National Merit Scholarship

National Merit Scholarship Corporation

Merit-Based

Prestigious scholarship based on PSAT/NMSQT scores. About 7,500 students receive scholarships annually.

$2,500 - Full Tuition
October (PSAT)

Eligibility: US citizen or permanent resident, PSAT/NMSQT qualifier

Gates Scholarship

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Merit-Based

Covers full cost of attendance not covered by financial aid for exceptional minority students.

Full Cost of Attendance
September 15

Eligibility: High school senior, Pell Grant eligible, 3.3+ GPA, US citizen

Coca-Cola Scholars Program

Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation

Merit-Based

Recognizes 150 students annually for leadership and service. Highly competitive.

$20,000
October 31

Eligibility: US citizen, current high school senior, 3.0+ GPA

Dell Scholars Program

Michael & Susan Dell Foundation

Need-Based

Supports underprivileged students with financial need who show determination.

$20,000 + laptop
December 1

Eligibility: Participated in approved college readiness program, Pell Grant eligible

QuestBridge National College Match

QuestBridge

Need-Based

Matches exceptional low-income students with full scholarships at top colleges.

Full 4-Year Scholarship
September 27

Eligibility: High school senior, low-income background, strong academics

Elks Most Valuable Student

Elks National Foundation

Merit-Based

One of the largest scholarship programs in the country, awarding 500 students annually.

Up to $50,000
November 5

Eligibility: US citizen, high school senior

Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Scholarship

Jack Kent Cooke Foundation

Need-Based

Generous scholarship for high-achieving students with financial need.

Up to $55,000/year
November 18

Eligibility: High school senior, financial need, 3.5+ GPA

Hispanic Scholarship Fund

Hispanic Scholarship Fund

Identity-Based

Largest provider of scholarships for Hispanic students in the US.

$500 - $5,000
February 15

Eligibility: Hispanic heritage, US citizen or permanent resident, 3.0+ GPA

Ron Brown Scholar Program

CAP Charitable Foundation

Identity-Based

Prestigious scholarship for African American high school seniors showing leadership.

$40,000
January 9

Eligibility: African American, US citizen, high school senior

Regeneron Science Talent Search

Society for Science

Activity-Based

The nation's oldest and most prestigious science research competition for high school seniors.

Up to $250,000
November

Eligibility: US high school senior with original research project

Gilman International Scholarship

US Department of State

Study Abroad

Supports Pell Grant recipients studying or interning abroad. Over 3,000 awards annually.

Up to $5,000
March/October

Eligibility: US citizen, Pell Grant recipient, studying abroad

Fulbright US Student Program

US Department of State

Study Abroad

Prestigious program funding graduate study, research, or teaching abroad.

Full Funding
October

Eligibility: US citizen, bachelor's degree by start date

Boren Awards

National Security Education Program

Study Abroad

Funds study of languages and cultures critical to US national security.

Up to $25,000
January 29

Eligibility: US citizen, studying languages critical to US interests

DAAD Scholarship

German Academic Exchange Service

Study Abroad

Germany's largest funding organization for international academic exchange.

Full Tuition + Stipend
Varies by program

Eligibility: Bachelor's degree, applying to German university

Erasmus+ for US Students

European Commission

Study Abroad

EU program supporting student exchanges between European and international universities.

Varies by program
Varies

Eligibility: Enrolled at US university with Erasmus partnership

Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship

Amazon

Activity-Based

For students pursuing computer science degrees, includes paid internship at Amazon.

$40,000 + internship
January

Eligibility: High school senior planning to study computer science

Burger King Scholars Program

Burger King McLamore Foundation

Merit-Based

Awards scholarships to students who work part-time while maintaining good grades.

$1,000 - $50,000
December 15

Eligibility: High school senior, 2.5+ GPA, US or Canadian resident

Posse Foundation Scholarship

Posse Foundation

Merit-Based

Identifies public school students with leadership potential for full-tuition scholarships.

Full Tuition
Varies by city

Eligibility: Nominated by high school, leadership potential

Stamps Scholarship

Stamps Family Charitable Foundation

Merit-Based

Full-ride scholarship at 40+ partner universities for exceptional students.

Full Cost of Attendance
Varies

Eligibility: Varies by partner university

Daniels Fund Scholarship

Daniels Fund

Need-Based

Full-ride scholarship for students from Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.

Full Cost of Attendance
November 15

Eligibility: Resident of CO, NM, UT, or WY, financial need, strong character