Full-Ride Scholarships to Apply for in 2025

Application deadline: January 18

Details: The Coolidge Scholarship is a full-ride scholarship that covers the full cost of tuition, room, board, and expenses for four years of undergraduate study.

The Coolidge Scholarship may be used by recipients at any American university. Anyone of any background, pursuing any academic discipline of study, may apply to this non-partisan, need-blind, program.

Eligibility: Must be a current high school junior

Application deadline: February 15

Details: The goal of the USDA/1890 National Scholars Program is to increase the number of minorities studying agriculture, food, natural resource sciences, and related disciplines.

Eligibility: 

1. Be a U.S. citizen
2. Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better (on a 4.0 scale)
3. Have been accepted for admission or currently attending one of the nineteen 1890 Historically Black Land-Grant Universities.
4. Study agriculture, food, natural resource sciences, or other related academic disciplines
5. Demonstrate leadership and community service

Application deadline: January/February time 

Details: The Smart Start Program is for analytical New York City high school students who are ready to get a head start on a career in financial services.

You’ll gain real-world experience working in our industry-leading businesses while attending university on a scholarship that covers the full cost of college.

Eligibility: Must be a high school student living in New York City interested in business / financial services.

Application deadline: September 8

Details: The Cameron Impact Scholarship is a four-year, full-tuition, merit scholarship. 

It's awarded annually to 10-15 exceptional high school students who have demonstrated excellence in academics, extracurricular activities, leadership, and community service.

The Cameron Impact Scholarship covers the full cost of attending any accredited U.S.-based college or university that the recipient chooses to enroll in (includes personal expenses such as books).

The applicant must:

1. Maintain a minimum, cumulative, unweighted GPA of a 3.7/4.0 scale or equivalent in their high school studies;
2. Be a full citizen of the United States of America;
3. Be a current high school junior planning to enroll in a full-time course of study towards a degree at an accredited four-year U.S. college or university following graduation
4. Show proven excellence in extracurricular activities, be motivated leaders with a strong work ethic, demonstrate active participation in community service and/or civic-minded arenas

Application deadline: September 15

Details: The Gates Scholarship (TGS) is a highly selective, last-dollar scholarship for outstanding, minority, high school seniors from low-income households.

Each year, the scholarship is awarded to 300 students.

An ideal candidate will have:

1. An outstanding academic record in high school (in the top 10% of his/her graduating class)
2. Demonstrated leadership ability (e.g., as shown through participation in community service, extracurricular, or other activities)
3. Exceptional personal success skills (e.g., emotional maturity, motivation, perseverance, etc.)

Eligibility: To apply, students must be:

1. A high school senior
2. From at least one of the following ethnicities: Black/African-American, American Indian/Alaska Native*, Asian & Pacific Islander American, and/or Hispanic American
3. Pell-eligible
4. A US citizen, national, or permanent resident
5. In good academic standing with a minimum cumulative weighted GPA of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent)

Application deadline: September 26

Details: “We are looking for high school seniors who have shown outstanding academic ability despite financial challenges. We take a holistic approach to reviewing applications, and we do not have absolute criteria or cut-offs for GPA, standardized test scores, income, or other factors.”  

Questbridge encourages students who feel they have faced significant financial hardship to review these financial criteria carefully to see if they may qualify.

Eligibility: Must be a current high school senior

Application Deadline: October 18

Details: Flinn Scholars have excelled in their high-school classrooms while maintaining purposeful involvement and leadership in extracurricular activities, whether in the arts or athletics, in laboratory research, or in community service. 

Eligibility: To be awarded the Flinn Scholarship, an applicant must:

1. Be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident (Green Card holder) by the time of application;
2. Be an Arizona resident for two full years immediately preceding entry to the university.
3. Attain at least a 3.5 grade-point average (unweighted);
4. Rank in the top 5 percent of their graduating class (if the school reports class rank);
5. Participate and demonstrate leadership in a variety of extracurricular activities

Deadline: November 16

Details: The Cooke College Scholarship Program is an undergraduate scholarship program available to high-achieving high school seniors with financial need who seek to attend and graduate from the nation’s best four-year colleges and universities.

Each award is intended to cover a significant share of the student’s educational experience – including tuition, living expenses, books, and required fees.

This highly competitive scholarship includes:

1. Up to $40,000 per year to attend a four-year accredited undergraduate school.
2. Ability to pursue any area of study.
3. Personal advising about selecting a college and navigating financial aid.
4. Multifaceted advising about how to transition to college and maximize the student experience.

Eligibility: To be eligible to apply to the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation College Scholarship Program you must:

1. Earn a cumulative unweighted GPA of 3.5 or above
2. Demonstrate unmet financial need. Last year’s cohort of new college scholarship recipients had a median family income of approximately $35,000.

Application deadline: November 28

Details: Act Six is a leadership and scholarship program that connects local faith-based community affiliates with faith- and social justice-based colleges to equip emerging urban and community leaders to engage the college campus and their communities at home.

To be eligible, a student must:

1. love their community and want to use their college education to make a difference as a leader on campus and at home;
2. not be currently enrolled at a four-year college (students at two-year colleges may apply);
3. live in one of their seven Act Six program sites; and
4. want to attend at least one of the Act Six partner colleges in their program site.
5. be a US citizen

Deadline: December 1

Details: The 5 Strong Scholarship Foundation, Inc. Partners with Historically Black Colleges and Universities to provide full-tuition scholarships and ongoing support to promising student leaders from “Matriculation to Graduation.”

Eligibility: To be considered, you must...

1. Reside in the METROPOLITAN ATLANTA, Georgia AREA (surrounding Fulton County areas)
2. Have a minimum GPA of 2.8 and minimum ACT: 19 / SAT: 990 (Verbal & Math only)
3. Have the potential to be a leader in the classroom and on campus
4. Be available to attend all College Ready Prep Sessions in Atlanta (twice a month) if accepted.

Deadline: December 1 

Details: SMART is a scholarship-for-service program that provides full tuition and other financial benefits to individuals in exchange for a period of post-graduation civilian service in a DoD facility.

Another benefit of the program comes in the form of internships that allow for broadly relevant hands-on research and work experiences in DoD facilities.

Eligibility: Individuals applying for this scholarship must be:

1. A citizen of the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, or the United Kingdom
2. Applicants MUST be pursuing a technical degree in one of the 21 STEM disciplines.
3. Able to participate in summer internships at a DoD facility
4. Willing to accept post-graduate employment with the DoD
5. A student in good standing with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale at the time of award
6. Pursuing a technical undergraduate or graduate degree in one of the disciplines listed on the “About SMART” page

Application Deadline: December 13

Details: The Science Ambassador Scholarship is a full-ride scholarship for undergraduate women studying science, technology, engineering, or math, funded by Cards Against Humanity. To apply, applicants must submit a three-minute video explaining a scientific topic they’re passionate about.

Eligibility: The Science Ambassador Scholarship is open to female undergraduate students and high school seniors. All fields within science, technology, engineering, and math are eligible.

Open to international students! You do not need to be a U.S. citizen to apply. You do need to attend college (or plan to attend college) in the United States or a United States Territory.

Application Deadline: December 31

Details: Pays full (100 percent) college tuition and authorized fees at any public or private institution with an Air Force ROTC detachment.

Type 1 selectees will also receive a monthly living expense stipend and an annual book stipend. 

Eligibility: Applicants must have...

1. An SAT composite of 1240 or ACT composite of 26
2. A GPA of 3.0 or higher for high school student applicants
3. Must be a current high school student.
4. For college applicants, the Air Force ROTC Commander will determine the minimum GPA and test scores, if applicable, for scholarship eligibility. 

Application deadline: Varies by location

Details: The Posse Scholars Program is a full-tuition scholarship offered to students in these 10 cities that the Posse community operates. High school students must be nominated for through their high school or community-based organization to be eligible. 

To be eligible, a high school senior must:

1. Be nominated by their high school or a community-based organization
2. Be in the first term of their senior year in high school
3. Demonstrate leadership within their high school, community, or family
4. Demonstrate academic potential
5. Apply on time; depending on the Posse city, nominations are accepted in the spring and summer before senior year begins (contact your local Posse office for specific deadlines)