10 Scholarships for High School Students
If you are an academically gifted student who is looking at the top university, chances are that you may want to depend on scholarships to offset the cost of university. Attending university is definitely an investment and can rarely be affordable for all. Therefore, we have curated a helpful list of 10 scholarships that are offered to help with funding your college dreams!
Some of these scholarships are for students from specific communities, while others are programs that are free (which can help build your application at no additional cost!). However, each scholarship will offer some support in your college process, either from applying to mentoring or providing monetary support.
Google offers multiple scholarships for students across the U.S., Canada, and internationally. These scholarships were created internationally to increase diversity in the fields of computer science, technology, engineering, and other similar disciplines. Some of the scholarships are:
Google Lime Scholarship - A scholarship of $10,000 offered to students with disabilities who intend to pursue computer science in either a US or Canadian university.
Generation Google Scholarship - These scholarships are offered in multiple locations and are intended to financially support communities who have historically been under-represented in the fields of computer science, engineering, operation research, and supply chain management.
Google Student Veterans of America Scholarship - As a partnership with ‘Students Veterans of America’ (a non-profit that advocates for veteran high education), Google is offering $10,000 for student veterans who are pursuing computer science degrees.
Scholarship Amount: Varies based on scholarship; amounts tend to start from $2,500
Location: N/A
Application Deadline (2024): Varies based on scholarship (from past deadlines, expect the deadline to be in the month of May)
Eligibility: Varies based on the scholarship chosen, but ideally, you should be from an underrepresented community.
The Coca-Cola Scholars Program scholarship is a merit scholarship for students in their senior year of high school. Almost 50 students (alternatively known as Coca-Cola Scholars) are selected each year to receive this $20,000 scholarship.
To receive this scholarship, you must have a capacity to lead and serve, as well as a commitment to making a significant impact on your schools and communities. Previous Coca-Cola Scholars have gone to found consulting organizations and directing schools that offer assistance to neurodivergent youth!
Scholarship Amount: $20,000
Location: N/A
Application Deadline (2024): October 2nd, 2023
Eligibility:
Current high school (or home-schooled) senior attending a school in the U.S.
Open to U.S. Citizens, U.S. Nationals, U.S. Permanent Residents, Refugees, Asylees, Cuban-Haitian Entrants, or Humanitarian Parolees (based on the guidelines utilized by the U.S. Department of Education for Federal Financial Aid eligibility).
You must plan to pursue a degree at an accredited U.S. post-secondary institution.
Able to maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 in university.
The National Merit Scholarship Program is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships that began in 1955. Over 1.5 million students enter this competition every year, with only 15,000 finalists.
To enter the competition, you will have to take the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). Traditionally, this happens in your junior year (for a 2024 scholarship, you would have had to test in 2022). If you qualify as a finalist, you will be awarded 1 of 3 merit scholarships:
National Merit ($2,500) - Every finalist competes for this scholarship, which is awarded on a state representational basis.
Corporate-sponsored merit scholarships - Corporate sponsors designate these awards for children of their employees or members, for residents of a community where a company has operations, or for Finalists with career plans the sponsor wishes to encourage.
College-sponsored merit scholarships - Officials of each sponsor college select winners of their awards from Finalists who have been accepted for admission and have informed NMSC by the published deadlines that the sponsor college or university is their first choice.
We’ve covered the scholarship in detail here, so make sure you check it out!
Scholarship Amount: $2,500 for National Merit Scholarships.
Note. The amount for corporate or college-sponsored scholarships is based on the organization or university.
Location: N/A
Application Deadline (2024): N/A
Eligibility:
Must be a senior in high school, with an aim to attend university in fall 2024 (for 2024 eligibility).
Attend high school in the United States, District of Columbia, or U.S. commonwealths and territories.
Must have taken the 2022 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) (for entry to the 2024 National Merit Program).
Note. If you attend a school outside of the United States, you must be a citizen of the United States; or be a U.S. lawful permanent resident.
While not a university scholarship, the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation is a non-profit research program for talented, low-income students. Born out of the Lumiere Research Scholar Program (one of the largest 1-on-1 research initiatives for high school students), the foundation offers the same independent research opportunities at no cost.
The Lumiere Breakthrough Scholar Program is the equivalent of the Individual Research Scholar Program at Lumiere Education. In our flagship program, we pair talented high-school students with world-class Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll learn about the cutting edge of your field and develop an independent research paper.
You can choose topics from subjects such as psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more.
Scholarship Amount: N/A
Location: Remote - you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Application Deadline: There are 4 cohorts (You can apply here!)
Fall 2023: August 27th, 2023
Winter 2023: November 26th, 2023
Spring 2024: January 14th, 2024
Summer 2024:
Eligibility:
You must be currently enrolled in high school or plan to enroll as a freshman in college in the fall of 2023.
Students must demonstrate a high level of academic achievement. (Note. Students have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4)
No previous knowledge of your field of interest is required!
Note. While there is no cut-off for income, past scholars have typically come from households earning less than $50,000 annually (for a typical household of 4) with minimum assets.
The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program intends to award the most accomplished graduating high school seniors in America. Over the course of this program’s history, the program was extended to recognize students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual, creative and performing arts and in career and technical education fields. Each year, up to 161 students are named Presidential Scholars, one of the nation's highest honors for high school students.
Unlike other scholarships, a Presidential Scholarship does not provide monetary assistance to the awardees. Instead, it provides scholars with invaluable experiences and opportunities that other students don't have access to. Moreover, the academic prestige associated with this scholarship will make you stand out in any merit-based scholarship!
Note. The application for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program is by invitation only. Students may not apply individually to the program or be nominated outside of the above process.
Scholarship Amount: N/A
Location: N/A
Application Deadline: N/A
Eligibility:
Be U.S. citizens or Legal Permanent U.S. Residents by the application deadline.
Graduate or receive a diploma between January and August of the current program year.
Score exceptionally well on either the SAT of the College Board or the ACT of the American College Testing Program, based on tests taken during the recognition cycle.
Be nominated by their Chief State School Officer (CSSO) or nominated by one of our partner recognition organizations based on outstanding scholarship.
Note. These are the general eligibility guidelines, there are additional ones for applying to the arts or CTE program.
Davidson Fellow Scholarships are offered to gifted high school students who submit projects in the fields of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, literature, music, philosophy, or out-of-the-box (i.e., subjects not mentioned previously).
Each submission will be reviewed on the basis of its potential to make a positive contribution to society (you can find more detailed guidelines here!). Selected projects can be awarded scholarships from $10,000 - even $50,000!
Scholarship Amount: $10,000, $25,000, or $50,000.
Location: N/A
Application Deadline (2024): The application deadline has not been specified, however, expect it to be in the month of February.
Eligibility:
Be 18 or younger as of the application deadline (Note. There is no minimum age for eligibility).
Be a U.S. citizen residing in the United States, or a Permanent Resident of the United States residing in the United States, or be stationed overseas due to active U.S. military duty.
Teams of two are eligible. Both team members must meet eligibility requirements.
Equitable Excellence is the flagship program of Equitable Foundation. Equitable provides $5,000 annual scholarships to 100 students. Totally, each recipient receives $20,000 over the course of 4 years!
Additionally, 100 one-time $2,500 scholarships are awarded. This can help you to underwrite immediate costs associated with higher education, such as tuition, books, or room and board! To apply, you will have to submit an essay describing how they exhibit courage in pursuing what’s possible, display strength in managing challenges and share wisdom with others.
For awardees, equitable also offers development opportunities and engagement programs to support the transitional stage between high school and university! These include mentoring, networking, and professional skill-building programs with Equitable’s workforce and executive leadership teams.
Scholarship Amount: $20,000
Location: N/A
Application Deadline (2024): The application deadline is not specified, but the portal will open in October 2023. You can be notified here!
Eligibility:
Be current high school seniors who plan to enroll full-time in an accredited two- or four-year college or university in the United States for the entire upcoming academic year.
Be a United States citizen or legal resident living or claiming residency in one of the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico.
The National College Match is an opportunity for academically gifted, low-income students to apply to top universities. Through this college and scholarship application process, you can apply to multiple colleges completely free of cost! Further, if you apply for early admission, you can be considered for a full-4-year scholarship under the Match Scholarship.
The Match Scholarship is offered as part of a generous financial aid package provided by the college that covers the cost of attendance, including tuition/fees, housing/food, books/supplies, and even travel expenses! Questbridge partners with over 45+ colleges, including MIT, UPenn, UChicago, Duke, Princeton, and more. So this scholarship is an opportunity to apply to the top universities without any financial burden!
Scholarship Amount: Varies based on university acceptance/terms.
Location: N/A
Application Deadline (2024): September 26, 2023
Eligibility:
Must be a high school senior at the time of applying (must enter university in the fall of 2024 to be eligible for the 2024 scholarship).
Any high school senior, regardless of citizenship, currently attending high school in the U.S. is eligible for the National College Match. Additionally, U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents living abroad are eligible.
Must typically earn less than $65,000 annually (for a household of four) and have minimal assets.
Must be in good academic standing (Note. While there are no specific cutoffs, you can look here for the profiles of past applicants.)
GeneTex, a biotechnology company, offers scholarships of $2,000 to students pursuing a STEM undergraduate or graduate degree. This scholarship is extremely selective, with only one student being awarded twice a year!
To apply, you will have to write a personal statement about the reason for pursuing your STEM degree. Each eligible application will be reviewed by a committee of 3-5 GeneTex employees. Selection is based on the committee's determination of the application that best aligns with GeneTex's values and mission statement and your academic standing. However, GeneTex has not mentioned any particular cut-off GPA, so everyone is welcome to apply!
Scholarship Amount: $2,000
Location: N/A
Application Deadline (2023): March 3rd, 2023
Eligibility:
Student in good academic standing, enrolled at an accredited college/university.
Declared STEM major.
Open to U.S Citizens and International Students.
The Ron Brown Scholarship honors the legacy of Ronald H. Brown through a scholarship program that advances higher education opportunities for community-minded and academically gifted African Americans.
RBSP awards 45-50, 4-year $40,000 scholarships ($10,000/year) to economically challenged high school seniors who demonstrate a keen interest in public service, community engagement, business entrepreneurship, and global citizenship.
This scholarship is selective, receiving over 4,000 applications, and selected students also receive mentoring and career counseling!
Scholarship Amount: $40,000 over 4 years.
Location: N/A
Application Deadline (2024):
Eligibility:
Must be a current high school senior at the time of their application.
Must be Black/African American, U.S. citizens, or permanent residents.
Bonus - Lumiere Research Scholar Program
If you are passionate about research, you could also consider applying to the Lumiere Research Scholar Program, a selective online high school program for students I founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Last year, we had over 4000 students apply for 500 spots in the program! You can find the application form here.
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a Ph.D. student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.
Image Source: Coke Scholars logo