Top 5 scholarships for college juniors overall
We went through all our scholarships for college juniors and hand-selected the opportunities below based on three criteria:
- The scholarship is from a well-known organization that has been offering the opportunity for several years
- The award amount is substantial
- The eligibility information is not too narrow, so many students can apply
Here are our picks for the overall top 10 scholarships for current college juniors:
- Ayn Rand Institute Novel Essay Contest (Atlas Shrugged) – For students who submit an essay about the novel Atlas Shrugged. Worth $25,000
- Elie Wiesel Foundation Prize In Ethics – For college upperclassmen who write an essay about ethics. Worth $10,000
- Stokes Scholarship Programs – For students pursuing fields relevant to work in the CIA. Worth $25,000
- NSHSS James W. Lewis Collegiate Global Leader Scholarship – For college students who show leadership skills and a commitment to diversity. Worth $5,000
- Generation Google Scholarship – For HS seniors, college, and grad students who plan to study computer science or engineering. Worth $10,000. Preference given to women and ethnic minorities
Top 3 scholarships for Black college juniors
- Regions Riding Forward Scholarship Contest – For Black high school seniors or college students, worth $8,000
- Scholar Dollars Essay Scholarship for Black Students – For Black high school upperclassmen, college students, and graduate students. Worth $500
- Generation Google Scholarship – For HS seniors, college, and grad students who plan to study computer science or engineering. Worth $10,000. Preference given to women and ethnic minorities
Top 3 STEM scholarships for college juniors
- Barry Goldwater Scholarship – For college students pursuing a research career in STEM. Worth $7,500
- Generation Google Scholarship – For HS seniors, college, and grad students who plan to study computer science or engineering. Worth $10,000. Preference given to women and ethnic minorities
- Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers Scholarships – For high school seniors and above who are Hispanic and pursuing a STEM degree. Worth $25,000
How to win scholarships for college juniors
Now that you’ve got a list of opportunities, it’s time to focus on how to craft a successful scholarship application. Luckily, we can help. We’ve got a wide array of resources to help you stand out from the crowd in your applications. Here are a few that you’ll find especially helpful:
- How to start a scholarship essay (with examples)
- “Show, Don’t Tell” essay primer
- How to write a 250 word essay
- How to write a 500 word essay
- Writing an essay about yourself
- How to win local scholarships
- How to write a scholarship resume
Tips for college juniors
As a junior, you’re halfway through your time at college. Can you believe it? Senior year and graduation will be here before you know it, which means making the most of your time has never been so important.
Junior year is a great time to start looking for internships within your major. You can use our internship guide to get started with that process! And for those internships that require a little more, take a look at our article for how to write an internship cover letter.
Or perhaps instead of internships, studying abroad is on your horizon. If so, checkout some reasons why studying abroad is beneficial and the scholarships that can help fund your study abroad experience!
Frequently asked questions
Is junior year of college too late to apply for scholarships?
Will outside scholarships reduce my financial aid if I am already in college?
Some colleges reduce need-based aid packages if a student receives additional outside scholarships. It’s a good idea to check in with your financial aid office before applying to outside scholarships to ensure that you would actually benefit from the scholarship money. Some schools will not reduce your need-based aid at all, others will reduce it by a proportion of your scholarship earnings, and others might reduce it by the exact amount of your scholarship.
So, be sure to check with your financial aid to see how these scholarships would affect your financial situation. But don’t worry – you’ll never end up with less money overall as a result of winning a scholarship.
Explore these other scholarship categories
- Top scholarships for college students
- Top scholarships for women
- Easy scholarships to apply for
- Top writing and essay scholarships
- Top scholarships for Black students
Join for exclusive scholarships, personalized matching, and application tracking. 0% Spam, 100% Free.