Top Need Based Scholarships
Do you have demonstrated financial need? Need based scholarships are specifically for you!
While some scholarships are focused on supporting students based on specific talents or achievements, other scholarships aim to support students who have demonstrated financial need. These need based scholarships sometimes also include a merit or academic component, but will always require students to demonstrate financial need.
If you are a low income student or even a middle income student, you may qualify for one of our top need based awards. Keep on reading for more information about the specific scholarships, eligibility, and deadlines, as well as some tips to win these scholarships!
Here are the top need-based scholarships for students to win:
Dell Scholars Program
- Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who are participating in a Michael & Susan Dell Foundation approved college readiness program.
- Amount: $20,000, a laptop credit, textbook credit, and on-going mentoring
- Deadline December 1st
Elks Most Valuable Student Scholarship
- Eligibility: Open to high school seniors
- Amount: Up to $50,000
- Deadline November 5th
Greenhouse Scholars Scholarship (Opens 9/2020)
- Eligibility: High school seniors with demonstrated financial need who reside in Colorado, Georgia, Illinois or North Carolina
- Amount: $22,000 over four years
- Deadline: December 2nd
Horatio Alger National Scholarships
- Eligibility: High school seniors/community college students
- Amount: $2,500
- Deadline October 25th
Gates Scholarship
- Eligibility: High school seniors of African-American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian & Pacific Islander American, and/or Hispanic American who are Pell-eligible
- Amount: Full funding for all college costs not covered by FA and family contribution
- Deadline: September 15
Horatio Alger National Scholarships
- Eligibility: Enrollment full-time as a high school senior with financial need in the United States with plans to enter college no later than the fall following graduation
- Amount: $25,000
- Deadline: October 25
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Scholarship
- Eligibility: Open to high school seniors with demonstrated financial need
- Amount: Full funding (including tuition, living expenses, books, and other required fees for four years)
- Deadline October 20
Leaders and Achievers Scholarship Program (opens 10/2020)
- Eligibility: Open to high school seniors
- Amount: Up to $2,500
- Deadline December 7th
Questbridge National College Match Scholarship
- Eligibility: Open to high school seniors
- Amount: Full funding (including tuition, room, and board) for four years
- Deadline: September 26th
Ron Brown Scholars Program
- Eligibility: High school achieving Black/AfricanAmerican students with demonstrated financial need
- Amount: $10,000 per year for a total of $40,000
- Deadline: January 9, 2021
Undiscovered Brilliance Scholarship for African-Americans
- Eligibility: Awarded to a talented Black student at any level of education or field of study on the basis of their ambition, talent, and drive, as well as on the impact that additional support would have for them
- Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: May 16, 2021
Tips for students applying for need based scholarships
- While need based scholarships are useful, the real opportunity for low and middle income students is applying for need based financial aid through specific colleges and the government. The FAFSA is a free application that will help you unlock this financial aid!
- One of the best grants for low income students is the Pell Grant which is given by the federal government and does not need to be repaid (you need to complete the FAFSA to qualify for a Pell Grant).
- If you are wondering how much financial aid you will qualify for at a particular college, you should use the Net Price Calculator to get an estimate. This will estimate need-based financial aid (but not merit based scholarships).
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my family income qualifies me for a need based scholarship?
This is a good question and really depends on the specific scholarship. Each scholarship awarding organization will define financial need in a different way, so you will need to check. Additionally, each scholarship will have you prove you financial need in a slightly different way (so be aware of the fact that you will likely need to provide documentation.
What’s the difference between a need based and merit based scholarship?
The primary difference is that a need based scholarship will be taking into account a student’s financial situation and will focused on supporting the students who need financial support the most. A merit based scholarship will be focused on supporting students with specific talents or “merits” as defined by the scholarship committee.
