Scholarships for high school seniors
The path to college is a lot easier for students who have their tuition covered in full. These full-ride scholarships for high school seniors are a great place to start looking for scholarship opportunities, and you never know what you’ll find.
A high school senior is a busy person. Between exams and final projects, it’s hard to find time to focus on scholarships and awards.
But there are ways to get scholarship money that can make all the difference when you’re searching for funding sources at college.
There’s no need to go into debt so you can earn a degree; there are plenty of scholarships if you know where to look.
Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship | Scholarships for high school seniors
This is a scholarship that high school seniors who are interested in computer science should apply to. Amazon gives students $10,000 each of the four years of high school as well as a paid programming internship at Amazon.
Chick Evans Caddie Scholarship | Scholarships for high school seniors
This is a full-ride scholarship that students who have worked as a caddie at a country club can apply to get. Do know that only certain colleges accept the Chick Evans scholarship. These are the colleges that accept the Chick Evans Scholarship.
KFC Colonel’s Scholarship | Scholarships for high school seniors
The KFC Colonel’s Scholarship is a national scholarship program that awards $20,000 to $25,000 per year to students who demonstrate financial need, academic achievement, and community involvement.
To be eligible for the KFC Colonel’s Scholarship Program, you must:
- Be at least 18 years of age by July 1st of the year you plan to enroll in college
- Have completed at least one full year of high school education (or equivalent) by the time you apply
- Be registered as an undergraduate student in an accredited two- or four-year college or university beginning in fall (winter for international scholars)
Disney Dreamers Academy | Scholarships for high school seniors
The Disney Dreamers Academy is a program for high school students between the ages of 13 and 18.
It’s open to U.S citizens who are members of a minority group, live in the United States, and are current or former residents of Florida, Georgia, Texas, or Puerto Rico.
Students must also be entering their senior year (or have already graduated).
Gates Millennium Scholars | Scholarships for high school seniors
The Gates Millennium Scholars program is a merit-based scholarship program funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that provides funding for low-income students.
With an average award of $25,000 per year, these scholarships are typically used to cover tuition and fees at four-year colleges and universities.
However, some recipients may use their awards for graduate school or other higher education programs.
How to apply
There are three requirements for using:
- Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident with a high school diploma or equivalent (GED).
- Must have applied or plan to apply for college admission during the academic year.
- Must demonstrate financial need through FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form (students who do not complete FAFSA will not qualify).
Coca-Cola Scholars Program
The Coca-Cola Scholars Program is a national scholarship program that provides scholarships of $20,000 each year to high school seniors who excel academically, maintain strong leadership and community involvement, and demonstrate a commitment to pursuing a degree in an area of science, technology, and engineering, and math.
This is another great scholarship for high school seniors. Each scholar receives $10,000 at the end of their sophomore year in college (assuming they are still pursuing their goals) and $10,000 during their junior year. Scholarships can be renewed for up to four years if requirements continue to be met.
Coca-Cola Scholars must:
- Demonstrate academic excellence
- Demonstrate leadership skills through participation in extracurricular activities or community service
- Commitment to careers related to science or technology fields
QuestBridge National College Match | Scholarships for high school seniors
QuestBridge is a non-profit organization that helps high school seniors pay for college. This is another one of the great scholarships for high school seniors.
They have one of the most competitive college matching services in the world, the QuestBridge National College Match.
The QuestBridge National College Match helps high school seniors find colleges that are a good fit for them based on what they want in education and their strengths.
It’s free to join but only open to students in the United States (sorry international readers).
The QuestBridge National College Match works by matching you with schools based on your interests and accomplishments, so it’s crucial to take advantage of this opportunity if you want it.
You can fill out an application once per year between September 1st and December 1st to be considered for match opportunities during your senior year of high school.
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation College Scholarship Program
The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation College Scholarship Program is a need-based scholarship open to high school seniors who have been accepted to college but don’t have the financial resources to cover their tuition and fees.
Students must meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Have been accepted into an accredited four-year college or university in the fall of 2020;
- Have a minimum GPA of 3.5; and
- Be able to demonstrate financial need as well as academic achievement.
AXA Achievement Scholarship | Scholarships for high school seniors
- The AXA Achievement Scholarship is a $2,500 award.
- It’s open to high school seniors.
- You must be a U.S. citizen or resident to apply for this scholarship.
Burger King Scholars Program
The Burger King Scholars Program is a scholarship offered by Burger King Corporation. The scholarship is for high school seniors who have been accepted to and will be attending an accredited 2-year or 4-year college, university, or vocational/technical program during the upcoming academic year.
The amount of money awarded varies based on scholarship type: $1,000; $25,000; $50,000; or $100,000.
Students must meet specific requirements to be considered for any of these scholarships.
In addition to providing proof of acceptance into an accredited college or university program by May 1st of this year (deadline), students must also submit a video essay explaining why they deserve this award and how they plan on using their education once they get it.
Foot Locker Scholar Athletes
This scholarship is open to high school seniors who are active in their community and involved in their school’s community.
You’ll need to write a letter of recommendation from someone who has observed your actions as an athlete or leader, including how this activity has helped you grow into the person you are today.
Sammy (Samsung Mobile App Challenge)
You can enter the competition by downloading the SAMMYs app. You must have a Samsung Galaxy smartphone, but then you’re good to go.
The winner will receive $1 million in scholarship money, which is enough to cover tuition and living expenses at most colleges in America. Plus, they get an internship with Samsung Mobile USA and a chance to work on future development projects for their smartphones.
To learn more about this exciting opportunity, visit their website.
Michigan Technological University Presidential Scholarships
Michigan Technological University offers a merit-based scholarship program that provides more than $2.5 million in full tuition over four years to exceptional high school seniors who have demonstrated leadership qualities and academic excellence.
The Presidential Scholarships are awarded to deserving Michigan residents who will pursue an undergraduate degree at Michigan Tech, regardless of financial need.
The Presidential Scholarship is renewable for up to four years of undergraduate study if you maintain a minimum 3.5 GPA and meet the renewal criteria listed below:
- You must submit an essay by the deadline provided by your admission counselor.
- You must be enrolled full-time (at least 12 credit hours) each semester during your first year on campus and maintain satisfactory progress toward completing your degree program within two years after graduation from high school or receipt of a GED certificate, whichever occurs later.
University of Florida Legacy Scholarship Program
For students interested in attending the University of Florida, the Legacy Scholarship Program is a generous award that will help you pay for tuition, fees, and other expenses. The application deadline is January 15.
You’ll need to have a minimum GPA of 3.5 and meet SAT score or ACT score requirements (minimum 1200/26 on each), rank in the top 10% of your high school class, and have at least one year of community service and extracurricular activities (the more, the better) and demonstrate leadership skills through club membership or student government positions.
University of California Berkeley Regents and Chancellor’s Scholars Awards
The University of California, Berkeley offers full-tuition Regents and Chancellor’s Scholars Awards to high school seniors with a minimum GPA of 3.9, SAT score of 1450 or ACT score of 34, and SAT II scores (if applicable) in the top 9% of their class.
All admitted Cal students receive an award that covers tuition and fees for four years. That’s right—even if you’re an out-of-state resident.
The application process is easy; just complete the online application for admission by February 1st for fall admission and November 1st for winter/spring admission.
Then you’ll need to submit your official high school transcript (a letter from your guidance counselor confirming that you’ve graduated sufficient), test scores, two letters of recommendation from teachers or counselors, and a personal essay explaining why you want to attend Cal—just like all other colleges do.
Vanderbilt University Ingram Scholars Program
Vanderbilt University’s Ingram Scholars Program is a merit-based scholarship that awards $20,000 per year, renewable for up to four years.
The program is open to high school seniors who are U.S citizens or permanent residents and have demonstrated leadership in their community and a commitment to service.
Ingram Scholars are selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants, which means you’ll need to show the admissions office that you’re more than just bright—you’re also engaged in your community and ready for college life.
Suppose you fit the bill and want to get into one of America’s best universities with a remarkable reputation for producing leaders in all fields. In that case, this might be the scholarship for you.
Washington State University Regents’ Scholarship
The Washington State University Regents’ Scholarship is a full-ride scholarship awarded to students in the top 10 percent of their class.
In addition to covering tuition, fees, room and board for eight semesters at WSU (or nine semesters if you’re an out-of-state student), it’s renewable for up to eight additional semesters if you maintain good academic standing.
The Ruth N. Halls Scholarship at Indiana University–Bloomington
Indiana University—Bloomington students who qualify for the Ruth N. Halls Scholarship, are those who:
- Are from Indiana
- Are the first in their family to attend college and are from low-income backgrounds (see below for more details)
- I have overcome adversity and demonstrated leadership skills, as well as an interest in public service work.
Students must maintain a GPA of 3.5 or higher during their first two years at IU–Bloomington to continue receiving money from this scholarship.
Northwestern University Northwestern Scholars Program
Northwestern University Northwestern Scholars Program is a full-tuition scholarship for high school seniors who are first-generation college students.
The program encourages and supports students who have overcome significant obstacles in their pursuit of education.
Each applicant must be nominated by at least one faculty member or adviser, write an essay detailing their journey to date, and demonstrate academic excellence and financial need.
Bryn Mawr College Centennial Scholarship/Hendricks Prize
The Bryn Mawr College Centennial Scholarship/Hendricks Prize is awarded to a high school senior planning to attend Bryn Mawr College. Applicants must demonstrate leadership, scholarship, and financial need.
The application deadline is November 1, every year.
Pomona College Trustee Scholarship
The Pomona College Trustee Scholarship is a full-tuition scholarship for students who have demonstrated financial need. It is awarded to students who are accepted to Pomona and meet the criteria for financial need.
The Trustee Scholarship is renewable for up to four years of study at Pomona, provided you maintain satisfactory academic standing (as determined by Pomona) and make reasonable progress toward your degree.
Check out these full-ride scholarships for high school seniors.
While students have to pay for school, some high school seniors have the chance to get a free ride.
Getting scholarships is a great way to keep the cost of college low and give you options when it comes time to choose a school.
If you’re looking for full-ride scholarships, we’ve got some ideas for where you can start searching.
What are full-ride scholarships?
Full-ride scholarships provide all four years of tuition without work or academic requirements. Some schools also include room and board in their scholarship offers as well.
The best part about these awards is that they don’t require any additional financial aid from your parents or family members (except maybe gas money).
You can win money for college and make scholarships a priority.
As a high school senior, you probably have many questions about college.
Will I be able to pay? Will I even get in? How do I fill out financial aid forms? Do scholarships even exist in real life? Can my mom buy me one instead of my dad’s credit card bill this month?
The answers can be found here, but first, let’s cover some basics:
- To win money for college, you’ll need to put in some effort. There are many scholarships—more than enough for every student who wants one.
But someone has to write a great application essay and follow up with an interview before the committee can decide whether or not your work is good enough for the award.
It’s not rocket science, but it does take time and effort on your part (and perhaps your parents). So don’t expect that everything will be handed to you when it comes time for submission.
We hope you’re feeling inspired to keep searching for the best scholarships for you. We know how much work it takes, but we also know that the payoff is worth it.
The great thing about all of these programs is that they were created by experts who understand what students need to succeed after graduation.
And since there are so many available options, no matter what type of student or career path you want to follow—you can find one that fits your needs perfectly—best of luck with your college search.
Congratulations on reaching the end of this post—we hope it helped you find the exemplary scholarship for your needs.
If you’re still unsure about whether to go to college or not, we recommend checking out our other articles on the subject.
If you’re curious about more scholarships:
You can check out my post on the Ron Brown Scholarship.
You can check out my post on UCF scholarships.
You can check out my post on left handed scholarships.
You can also check out my post on scholarships for freshmen in high school.
