Scholarship roundup
High school juniors looking for scholarships may consider the Taco Bell Live Mas scholarship if they’re interested in submitting a video application, while students who feel passionately about spending time away from screens could find success with the Technology Addiction Awareness Scholarship. If you are a junior who hasn’t turned 18 yet and you have a strong vision for a project you’d like to complete, try checking out the Davidson Institute Fellows Scholarship. And to get custom recommendations from thousands of scholarships matched to your interests and demographics, try signing up for our free scholarship search tool!
Expert Perspective
Lynell Engelmyer | College admissions and financial aid advisor, Alexander Hamilton Scholars
Top scholarships for HS juniors overall
Our editors combed over all the scholarships available for juniors in high school and picked these as the best. We picked based on three factors: Reputation of the awarding organization, award size, and wide application requirements. Here are the top scholarships available for high school juniors:
- Stuck at Prom Scholarship – For HS students who submit a tuxedo or dress design made of duct tape. Worth between $1,000 and $15,000
- Taco Bell Live Más Scholarship – Video scholarship worth up to $25,000 for students between the ages of 16 and 26
- Breakthrough Junior Challenge – For students aged 13 to 18 who create a video to explain a scientific or mathematical concept. Worth $250,000
- Barbizon College Tuition Scholarship – Sweepstakes competition for high school students, awards $100,000
- Scholastic Art & Writing Awards – For middle and high school students who submit a piece of creative writing or art. Worth up to $12,500
- Create-A-Greeting-Card Scholarship Contest – For students over 14 years of age who submit a greeting card. Worth $10,000
- Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest – For students in grades 9-12 who submit two-dimensional art displaying patriotism. Awards vary based on the number awarded
- Minecraft Scholarships – For high school and college students who write about the educational benefits of the video game Minecraft. Worth $2,000
Top exclusive scholarships for HS juniors
The following scholarships are all available exclusively on Scholarships360.org. That means you can only apply to them on our website, and you can apply to each of them by creating a free Scholarships360 account. Our platform is a great way to get matched to reliable scholarships, and allows you to apply to many opportunities by only entering your application info one time!
- $10,000 “No Essay” Scholarship – Open to all grade levels and worth $10,000
- “Broad Horizons” Scholarship for High School Juniors – Easy-application scholarship reserved exclusively for high school juniors
- “Scholar Dollars” Essay Scholarship for Black Students – Apply to this scholarship for HS upperclassmen and above by responding to a short essay prompt
- “Tuition Solution” Scholarship for STEM Students – This scholarship is for HS upperclassmen and above who are studying STEM. It’s a quick application with a short essay prompt!
- “A Helping Hand” Scholarship – Students with high financial need should be sure to apply for this S360 exclusive scholarship!
Notes from a Scholarship Winner
Prestigious scholarships for high school juniors
These prestigious scholarships are offered by high-profile institutions and offer high awards to recipients. They are reliable and well-known, and a huge benefit if you win one. However, students should keep in mind that they are only one part of a strong scholarship strategy. They require more extensive application materials than your average scholarship, and typically require that applicants be highly competitive. So be sure to apply to these scholarships if you fit their requirements, but also apply to many other opportunities!
Coolidge Scholarship
The Coolidge Scholarship offers students a full ride to any accredited university or college in the United States. That includes room and board and associated expenses with education. Students must apply during their junior year of high school. It is purely a merit-based scholarship, as it is need-blind and non-partisan. Applicants who demonstrate an interest in public service and volunteer work have an extra advantage.
Hamilton Award
The Hamilton Award is a five-year empowerment program awarded to students in their junior year. It offers them a yearly renewable scholarship to put towards their education, a laptop to use in their studies, and access to a wide network of resources and support over their senior year and throughout college. One of the reasons this award is given out during your junior year is so that it can offer you support through the college admissions process, which is an invaluable resource.
Tips for high school juniors
- Junior year is the most important academic year for both the admissions and college merit scholarship selection process. Make sure that you finish the year strong with a strong set of grades!
- Letters of recommendation are another important part of the admissions process and can be required for scholarships. Asking teachers to write rec letters for you is a must before the end of junior year!
- You can also get a jump start on scholarships for seniors that have fall deadlines. This will put you ahead of the game come back to school time.
- Be sure to stay in contact with your guidance counselor! They can keep you in the loop on local scholarships, opportunities from colleges, and generally on track in the college admissions process.
- As you start considering what schools to apply to, make sure to include some affordable options, such as in-state public schools.
Expert Perspective
Melody Lipford | Advising Specialist on the Virtual Access Team, College Possible
Expert Perspective
Ann Herbener | Former President of Great Plains Association for College Admission Counseling , Director of District Partnerships at MaiaLearning
How to win scholarships for high school juniors
Look to the future
As a high school junior applying for scholarships, it will be important for you to show that you have put some thought into your hopes and ambitions for the future. Spend some time reflecting on what you’d like to accomplish in one, five, and ten years, and come up with some plans to achieve them. Remember, you don’t have to commit to these plans, but it can be helpful to start thinking about them early, and scholarship committees will be impressed by the prospect that you have a plan to execute your vision.
Clarity is key
When it comes to completing your applications, remember that clarity is key. Scholarship readers end up reviewing a huge number of applications every day, so it is up to you to write one that stands out. You should make sure that your writing has character and is clear and succinct.
Emphasize extracurriculars
As a high school junior, one of the main ways you set yourself apart from other students is by the activities you participate in outside of class. Whether that is a school club, a part-time job, a sports team, or community service, these are the pieces of a scholarship application that make you appeal to scholarship readers on a personal level.
Even if you don’t spend much time on an extracurricular, consider including it. And as you look forward and think about applying for scholarships in your senior year, make sure to get involved in extracurriculars, which will help you stand out on both your college and scholarship applications.
Additional resources
Luckily, we have a whole host of resources to help you out in writing the best possible applications. These include guides on writing a 250 or 500 word essay, writing an essay about yourself, and writing a winning scholarship essay. We can also guide you through crafting an effective beginning and end, and walk you through some of the most common scholarship essay prompts.
Expert Perspective
Ann Herbener | Former President of Great Plains Association for College Admission Counseling , Director of District Partnerships at MaiaLearning
Frequently asked questions
When should juniors start applying for scholarships?
One great way to stay up on scholarship opportunities is via our scholarship matching platform. This resource will keep you constantly updated on new opportunities custom-matched to your demographics, skills, and interests.
Can juniors start applying for scholarships?
Is junior year too early to start applying for scholarships?
When do you apply for the Coolidge Scholarship?
Explore these other scholarship categories
- Top scholarships for women
- Top scholarships for English majors
- Top scholarships for Filipino students
- Easy scholarships to apply for
- Top writing and essay scholarships
- Top summer scholarships
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📝Sample Essay from a Scholarship Winner
Here's a winning scholarship essay from Skarlett B, who won our "Broad Horizons" Scholarship for High School Juniors. Read the essay below and I'll offer some commentary on what made this a winner.
Prompt: What is something you've done in the past year to broaden your horizons?
Essay
This past year I've spent my summer educating myself in preparation for upcoming ACT and SAT exams. I've applied myself to submit ten scholarships a week in hopes of earning tuition money for college. As of present, I've submitted over seventy scholarships. I picked up a job as a hostess to expand my leadership and communication skills. I enjoy working as hostess, and really appreciate this opportunity to learn how restaurants function, and the effort it takes to keep it organized. Working on developing my confidence is another endeavor I've faced to improve my overall being.
Why it worked
With a 100 word limit, students must be very resourceful in answering this question. They could choose to spend all 100 words talking about one specific experience, or give a broad overview of all the activities they wish to mention. On a minimal application like this, it can be a good idea to list off all your selling points rather than going in-depth on one. That's because the scholarship committee has less to go off than if you'd submitted, for example, a scholarship resume.
In this essay, Skarlett shows that she's been making responsible preparations for the college admissions process. She also shows that she's gained real-world experience and reflected on it critically. This speaks to her work ethic and leads us to believe she will approach other opportunities in life with a winning attitude.
Will Geiger
Scholarships360 Co-Founder, Former Admissions Officer