College Scholarships for High School Students: Tips & How to Apply

When most people think of college scholarships, they iimagine writing essays and submitting academic records as a senior in high school. And while that does make up a good percentage of the scholarship application process, you can pursue scholarship funds as early as your freshman year in high school. Below we’ve broken down the various college scholarships for high school students that are available starting prior to senior year.

Many scholarships are offered to students as young as 14 to help them build up a college savings fund. So while it might seem strange at first, students can (and should) consider looking for and applying to scholarships throughout their high school experience. If funding is secured early, that takes some pressure off senior year as well.

Our focus here today will be on the types of scholarships high school students can apply for. Most are identical to what those on the cusp of entering college can apply for but you’ll find many that target a younger demographic. Let’s get started.

Start Scholarship Searching Early

Starting early in your high school career gives you a clear advantage when it comes to applying scholarships. Begin researching scholarships for high school students as early as freshman or sophomore year to understand what’s available and the qualifications needed. Setting clear goals, such as the type of college you want to attend or specific areas of interest, will help you narrow your search. Use a scholarship application calendar to track deadlines and ensure you stay organized throughout your high school years.

To stand out in scholarship applications, focus on building skills through extracurricular activities, leadership roles, and academic achievements. Programs like Polygence Pods, where you can work with expert mentors on research projects, can help you gain valuable experience and strengthen your scholarship applications. Don’t forget to advocate for yourself by reaching out to organizations, schools, and mentors to discover more opportunities and stay on track with your goals.

FAFSA

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is an essential step in securing financial aid for your college education. While it is commonly associated with college students, high school seniors can and should complete the FAFSA as early as possible. Submitting the FAFSA allows you to be considered for a variety of scholarships, grants, and other forms of financial assistance, including federal student loans and state-based financial aid programs.

Even if you don’t think you’ll qualify for need-based assistance, completing the FAFSA is still important. Many scholarships and programs require FAFSA submission as part of their application process. By filling it out early in your high school career, you can also qualify for early scholarship opportunities that may help fund your education long before your senior year. The information from your FAFSA will help you discover scholarships for high school students based on financial need, as well as other opportunities that may be tied to your school or community.

Academic Scholarships

The most common type of college scholarship for high school students is the academic scholarship. These scholarships are also called merit scholarships and are based on how you perform academically. This refers to grades, GPA, test scores, and where you rank in your class.

Of course, when you’re in high school, you can’t yet submit a complete academic record. When younger applicants are accepted, academic achievement is often measured via grades in a particular subject or school year, performance on specific aptitude tests, or if the student is a recipient of certain awards. A good place to look for academic scholarships is at your high school itself and at community organizations that like to reward local youth for top academic performance. 

Another popular option is the National Merit Scholarships, which award funds to students who do well on the qualifying test. Being a finalist for this award increases your likelihood of receiving a merit-based scholarship at your university of choice as well. Prepare for this academic scholarship by working with research coaches who can prepare you for potential test questions and improve your performance.

Athletic Scholarships

Another type of college scholarship for high school students is the athletic scholarship, which often offers some of the largest dollar amounts around. The most popular scholarship in this niche is the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Award. These are highly competitive, however, and are only applicable to Division I schools. Plus, these are only given out during senior year. Options for younger students are typically offered at a more local level by community organizations, parks, and corporations.

Activities-Based Scholarships

Many scholarships are available based on the activities you’re involved in. If you’re a high school senior, your prospective major will likely dictate your search for relevant scholarships here. But if you’re younger, you’ll need to conduct your search based on your interests, extracurricular activities, and talents.

There are many small dollar amount scholarships available where you only need to answer a question or two to enter consideration. Sometimes, it’s a short answer on a fun topic like the Unigo Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship, where applicants have to write 250 words about how they’d survive zombies taking over their school.

Another example is Doodle for Google, where applicants have to create a Google Doodle based on the year’s theme.

This type of scholarship is wide-ranging and can encompass things like answering questions, writing short essays, producing social media campaigns, taking photos, creating artwork, and more. 

Essay Scholarships

Another popular category of college scholarship is the essay scholarship, which awards the winning applicant based on the merits of their writing ability. This is another category that varies widely, with many smaller essay contents and scholarships available around niche topics all the way up to scholarships worth several thousand dollars.

Some essay scholarships work in conjunction with academic scholarships and require both a solid essay and a high GPA. Some universities themselves offer these scholarships but you can find many corporations offering their own form of essay scholarship as well.

For instance, there’s the Think for Yourself Scholarship, which requires applicants to write a personal essay for a chance to win up to $5,000. Or the Anthem Essay Contest, which is actually open to students from 8th to 12th grade.

Group Identity Scholarships

You may also wish to pursue group identity scholarships, which can encompass many of the attributes of the other scholarship types discussed here but include a prerequisite that you be a member of a specific group. Many scholarship funds are allotted for those of a particular religion, ethnic group, gender, or some other factor like being disabled, having had a parent who has passed away, or being a cancer survivor.

For instance, there’s the Kaplun Essay Contest, which is open to Jewish students in 7th to 12th grade. Or the Women’s Army Corps Veterans’ Association Scholarship, which is open to female relatives of an Army Service Woman.

Other popular choices include the United Negro College Fund and the American Indian College Fund.

Join peer research groups to practice working with others.

Need-Based Scholarships

Though many scholarships are available that use GPA, the institution you want to attend, and/or your academic or extracurricular pursuits as qualifying factors, there are some that focus more on financial need. Anyone applying to college should file a FAFSA, of course, which can make grant money available to you.

But if your financial need is greater than what these grants can provide, you can apply for need-based scholarships as well, especially earlier in your high school career to help build up your college savings. The college you’re ultimately accepted to will likely offer need-based scholarships under the broader umbrella of financial aid, so that’s worth considering as well.

No matter the approach you end up using, the key takeaway here is that you can begin your scholarship search much sooner than you might’ve thought. And you can employ a combination of tactics to build up college savings that can be put to good use immediately following high school graduation.

Local Scholarships

One of the best ways to increase your chances of receiving a scholarship is by finding scholarships within your community. Local scholarships for high school students are often less competitive than national awards, making it easier for you to qualify. Many local organizations, businesses, and community groups offer scholarships to high school juniors and seniors who plan to pursue higher education.

To get started, check with your school’s guidance office, as they have information on local scholarship applications. School and community-based organizations are great resources to help you apply for funding opportunities. In addition, don't forget to ask your family and friends if they know of any local scholarship programs or financial aid options that you may be eligible for.

Try Scholarship-Specific Search Engines

Another excellent way to find scholarships is by using scholarship-specific search engines. These platforms are designed to help students search for scholarships they can apply to, streamlining the process of locating awards that match their qualifications. You can filter results by financial need, GPA, grades, academic achievement, and more, ensuring you discover scholarships that align with your interests, qualifications, and goals.

Popular search engines include Fastweb, Niche, and Appily, all of which allow you to create a personalized profile to match you with the best scholarships based on your year in school, intended college major, and extracurricular involvement. These sites often have a vast list of scholarships for high school students that cover a range of funds to apply for each year.