program.
MPOWER Women in STEM Scholarship
Deadline: December 31, 2024 | Amount: $1,000 to $6,000
Meant for international/DACA female students in the United States and Canada, the MPower Women in STEM Scholarship annually awards up to $6,000 to young women pursuing STEM degrees.
The Marten Bequest Travelling Scholarship
Deadline: Varies | Amount: Varies
Native-born Australians between the ages of 17 and 35 who demonstrate outstanding creative promise and ability in one or more categories of the visual and performing Arts have the opportunity to win various scholarship funds.
Gender Expansive & Transgender Scholarship
Deadline: October 15, 2024 | Amount: $11,075
This scholarship supports students who identify as gender minorities and helps them overcome any barriers they may face to higher education.
HBCU STEM Scholarship
Deadline: October 6, 2024 | Amount: $7,500
This scholarship addresses the inequity often faced by low-income, first-generation college students who have less extracurricular experience and receive less parental guidance throughout their educational journeys. Any first-gen, low-income student with a 3.0 pursuing STEM at an HBCU may apply.
Chevening Scholarships
Deadline: November 5, 2024 | Amount: Varies
Chevening Scholarships are unique to the UK and strive to financially support international students who demonstrate academic promise. The scholarship details vary based on the students’ countries of origin.
Grace and Growth Scholarship
Deadline: November 5, 2024 | Amount: $1,000
The Grace and Growth Scholarship acknowledges the financial obstacles higher education presents to many students and aims to address that by supporting high school seniors with stellar academic and extracurricular records.
There are innumerable scholarships out there for students with the patience and diligence to pursue them. Higher education may not be as accessible as it once was, but the cost of college tuition doesn’t have to slow you down. Manage your time wisely this fall and dedicate a few hours a week to scholarship applications so you can breeze into spring confident in your ability to move forward after high school.