Top 50 Scholarships for College Sophomores in December 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 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.

Do you have a strong, driving passion which you’re currently on the path to pursuing? Further, can you illustrate or discuss this passion in video form? If so, you might consider applying for the Taco Bell Live Más Scholarship! Each year, the scholarship offers awards ranging from $5,000 - $25,000 to dozens of lucky students who make a video about their passions and how they plan to use them to make positive changes in their own communities and beyond. The scholarship is offered by the Taco Bell Foundation, an offshoot of Taco Bell that is dedicated to “educating and inspiring the next generation of leaders.” Anyone between the ages of 16 and 26 is welcome to apply to the Taco Bell Live Más Scholarship. If you fit the criteria and have a passion that motivates you day in and day out, we encourage you to apply!

Are you a current college student interested in pursuing a research career in a STEM field? If so, consider applying for the Barry Goldwater Scholarship! The scholarship is open to nominated applicants who are college sophomores or juniors studying and conducting research in a STEM field. The Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation offers scholarships to STEM students across the country to help ensure that the U.S. is producing enough "highly-qualified professionals" in these critical fields. This particular scholarship serves as a memorial for Barry Goldwater, a former air force officer and senator for 30 years. Recipients of the scholarship receive up to $7,500 to help pay for tuition, fees, books, and room and board. If you are a STEM major passionate about a future research career, we encourage you to apply! Bear in mind that this scholarship runs from the first Tuesday in September to the last Friday in January, every year.

Are you a rising junior majoring in a STEM field at a Minority Serving Institution? These include Hispanic Serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Alaskan-Native Serving Institutions, and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions. If you are, consider applying for the José E. Serrano Educational Partnership Program with Minority Serving Institutions! Recipients of the award are selected to partake in two internships during the summers of their junior and senior years, all-expenses-paid. In total, the amount awarded totals around $45,000, including costs for travel, conferences, allowances, and more. The scholarship is offered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), an organization with a mission “to better understand our natural world and help protect its precious resources.” If you’re a STEM, sophomore student at a Minority Serving Institution, we encourage you to apply! Bear in mind that this scholarship runs from September 1 to January 31st every year.

Are you an undergraduate or graduate student interested in studying abroad? If so, consider applying for the Boren Awards! The Boren Awards are open to postsecondary U.S. students interested in studying abroad in world regions critical to U.S. interests. While the Boren Scholarships are open to undergraduate students, the Boren Fellowships are open to graduate students. The Awards are named after David L. Boren, who felt that “the U.S. would work more and more through partnerships with other countries whose needs and perspectives needed to be more fully understood.” Today, the scholarship awards up to $25,000 to Boren Scholars and up to $30,000 to Boren Fellows. Depending on the program duration, focus on language in the preferred country, and field of study of the applicant, the funds and requirements will vary. Thus, we recommend checking out the website for more detailed information. If you are a postsecondary student passionate about studying in world regions critical to U.S. interests, we encourage you to apply! Bear in mind that the deadlines slightly differ for undergraduate and graduate students. Thus, we recommend checking the deadline before starting your application.

Are you a current or incoming college student planning to major in design, marketing, art, film, communications, or another creative field? If so, consider applying for the Gucci Changemakers North America Scholarship! The scholarship is open to diverse students pursuing an undergraduate degree in a creative field. The scholarship is offered by the leading Italian fashion brand Gucci in order to increase inclusion and diversity within the fashion industry as well as across communities and cities. Since March 2019, the fund has aimed to support and empower a new era of diverse artists looking to gain experiences across the fashion industry. Each year, recipients earn up to $20,000 to help pay for tuition, educational expenses, as well as room and board costs. If you are passionate about a career in design, art, or other creative areas and are looking for some help with college expenses, we encourage you to apply!

The TLF Undergraduate Scholarships are open to minority students studying advertising, marketing, public relations, or a related field. This scholarship is funded by The LAGRANT Foundation, an organization dedicated to increasing diversity in the above mentioned fields. In order to support this goal, all 30 scholarship winners receive academic support and professional guidance for a year after being given their $2,000 award. If you’re a minority student passionate about advertising, marketing, and/or public relations, 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.

Are you over 14 years of age, enrolled in high school or college, and enjoy making original artwork? If so, the Create-A-Greeting-Card Scholarship Contest may be the perfect opportunity for you! Each year, the contest awards $10,000 to the applicant who submits the best holiday, greeting, or all-around holiday card. While the top ten finalists will be decided by a public vote, the final winner will be decided by a panel of judges. The contest is offered by The Gallery Collection, the “leading business-to-business online and mail order publisher of premium quality personalized Christmas, Holiday, and Everyday greeting cards in the United States.” If you’re a student aged 14 or older who wants to put their card-making skills to the test, we encourage you to apply!

Are you an undergraduate or graduate student excited about your future? Consider applying for the Frame My Future scholarship! The Frame my Future scholarship awards up to $6,000 to multiple students each year who submit visual representations of what their future will look like. In addition to their artwork, applicants must submit an essay (500 words or less) in which they explain the meaning of their piece. If you’d like to create your own future (in art/visual form), we encourage you to apply! This is a great opportunity to imagine your future while setting up for it, too.

The Herbert Lehman Education Fund Scholarship is funded by the Legal Defense Fund, “America’s premier legal organization fighting for racial justice.” Their Herbert Lehman Education Fund Scholarship awards $3,000 a year (renewable for up to $12,000) to current and incoming undergraduate students who have financial need. If this scholarship sounds like a fit for you, keep on reading for more application details.

Are you an incoming or current postsecondary student of Hispanic/Latino heritage who will be pursuing a STEM degree? If so, you may be eligible for some of the many SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers) Scholarships! There are a variety of scholarships available, offering between $1,000 and $25,000 to winning applicants. The scholarships are offered by the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, an organization with a mission to “empower the Hispanic community to realize its fullest potential and impact the world through STEM awareness, access, support, and development.” To find out more about each scholarship’s specific requirements, we recommend checking out their individual descriptions on the SPHE website. If you do fit the criteria for any of the scholarships, we encourage you to apply!

The A Nurse I Am Scholarship is funded by Careismatic Brands, Inc., an organization dedicated to manufacturing high-quality products and supporting diverse and courageous people in their efforts to lead better and healthier lives. Every year, the "A Nurse I Am" Scholarship awards $3,000 to multiple students currently enrolled in an accredited nursing program in the U.S. If this scholarship sounds like a fit for you, we encourage you to apply! Bear in mind that the scholarship cycle runs from February 1st to April 15th of each year.

The There's Space For Everyone Scholarship is offering eight $3,000 scholarships to high school, college, or graduate students who will be enrolled in an accredited college or university for the upcoming Fall semester. To be eligible, applicants must be legal residents of the United States and at least 16 years old. If you're an incoming or current post-secondary student looking for help funding your education, we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more. Bear in mind that the scholarship accepts applications from April 1st to May 31st of every year.

Are you a high school or college student with a love for Minecraft? If so, we may just have the perfect opportunity for you: the Minecraft Scholarship! Each year, the scholarship offers $2,000 to one applicant who best writes about how Minecraft can positively influence one’s education and career development. The scholarship is offered by Apex Hosting, a Minecraft server provider dedicated to supporting both new and experienced server administrators. If you’re a high schooler or college student with a love for Minecraft, it’s time to put your passion to good use and apply to the Minecraft Scholarship!

Are you an undergraduate Portland State University student majoring in Judaic studies? Then, consider applying to the Harold Schnitzer Family Scholarship! Funded by Portland State University themselves, the Harold Schnitzer Family Scholarship aims to relieve some of the hefty university tuition costs and fees for passionate students each year. The scholarship, covering more than half the costs of tuition and fees, is awarded to nearly 20 lucky PSU Judaic studies students yearly. Spread out over the course of your undergraduate experience (up to four years), the scholarship pays up to $7,000 per year. If you’re a community service-oriented Judaic studies major at PSU, we encourage you to apply!