In the spirit of it being a NEW YEAR, I have compiled a list of awesome free scholarships for college students to apply for all throughout 2023.
These scholarships vary in terms of eligibility and area of study. All of the opportunities you'll find in this post are open to current undergraduate students.
However, you'll also find that some are additionally open to high school students interested in attending college in the near future So, if you're still in high school, don't worry, you're in the right place to find scholarships!
Wherever you stand, I can guarantee that if you’re a student and you’re reading this, you will definitely find a few scholarships in this post that are a good fit for you.
Before diving right into the full list, be sure to read through our frequently asked questions about scholarships for college students:
Scholarships for College Students are opportunities that you, as a college student, can apply for to help you cover your high education costs.
Some college scholarships can be put towards anything, whereas others may specify that they can only be put directly towards your tuition.
Absolutely NOT!
While you certainly can and should apply for scholarships throughout your time in college, you do NOT need to be a current college student to apply for college scholarships.
There are tons of scholarships (some are even featured in this post!) that are open to high school students (mostly leaning towards high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors) looking to reduce their future college costs. Check them out!
Yes! There are scholarships for students of all kinds. Even if you don't attend a four-year college or university, you will find that there are still tons of great opportunities out there that fit your profile.
Great question! Here are a few of my top tips on applying for scholarships:
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: September 30, December 31, March 31, June 30
Eligibility:
-Open to high school, college, and graduate school students of all years
-Must be a US citizen/permanent resident, a student with DACA status, or an international student studying in the US.
PS - this is one of our very own easy scholarships. Head over to our no essay scholarships post for more!
Amount: $2,500
Deadline: Monthy
Eligibility:
-Must be currently attending, or planning to attend, a college in the US
-Must be a US citizen or permanent resident
Amount: $2,000
Deadline: Last day of each month
Eligibility:
-Open to high school seniors and undergraduate students
-Must be a US citizen
Amount: $2,222
Deadline: End of each month
Eligibility:
-Open to students ages 16 and older
-Must be a current high school or college student
-Must be a US citizen
Amount: $25,000
Deadline: Continuous
Eligibility:
-Open to all students! The $25,000 “Be Bold” Scholarship is a no-essay scholarship that will be awarded to the applicant with the boldest profile.
Amount: $2,000
Deadline: End of each month
Eligibility:
-Open to legal residents of the US who are 13 and older.
Amount: $500
Deadline: January 15
Eligibility:
-Open to all incoming and current college students ages 18 and older
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: January 1, April 1, July 1, October 1
Eligibility:
-Minimum 3.6 GPA
-Must be currently enrolled in a US high school or college
-One scholarship is specific to STEM students, and the other scholarship is open to students of all majors!
Amount: $36,000
Deadline: January 5
Eligibility:
-Open to US residents ages 13-19
-Must self-identify as Jewish
-Must be serving in a leadership role on a project aimed at repairing the world
Amount: Varies by scholarship
Deadline: January 6
Eligibility:
-Must be a high school senior or current college student from one of the following states: Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington
-Must either identify as LGBTQ or be a straight ally
-Must have demonstrated financial need
Amount: $500
Deadline: January 11
Eligibility:
-Must be attending an accredited US college or university
-Must be a US citizen
Amount: Up to $25,000
Deadline: January 11
Eligibility:
-Open to students (ages 16-26) who are passionate about creating a better future and making a positive impact on their community
-Must be a US citizen/permanent resident
Amount: Varies
Deadline: February 1
Eligibility:
-Open to US citizens who are high school graduates, 18 years of age or older
-Must be planning to study in an overseas program in a country outside of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand
Amount: $500 - $5,000
Deadline: February 14
Eligibility:
-Open to the following students: high school seniors, undergraduate, transfer, and graduate students
-Must be of Hispanic heritage
-Must be a U.S. citizen, permanent legal resident, or have DACA status
-Minimum of 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent) for high school students; minimum of 2.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent) for college and graduate students
-Must submit the FAFSA or state-based financial aid forms
Amount: Full-tuition (doesn't include books or room and board)
Deadline: February 15
Eligibility:
-Applicants must be living in the United States and the college or university they attend must be located in the United States, however, US citizenship is not required
-Minimum 3.7 GPA
-Open to high school seniors and students currently attending four-year colleges and universities
Amount: $5,000 - $10,000
Deadline: February 20
Eligibility:
-Must be a graduating high school senior
-Must promote vegetarianism in your community and show a commitment to a vegetarian diet/lifestyle
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: March 11
Eligibility:
-Must be between 17 and 35 years old
-Must attend a 2-year or 4-year college or university
Amount: $2,500
Deadline: March 31
Eligibility:
-Open to female undergraduate and graduate students studying architecture or landscape architecture in the U.S. and Canada
Amount: $2,500
Deadline: March 31, June 30, September 30, December 31
Eligibility:
-Be enrolled full-time in high school or at least part-time in college, graduate, professional, or trade school
Amount: up to $5,000
Deadline: April 1
Eligibility:
-Any legal U.S. resident who will be a full-time student at a U.S. college or university is eligible to apply
-Applicants must create their own original piece of work centered around the theme, This Is How I Frame My Future
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: April 1, November 15
Eligibility:
-Any legal U.S. resident in high school or college who will be attending an accredited university or college is eligible to apply
Amount: $10,000
Deadline: April 1
Eligibility:
-The scholarship program is designed to provide opportunities to groups that are traditionally underrepresented in STEM: women, people of color, people with disabilities, individuals who identify as LGBTQ, and those that are or will be first-generation college students
-Must have financial need
-Current or planned 4-year degree enrollment in the following majors: Aerospace Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Physics
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: April 30, August 1
Eligibility:
-Open to current students in an eligible undergraduate program, or graduating high school seniors in the U.S., working towards a bachelor’s degree or associate’s degree
-Open to international students studying in the US, as well as students with DACA status
Amount: $500
Deadline: May 1
Eligibility:
-Applicants should be part of the first generation of their family (i.e., parents and grandparents did not attend a college or university) to attend a four-year college program.
-Must be a U.S. Citizen or Permanent U.S. Resident.
-Must be enrolled (or accepted) in an accredited college or university and planning on continuing the next year.
Amount: Varies
Deadline: May 3
Eligibility:
-Open to college sophomores, juniors and seniors majoring in Criminal Justice or related discipline such as social sciences, public administration, computer science, finance, linguistic arts, chemistry, physics, etc., leading to a four-year degree
Amount: Varies
Deadline: May 15
Eligibility:
-Must have 2.5 or higher G.P.A. (unweighted)
-Must be a high school senior, incoming, or current college student to qualify for scholarships.
-Must be majoring in one of the following areas: Culinary Arts, Baking/Pastry, Hospitality Management or Agriculture
-Must attend college/university in the U.S.
Amount: $1,500
Deadline: June 15, December 8
Eligibility:
-Open to students pursuing education in a science-related field (Life Science, Medical Science, Health Science)
-Schools/Colleges/Institutes within the US, Canada, and European Countries only
Amount: Varies
Deadline: June 30, December 30
Eligibility:
-Open to students pursuing degrees in nursing
-Must be a resident of one of the following states: Arizona, Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington, Wisconsin
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: July 16, December 17
Eligibility:
-Student in good standing and enrolled at an accredited college or university
-Declared STEM major
-Open to international students
Amount: $5,000
Deadline: July 20
Eligibility:
-Be accepted at, or enrolled in, a full-time degree program at a U.S. or Canadian school that MPOWER supports
-Be an international student allowed to legally study in the U.S. or Canada (or a student with DACA status)
Amount: up to $3,000
Deadline: July 30
Eligibility:
-Open to current freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors, graduate students, or students attending a military academy
-Minimum 3.0 GPA
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: August 1
Eligibility:
-Must be a high school senior or undergraduate, graduate, or postgraduate student about to attend or currently attending an accredited college or university in the United States
-Must be a citizen or a legal resident of the United States
Amount: $2,000
Deadline: September 15, March 15
Eligibility:
-Open to female high school and college students who want to start their own online business
Amount: up to $2,000
Deadline: September 17
Eligibility:
-Different scholarships open to high school, college, and graduate school students
Amount: $2,000
Deadline: September 30
Eligibility:
-Applicants for this scholarship should be enrolled at a public community college, junior college, technical college, or city college, and working towards a certificate, diploma, or degree at the associate’s level or a first-time bachelor’s level
-Must be a US citizen
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: October 31
Eligibility:
-Be a student who is currently studying at or has been accepted to an accredited college or university in the United States.
-Be currently enrolled in a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) degree-granting program OR demonstrate plans to pursue a career in the field of technology after graduation.
-Identify as a woman.
Amount: $2,500
Deadline: November 30
Eligibility:
-Open to college students attending 2-year and 4-year schools as well as trade/technical schools
-Minimum 2.5 GPA
-Must be a US citizen
Amount: Varies
Deadline: December 10
Eligibility:
-Open to college students residing in the US, identifying as members of the LGBTQ community
-Applicants must be U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents
Amount: $2,000
Deadline: December 31
Eligibility:
-Applicants must be under the age of 30
-Applicants must be U.S residents
Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
Amount: $1,500
Deadline: Varies
Eligibility:
-The Student-Caregiver Scholarship provides financial assistance to students who are caring for an elderly loved one while enrolled in college
-Applicants must be full-time college students at an accredited two-or-four-year college or university in the United States
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: December 31
Eligibility:
-Open to high school and college students
Amount: Varies ($1,000 - $20,000)
Deadline: Varies by scholarship
Eligibility:
-Scholarships open to Asian/Pacific Islander students in the US
-Minimum 3.0 GPA
-Applicants must be the first in their family to attend college (more details on APF website)
Amount: Varies
Deadline: Varies, but the general application closes annually on March 31.
Eligibility:
-Open to students enrolled full-time and attending UNCF member Institutions
-Must have a demonstrated financial need
-Minimum 2.5 GPA required
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility:
-Open to full-time students enrolled in two-year, four-year, or graduate programs
-All majors welcome
If searching through this post to find scholarships you're eligible for is not really up your alley, take advantage of our scholarship resource posts that organize opportunities by year in school, ethnicity, gender, and more:
Scholarships for College Freshmen
Scholarships for Community College Students
Scholarships for Graduate Students
Scholarships for LGBTQ+ Students & Allies
Scholarships for Undocumented Students
Scholarships for LatinX and Hispanic Students
Scholarships offered by your college/university: The vast majority of colleges and universities also offer their own college scholarships to both incoming and current students. These awards are often broken down by area of study, but many schools also offer scholarships for things like studying abroad, student leadership, and more.