Scholarships for college and graduate school come in all shapes and sizes imaginable. One of the tips I always tell students when they are first starting their scholarship search is to identify all of the pieces of who they are that make them unique. Once you've done this, you can start to search for scholarships that fall into each individual category.
There are thousands of scholarships out there that focus on student's religious views, faith, and practices. As Christianity is the world's largest religion, with over 2 billion followers, it is no surprise that many of those scholarships are for Christian students.
Some Christian scholarships are general in nature, while others are more specifically geared towards smaller branches of Christianity, such as Protestants, Catholics, and Eastern Orthodox.
If you're a Christian student who is currently (or about to be) pursuing a college or graduate education, keep reading for a list of 15 great Christian scholarship opportunities.
Amount: $1,500
Deadline: May 31
Details:
-No essay or minimum GPA required
-Open to all high school students
Amount: $1,500
Deadline: May 31
Details:
-No essay or minimum GPA required
-Open to all high school students
Amount: $2,500
Deadline: May 31
Details:
-Open to high school students interested in or planning on attending a Christian college or university
-This is a no-essay scholarship!
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: March 31
Details:
-Open to college and graduate school students
-Must be a member of Christian Community Credit Union and have a checking account
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: July 1
Details:
-Open to US citizens who are enrolled in or planning to attend a Christian college or university
-Must be a participant in volunteer or community work
Amount: Varies
Deadline: May 28
Details:
-Open to high school seniors and current undergraduate students
-Minimum 3.0 GPA
Amount: $12,000
Deadline: November 1
Details:
-Open to Christian students attending graduate school at top universities
-Open to international students!
Amount: Varies
Deadline: April 15
Details:
-Must be a communicant member of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
-Must normally be working toward a degree in a college, university, or seminary which is fully accredited by its regional accrediting association
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: Rolling
Details:
-Open to high school seniors and current college students
-Minimum 3.0 GPA
-Must be a permanent resident of New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut, but can attend school anywhere in the US
-Must be an active member of your local church
Amount: $5,000
Deadline: N/A
Details:
-Open to Chinese students who are high school seniors or current college students
-Must be either first-generation in the US or an international student
-Active involvement in the Christian faith for the last two years
-Must have demonstrated financial need
-Minimum 3.0 GPA
Amount: Up to $4,000
Deadline: Varies
Details:
-Open to students living in a county or area with a Dollars for Scholars affiliate program - see the application page for details
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: Varies
Details:
-Open to students planning to go into full-time Christian ministry
Amount: Up to $3,000
Deadline: March 15
Details:
-Open to United Methodist Church members who are is Hispanic, Asian, Native American, or Pacific Islander descent
-Min GPA 2.85
PS - the United Methodist Church offers over four dozen scholarships for UMC members coming from various backgrounds and ethnicities. Click here to see the whole list of scholarships.
Amount: Up to $4,000
Deadline: March 1
Details:
-Leadership Development Scholarships help to support United Church of Christ undergraduate students, future seminary professors, African-American laywomen, and gifted persons with disabilities, among others.
-Each scholarship has its own unique eligibility guidelines - click the link to learn more about each and apply
Amount: Varies
Deadline: Varies
Details:
-Scholarships are awarded to women attending over 200 accredited US colleges and universities across the following states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia
-Main areas of study: nursing, medicine, allied health
Amount: Up to $11,000 (renewable, too!)
Deadline: February 10
Details:
-Open to students who are legal residents of the US, and more specifically, the state of Texas
-Preference is given to applicants who are Christian and regularly attend Church
-Must be enrolled either full-time as an undergraduate student or full or part-time as a graduate student