18 Scholarships for High School Seniors
Are you looking for scholarships for high school seniors? Great job doing your research and investing in your future!
College can be expensive — and taking on student loans can feel overwhelming before you’ve even started your career. The good news? There are plenty of ways to make college more affordable, and scholarships are one of the best options out there. They give you free money for school — no repayment required!
While many students think scholarships are only for current college students, high school seniors are eligible for tons of awards too. In fact, every scholarship on this list is designed specifically for graduating seniors.
Start applying now to set yourself up for success — and to reduce the need for student loans later on. From academic and athletic awards to scholarships for creativity and community impact, here are 18 scholarships for high school seniors in 2026 to help you fund your college journey.
- Breakthrough Junior Challenge
- Building Bridges Scholarship
- Act of Kindness Scholarship
- Aaliyah Lee Scholarship
- BigSun Athletic Scholarship
- Naval Intelligence Essay Contest
- GeneTex Scholarship
- WCEJ Thornton Foundation Low-Income Scholarship
- WCEJ Thornton Foundation Music & Art Scholarship
- Our Destiny Our Future Scholarship
- MyBioSource Inc. Scholarship for All Majors
- MyBioSource Inc. Scholarship for “S.T.E.M.” Majors
- MyBioSource Inc. Scholarship for Students with Disabilities
- “Be Bold” No Essay Scholarship
- Jeanne Kramme Fouke Scholarship for Future Teachers
- Ayn Rand “Atlas Shrugged” Novel Essay Contest
- Ayn Rand “The Fountainhead” Essay Contest
- Ayn Rand “Anthem” Essay Contest
Breakthrough Junior Challenge
Amount: Up to $250,000
Provider: Breakthrough Prize Foundation
Eligibility Requirements:
- Applicant must be between the ages of 13 to 18
If you’re a high school junior who loves physics, math, or life sciences, take a look at the Breakthrough Junior Challenge. One of the top scholarships on our list in terms of dollar value, this competition asks curious high school students to create a 90-second video explaining a complex topic in one of the aforementioned fields. Your video can be in whatever format you wish: live-action, animation, or documentary. Entries will be judged according to several criteria, including the creativity of the video and the complexity of the subject covered.
Building Bridges Scholarship
Amount: $1,000
Provider: National Parent Volunteer Association (NPVA)
Eligibility Requirements:
- Applicant must be currently enrolled or plan to be enrolled part-time or full-time in an accredited U.S. college or university. Vocational/technical, two-year, four-year, or graduate institutions are eligible.
- Applicant must be a high school junior or senior, undergraduate student, or graduate student.
- Applicant must have a grade point average of 2.5 or above on a 4.0 scale.
- Applicant must be involved in their community.
The Building Bridges Scholarship helps students who are involved in their communities. Each year, NPVA offers merit-based scholarships for students who are committed to volunteering and making a difference in their communities. Applicants must write a 150-word essay in response to a prompt. In your essay, describe any community of which you are a part including school, neighborhood, ethnic, or other.
Act of Kindness Scholarship
Amount: $1,000
Provider: National Parent Volunteer Association (NPVA)
Eligibility Requirements:
- Applicant must be currently enrolled or plan to be enrolled part-time or full-time in an accredited U.S. college or university. Vocational/technical, two-year, four-year, or graduate institutions are eligible.
- Applicant must be a high school junior or senior, undergraduate student, or graduate student.
- Applicant must have a grade point average of 2.5 or above on a 4.0 scale.
- Applicant must be committed to helping others in their school or community.
The Act of Kindness Scholarship supports students who are committed to helping others in their schools or communities. Applicants must write a 150-word essay in response to a prompt. In your response, you might address what inspired you to be kind or what impact your act has had on others. The act of kindness may be a one-time occasion or a series of ongoing actions.
Aaliyah Lee Scholarship
Amount: $1,000
Provider: National Parent Volunteer Association (NPVA)
Eligibility Requirements:
- Applicant must be currently enrolled or plan to be enrolled part-time or full-time in an accredited U.S. college or university. Vocational/technical, two-year, four-year, or graduate institutions are eligible.
- Applicant must be a high school junior or senior, undergraduate student, or graduate student.
- Applicant must have a grade point average of 2.5 or above on a 4.0 scale.
The Aaliyah Lee Scholarship honors the memory of Aaliyah Lee who committed herself to the educational opportunities of her children. Applicants must write a 150-word essay in response to a prompt. You’re encouraged to be specific with an example or anecdote from your own life about the importance of education instead of writing generally about education.
BigSun Athletic Scholarship
Amount: $500
Provider: BigSun Organization
Eligibility Requirements:
- Applicant must be a student-athletes regardless of the sport they are engaged in or the capacity in which they participate.
- Applicant must be a high school senior or be attending a post-secondary institute.
Calling all student-athletes! The Big Sun Athletic Organization is dedicated to providing an opportunity for young athletes to learn and to excel. To apply for the BigSun Athletic Scholarship, students must submit a 500-1,000-word essay. The number of awards will vary each year.
Naval Intelligence Essay Contest
Amount: $5,000
Provider: U.S. Naval Institute
The U.S. Naval Institute and Naval Intelligence Professionals invites active-duty military, reservists, veterans, and civilians to take part in their annual Naval Intelligence Essay Contest. Essays must be no more than 2,500 words and they must be original and not previously published (online or in print). Essays must also not be in considered for publication elsewhere.
GeneTex Scholarship
Amount: $2,000
Provider: GeneTex
Eligibility Requirements:
- Applicant must have declared a STEM major.
- Applicant must be a high school senior or college undergraduate or graduate.
- Applicant must be in good academic standing.
The GeneTex Scholarship Program awards a scholarship to students pursuing a STEM undergraduate or graduate degree. The scholarship will be awarded to one student twice a year. Students must write a personal statement on what made you pursue a STEM major.
GeneTex Scholarship Program – Fall (July deadline)
GeneTex Scholarship Program – Spring (October deadline)
WCEJ Thornton Foundation Low-Income Scholarship
Amount: $1,000
Provider: WC & EJ Thornton Foundation
Eligibility Requirements:
- Applicant must be a high school senior or college undergraduate.
WCEJ Thornton Foundation Low-Income Scholarships will be awarded to students in any field of study who have an exemplary academic record, but are in need of financial assistance to pursue their dreams in higher education. Applicants must submit an essay.
WCEJ Thornton Foundation Music & Art Scholarship
Amount: $1,000
Provider: WC & EJ Thornton Foundation
Eligibility Requirements:
- Applicant must be a high school senior
- Applicant must intend to pursue a major in art or music.
The WCEJ Thornton Foundation Music & Art Scholarship will be awarded to twenty individuals with an interest in continuing their study of the arts in higher education, with preference given to arts majors. Applicants are asked to submit samples of their artwork/music/other creations and submit an essay about their plans to make a positive impact on the world through your art or music.
Our Destiny Our Future Scholarship
Amount: $1,000
Provider: Our Destiny Our Future Foundation
Eligibility Requirements:
- Applicant must have experience volunteering or participating in non-profit work.
- Applicant must be a high school senior or a college undergraduate.
The Our Destiny Our Future Scholarship gives students the chance to continue their education and further their dedication to giving back to others. Applicants must submit an essay answering how they plan to make a positive impact on the world.
MyBioSource Inc. Scholarship for All Majors
Amount: $1,000
Provider: MyBioSource
Eligibility Requirements:
- Applicant must be a high school senior.
- Applicant must be enrolled as a freshman, undergraduate or graduate student at an accredited college or university in the upcoming Fall semester.
MyBioSource is not only a supporter of students pursuing degree in the science fields but to all students in general who are working hard to obtain a higher education. With that, MyBioSource is honored to offer a scholarship program for all other majors outside of S.T.E.M. Applicants must submit a 250-word response explaining why you have chosen your intended college major and why you should receive the scholarship.
MyBioSource Inc. Scholarship for “S.T.E.M.” Majors
Amount: $1,000
Provider: MyBioSource
Eligibility Requirements:
- Applicant must be a high school senior.
- Applicant must be enrolled as a freshman, undergraduate or graduate student at an accredited college or university in the upcoming Fall semester.
- Applicant must intend to major in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics or related fields.
MyBioSource is proud to announce their annual MyBioSource Scholarship Program for S.T.E.M. majors (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics ). Students will be able to use the award towards tuition, books, supplies, or other costs that come along with obtaining a higher education. Applicants must submit a 250-word response explaining why you have chosen your intended college major and why you should receive the scholarship.
MyBioSource Inc. Scholarship for Students with Disabilities
Amount: $1,000
Provider: MyBioSource
Eligibility Requirements:
- Applicant must be a high school senior.
- Applicant must be enrolled as a freshman, undergraduate, or graduate student at an accredited college or university in the upcoming Fall semester.
- Applicant must have a documented learning disability.
MyBioSource is excited to offer the MyBioSource Inc. Scholarship for Students with Disabilities. With this scholarship, students will be able to have MyBioSource help them with the costs of necessities that come with getting a greater education. Applicants must submit a 250-word response explaining why you have chosen your intended college major and why you should receive the scholarship.
“Be Bold” No Essay Scholarship
Amount: $25,000
Provider: Bold.org
Eligibility Requirements:
- Enrolled or planning to enroll in a college or university
The founders of scholarship platform Bold.org are on a mission to help students tackle the next step of their education without taking on undue student debt. That’s where their “Be Bold” No Essay Scholarship comes in. This scholarship program is open to high school students (and current college students) of all ages. All you have to do to apply is create a profile on Bold.org and fill it out with the facts and perspectives that make you unique. This selection committee won’t look at your GPA or test scores; they only care that your profile is interesting and unique.
Jeanne Kramme Fouke Scholarship for Future Teachers
Amount: $1,000
Provider: PBJ Transit, LLC
Eligibility Requirements:
- Applicant must be a high school senior or undergraduate student who is pursuing a major in education.
The Jeanne Kramme Fouke Scholarship for Future Teachers aims to honor the life of Jeanne Kramme Fouke by supporting students who share her love for education. Any high school or undergraduate student who is pursuing education may apply for this scholarship opportunity, but those pursuing special education are preferred. Applicants must submit an essay sharing why you are pursuing a career in teaching.
Looking for more scholarships for high school seniors? Check out why we recommend that you also find and apply for local scholarships.
Ayn Rand “Atlas Shrugged” Novel Essay Contest
Amount: $3,000
Provider: The Ayn Rand Institute (ARI)
Eligibility Requirements:
- Applicant must be a high school, undergraduate, or graduate student.
- Applicant must have a solid understanding of Ayn Rand’s novel, Atlas Shrugged. (A free e-book is available on the application page.)
The Atlas Shrugged novel essay contest is for students with a passion for reading and writing. Applicants must review a prompt and write an 800-1,600-word essay in which they analyze and make an argument about an aspect or plot point of Atlas Shrugged, a popular classic novel by Ayn Rand.
Ayn Rand “The Fountainhead” Essay Contest
Amount: $3,000
Provider: The Ayn Rand Institute (ARI)
Eligibility Requirements:
- Applicant must be a high school student.
- Applicant must demonstrate an outstanding grasp of the philosophical meaning of Ayn Rand’s novel, The Fountainhead.
Have you ever read one of Ayn Rand’s thought-provoking novels? Now’s the time! Enter an Ayn Rand Institute essay contest and you’ll have a chance to win thousands of dollars in scholarship prize money. Write about Ayn Rand’s novel The Fountainhead for a chance to win. The contest is free to enter and is open to all students in 8th through 12th grade.
Ayn Rand “Anthem” Essay Contest
Amount: $2,000
Provider: The Ayn Rand Institute (ARI)
Eligibility Requirements:
- Applicant must be a high school student.
- Applicant must demonstrate an outstanding grasp of the philosophical meaning of Ayn Rand’s novel, Anthem.
ARI has been holding worldwide essay contests based on Ayn Rand’s fiction since 1985! Write about Ayn Rand’s novel Anthem for a chance to win up to $2,000 in scholarship prizes. The contest is free to enter and is open to all students in 8th through 12th grade.
The Allman Family Business Development, Marketing, and Sales Scholarship Endowment
Amount: $5,000
Provider: Foundation for Outdoor Advertising Research & Education
Eligibility Requirements:
Applicant must be enrolled or planning to enroll in a college/university
If you’re pursuing a career in advertising or marketing, this scholarship could help pave your way. Named for and sponsored by a family of advertising professionals, the Allman Family Business Development, Marketing, and Sales Scholarship Endowment is open to high school graduates, undergraduates, and graduate students alike. Winners are chosen based on their academic performance and passion for a career in the field.
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For many high school students, navigating the college admissions process can feel like enough of a hassle without also having to worry about scholarship applications. But college scholarships can be a crucial source of funding, especially if you’d otherwise have to take out student loans to cover your higher education.
The good news is that there are many types of scholarships out there, and high school seniors are prime candidates for many of the most lucrative programs.
You can further streamline your scholarship search by using Going Merry’s fast, intuitive platform. All you have to do is create a profile, and we’ll automatically match you to scholarships suited to your strengths. Going Merry also provides a wealth of other resources for everyone ranging from high schoolers to college graduate students. Whether you need an application checklist to make sure you’re on the right track, or advice on how to craft the perfect essay, Going Merry has you covered. Sign up today to kick your college application process into high gear.
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