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Top 154 Community Service Scholarships in February 2023
Are you active in your local town, city, or neighborhood? Do you love spending your spare time volunteering with local nonprofits? If so, you may want to apply for community service scholarships that reward students who contribute to their communities. Many private organizations and colleges aim to specifically support students who are going to make a difference in the world.
Jump ahead to…
- Top community service scholarships
- How to win community service scholarships
- Tips for getting involved in community service
- Frequently asked questions about community service scholarships
- Explore these additional scholarship categories
Top 154 Community Service Scholarships in February 2023
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
- The scholarship requires paid membership in an organization (with certain exceptions for reputable trade organizations and others)
- 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.
$10,000 “No Essay” Scholarship
Scholarships360 Exclusive
Easy scholarship open to all US-based high school, college, community college and graduate students.
$2,000 Nitro College Scholarship – No Essay
Sponsored
Easy scholarship open to all high school, college, community and graduate students.
$25,000 No Essay Scholarship
Sponsored
Open to high school and college students, as well as anyone looking to attend college or graduate school in the next year.
American Council of the Blind’s (ACB) Scholarship Program
Offered by American Council of the Blind
Open to full-time undergraduate and graduate students who are legally blind and maintain a strong GPA.
Alliant Energy Innovation Scholarship
Offered by Alliant Energy
Incoming business and STEM undergraduate students who will be attending an educational institution in Iowa or Wisconsin.
Team DC Student-Athlete Scholarship
Offered by Team DC
Open to high school senior athletes who identify as LGBTQ+ and are from Washington DC.
Scholars Helping Collars Scholarship
Offered by P.L.A.Y. (Pet Lifestyle and You)
Open to high school seniors who submit a compelling essay detailing their impact on a rescue animals' life.
Eco-Hero Awards
Offered by Action for Nature
Open to students aged 8 to 16 who carry out individual environmental action projects.
Nicholas J. Bartilucci Environmental Scholarship
Offered by New York Water Environment Association
Open to high school seniors from New York who will be enrolled at a university this upcoming Fall to study an environmental-related major.
Dream.US National Scholarship
Offered by TheDream.Us
High school seniors and college freshmen with or without DACA who came to the U.S. before age 16 and qualify for in-state tuition.
$25k “Be Bold” No-Essay Scholarship
Sponsored
Easy scholarship open to high school students, college students, community college students, and graduate students.
Stein Family Scholarship
Offered by Tidewater Jewish Foundation
Open to college-bound, Jewish high school seniors residing in Hamptons Roads who show academic ability and passion for community service.
Handeli First-Year Student Scholarship
Offered by Hillel International
Graduating, Jewish high school seniors seeking a bachelor’s degree in the U.S. or Canada. Must demonstrate leadership or volunteer service.
Emmett J. Doerr Memorial Scout Scholarship
Offered by National Catholic Committee on Scouting
Open to Catholic high school seniors who are involved in their community, the Catholic Church, and Scouts.
Chi Am Circle High School Scholarship
Offered by Chi Am Circle Club
Open to Asian, college-bound high school seniors residing in Santa Clara County, California or who descend from active Chi Am member(s).
AAHD Frederick J. Krause Scholarship on Health and Disability
Offered by American Association on Health and Disability
Open to college and graduate students who have a disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Veterans of Foreign Wars Scout of the Year Scholarship
Offered by Veterans of Foreign Wars
Open to scouts who are active members of a Boy or Girl Scout Troop, Venturing Crew, or a Sea Scout Ship and have received specific awards.
C.B. Arrott LGBTQ Endowed Scholarship
Offered by UC San Diego
Open to college students at UC San Diego with a record of active involvement in the LGBTQIA+ community.
$10,000 CollegeXpress Scholarship
Sponsored
Annual $10k scholarship from CollegeXpress open to all high school students.
Niche $2,000 “No Essay” College Scholarship
Sponsored
Easy scholarship from Niche open to all high school, college, and graduate students.
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How to win community service scholarships
Now that you’ve got a list of great community service scholarships, it’s time to get to work on your applications. Most of these scholarships receive a huge number of impressive applications, so it’s important to use your essays as an opportunity to stand out from the crowd.
To help you put together the best possible essay, we’ve created a collection of resources, including articles on how to start a scholarship essay, how to write a winning scholarship essay, and how to “Show, Not Tell” in your writing. Here are a few other resources you’ll find helpful as you work through your applications:
- How to write a 250 word essay
- How to write a 500 word essay
- Assembling a scholarship resume
- How to respond to “Why do you deserve this scholarship?” prompts
Also, remember as you write your essays to tie your past experiences into what you want to do in the future! As you’re applying to community service-oriented opportunities, it’s a good idea to emphasize how you hope to use your past experiences to continue to improve the communities you work with.
Tips for getting involved in community service
- When looking for community service opportunities try to start with your own interests! For instance, if you love history, check out your local historical society.
- Don’t be shy! Many volunteering opportunities will not be formally advertised so you may need to send out some cold emails to organizations you are interested in working with.
- If you can’t find an opportunity, create one! If you have a little bit of an entrepreneurial spirit you can start something to make a positive social impact in your community
- Remember, in today’s increasingly digital world, there’s no need to limit your volunteering to in-person experiences! Online tutoring, administrative assistance, or other remote work can help you fit volunteering into a busy schedule and open up your possibilities for who you can work with.
- For more pointers on finding volunteer opportunities, check out our articles on the top virtual volunteer opportunities.
Frequently asked questions about community service scholarships
How many hours of community service do I need for community service scholarships?
There is no set number of hours of community service needed to earn these scholarships. Each scholarship has its own criteria; some may require a set number of hours, while others may be more concerned with what you’ve accomplished in your positions and how you reflect on your experiences.
So, even if you don’t have a substantial number of logged community service hours, some of these scholarships may be a good fit for you. Many students volunteer without keeping track of their hours (though it’s always a good idea to keep a log just in case) and some of these opportunities will take that into account.
Can I use virtual volunteer experience to apply for community service scholarships?
Yes! Virtual volunteer opportunities are just as valuable as in-person ones, and you should make sure to get a written record of the hours you put in so you can use them in applications later on.
I volunteered at an organization but did not obtain a record of my service. What should I do now?
The first step you should take is to find the contact information for whoever supervised your volunteer work and reach out to them to explain your situation. Chances are, they will be thankful for the work you put in and willing to help you out in determining how many hours you worked and certifying said hours.
That being said, many organizations that offer volunteer positions have a rapidly changing staff and it may be difficult to track down your supervisor. Your best bet is to continue to reach out to people at the organization until you find someone who seems willing to help out. Getting those hours in writing can be key for scholarships, college applications, job applications, and more. Even though it may be a hassle, don’t let it fall by the wayside!
