With the cost of a college education on the rise and many students struggling to get financial aid, finding the best scholarships to pay for college is more important than ever. But, it can be hard to know what to focus on in your scholarship search and how to secure those much-needed funds for your higher education. Between finding college scholarships to apply for, putting your best foot forward by writing a winning scholarship application, learning how to make your scholarship application stand out, and staying on top of deadlines… you have a lot on your plate!
Keeping track of deadlines is one of the most important things to consider in your scholarship search. If you miss a deadline, you could end up leaving money on the table. That’s why we put together this list of 5 of the easiest scholarships to apply to this month. Let’s dive into some great scholarships to apply to right now.
Top 5 Scholarships to Apply to This Month
Here are 5 easy scholarships you could apply for in 2024 and 2025. These college scholarship opportunities are due soon, so students should apply now!
Student Research Group Scholarship
The Student Research Group Scholarship awards a $10,000 scholarship to one student. This scholarship opportunity is open to all current high school students in the U.S., and there’s no GPA requirement.
The deadline to apply for this easy scholarship is December 31st, 2024. And since this this scholarship is only open to high school students, there is less competition and your chances of winning are quite high!
American Red Cross – Leaders Save Lives Scholarship
The American Red Cross – Leaders Save Lives Scholarship has multiple scholarship awards, with the top prize being $2,500. For this scholarship, students are asked to organize a blood drive. According to their website, the winner will be based on the number of pints that is collected at the blood drive you host.
The deadline for this scholarship is January 15th 2025.
The Greenprint Scholarship
The Greenprint Scholarship is offering an award of $2,500. This scholarship is asking students to “envision yourself in a green career that will enable your generation to tackle the climate crisis, and learn more about the STEM skills needed to shape a sustainable future”. After students have gotten familiar with green careers and some STEM, applicants are then asked to design a eco-friendly career that would center around STEM.
The deadline for this scholarship is January 31st 2025.
I Have a Dream Scholarship
The I Have a Dream Scholarship is offering an award of $1,500. As per their website, this scholarship is open to all U.S. students who are 14 and older. Applicants are asked to write about a dream! Students can write about a dream they have dreamt while sleeping or a dream that they have about their future. Responses should be 250 words or less.
The deadline for this scholarship is January 31st 2025.
Flavorful Futures Scholarship
The Flavorful Futures Scholarship is offering an award of $5,000. Applicants must be a current high school senior. The scholarship is funded by Talking Rain, and they want students to share their plans for the future.
The deadline for this scholarship is January 31st 2025.
Looking for more easy scholarships to apply to this month?
There are so many great places to look for scholarship opportunities. Here are some steps we recommend students take in order to find other scholarships:
- Bookmark this blog post: We update this blog post monthly so you’ll always have 5 quick and easy scholarships to apply to.
- Try the Scholarship Finder search tool on StudyLab: This tool makes it easy to find scholarships by providing direct links and easy instructions to guide you through the scholarship application process. There are MANY scholarships listed here, including no essay scholarships. And if you join the notification list, you’ll never miss a scholarship opportunity.
- Talk to your guidance counselor: Your high school guidance counselor likely knows about local scholarships that you’d qualify for.
- Follow StudyLab on social media: Every month, the StudyLab accounts share scholarships to apply to on Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn accounts.
- Apply for the Student Research Group Scholarship: Apply for this lesser-known scholarship, worth $10,000.
Remember: Writing a Scholarship Essay is Key!
For essay-based scholarships, the quality of your essay can mean the difference between getting free money by winning scholarships or having to apply for loans. Here are some great resources for writing scholarship essays to help you improve your application materials:
- Essay Writing Examples for Scholarships from CollegeAdvisor: This guide contains plenty of scholarship essay examples to help you get started.
- How to Write a Winning Scholarship Application: Here are some of the best strategies to help you write a winning scholarship application that showcases your unique qualities, achievements, and aspirations.
Lastly: Avoid “Easy Scholarship” Scams
During the scholarship search process, it’s crucial to stay vigilant and avoid scams. Scams frequently target high school students searching for scholarship money. Here are some red flags to watch out for:
- Scholarships should not charge application fees, nor should they promise that you’re guaranteed to win.
- If you’re contacted about winning scholarships that you don’t remember applying to, be extra cautious!
- Reliable college scholarship opportunities won’t ask for your social security number or bank account information as part of your application materials.
