20 Scholarships for Freshman
By Saavni R Naik
Many people tell students that scholarships are only for Juniors and Seniors.However, as a high school freshman, there are many opportunities for you to get scholarships. Whether you are passionate about art, science, or music there are plenty of opportunities out there for you and it never hurts to start early!
The following are 20 scholarships for high school freshman:
1. Cappex Easy College Money Scholarship
Now often referred to as Appily Easy Money Scholarship (since Cappex is now part of Appily), is a popular “no-essay” scholarship designed to be simple to apply for.
One winner is chosen every month to be awarded a scholarship amount of $1,000. It is designed to be easy to apply for with no gpa requirement, no transcript, and no essays.
The selection process is decided by a random drawing.
The application process involves creating a free Appily (formerly Cappex) account and submitting your entry after completing profile details. To be eligible applicants must be a resident of one of the 50 states or DC. Applicants must be at least 13 years old and currently enrolled in high school or college, or planning to enroll in a post-secondary institution within the next 12 months.
Application website: Cappex Easy Money Scholarship
2. Cirkled in “No Sweat” Scholarship
This is another scholarship which is very easy to apply without any GPA or essay requirements. Cirkeld In is a platform where students can create digital portfolios to showcase their achievements beyond just grades and test scores. This helps them stand out to colleges and potential employers. The “No Sweat” scholarship encourages students to create these profiles.
This is awarded quarterly This is a quarterly $2,500 cash scholarship. Anyone in grades 8th through 12th who are US citizens can apply and winners are decided based on percentage of profile completion.
The application process involves creating a free Circled In account and updating the student profile.Students can showcase their activities, accomplishments and unique story. Idea here is to “Just be You”. Applicants must be at least 13 years old, legal resident of United States or District of Columbia and enrolled in 8-12th in a high school.
3. Voice of Democracy Scholarship
The Voice of Democracy is an audio-essay based prestigious scholarship established in 1947 that encourages High School students to express their views on democratic and patriotic views.
This program by Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) awards a significant amount of scholarship money each year, totaling over $1.4 million in educational scholarships and incentives. The national first-place winner receives a $35,000 scholarship.
This is open to students from 9-12 who are enrolled in a public, private, parochial high school, or home study program in the United States, its territories and possessions. Dependents of U.S. military or civilian personnel in overseas schools are also eligible. Students must be lawful U.S. permanent residents or have applied for permanent residence (and the application has not been denied) and intend to become a U.S. citizen at the earliest opportunity allowed by law.
Each year a new patriotic theme is announced and students need to craft an original essay that addresses the original theme. The Essay must then be recorded in original voice, typically for a 3-5 min duration and submitted through Scholar’s App platform.
Website: Youth Scholarships – VFW
4. One Earth Award Scholarship (part of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards)
The One Earth Scholarship is for students who create art and writing pieces that address climate change. The primary purpose of this award is to encourage creative expression and raise awareness about climate change among young artists and writers.
This is a National award typically given to 4 students with a scholarship amount of $1,000. Additional scholarships may be awarded to students from a few specific states.
This is for students in grades 7-12 with ages 13 and up. They must be participating in the larger Scholastic Art and Writing Awards program.
Students can create creative work (either visual art or writing) in one of the 29 categories within the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards program. While submitting their work, they can “opt-in” to be considered for One Earth work. There are prompts to share personal statements explaining the relevance of art work to the theme of climate change.
Website: Scholarships | Scholastic Art and Writing Awards
5. Humanity Rising Scholarship
Offered by Humanity Rising Organization, a student-led movement focussed on inspiring and empowering young people to create positive change through service. This is a scholarship program that recognizes and rewards high school students who are making a difference in the world through volunteerism or creating their own service projects.
Scholarship amount typically ranges from $500 to $2000 and up. This is awarded on a rolling basis although there are open cycles for submission. They also announce special awards throughout the year like RISE UP for anti-bullying efforts or scholarships related to their film festival.
Students must be a U.S Citizen currently enrolled in a High School. There are no minimum service hours specified; however, a good rule of thumb would be 10 hours per service project. To be eligible, you must be a member of Humanity Rising Movement by creating a free account on the website or through platforms like InnerView.
Students can submit their service story in writing with an option to enhance submission with a video.
Website: Scholarships – Humanity Rising
6. Technology Addiction Awareness Scholarship
The Technology Addiction Awareness Scholarship is offered by Digital Responsibility. Digital Responsibility is an organization dedicated to raising awareness about the responsible use and impact of technology. The purpose of this scholarship is to help students understand the negative effects of excessive screen time and encourage them to think about the benefits of taking breaks from technology.
Scholarship award amount is $1000.
There is no age limit to this award and is open to high school (freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior), undergraduate, and graduate students. Home-schooled students are also eligible. Applicants must be a U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident.
Students will submit a 140-character statement that completes the following sentence: “Instead of spending time with technology, I’d rather…” as a first step of the application process. The top-ten finalists from the initial step will be selected to submit a comprehensive essay of 500 to 1000 words on technology addiction, elaborating on the theme. Winners are then chosen based on the content originality of the 500-1000 word essay.
Website: Technology Addiction Award — Digital Responsibility
7. BulkOfficeSupply.com Scholarship
This is an annual scholarship offered by the online office and school supply retailer. It’s designed to support students pursuing higher education, particularly those with specific interests in teaching, art, science, technology, or owning your own business (entrepreneurship).
This is awarded annually with a scholarship amount of $1000.
U.S. citizens who are in high school or college freshmen or sophomores pursuing a career in teaching, arts, or owning their own business are eligible for this scholarship.
Applicants will write an essay under 400 words answering below questions:
- Where do you plan to attend school/What school are you currently attending?
- What is your intended major?
- How will this scholarship help you achieve your goals?
Application essay along with personal details like name, mailing address, phone number, current school and grade level and intended college university/major will need to be mailed to scholarships@bulkofficesupply.com.
Website: Scholarships for Students Throughout U.S.A.
8. Young Innovators to Watch
Young Innovators to Watch award from Change 4 Good Foundation / Living in Digital Times is a reputed program with an objective to recognize and reward middle school, high school, and college students (typically ages 13-19) who have developed original technology projects, inventions, or discoveries. The focus is on creativity, innovation, and often, social good.
Past awards have included a $2,000 scholarship, a trip to Las Vegas (often for the CES – Consumer Electronics Show), and media promotion.
Students must complete the official application form along with a video that explains the project. Projects should be functional and students are also required to submit a photo or website demonstrating the functioning project.
Website: Young Innovators To Watch Award – Change 4 Good Foundation
9. Do-Over scholarship
The “Do-Over” Scholarship is a recurring scholarship offered by Unigo.com known for its unique and relatively simple essay prompt.
The award amount is $1,500.
The application process is open to all U.S students 14 years of age or older enrolled (or planning to enroll no later than the following fall) in an accredited post-secondary institution of higher education. Applicants must be U.S. legal resident (including the District of Columbia).
Applicants must submit an original, previously unpublished written response of 250 words or less on the scholarship topic: “If you could get one ‘do-over’ in life, what would it be and why?” essay on what they would “do-over” in their life.
Website: Do-over scholarship
10. We the Students Essay Contest
The “We the Students Essay Contest” is an annual essay competition hosted by the Bill of Rights Institute (BRI) is excellent opportunity for students passionate about American history, government, and civics to earn significant scholarship money and gain recognition for their analytical and writing skills. It’s a highly regarded program for high school students interested in civics, history, and constitutional principles. The purpose of this contest is to engage high school students in critical thinking and writing about the foundational principles of American government and the importance of civic responsibility. Each year, a specific patriotic or civic-related theme is chosen for the essay prompt.
The scholarship awards are substantial and aim to recognize a wide range of talented students with a Grand Prize of $7,500, 5 runners up prizes of $1,500 each, 10 honorable mention prizes at $500 each. Grand prize winner will also receive a scholarship to the BRI’s Constitutional Academy summer program in Washington, D.C.
This contest is open to all students between the age of 14 and 19 years of age who are United States Citizens or Legal residents. Students must be in grades 8 through 12 and attend school in the United States, one of its territories or districts, or an American Armed Forces School Abroad. This includes public, private, parochial, charter, and home-schooled students.
BRI announces a new essay prompt each year and applicants must submit a written response between 500 to 800 words that demonstrates deep understanding and reasoning about the connections among the principles in the prompt. Essays needs to be submitted through BRI’s official contest portal.
Website: Student Hub | Bill of Rights Institute
11. American Legion Oratorical Scholarship
The American Legion High School Oratorical Contest is a highly esteemed and long-running scholarship program, known for its focus on the U.S. Constitution and public speaking. The objective of this contest is to develop a deeper knowledge and appreciation of the U.S. Constitution among young people, while also fostering leadership qualities, clear thinking, and an understanding of the duties and responsibilities of American citizenship.
The total scholarship amount awarded in various categories can exceed $200, 000 annually. First, Second and Third prize winners in the National category are awarded an amount of $25,000, $22, 500, $20,000 annually. Each Department (state) winner who is certified and participates in the first round of the national contest receives a $2,000 scholarship. Those who advance to the second round (but not the final round) receive an additional $2,000 scholarship.
Participants must be a U.S Citizen or lawful permanent resident under the age of 20 and enrolled in grades 9-12.
The first step is to contact your local American Legion Post or your state’s American Legion Department headquarters. They will provide specific instructions, rules, and local deadlines. You will register through your local Post or Department. The application will typically involve submitting your name, contact information, school details, and often the title of your prepared oration.
Website: American Legion Oratorical Scholarship
12. Sodexo Stephen J. Brady Stop Hunger Scholarship
The Sodexo Stephen J. Brady Stop Hunger Scholarship is a highly impactful program that recognizes and rewards young people in the United States who are actively fighting hunger in their communities. It’s named after Stephen J. Brady, the founder and former president of the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation. The main intent of this scholarship is to identify and celebrate students who are making a significant impact against hunger, raising awareness, and mobilizing others (especially youth) to create innovative solutions to eliminate childhood hunger in the U.S.
National Scholars (typically five) receive a $10,000 scholarship each for their education and a $5,000 grant for the hunger-related charity of their choice in their local community. Emerging Leaders (typically seven receive a $1,000 grant in their name to a hunger-related charity of their choice. National winners are typically required to attend the Foundation’s annual fundraising event (often an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. or another location) to be recognized. Inability to attend may lead to disqualification.
Students must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident of the contiguous United States, Alaska, and Hawaii only enrolled in an accredited educational institution between the age of 5 and 25 years old. Applicants must have demonstrated an on-going commitment to their community by performing unpaid volunteer services impacting hunger in the United States within the last 12 months.
Applications are submitted online detailing volunteer service, focusing on the impact you’ve made and how you’ve engaged others. A Community Service Recommendation from a representative of the organization where you volunteered is often a required part of the application.
Website: Sodexo Stop the Hunger Scholarship
13. Prudential Emerging Visionaries
The Prudential Emerging Visionaries program is a prestigious national recognition and scholarship initiative designed to celebrate young people who are creating innovative solutions to financial or societal challenges in their communities. It’s a collaboration between Prudential Financial and Ashoka, a leading organization in the social impact sector. This is a national recognition program for young leaders with bold visions and actionable projects who are “changemakers” tackling real-world problems.
25 National Winners receive a $5,000 award each. Selected from the 25 national winners, these individuals receive an additional $10,000, bringing their total award to $15,000. These grand prize winners often participate in a “pitch-off” at the awards summit. All 25 national winners (and a parent or guardian) receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Prudential headquarters in Newark, New Jersey, for the Prudential Emerging Visionaries Awards Summit. Winners also receive valuable coaching and mentorship from Prudential senior leaders and employees to help them refine and advance their projects. Applicants who submit by an early deadline are sometimes eligible for additional $1,000 early entry awards and feedback on their application.
Applicants must be a legal resident of the United States or Puerto Rico between 14 and 18 years old when applying and not older than 18 by the end of the entry period (typically early November). Applicants must have started their project on or before June 1st of the application year. This means it shouldn’t just be an idea; there should be some demonstrable progress.
The application is submitted online through a dedicated platform (often linked from Prudential’s or Ashoka’s websites). Detailed project description with comprehensive answers to the problem you are trying to solve, what does the initiative do or what is your changemaking story.
Website: Our Corporate Social Responsibility – Newark
14. ACF Visionary Scholarship
The ACF Visionary Scholarship is an annual award offered by the American College Foundation (ACF), specifically designed to support high school students. This is a merit based award aimed to provide financial assistance to high school students across the U.S. who are planning to pursue an associate or bachelor’s degree.
The ACF Visionary Scholarship is a bi-annual award, meaning they have two application cycles per school year (Fall and Spring). They give out five awards with each bi-annual deadline, for a total of ten scholarships per school year. Awards range from $1,000 to $2,500 each. There is a Grand Prize Winner for each cycle, which typically receives a higher award amount (some sources mention up to $5,000, though current details lean towards $2,500 as the top range for the regular awards).
Participants must be a U.S Citizen or eligible non-citizen currently enrolled in high school.
The application process starts with registering on the ACF Website. After registering, an application packet will be sent in email with detailed instructions. Application packet consists of a completed ACF Visionary Scholarship Form, most recent official high school transcript and a 500-word essay on the topic “Why College is Important to Me”
Website: American College Foundation
15. Carson Scholars Fund
The Carson Scholars Fund is a prestigious and unique scholarship program founded by Dr. Ben Carson and his wife, Candy. It focuses on recognizing and rewarding students who demonstrate both academic excellence and a strong commitment to humanitarian service. Scholarships are awarded solely based on academic achievement and humanitarian qualities, without regard to financial need, ethnicity, creed, or religion.
This is a $1,000 college scholarship awarded to students in grades 4-11. Winners are named “Carson Scholars” and receive an Olympic-sized medal and a certificate. Their school also receives a commemorative trophy.
Applicants must be enrolled in grades 4-11 at an accredited K-12 school in the United States with a minimum 3.75 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Applicants must have displayed outstanding humanitarian qualities through community service that goes above and beyond what is required by their school. They look for meaningful, volunteer-based activities demonstrating leadership or initiative. Students must be nominated by an educator (principal, teacher, counselor) at their school.
School officials (principals, teachers, counselors) will receive an email with a link to the online nomination form. Parents and students interested in the scholarship should contact an educator at their school and encourage them to nominate them. Within 48 hours of a successful nomination, the student will receive an email with a link to the online application.
Website: Scholarships – Carson Scholars Fund
16. Davidson Fellows Scholarship / Young Scholars
The Davidson Institute offers a prestigious scholarship for high-achieving young individuals who have completed a significant, original project or body of work in specific fields.
Winners (and one parent/guardian) are invited to an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington D.C. for a recognition event and awarded $50,000, $25,000, and $10,000 scholarships.
Applicants must be 18 years old or younger as of the application deadline and a U.S. citizen or permanent resident of the United States residing in the U.S., or stationed overseas due to active U.S. military duty. There is no minimum age for applying. Applicants must have completed a significant piece of work that demonstrates extraordinary accomplishment and is at or close to the college graduate level. This work should be recognized as meaningful by experts in the field and have the potential to make a positive contribution to society.
The application process starts with the submission of a brief project/portfolio description through their online system to confirm initial eligibility. This usually takes 1-2 business days for approval. Once approved, you will receive an email to continue the application process, which includes detailed project description and supporting materials, two nominator forms and a parent/guardian approval form.
Website: Scholarships for Gifted Students | Davidson Fellows
17. Optimist International Essay/Oratorical Contest
Optimist International sponsors two major contests with significant scholarship opportunities for young people: the Oratorical Contest (public speaking) and the Essay Contest. Both contests begin at the local Optimist Club level and then progress through Zone, District, and potentially International levels. Deadlines and initial entry procedures are determined by local clubs individually. The main purpose of these contests is to give young people the opportunity to speak or write about their own opinions regarding a pre-assigned topic.
In the World Championships held at St. Louis, Missouri, each student could potentially win up to $22, 500 in scholarship amounts. Each District winner can compete in a Regional contest for a scholarship of $5,000 or more. Winners from each Region (8 total) then compete for World Championship scholarships: $15,000 (1st), $10,000 (2nd), $5,000 (3rd).
Contestants must be under the age of 19 as of October and must not have completed secondary school or its equivalent.
Applicants must enter through a local Optimist Club and by contacting your local club directly for their specific entry procedures and deadlines. Club winners advance to Zone, then District. District winners are submitted to Optimist International, usually by May 15th.
Website: Optimist International Oratorical Contest
18. My Impact Challenge
The MyImpact Challenge is a nationwide civic engagement contest hosted by the Bill of Rights Institute (BRI). It encourages middle and high school students to actively participate in their communities by developing and implementing service projects that connect to the Founding Principles and Civic Virtues of the United States. It aims to promote citizenship skills, foster an understanding of constitutional rights, and encourage hands-on community involvement.
Total prize pool is often stated as $40,000 across all categories with Grand Prize of $10, 000.
Participants must be between ages 13 and 19 and enrolled in middle school or high school. Participants should also be a U.S. citizen or U.S.-based student (including all U.S. states, territories, and Armed Forces Schools Abroad). The qualifying service project must have taken place within the 12 months prior to the competition’s deadline.
The application process is entirely online through MyImpact Challenge’s online portal. Application process starts with a written essay of up to 1200 words describing how the project furthers at least one Civic Virtue and at least one Founding Principle as defined by the Bill of Rights Institute. Applicants also should submit a project report of 2000 words detailing the inspiration of the project, project plan, details of project execution, at least two examples of projects.
Website: My Impact Challenge
19. Digital Privacy Scholarship
The Digital Privacy Scholarship is an annual scholarship offered by Digital Responsibility, an organization that aims to educate young people about the responsible use and consequences of technology.
The Digital Privacy Scholarship offers $1,000 to the main prize winner.
This is open to all high school students, undergraduate students and graduate students. Participants must be U.S. residents or citizens. It has an annual deadline of June 30.
The first stage of the application requires that participants write a 140 character message responding to the prompt. The prompt varies each year. The top 10 applicants will then be invited to apply in the second stage of the application. They will then be asked to write an 500 – 1000 word essay on digital privacy.
The scholarship aims to make students aware of the importance of being cautious about what they post on the internet and the broader implications of digital privacy. It encourages critical thinking about how personal information is shared and perceived online.
Website: Digital Privacy Scholarship
20. Ocean Awareness Student Contest (“From the Bow Seat”)
The Ocean Awareness Student Contest (often referred to as “From the Bow Seat,” its sponsoring organization) is a widely recognized international competition that uses creative arts to engage students in environmental advocacy and ocean conservation. It is an annual international contest that invites students to explore environmental issues through artistic expression and creative communication.It aims to raise awareness about critical environmental challenges, empower youth voices, and foster a deeper connection to nature and the ocean.
Bow Seat awards cash prizes to winners in all categories at both the Junior and Senior Division levels. General awards have multiple cash prizes ranging from $1000 to $100. There are also a wide variety of special awards like Smithsonian Creativity in Resilience Award, We All Rise Prize, United by Nature “Author’s Spotlight”, Voice of the Sea Award and State-Specific Awards.
The contest is open to students aged 11-18 (inclusive) worldwide who are enrolled in middle school or high school. Students who have started college or university are not eligible. Students can enroll in an individual or a group of unlimited size. If a group, one leader serves as the contact person, and all members must meet age eligibility. Award money is split evenly for groups.
The application process starts with creating an account and submitting work through Bow Seat’s online system. Each submission typically requires a written reflection (artist’s statement) of 100-300 words explaining the inspiration and connection to the theme.Specific categories may have additional requirements (e.g., progress photos for visual art, credit lists for film).
Website:Ocean Awareness Student Contest
