One of the biggest misconceptions about scholarships is that they are only for high school students. In fact, there are numerous lucrative scholarship opportunities that current college students can apply for. These scholarships for college students can help you pay for tuition, room, board, fees, and other expenses like books and laptops.

If you are able to win scholarships as a college student you can lessen the amount of student loans that you need to take out. This can literally pay off after you graduate as you will have a lower student loan burden.

In this guide we will be covering:

• Top scholarships for college students in 2021
• College scholarships by grade-level
• How to win scholarships as a college student
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Expired Scholarships

Whether you are a college freshman interested in chemistry or a student interested in criminal justice, there is a scholarship for you! Keep on reading to learn more!

Top scholarships for college students in 2021:

$1,000 Tallo “Create Your Dream 2021” Scholarship

• Eligibility: High school and college students who set up a Tallo profile
• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: January 31

$1,000 CollegeXpress “New Year, New You” Scholarship 

• Eligibility: This scholarship is open to all students who are 13 years or older and legal residents of the United States or DC.
• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: January 31

$1,000 Fund Your Future No-Essay Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to college juniors & seniors in select STEM, Nursing, and Business majors
• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: July 31, 2021

Scholarships360 No Essay Scholarship

• Eligibility: All high school, college, and graduate students are eligible for this scholarship!
• Amount: $500
• Deadline: June 30, 2021

$25,000 “Be Bold” No-Essay Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to all students, including high school, college, and graduate students
• Amount: $25,000
• Deadline: January 31

Amplify Green Innovation Scholarship

• Eligibility: The scholarship is open to undergraduate and graduate school students in any field of study who are dedicated to preserving our planet through green innovation and science.
• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: March 1, 2021

The “Be Bold” No-Essay Community Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to students who register to Bold.org and has invited many friends
• Amount: $5,000
• Deadline: November 19, 2021

Big Sun Scholarship

• Eligibility: Student athletes who are high school seniors or in college
• Amount: $500
• Deadline: June 19, 2021

Breanden Beneschott Fire Memes Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to all students who submit their favorite memes. Bonus points for originality!
• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: October 1, 2021

Elevate Mental Health Awareness Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to all students at every level of education who write a short essay about mental health
• Amount: $500
• Deadline: May 31, 2021

Ethel Hayes Destigmatization of Mental Health Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to students at every level of education who write a short essay about mental health
• Amount: $905
• Deadline: June 13, 2021

Galactic Fed Young Entrepreneurs Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to high school and college students who are entrepreneurial self-starters 
• Amount: $500   
• Deadline: April 2, 2021

Gen and Kelly Tanabe Scholarship

• Eligibility: 9th-12th grade high school, college, or graduate students, including adult students
• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: July 31, 2021

Great Outdoors Wilderness Education Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to undergraduate and graduate students who have incorporated the outdoors into their education, worldviews, and career goals in some meaningful way
• Amount: $1,000  
• Deadline: April 1, 2021

Grow the Game Volleyball Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to students at all educational levels who demonstrate passion, achievement, and leadership efforts in growing the game of volleyball
• Amount: $2,500   
• Deadline: March 31, 2021

HireAHelper Skilled Trade & Technology Scholarships

• Eligibility: Currently enrolled (or planning to) as a high school senior, or in a community college, undergraduate, graduate, technical college, or vocational program
• Amount: $2,000
• Deadline: Deadlines are as follows: Winter: April 16, Spring: July 17, Summer: October 14, and Fall: January 15 at 11:59 p.m. PST of each year

Hustle Tech & Business News No-Essay Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to all undergraduate and graduate students who sign up for the Hustle free daily newsletter and share what they learned. 
• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: January 31

Justricia Scholarship for Education

• Eligibility: Open to students at all educational levels who submit an essay about what role education has in their life
• Amount: $500
• Deadline: January 9, 2021

Little Bundle Supermom Scholarship — College Award

• Eligibility: Open to undergraduate or graduate level single moms, children of single moms, or people whose lives have been impacted in positive ways by single moms 
• Amount: $2,000
• Deadline: July 1, 2021

Lounge Lizard Web Design Scholarship

• Eligibility: High school seniors and college students with an interest in Web Design 
• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: October 4 and February 20

Mechanism Fitness Matters Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to all undergraduate college students who share about how they stay fit
• Amount: $500
• Deadline: April 30, 2021

Nikhil Desai “Perspective” Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to students at all levels of education who submit an essay about a moment that changed their perspective on life. Preference given to first generation students
• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: February 1, 2021

Nikhil Desai Reflect and Learn COVID-19 Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to students in any field of study who best reflect the changes, both positive and negative, they’ve had to deal with through this unprecedented period of time
• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: February 6, 2021

One Move Ahead Chess Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to students at every level who submits an essay about how the game of chess has influenced their life
• Amount: $1,000  
• Deadline: March 29, 2021

Reputation Rhino Protection and Preservation of Wildlife and Nature Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to undergraduate college students with a demonstrated interest and career plan in the conservation of endangered species. Essay required. 
• Amount: $500
• Deadline: June 3, 2021

Rover Scholarship 

• High school seniors and college student who write an essay about the impact of technology on their lives 
• Amount: $2,500
• Deadline: May 1, 2021

RJ Mitte Breaking Barriers Scholarship

• Eligibility: This scholarship will be awarded to a high school or undergraduate student with a mental or physical disability in need of support financing their education
• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: April 30, 2021

Share Your Dream Job No-Essay Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to students at every level who create a TikTok video about what a great day at their dream job would be like
• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: January 31

Smart Borrower No-Essay Scholarship & Loan Forgiveness Grant

• Eligibility: Open to all high school students, college students, community college students, and graduate students.
• Amount: $5,000
• Deadline: January 31

Solar Scholarship

• Eligibility: High school seniors, college and graduate students with an interest in solar energy 
• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: July 1, 2021

Taco Bell Live Más Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to students between the ages of 16 and 26 who submit a video entry about their life’s passion
• Amount: $5,000 to $25,000 per year
• Deadline: January 20, 2021

Taylor Price Financial Literacy for the Future Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to high school and college students who submit an essay.  Applicants from minority groups underrepresented in the financial world and those with non-profit or volunteering experience will be preferred
• Amount: $500
• Deadline: April 14, 2021

Traveling Artist Scholarship

• Eligibility: Undergraduate students who submit an essay on how they plan to use travel to develop themselves as people and as artists
• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: March 31, 2021

WayUp $1,000 Diversity & Inclusion Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to undergraduate students who share passion and vision for diversity and inclusion 
• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: June 1, 2021

WayUp Dream Job No-Essay Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to all undergraduate and graduate students who create amazing job candidate profiles on the WayUp platform 
• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: January 31

WiseGeek LGBTQ+ Awareness Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to  The scholarship is open to all Bold.org members who identify as members of the LGBTQ+ community.
• Amount: $500
• Deadline: July 1, 2021

Yifan Zhu “Late Night” Scholarship

• Eligibility: Low-income undergraduate students who submit an essay about how their experiences outside of the classroom contribute to their college experience, skills, and career goals
• Amount: $500
• Deadline: February 2, 2021

Zest for Cooking Culinary Scholarship 

• Eligibility: Open to students at every level who are pursuing a culinary career or are extremely passionate about cooking 
• Amount: $500
• Deadline: April 1, 2021

College scholarships by grade-level

Whether you are a college freshman or a transfer student, we have specific guides to help you find and apply for scholarships:

• Scholarships for College Freshmen
• Scholarships for College Sophomores
• Scholarships for College Juniors
• Scholarships for College Seniors
• Scholarships for Community College Students
• Scholarships for Transfer Students

How to win scholarships as a college student

Here are a few tips for finding and winning scholarships and financial aid as a current college student.

Apply for need-based financial aid

Don’t forget about need-based financial aid, which includes Pell Grants, Federal SEOG Grants, and work study. To apply for need-based financial aid from the government or from your college, you will need to apply for financial aid.

The two major financial aid applications that students will come across are the FAFSA and the CSS Profile. Both of these applications have specific deadlines, so make sure that you get everything in on time!

Additionally, financial aid is only offered on an annual basis, so you will need to reapply for financial aid in subsequent college years.

Apply to many scholarships to increase your odds of winning

A key part of any scholarship strategy should be applying to a broad array of scholarship opportunities. The more you apply to, the more you can win!

Check your college’s financial aid website for scholarships

Your college’s financial aid office should be your first stop for college scholarships since they may be able to offer other forms of aid as well (like grants or work study programs).

If you win a scholarship, check to see if you must re-apply each year

Certain scholarships may require students to maintain a certain GPA, or provide proof of enrollment each year. Check the details of any scholarship you win to see if these rules apply.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it possible to get a scholarship while in college?

Yes! In fact, there are scholarships exclusively meant for college students. These scholarships can help with the cost of undergraduate tuition or help with the costs of graduate school.

How do you find scholarships for college?

To find scholarships while in college, begin with a search of your school’s financial aid office website. Here you may find scholarships specifically meant for students of the college that you’re attended. Other good places to start are organizations related to your field of interest, ethnicity-based organizations, and your employer or your parents’ employers.

Of course, don’t forget to check out the list above or our scholarship database!

Which college scholarships are easy to get?

There are two opposing qualities that make a scholarship “easy” to win:

1. There are few application requirements, so you can apply to a ton of them. To begin with this strategy, apply to all of the scholarships on our easy scholarships list.
2. There are a lot of application requirements, so not that many people can apply. If your college offers a scholarship specifically meant for first-generation college students, the applicant pool is limited to both students attending your college and, out of that group, first-generation students. If you qualify, your chances of winning are way higher than a contest with broad application requirements. While these are a bit harder to find, you can start with our list of best merit scholarships.

Do college transfer students get scholarships?

Yes, transfer students qualify for scholarships! Check out our list of the top scholarships for college transfer students for scholarships still accepting applications.

Expired Scholarships

10X Digital Marketing Scholarship 

• Eligibility: Open to undergraduate students and high school seniors pursuing a career in digital marketing 
• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: December 1

Adopted Students Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to adopted students at every educational level who write a short essay about their experiences as an adoptee
• Amount: $3,000
• Deadline: November 20

Angelica Song Rejection is Redirection Scholarship

• Eligibility: This scholarship is open to students at all levels who have experienced rejection, and used it as redirection
• Amount: $500
• Deadline: December 11

Ascent Social Cause Scholarship Task on YouTube 

• Eligibility: Students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and 18 years or older who share about how they support their communities
• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: December 15

Austin Kramer Music Scholarship 

• Eligibility: Open to students at all levels who share an inspiring song, curate a 10-20 track playlist, and then submit a paragraph (under 100 words) explaining your playlist.
• Amount: $500
• Deadline: January 2, 2021

Annual Black Entrepreneurship Grant

• Eligibility: Open to current or aspiring Black entrepreneurs undergraduate or graduate students across any field or business stage 
• Amount: $2,000
• Deadline: December 1

Bellhops Moving Forward Scholarship

• Eligibility: This scholarship is open to high school seniors and college students who submit an essay about the importance/impact of their major
• Amount: $3,000
• Deadline: September 15

Black Students in Public Health Grant

• Eligibility:  Open to black undergraduate and graduate students who are pursuing a career in any area of public health
• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: November 1

Delete Cyberbullying Scholarship

• Eligibility: High school seniors, college students, community college students, or graduate students who write an essay about cyberbullying
• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: June 30

Denny’s Hungry for Education Scholarships

• Eligibility: All high school and college students with at least a 2.5 GPA who share their ideas to fight childhood hunger
• Amount: $1,000 to 3,000
• Deadline: Varies, but most are December 11

El Cafe Del Futuro Scholarship

• Eligibility: Current undergraduate and graduate students of Latino descent
• Amount: $5,000
• Deadline: July 6

First Generation College Student Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to high school and undergraduate students who are/will be first generation college students
• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: November 6

Future Designer Scholarship

• Eligibility: To be eligible for this scholarship, students must be an incoming  (graduating high school senior) or college student who designs a holiday greeting card
• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: November 1

Future Leaders in Technology Scholarship – College Award

• Eligibility: The scholarship is open to undergraduate college and university students pursuing a degree in computer science, electrical engineering or data science. You must also be a member of an underrepresented group, including: Black or African American, Hispanic or Latinx, American Indian or Native American, LGBTQA+, and Women
• Amount: $2,500
• Deadline: December 31

Giving Thanks Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to students at all educational levels who submit a picture and a short story, poem, or essay that describes this person they are grateful for
• Amount: $2,000   
• Deadline: November 22

Little Bundle Superdad Scholarship — College Award

• Eligibility: Undergraduate or graduate level students who are either single fathers or are the children of single fathers are eligible to apply
• Amount: $2,000
• Deadline: January 1, 2021

Little People of America Scholarship Program

• Eligibility: Scholarships are open to prospective and current students attending college or vocational school in the United States who have a medically diagnosed form of dwarfism, or are immediate family members of someone with dwarfism.
• Amount: $250 – $1,000
• Deadline: May 31

Markforged Distinguished Women Engineers Grant

• Eligibility: Open to all college and graduate students who share a project they are/have worked on that demonstrates their ability as an engineer
• Amount: $5,000
• Deadline: November 18

Scholarcash Role Model Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to all high school, college, and graduate students who submit any essay about role models
• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: December 31

Ted Rollins Eco Scholarship 

• Eligibility: Open to undergraduate students and high school seniors planning on earning a business or sustainability degree
• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: December 1

WiseGeek Life Isn’t Easy Scholarship 

• Eligibility: Open to college students at every level who have faced difficult circumstances head-on and come out stronger for it. 
• Amount: $500
• Deadline: October 31

WiseGeek Mental Health Well-Being No-Essay Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to college students at every level who have experienced mental health challenges
• Amount: $500
• Deadline: December 31

Zippia’s Teacher Dream Job Scholarship (opens February 1)

• Eligibility: This scholarship is open to any college, university, associates program, junior college, vocational school, or high school students living in the United States who is planning on a teaching career 
• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: December 31