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Top Scholarships for Middle School Students in September 2024
By
Will Geiger
Will Geiger is the co-founder of Scholarships360 and has a decade of experience in college admissions and financial aid. He is a former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at Kenyon College where he personally reviewed 10,000 admissions applications and essays. Will also managed the Kenyon College merit scholarship program and served on the financial aid appeals committee. He has also worked as an Associate Director of College Counseling at a high school in New Haven, Connecticut. Will earned his master’s in education from the University of Pennsylvania and received his undergraduate degree in history from Wake Forest University.
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One of the most common questions we get from students and parents is “are there any scholarships for middle school students?”
After all, some students want to start their scholarship search as early as possible and fear that all of the great scholarships are for high school students.
There is some truth to this, as the majority of scholarships are for high school, college, and graduate students. However, we have found a number of great scholarships that are open to more students, including middle school students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade.
Jump ahead to:
- Top middle school scholarships
- Tips for middle school students & their parents
- Frequently asked questions
Top scholarships for middle school students
Joan Myers Brown Equity Scholarship
- Eligibility: Open to Black, college-bound, intermediate and advanced dancers between 7 and 22 years of age.
- Amount: Varies
- Deadline: February 15th and September 15th, of every year
ConnectHER Film Festival
- Eligibility: Open to filmmakers between 13 and 25 years of age who submit 3-6 minute-long films on critical women’s issues.
- Amount: Up to $5,000
- Deadline: October 1, 2024
Patriot’s Pen Essay Contest
- Eligibility: High school students in grades 6-8
- Amount: $500 to $5,000
- Deadline: October 31, 2024
Rubincam Youth Award
- Eligibility: Open to middle and high school students who submit an appropriately prepared genealogy
- Amount: Up to $500
- Deadline: December 15, 2024
StudentCam Scholarship
- Eligibility: Middle and high school students who create a 5-6 minute documentary addressing the year’s given theme
- Amount: Varies
- Deadline: January 20, 2025
Tips for middle school students & their parents
If you are a middle schooler or the parent of a middle schooler who is already thinking of scholarships, congratulations! You are already ahead of the curve in planning your or your child’s college education. There are a myriad of other ways to help prepare for college in addition to scholarships.
One of the best things a parent can do to start planning early is start saving money. Oftentimes, a 529 plan is the best way to do this, as it allows your earnings to gain interest before being taxed. Remember, the earlier you start, the better!
Many states are also beginning to offer savings accounts that allow parents to buy college courses for their children starting at a young age. Programs like the Texas Tuition Promise Fund allow parents to lock in current college prices and avoid paying higher prices in the future.
It’s also a good idea to do some thinking about where your child may thrive in high school. You may consider charter, Montessori, and Parochial schools as options. It’s a good idea to do some reflecting and decide which would be the best fit for your child.
And remember, education is not limited to the school year! It can be very valuable to investigate some educational summer programs to help a student’s learning to extend beyond the classroom. Our list of the top summer programs for high school students includes some opportunities that middle schoolers can also apply for. This has the added benefit of helping to prepare your middle schooler for high school!
Related: Public vs. private K-12: What to consider
These scholarships are closed, but will open soon!
Breakthrough Junior Challenge
- Eligibility: Open to students ages 13 to 18 who create an engaging STEM-related video project that effectively communicates the student’s chosen topic.
- Amount: Up to $250,000
- Opens: April 1, 2025
Eco-Hero Awards
- Eligibility: Open to students aged 8 to 16 who carry out individual environmental action projects.
- Amount: $500
EngineerGirl Writing Contest
- Eligibility: Open to students who write an essay on how the world can reach one of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals through engineering.
- Amount: Up to $500
- Opens: September 2024
Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholars Program
- Eligibility: Open to academically outstanding seventh-grade students who plan to eventually attend college and who demonstrate financial need
- Amount: Varies
- Opens: February 6, 2025
Ocean Awareness Art Contest
- Eligibility: Open to middle and high school students who use an unconventional art/think piece addressing climate change
- Amount: Up to $1,500
The Paradigm Challenge
- Eligibility: Open to students aged 4 to 18 who use kindness, creativity, and collaboration to help solve real-life problems and make a difference.
- Amount: Multiple awards worth up to $100,000
SBO Scholarship Essay Contest
- Eligibility: Open to K-12 students enrolled in school instrumental programs. The scholarship is not open to private music students.
- Amount: $1,000
Frequently asked questions about middle school scholarships
What is the youngest age you can qualify for scholarships?
Can 6th graders apply for scholarships?
Why should I apply to scholarships in middle school?
Related: How much to save for college
Are there scholarships for elementary school students?
Do private high schools offer scholarships?
Also see: How to win local scholarships
