Are you currently in college? Here are some scholarships to pay for college and graduate debt free!

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. Luckily, there are many scholarships for college students who are studying at all colleges, community colleges, and universities! Whether you are a college freshman interested in chemistry or a student interested in criminal justice, there is a scholarship for you!

Here are our top scholarships for college students:

The “Be Bold” No-Essay Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to all students, including high school, college, and graduate students
• Amount: $10,000
• Deadline: May 30

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: May 30

Big Sun Scholarship

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

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: June 19

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

El Cafe Del Futuro Scholarship

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

Gen and Kelly Tanabe Scholarship

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

To narrow down your search, check out these pages:

• Scholarships for College Freshmen
• Scholarships for College Sophomores
• Scholarships for Community College Students
• Scholarships for Transfer Students
• Scholarships for Graduate Students

Tips on scholarships for college students

1. 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!
2. 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).
3. 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 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.

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