Top 902 Scholarships for High School Seniors in October 2023

Sallie Mae will award $2,000 each month to eligible entrants. No essay or account sign-ups, just a simple scholarship for those seeking help paying for school.

Easy scholarship open to all high school and college students, as well as anyone looking to attend college or graduate school in the next year. Niche is giving one student $50,000 to help pay for tuition, housing, books and other college expenses — no essay required!

Open to high school students, college students, community college students, and graduate students.

The Regeneron Science Talent Search (Regeneron STS) is a prestigious science and mathematics competition for high school seniors, providing an important forum for original research that is recognized and reviewed by a national jury of professional scientists.

Are you a high-achieving student academically? You might consider applying for the College JumpStart Scholarship! The College JumpStart Scholarship is open to students in grades 10 to 12, as well as traditional college-age and adult learners. The scholarship is biannual, with deadlines on April 15th and October 17th each year. Two lucky students are awarded the College JumpStart Scholarship each application cycle. The scholarship is funded by corporate donations to the College JumpStart, an organization whose motto is “Hard work. Perseverance. Love of learning. These are the traits that the College JumpStart Scholarship rewards.” This scholarship is awarded on the basis of merit only–no financial need or any other factors are considered. If you’re passionate about using education to better your life and that of your family and/or community, we encourage you to apply!

The US Bank Student Scholarship is an opportunity for U.S. residents aged 17 or older who have been accepted to or are enrolled in a post-secondary institution to receive help funding their education. Each year, the scholarship awards up to $20,000 to multiple incoming and current undergraduate students who complete some of the U.S. Bank's "financial education lesson" modules. Each module takes approximately 1-2 minutes to complete, and the more that students complete, the more money they become eligible to earn. Applicants who complete up to 35, 100, and 200 modules are eligible to receive up to $2,000, $10,000, and $20,000, respectively. If this scholarship sounds like a fit for you, keep on reading for more application details.

Are you a big fan of The Walking Dead, or maybe Z Nation? Ever thought about what you would do in the case of a zombie apocalypse? If so, we may have the perfect opportunity for you: the Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship! Each year, this scholarship awards $2,000 to the applicant who, in 250 words or less, best describes their escape plan if there were a zombie outbreak at their school. The scholarship is offered by Unigo in hopes of helping some creative, zombie-obsessed students pay off some of their postsecondary education. If you’ve been inspired by the zombie shows and movies from the past few decades and have come up with a plan of your own, we encourage you to apply to the Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship! It’s due exactly when you’d expect: on Halloween.

Are you a high school senior, undergraduate, or graduate student with a passion for reading, writing, and Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand? If so, we may just have the perfect opportunity for you: the Ayn Rand Institute Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest! Each year, the contest asks its applicants to write an 800 - 1,600 word essay in which they analyze and make an argument about an aspect or plot point of the novel Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. Eighty-four students are awarded for their efforts, earning between $25 and $10,000 each. The scholarship is offered by the Ayn Rand Institute, a California-based nonprofit “think tank” dedicated to promoting a better understanding of Ayn Rand’s philosophies. If you’re familiar with Atlas Shrugged, can make a convincing argument, and want to make some cash, we encourage you to apply!

Are you a college-bound high school senior with big dreams? If so, consider applying for the Ted & Holly Rollins Scholarship! Each year, the scholarship awards $5,000 to one applicant who writes an essay about how their interests, experience, and how they hope to make an impact on the world. The scholarship is offered by Ted and Holly Rollins, entrepreneurs and philanthropists who believe in the importance of assisting hardworking youth in paying for college. If you’re an incoming college student in need of some financial help while you're off pursuing your dreams, we encourage you to apply to the Ted & Holly Rollins Scholarship!

Are you a U.S. citizen and high school senior (or the equivalent) planning on enrolling full-time in a postsecondary institution in the U.S.? If so, consider applying for the Elks Most Valuable Student Scholarship! Each year, the scholarship awards 500 (yes, 500!) four-year scholarships to the highest-rated applicants. The scholarships range from $1,000 per year to $7,500 per year - totaling between $4,000 and $30,000 in aid over the course of one’s undergraduate career. The scholarship is funded by Elks National Foundation, an organization dedicated to investing in their communities through programs that help children grow up healthy and drug-free, meeting the needs of today’s veterans, and improving their quality of life. If you’re a U.S. citizen currently in your last year of high school with plans to attend a U.S. post-secondary institution full-time, we encourage you to apply for the Elks Most Valuable Student Scholarship!

Are you a high-achieving high school senior who will need financial help to attend the college(s) of your dreams? If so, consider applying for the Jack Kent Cooke College Scholarship! This prestigious scholarship offers winning applicants up to $55,000 per year. In addition to monetary awards, winners receive college planning support, advising, and networking opportunities. The scholarship is funded by the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting promising students who have financial need. Since 2000, the foundation has awarded more than $222 million in scholarships. The Jack Kent Cooke College Scholarship typically accepts applications from August until mid-November, each year. If you’re an academically excellent high school senior looking for some financial help to attend college, we encourage you to apply!

Are you a high school student with dreams of going to college one day? If so, consider applying for the Visionary Scholarship! Each application cycle, the scholarship awards between $1,000 and $2,500 to five applicants who submit an essay (~500 words) on why college is important to them. The scholarship is biannual, and non-winners from previous cycles are welcome to reapply. The upcoming deadline for the scholarship is on June 1, 2023. The scholarship is funded by the American College Foundation, a college preparation cornerstone with all information and related strategies delivered entirely from the family’s perspective.  If you’re a high schooler passionate about receiving a postsecondary education, we encourage you to apply and prepare for your college journey early!

Are you a college-bound high school senior attending a public school in the United States? Further, do you come from a low-income household? If all those statements apply, consider applying for the Hagan Scholarship! Each year, the scholarship vows to meet the unmet financial need of its top applicants, awarding up to $6,000 per semester (for a total of $48,000 over four years)! If winners achieve a 3.75 GPA or above during their time in college, they will also be eligible to extend their Hagan Scholarship for two additional years to attend graduate school. Applicants may even receive additional money depending upon their GPA, grade level, and other academic achievements. All this information can be found in the “description of scholarship.” The scholarship is funded by Dan Hagan, a self-made businessman from rural Missouri who is dedicated to helping students in similar circumstances to those he experienced in his youth. If you meet the eligibility criteria and want some help paying off your college costs, we encourage you to apply! Bear in mind that this scholarship runs from September 1st to December 1st of the current year.

Are you a college-bound high school senior looking for financial assistance to pay off your postsecondary education? If so, consider applying for the Dell Scholars Program! The program is open to incoming college students who are eligible for the Pell Grant and participated in a college readiness program in grades 11 and 12. The Dell Scholars Program was created by the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation in 1999 to provide support for students from low-income backgrounds pursuing a degree. Each year, 500 students are selected to become Dell Scholars and receive $20,000 to pay for their college expenses. In addition to the scholarship, Dell Scholars receive other benefits like a laptop, Chegg credits for textbooks, access to teletherapy, and more. If you come from a low-income background and need some help paying for your education, we encourage you to apply! Bear in mind that this scholarship runs from October 1st to December 1st annually.

The Science Ambassador Scholarship is funded by Cards Against Humanity, an adult party card game company that supports charity efforts with its profits. Every year, their Science Ambassador Scholarship awards full tuition to one female high school senior or undergraduate student who submits a three-minute educational video on a STEM topic they're passionate about. If this scholarship sounds like a fit for you, keep on reading for more application details.

Are you a graduating high school senior living in the U.S, Puerto Rico, Guam, or Canada and working at Burger King or are related to an employee? If so, consider applying for the Burger King Scholars Program! The scholarship is open to college-bound high school seniors who work at Burger King or are related to an employee and plan to enroll in college full-time for the upcoming academic year. The scholarship is funded by Burger King Foundation, a non-profit organization and a leader in education that aims to create brighter futures by empowering individuals and feeding potential through education and emergency relief. Awards worth between $1,000 and $50,000 will be granted to help winning students pay for college costs. If you’re passionate about your postsecondary education and you or a relative work at Burger King, we encourage you to apply! Bear in mind that the Burger King Scholars Program typically accepts applications from mid-October to mid-December, every year.

Are you a Black or African American U.S. citizen or permanent resident who is currently a high school senior? Furthermore, are you planning on soon attending college and have an interest in global entrepreneurship and/or community engagement? If that sounds like you, consider applying for the Ron Brown scholarship! Dedicated to supporting community-minded and intellectually gifted African Americans, the scholarship awards $40,000 scholarships to 45-50 hardworking students each year. The scholarship is awarded over the course of one’s four-year undergraduate career, offering $10,000 per year. Winners must be planning on attending accredited four-year universities in the United States. In order to apply, applicants must submit two 500-word essays, transcripts, and two letters of recommendation. If you’re passionate about community engagement and want some help paying for college, we encourage you to apply! Bear in mind that this scholarship opens in September and has two annual deadlines. The deadlines are November 1st (to have your application be considered for the Ron Brown Scholar Program AND forwarded to a select and limited number of additional scholarship providers) and January 9th (final deadline in order to be considered for only the Ron Brown Scholar Program).

Are you a U.S. high school student with a love for U.S. history? If so, we may have the perfect opportunity for you: the JFK Profile in Courage Essay Contest! Each year, the contest awards up to $10,000 to winning applicants who submit 700 - 1,000 word essays following the year’s prompt. Each year's prompt relates to U.S. history, with this year’s being: “Describe an act of political courage by a U.S. elected official who served during or after 1917, the year John F. Kennedy was born.” The scholarship is offered by the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston, Massachusetts. If you love U.S. history and want to put your writing skills and history knowledge to the test, we encourage you to apply!

Every year, the American Chemical Society Scholars Program awards renewable scholarships to high school seniors and college undergraduates from historically underrepresented groups. Well-informed about the costs of hefty university tuition fees and funds needed to acquire appropriate lab equipment, the American Chemical Society aims to alleviate some of these expenses for a few lucky students each year. Applicants to the program must be currently planning or intending to study the chemical sciences in college and pursue chemistry-related careers. If you plan on studying chemistry and want a solution to heavy college costs, we encourage you to apply! Bear in mind that this scholarship runs from December 1st to March 1st every year.