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Top 64 Writing & Essay Scholarships in April 2024

Will Geiger is the co-founder of Scholarships360 and has a decade of experience in college admissions and financial aid. He is a former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at Kenyon College where he personally reviewed 10,000 admissions applications and essays. Will also managed the Kenyon College merit scholarship program and served on the financial aid appeals committee. He has also worked as an Associate Director of College Counseling at a high school in New Haven, Connecticut. Will earned his master’s in education from the University of Pennsylvania and received his undergraduate degree in history from Wake Forest University.

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Writing is an extremely important part of success in high school, college, and life in general. For some students, writing is also an intricate part of who they are and how they express themselves. If you are someone who loves English class and is genuinely excited about a new creative writing assignment, then you should keep reading! Writing scholarships, creative writing scholarships, and essay scholarships are great ways to put your talent to use.

Whether you are planning on attending community college, a four-year program, or graduate school, we’ve got opportunities for you. Keep on reading to learn about the top scholarships for writers and creative writers including eligibility, award amounts, and deadlines!

Why choose Scholarships360

We helped over 4 million students find scholarships in 2023

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The Scholarships360 Research Team reviews all scholarships individually and strives to exclude any scholarship where any of the below applies:

• The scholarship requires a fee to apply
• The scholarship provider’s privacy policy allows for the misuse of student data
• The scholarship requires paid membership in an organization (with certain exceptions for reputable trade organizations and others)
• Student are required to sign up for a site or service to apply*
• The scholarship seems primarily used for lead generation** or idea harvesting purposes***
• The scholarship website has many grammatical errors and/or advertisements
• The scholarship or scholarship providing organization seem untrustworthy
• There is no evidence the scholarship was previously awarded
• The scholarship has not been awarded in the past 12 months
• There is no available contact information

If you believe a scholarship has been published in error, please reach out to [email protected] and we’ll take a look!

* There are certain exceptions to this, for example if the sponsoring organization is a major corporation or nonprofit with its own scholarship application system. ** Lead generation scholarships will require students to sign up for an app or website and require minimal (if any) application requirements. ***Idea harvesting scholarships will require students to submit blog posts or other materials that companies may use for marketing purposes.

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RECENT SCHOLARSHIPS360 WINNERS

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Morgan Breitschuh

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$10,000 “No Essay” Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by Scholarships360

The Scholarships360 $10,000 “No Essay” Scholarship is open to all students who want some extra help paying for their education. Whether you are a high… Show More

The Scholarships360 $10,000 “No Essay” Scholarship is open to all students who want some extra help paying for their education. Whether you are a high school student who hopes to go to college, a graduate student who’s in a master’s program, or an adult learner who wants to return to school, you are eligible for our no essay scholarship. This scholarship will be awarded to students who get the most out of Scholarships360 scholarships and content. You will be a strong applicant if you apply to scholarships with the Scholarships360 platform. Finalists for this scholarship will be interviewed about their process for funding their education. Show Less

$2,000 Sallie Mae Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by Sallie Mae

Sallie Mae will award $2,000 each month to eligible entrants. No essay or account sign-ups, just a simple scholarship for those seeking help paying for…

Sallie Mae will award $2,000 each month to eligible entrants. No essay or account sign-ups, just a simple scholarship for those seeking help paying for school.

“Mom to Scholar” Scholarship for Mothers This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by Maria Geiger

The “Mom to Scholar'' Scholarship for Mothers is open to mothers who want to begin or resume their journey towards earning a technical or college… Show More

The “Mom to Scholar'' Scholarship for Mothers is open to mothers who want to begin or resume their journey towards earning a technical or college degree. This scholarship is funded by Scholarships360’s own Maria Geiger, who started her journey toward a B.A. at the same time that her oldest son Will started college. Maria knows firsthand how challenging it is to raise a family, have a job outside the home, and attend college, but would not change the way she did things for the world. Mothers who have a desire to earn their college degree bring unique perspectives that greatly enhance their learning experiences; for some, motherhood is a vocation that enlightens like no other. If you are a mother over the age of 35 who feels that the time is right to begin your academic or career journey, please apply! Please note that applicants will be reviewed based on both the quality of their essay and quantity of scholarships applied for on the Scholarships360 platform. Scholarships360 users who are more active on the platform will be given higher consideration. We look forward to reading your application! Show Less

Niche $25,000 “No Essay” Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by Niche

Easy scholarship open to all high school and college students, as well as anyone looking to attend college or graduate school in the next year!

“Gutsy Graduate Student” Essay Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Ok, so first question–why is this scholarship named the “Gutsy” Graduate Student Essay Scholarship? If you are enrolled in graduate school (during the 2024-25 academic… Show More

Ok, so first question–why is this scholarship named the “Gutsy” Graduate Student Essay Scholarship? If you are enrolled in graduate school (during the 2024-25 academic year) or have heard stories from those enrolled, you already know! “Gutsy” means courageous and determined, which nearly all successful graduate students are. Why else would one continue on with rigorous academics while often living on a shoestring? The rewards of graduate school are numerous, especially the more focused and advanced level of specialized study in your chosen field. Learning with like-minded people who share your passion is fulfilling, and the networking is awesome. The flipside of graduate school is the costly student loans to fund it. With this in mind, the "Gutsy" Graduate Student Essay Scholarship aims to help out a passionate graduate student who is actively looking for ways to fund their higher education journey. Please note that applicants will be reviewed based on both the quality of their essay and quantity of scholarships applied for on the Scholarships360 platform. Scholarships360 users who are more active on the platform will be given higher consideration. Good luck on your educational journey, and we hope to read your application!  Show Less

$25k “Be Bold” No-Essay Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by Bold.org

Open to high school students, college students, community college students, and graduate students.

“College Here I Come” Essay Scholarship for High School Seniors This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

The "College Here I Come" Scholarship for Class of 2024 is open to just who you think: high school seniors graduating in the class of… Show More

The "College Here I Come" Scholarship for Class of 2024 is open to just who you think: high school seniors graduating in the class of 2024! Here at Scholarships360, scholarships are our passion–we know that you can never have enough of them! After all, scholarships are essentially “free money” to help fund your education. We want to help out a lucky high school senior who is just starting out on their higher education journey and actively looking for ways to fund it. Please note that applicants will be reviewed based on both the quality of their essay and quantity of scholarships applied for on the Scholarships360 platform. Scholarships360 users who are more active on the platform will be given higher consideration. We hope that you apply and look forward to reading your application! Show Less

“Making Waves” Scholarship for Women This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Are you a woman in high school, college, or graduate school enrolled during the 2024-25 academic year? If so, let us help you! Our $500… Show More

Are you a woman in high school, college, or graduate school enrolled during the 2024-25 academic year? If so, let us help you! Our $500 “Making Waves” Scholarship for Women aims to help women cover the costs of pursuing their dreams. Whether that dream is starting a business, learning a foreign language, or attending college on the path to fulfilling your dream, the scholarship will cover those costs and make your journey a little easier. No matter your goals, we want to help out a woman who is passionate about their higher education journey and actively looking for ways to fund it. In order to apply, simply write an essay about how the $500 “Making Waves” Scholarship for Women will help you fulfill your dreams. Please note that applicants will be reviewed based on both the quality of their essay and quantity of scholarships applied for on the Scholarships360 platform. Scholarships360 users who are more active on the platform will be given higher consideration. We encourage you to apply and look forward to reading your essay. Good luck! Show Less

$10,000 CollegeXpress Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by CollegeXpress

Annual $10k scholarship from CollegeXpress open to all high school freshmen, sophomores, and juniors.

“Tuition Solution” Scholarship for STEM Students This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Do you like figuring out solutions to difficult problems? Well, if you’re a current or aspiring STEM major, we have one for you! Our $500… Show More

Do you like figuring out solutions to difficult problems? Well, if you’re a current or aspiring STEM major, we have one for you! Our $500 “Tuition Solution” Scholarship is meant for high school juniors and seniors (graduating class of 2024 or 2025), as well as undergraduate and graduate students enrolled during the 2023-24 academic year who are looking for ways to fund their postsecondary education in STEM. In order to apply, you must write an essay about how your passion for STEM started and how the scholarship will help you fulfill your dreams. No matter which STEM field ignites your interest, we look forward to reading your essays. Please note that applicants will be reviewed based on both the quality of their essay and quantity of scholarships applied for on the Scholarships360 platform. Scholarships360 users who are more active on the platform will be given higher consideration. Apply today - it’s time to cell-e-brate you! Show Less

“A Helping Hand” Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

At Scholarships360, we know how hard it can be to pay off the hefty costs of a college tuition. Oftentimes, this is even more difficult… Show More

At Scholarships360, we know how hard it can be to pay off the hefty costs of a college tuition. Oftentimes, this is even more difficult for students coming from low-income backgrounds or for those who demonstrate financial need. This is where our “A Helping Hand” Scholarship comes in! We're offering a $500 scholarship to help out a low-income student who is passionate about their higher education journey and is actively looking for ways to fund it. This award is open to high school juniors and seniors (graduating class of 2024 and 2025), as well as undergraduate and graduate students enrolled during the 2024-25 academic year. In order to apply, students should submit an essay detailing how winning the scholarship would help you fulfill your dreams. Please note that applicants will be reviewed based on both the quality of their essay and quantity of scholarships applied for on the Scholarships360 platform. Scholarships360 users who are more active on the platform will be given higher consideration. We look forward to reading your application! Show Less

$1,000 Appily Easy College Money Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by Appily

This easy scholarship from Appily is open to U.S. high school students (Class of 2025, 2026, 2027) and college transfer students. One scholarship will be… Show More

This easy scholarship from Appily is open to U.S. high school students (Class of 2025, 2026, 2027) and college transfer students. One scholarship will be awarded each month. Show Less

“Follow Your Own Path” Essay Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

At Scholarships360, our mission is to help students find and fund their postsecondary education. We know that students have a variety of educational and career… Show More

At Scholarships360, our mission is to help students find and fund their postsecondary education. We know that students have a variety of educational and career interests and aspirations. That is why we are offering the “Follow Your Own Path” Essay Scholarship. This scholarship aims to support all current postsecondary students, regardless of the type of education they are pursuing. Thus, no matter your own unique educational path, we hope you apply for this $500 scholarship. In order to apply for the “Follow Your Own Path” Essay Scholarship, students must submit an essay about their career ambitions. Please note that applicants will be reviewed based on both the quality of their essay and quantity of scholarships applied for on the Scholarships360 platform. Scholarships360 users who are more active on the platform will be given higher consideration. We look forward to reading your application! Show Less

“Commencing at Community College” Essay Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Community college, also known as two-year college, is a golden opportunity for the right student. These schools offer an affordable education to a diverse range… Show More

Community college, also known as two-year college, is a golden opportunity for the right student. These schools offer an affordable education to a diverse range of students in a wide range of majors. If starting your postsecondary education at a community college is right for you, we have a scholarship just for you! The “Commencing at Community College” Essay Scholarship aims to financially support community college students who are passionate about their higher education journeys and actively looking for ways to fund it. In order to apply for the “Commencing at Community College” Essay Scholarship, students must submit an essay explaining how earning their degree at community college will help them achieve their educational and career goals. Please note that applicants will be reviewed based on both the quality of their essay and quantity of scholarships applied for on the Scholarships360 platform. Scholarships360 users who are more active on the platform will be given higher consideration. We look forward to reading your application!  Show Less

$5,000 Christian Connector Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by Christian Connector

Students applying to the $5,000 Christian Connector Scholarship must be current high school students (Class of 2025, 2026, or 2027) interested in attending a Christian…

Students applying to the $5,000 Christian Connector Scholarship must be current high school students (Class of 2025, 2026, or 2027) interested in attending a Christian university or college.

“Outstanding Undergraduate” Essay Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

The U.S. is home to over 2,000 four-year universities offering bachelor’s degrees. However, attending such universities can sometimes come with hefty costs that can deter… Show More

The U.S. is home to over 2,000 four-year universities offering bachelor’s degrees. However, attending such universities can sometimes come with hefty costs that can deter students from attending. If you’re in a situation similar to this, we may just have the perfect scholarship opportunity for you: the “Outstanding Undergraduate” Essay Scholarship! With this scholarship, we aim to help out a lucky undergraduate student (enrolled during the 2024-25 academic year) who is passionate about their higher education journey and actively looking for ways to fund it. The scholarship is open to any U.S. citizen who is enrolled as an undergraduate at a four-year university in the U.S. during the 2023-24 academic year. In order to apply, submit an essay explaining how earning your bachelor’s degree will help you achieve your educational and career goals. Please note that applicants will be reviewed based on both the quality of their essay and quantity of scholarships applied for on the Scholarships360 platform. Scholarships360 users who are more active on the platform will be given higher consideration. We look forward to reading your application! Show Less

Ocean Awareness Art Contest

Offered by Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programs

Are you an 11 - 18 year old who has a passion for saving the environment and/or the ocean? Additionally, would you like to make… Show More

Are you an 11 - 18 year old who has a passion for saving the environment and/or the ocean? Additionally, would you like to make a statement about the impact of climate change through writing, artwork, or even dance? You might consider applying for the Ocean Awareness Art Contest! Dedicated to encouraging the next generation to get involved in ocean conservation (and environmentalism as a whole), the contest asks its applicants to create a piece of artwork that reflects an impact/aspect of the current environmental crisis and its effect on the ocean. Each year has a specific theme to focus on, with this year being climate change. If you would like to make a statement about climate change’s impact on the ocean through art, we encourage you to apply! Show Less

$2,000 No Essay CollegeVine Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by CollegeVine

Easy scholarship open to current high school students and college applicants. A free CollegeVine account with a completed chancing profile required to enter.

Ayn Rand Institute Novel Essay Contest (Atlas Shrugged) This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by Ayn Rand Institute

Are you a high school, undergraduate, or graduate student with a passion for reading, writing, and Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand? If so, we may… Show More

Are you a high school, undergraduate, or graduate student with a passion for reading, writing, and Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand? If so, we may just have the perfect opportunity for you: the Ayn Rand Institute Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest! Each year, the contest asks its applicants to write an 800 - 1,600 word essay in which they analyze and make an argument about an aspect or plot point of the novel Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. Nine prizes of varying amounts are awarded each year, with a grand prize of $25,000! If you’re familiar with Atlas Shrugged, can make a convincing argument, and want to make some cash, we encourage you to apply! Show Less

Minecraft Scholarship

Offered by Apex Hosting

Are you a high school or college student with a love for Minecraft? If so, we may just have the perfect opportunity for you: the… Show More

Are you a high school or college student with a love for Minecraft? If so, we may just have the perfect opportunity for you: the Minecraft Scholarship! Each year, the scholarship offers $2,000 to one applicant who best writes about how Minecraft can positively influence one’s education and career development. The scholarship is offered by Apex Hosting, a Minecraft server provider dedicated to supporting both new and experienced server administrators. If you’re a high schooler or college student with a love for Minecraft, it’s time to put your passion to good use and apply to the Minecraft Scholarship! Show Less

Top 10 essay scholarships in 2024

Our editors hand-picked the following 10 essay scholarships with an eye for large awards, prestigious organizations, and scholarships that are open to a wide variety of students. Apply with confidence to the following essay scholarships:

• Jack Kent Cooke College Scholarship – For high school seniors with financial need, worth up to $55,000 per year
• Questbridge College Match – For high school seniors with financial need, offers a full ride to college
• The Gates Scholarship – For low-income minority high school seniors, offers a full ride to college
• Tylenol Future Care Scholarship – For students enrolling in medical, nursing, or pharmacy school, worth $5,000-$10,000
• Regeneron Science Talent Search – For high school seniors interested in pursuing an individual STEM research project. Worth anywhere between $2,000 and $250,000
• Blacks at Microsoft Scholarship – For high school seniors pursuing a bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science, computer information systems, or a business field. Worth up to $20,000
• Horatio Alger Undergraduate Scholarships – For high school students with high financial need, worth up to $49,000
• Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship – For high school seniors with high financial need who plan to study computer science in college. Worth $10,000 per year
• Ron Brown Scholarship – For Black high school seniors who plan to study global entrepreneurship and/or community engagement. Worth $10,000 per year
• Dream.US Opportunity Scholarship – For undocumented high school seniors and college freshmen with high financial need living in a state where public colleges do not offer in-state tuition to undocumented students. Worth $20,000 per year

Creative writing scholarships

Are you a writer who loves fiction, poetry, and screenplays? If so, you can put those talents to use by applying for creative writing scholarships.

Creative writing scholarships are a subset of writing scholarships that support students who enjoy writing poetry, fictional stories, plays, and generally using their imagination to guide their writing.

Here are the top creative writing college scholarships that you can apply for:

HelpTeaching.com Scholarship

• Eligibility: High school and college students who submit a educational short story or informational article (400-800 words) for young students
• Amount : $1,000
• Deadline: June 1st of every year

Cancer Unwrapped Teen Writing Contest

• Eligibility: Teens aged 9-12 who write about their own cancer journey or a family member in a maximum of 1,500 words.
• Deadline: Late March

YouthPLAYS New Voices One-Act Competition for Young Playwrights

• Eligibility: Students 19 years old or younger who submit an original one-act play between 10-40 minutes in length (10-page minimum). Multiple winners may receive up to $250 and publication by YouthPLAYS.
• Amount: $250 and publication by YouthPLAYS
• Deadline: Early May

National High School Poetry Contest

•   Eligibility:  U.S. high school students who submit a poem 20 lines or less that is unpublished, the sole work of the entrant, and not entered in any other concurrent contest.
• Amount: Up to $500.
• Deadline:  Rolling

The Narrative Prize

• Eligibility: Students who submit a short story, novel excerpt, poem, one-act play, graphic story, or work of literary nonfiction.
• Amount: $4,000
• Deadline:  Mid-June

Also see:  Top writing summer programs for high school students

College-specific creative writing scholarships

Some colleges and universities may also offer specific scholarships and financial aid to students with a talent in creative writing! Check with the colleges on your list for these college-specific creative writing opportunities!

Note that some of these scholarships may have requirements for winning students that stipulate that they take a certain number of creative writing classes when enrolled in the college.

Kenyon Writing Award

High school seniors can apply for this scholarship program at Kenyon College which offers up to $15,000 per year of merit based aid. It is based off of your portfolio and does not take into account financial need, high school GPA , or other factors. Submissions typically have to be in by January of your senior year.

Related:  How to answer scholarship essay questions about your career goals

Barbara Caras Memorial Scholarship for Film Students

The scholarship is open to students in Sarasota or Manatee County, Florida who have completed at least one full year at an accredited Florida College and are majoring in Film, Computer Animation, Creative Writing, Motion Design, or Illustration. Five recipients will earn a $2,000 award. The application deadline is July 31st of the current year.

Lycoming College Creative Writing Scholarship

The scholarship is open to students majoring in Creative Writing at Lycoming College, Williamsport, PA and must submit five poems and/or a short story not to exceed ten pages. Six recipients will be selected and can earn up to $3,000. The scholarship deadline for the Fall 2023 Class is March 1, 2023.  

Arkansas Tech University Gwaltney Scholarship

The scholarship is open to ATU students who submit individual works of fiction to the Department of English. Recipients earn a one-time cash award every year. The deadline to submit your entry is 2 weeks before the end of the spring semester.

Lake Forest College Carnegie English Essay Contest

The contest is open to first-year students of Lake Forest College who plan to study English either through the literature or creative writing track and submit an essay, between 500 and 1,000 words answering a designated prompt. Four winners will be awarded $2,500 annually. Submission deadline is March 1, 2023.

Austin Peay State University Creative Writing Scholarships

The scholarships are open to undergraduate and incoming APSU students who email a 10-20 page manuscript of fiction, poetry, or creative non-fiction, to Lakota Withrow at [email protected] . Awards are for $600 or $1,200. The deadline to apply is March 18th.

Scholarship essay resources

When it comes to writing and essay scholarships, your writing skills will be put to the test. You’ll have to adapt your writing to specific styles in order to effectively and succinctly communicate your ambitions and potential. We have a host of resources to help you perform well in this arena and stand out from the crowd.

• How to start your scholarship essay (with examples)
• How to write a “why do you deserve this scholarship?” essay
• What’s the best scholarship essay format?
• How to write a 250 word essay
• How to write a 500 word essay
• How to write an essay about yourself

Frequently asked questions about writing scholarships

Do i have to major in english to earn a writing or essay scholarship, where can i get help proofreading my scholarship essays, how much should i write if there is no word limit on the application, explore these other scholarship categories:.

• Scholarships for English majors
• Easy scholarships
• Top scholarships for high school seniors
• Top creative writing scholarships
• Top scholarships for journalism students
• Top short story scholarships

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Best Writing Scholarships in 2024

Showing 159 scholarships that match your search.

Immerse Education

The Immerse Education Essay Competition provides the opportunity for students aged 13-18 to submit essay responses to a pre-set question relating to their chosen subject. 10 winners will receive a 100% scholarship, with runner-up prizes also awarded. 100% Scholarship Award For Cambridge, Oxford, Sydney & London Summer School Essay Competition.

Categories: Critical Essay

Organization: Immerse Education.

Deadline: January 04, 2025.

Additional awards: Runner-ups: 50% of scholarship.

Categories: Critical Essay.

Apply now →

Creative Writing Award

The winner will be offered the opportunity to occupy during her or his first academic year the residence room where J. D. Salinger lived; and Leadership standing in the Ursinus writing community. The winner will be expected to join the previous award winners in reading subsequent creative portfolios, and will help the Office of Admission in selecting the next winner. Award winners are also expected to be prominent members of Ursinus’ Literary Society, The Lantern, and the creative writing community.

Categories: Critical Essay, Journalism, Nonfiction, Novel Writing, Personal Essay, Playwriting, Poetry, Portfolio, Research, Screenwriting, and Short Fiction

Organization: Ursinus College.

Deadline: January 15, 2025.

Categories: Critical Essay, Journalism, Nonfiction, Novel Writing, Personal Essay, Playwriting, Poetry, Portfolio, Research, Screenwriting, and Short Fiction.

The Sub Pop Loser Scholarship

Sub Pop Records is extremely proud to offer a grand total of $15,000 in college scholarship money to three eligible high school seniors. To apply you must submit a one-page essay using any combination of our questions as a guide (or write something completely your own, be inspired and creative!). Applicants must be residents of Washington or Oregon in pursuit of higher education.

Categories: Personal Essay

Organization: Sub Pop Records.

Deadline: March 23, 2025.

Additional awards: Second place scholarship of $5,000, third place scholarship of $3,000.

Categories: Personal Essay.

Islamic Scholarship Fund Program

Students who are Muslim or active members of the Muslim community may apply for the Islamic Scholarship Fund. The ISF awards multiple scholarships each year ranging from $3,000-$10,000, though the amounts and number of recipients will vary. Students must submit applications including essay questions, work samples, and letters of recommendation, and must also be majoring in an ISF-supported field related to media or politics.

Organization: Islamic Scholarship Fund.

Deadline: March 21, 2025.

Additional awards: Multiple awards of varying amounts will be given.

BBB Torch Talk Scholarship

BBB Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to educating consumers on a variety of marketplace issues; this scholarship is in pursuit of that goal. Applicants must attend high school in Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington or Western Wyoming, and will submit a 500-word essay for BBB’s online magazine Torch Talk on one of the given topics.

Organization: Better Business Bureau.

Deadline: March 16, 2025.

Flag House Scholarship Award

Do you know of an unsung history-maker in your community? Is there an organization in your community working to keep the legacy of a historically significant, but often overlooked, individual alive and relevant? Identify a person living or from the past whose professional work, activism, or personal story has made a significant impact on you or your community. Describe why their story is unique and explain how they have changed history. Response should be limited to 350 words.

Categories: Research and Critical Essay

Organization: The Star-Spangled Banner Flag House.

Deadline: March 26, 2025.

Categories: Research and Critical Essay.

Unpublished Writer's Award

The winner of this award receives $1,000, an invitation to accept the award at our annual awards ceremony, promotion on our website, and a feature of their work in our Magajournal and quarterly newsletter. Applicant must email an original, unpublished fiction work (short story or novel excerpt) not to exceed 2,000 typed words on double-spaced pages

Categories: Short Fiction and Novel Writing

Organization: Go On Girl! Book Club.

Deadline: March 31, 2025.

Additional awards: Invitation to awards ceremony, promotion through website and publications.

Categories: Short Fiction and Novel Writing.

Marguerite Young Endowment Fund

The Marguerite Young Endowment Fund was established at The Pittsburgh Foundation to provide scholarships for students who plan to study theology. Candidates must be attending a Protestant seminary as a master of Divinity candidate, preparing for full-time ministry and/or be a seminary intern at a Protestant Church. Application must includes proof of this, as well as a personal essay.

Organization: The Pittsburgh Foundation.

Incight Scholarship

The INCIGHT scholarship is open to students in Washington, Oregon, and California who have a documented disability. Applicants must complete two detailed essay responses (video essays also welcome) in order to be eligible. The number of awards and total amount awarded will be determined during the selection process, and winners will be notified in June.

Organization: INCIGHT.

Deadline: April 01, 2025.

Christine B. Dexter Scholarship

The Christine B. Dexter Scholarship was established in honor of Christine B. Dexter after her passing from stomach cancer in 2008. This scholarship awards undergrad students a $2,000 scholarship towards their fall tuition. All recipients demonstrate a history of community service and resilience through their cancer journey.

Organization: Christine B. Foundation.

The AAF-Greater Evansville Scholarship

The AAF-Greater Evansville awards scholarships to deserving high school and/or college students yearly in April. To be eligible, students must plan to pursue a career in advertising, marketing, public relations or graphic design. Application varies yearly but includes various education details and personal statements.

Categories: Journalism

Organization: American Advertising Federation of Greater Evansville.

Categories: Journalism.

Aspiring Literary Scholar Award

The winner of this award receives $1,000, an invitation to accept the award at our annual awards ceremony, promotion on our website, and a feature of their work in our Magajournal and quarterly newsletter. Candidate must submit an essay not to exceed 800 words on the topic "The Power of The Written Word."

Dr. Jerry Pournelle Scholarship

The Dr. Jerry Pournelle Scholarship may be awarded to a candidate of any gender majoring in engineering, math, biological or physical sciences, or “science fiction as literature” as an eligible field of study. Applicants must submit a 500-1,000 word essay on one of several scientific topics.

Categories: Research, Personal Essay, and Critical Essay

Organization: The Heinlein Society.

Categories: Research, Personal Essay, and Critical Essay.

Dr. Yoji Kondo Scholarship

The Dr. Yoji Kondo Scholarship may be awarded to a candidate of any gender majoring in engineering, math, biological or physical sciences, or “science fiction as literature” as an eligible field of study. Applicants must submit a 500-1,000 word essay on one of several scientific topics.

Jack & Julie Narcolepsy Scholarship

Project Sleep’s Jack & Julie Narcolepsy Scholarship is a national scholarship program to support students with narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia. Students must complete an application form that includes a response to the esssay question: "If you could go back in time and speak to yourself on the day you were diagnosed, what would you say? Write a letter to yourself on that day."

Organization: Project Sleep.

What are writing scholarships?

Writing scholarships are financial awards given to students based primarily on written work, though other factors are usually taken into consideration as well. Most writing scholarships involve a prompt or series of prompts to which applicants must respond. Some writing scholarships — especially those that award large amounts of money — require applicants to submit past writing samples, or even a full portfolio.

The good news is that, with so many writing scholarships to choose from, you don’t have to apply for any that are “out of your league.” Indeed, though most students have heard of writing scholarships, you may not realize just how many different varieties there are! Here are five of the most common types of writing scholarships, all of which you can find in this directory.

1. Personal essay scholarships

Personal essay scholarships involve writing on a topic related to your own experience. You’ll often see personal essay prompts like, “How have your experiences influenced your choice of major?” and “What are your career aspirations and how do you plan to achieve them?” Other prompts may ask you to write about a role model, a life-changing event, an aspect of your identity, etc. Suggested length is usually about 500-1,000 words, but varies depending on the level of detail requested and how many essay questions are provided.

Just about every scholarship these days has a personal essay component of some kind. This is because personal essay responses both demonstrate writing skills and give the judges a clear sense of each applicant’s goals. No one wants to throw away money on an aimless student — so if you’re applying for a personal essay scholarship, make sure to convey both your writing abilities and your ambitions in your work!

2. Critical essay scholarships

Critical essay scholarships are more in line with what students might consider  “academic” essays. The prompts typically ask applicants to analyze works of literature. However, unlike open-ended English class essays, most critical essay scholarships provide a very specific prompt (e.g. “Examine The Great Gatsby in the context of its World War II-era revival”).

Critical essay scholarships can also involve non-literary subject matter. Some may ask applicants to evaluate a historical event or figure; others may ask them to defend their stance on a political or legal issue. Though the line between critical and personal essays can sometimes blur, for the purposes of this directory, we define critical essays as those that use evidence from an external source to prove a point.

3. Short fiction scholarships

Short fiction scholarships include scholarships for short stories, one-act plays, poetry, and any other form of fiction that isn’t a novel or full-length script. Short fiction scholarships tend to be easier to find than long-form fiction scholarships, since most judging panels don’t have time to read more than a few thousand words per entry. Therefore, if you write fiction and you’re hoping to nab yourself a scholarship, this category is the way to go! (That said, if you’re a hardline novelist, some places will accept a sample chapter or two as short fiction entries.)

4. Journalism scholarships

Journalism scholarships are for students interested in pursuing a career in news, magazine, and/or online journalism. These scholarship applications almost always ask for writing samples to show the candidate’s interest. Depending on the organization, they may prefer topical news reports, informative articles, thinkpieces, or a mix. Some journalism scholarships provide a prompt and ask applicants to write a new article, but the focus is usually on samples. Speaking of which…

5. Portfolio scholarships 

Portfolio scholarships are the most rigorous kind of writing scholarship, requiring a substantial body of work from each applicant — usually 5-10 pieces of writing, if not more. The upside is that awards for portfolio scholarships tend to be pretty sizable, and may even cover your entire tuition!

If you decide to apply to a portfolio scholarship, make sure you have several strong pieces of work in your oeuvre, and consider writing a few new pieces as well. What you shouldn’t do is rush through a dozen new pieces to throw together as a portfolio. If you don’t have samples at the ready from previous assignments or projects, you’ll be better off applying to a less intensive writing scholarship.

Why apply to writing scholarships?

Applying to writing scholarships is a huge undertaking, especially if you’re pursuing multiple scholarships at once. It can sometimes feel like the effort isn’t worth it, or that you have little chance of actually winning any awards. But in truth, submitting to writing scholarships is one of the best investments you can make in your education, your creative writing skills, and your professional life.

Scholarships for larger amounts do attract more applicants, but that doesn’t mean they’re impossible to land — only that you have to work a little harder to stand out. And you can definitely sway the odds in your favor by applying to lots of small scholarships ($500 or less) for which you’ll have fewer competitors. Remember that every little bit helps! For example, if you plan on taking out student loans, even a $500 scholarship could save you much more in interest down the line.

Another compelling reason to apply to writing scholarships is that oftentimes, you’ve already done the work, or the work required is minimal. For scholarships that require writing samples, you’ll simply submit what you’ve already written in the past — and even for scholarships with specific prompts, you rarely have to write more than a couple of pages. If you were seriously committed, you could apply to a scholarship every day, spending a single concentrated evening on each application.

Jumping off that thought, as English majors love to say: the more writing scholarships you apply for, the better a writer you’ll become. Writing tons of scholarship essays will make you a much more creative and efficient writer. Not only will this help with your personal writing projects, but it will also be invaluable to your education and even your career! Writing is a crucial skill for every major — you’ll always have to write papers and emails to professors, after all — and even if you don’t plan to pursue a writing-based job, you'll still need writing skills to polish your résumé.

Finally, remember that there’s a writing scholarship out there for everyone, no matter what your interests or intended field. This directory includes plenty of creative writing scholarships, yes; but there are also personal essay scholarships for future doctors, lawyers, salespeople, and so much more. You have nothing to lose by giving it a shot, so why not start searching for your dream writing scholarship today? (And if you’re unsure about your writing skills, you might benefit from some of the resources below.)

Resources to strengthen your writing skills

• 20 Writing Tips to Help You Become A Better Writer Today
• How to Stop Procrastinating and Build A Solid Writing Routine
• What is Creative Nonfiction? Memoirs, Literary Journalism, and More!
• How to Write a Memoir: Tell Your Amazing Story in 9 Steps
• How to Write a Fantastic Short Story In 7 Steps
• How to Self-Edit Your Manuscript Like a Pro
• 700+ Creative Writing Prompts to Inspire You
• 100+ Creative Writing Exercises for Authors

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Best Essay Scholarships to Apply for in 2024

Overcoming Adversity Cariño Scholarship

Eligibility criteria:.

• State : Washington
• Education Level : High school student
• Ethnicity : Latinx

Sloane Stephens Doc & Glo Scholarship

• Education Level : Must be a current high school senior or undergraduate student
• Schooling : Either studying healthcare or attending an HBCU
• GPA : 2.5 or higher

Ryan T. Herich Memorial Scholarship

• Field of Study : Political science, cultural anthropology, geography, or history
• Education Level : High school senior or 2 or 4-year undergraduate

Ethel Hayes Destigmatization of Mental Health Scholarship

Trees for Tuition Scholarship Fund

• Education Level : High school senior or undergraduate
• State : Georgia (Atlanta preferred)

Concrete Rose Scholarship Award

• Gender : Women
• Race/Ethnicity : BIPOC
• Education Level : High school senior or Undergraduate

Jennifer Gephart Memorial Working Mothers Scholarship

• Background : Mother

Anthony McPherson Memorial Automotive Scholarship

• Field of Interest : Automotive
• Education Level : High school or undergraduate student

Russell Koci Skilled Trade Scholarship

• Education Level : Trade school student or high school seniors interested in trade schools

TEAM ROX Scholarship

• Education Level : Undergraduate student
• GPA : 3.0 or higher
• Background : Volunteering experience

Rebecca Hunter Memorial Scholarship

• Education Level : Any
• Parental Status : Single parent

God Hearted Girls Scholarship

• Education Level : High school senior
• Gender : Female
• Religion : Christianity

Dimon A. Williams Memorial Scholarship

• Family : Single-parent household

Women in Healthcare Scholarship

• Education Level : High school senior, undergraduate, or graduate student
• Citizenship Status : U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident
• Gender : Female-identifying
• Field of Study : Healthcare

Rainbow Futures Scholarship

• Education Level : High school senior or undergraduate student
• Identity : LGBTQ+
• Background : Financial need

Joseph A. Monachino Memorial Scholarship

• Financial Status : Financial need
• State : Nevada

Frank and Patty Skerl Educational Scholarship for the Physically Disabled

• Background : Has a physical disability

Ventana Ocean Conservation Scholarship

• Education Level : High school senior, undergraduate, or graduate
• Major : Ocean conservation, marine science, environmental science, marine biology, etc.

Dr. Edward V. Chavez Athletic Memorial Scholarship

• Background : Has lost one or both parents
• Passion : Sports

Tam and Betsy Vannoy Memorial Scholarship

• State : West Virginia
• Education Level : High school senior, undergraduate, post- secondary trade school

Frederick J. Salone Memorial Basketball Scholarship

• Background : Plays basketball

Lemon-Aid Scholarship

• Financial Status : Low-income

Patriots Path Scholarship

• Involvement : ROTC or JROTC

Walking In Authority International Ministry Scholarship

• Experience : Volunteering

Skylar's Hope Scholarship

• Education Level : High school senior, undergraduate, or trade school student
• Desired Career : First responder (firefighter, police, EMT, etc.)

Jeannine Schroeder Women in Public Service Memorial Scholarship

• Education Level : Undergraduate
• Gender : Woman
• Experience : Volunteering or non-profit
• Major : STEAM or Public Service

M.R. Brooks Scholarship

• Family : Single parent or the child of a single parent

Pearlie M. Westbrooks Memorial Scholarship

• State : Mississippi
• Background : Community service involvement

Brinley Heckermann Empowering Spirit Scholarship

• Background : Cheerleader and/or stunt-athlete

Jean Ramirez Scholarship

• Education : High school, undergraduate, or graduate
• Background : Immediate family of suicide victim

About essay scholarships 

Essay-based scholarships are the most common and traditional form of scholarships available to students pursuing higher education. Though essay scholarships may seem intimidating at first glance, this type of scholarship can be invaluable to students looking to earn money through scholarships. 

An essay scholarship is a financial aid opportunity that requires students to write a short statement in order to apply. No-essay scholarships, on the other hand, do not require written statements as part of the application process. 

Students tend to gravitate towards no-essay scholarships, as they are easier to apply to in regards to both time and effort. While no-essay scholarships are a great resource as well, students should consider applying to a mix of both no-essay and essay scholarships to have the best chances of winning. 

Since fewer students take the time to apply for essay scholarships, there is less competition for them. This means that students that do apply for essay scholarships will often have higher chances of winning money than students who exclusively apply for no-essay scholarships.

Though no-essay scholarships can save time in the application process, they typically attract a large number of applicants. Both college students and high school students will usually face more competition with this type of scholarship. 

In many cases, it isn’t as difficult to apply for essay scholarships as college students imagine. The written statement is often quite short and usually hovers around 400-600 words. That’s around a page of writing or even a little less. There are even many opportunities that require even shorter essays, such as 100-300 words!

If that still sounds daunting, remember that essay scholarships will provide a prompt to write on. Most scholarships will focus on a certain aspect of a student’s life. For example, a mental health awareness scholarship might ask students to write about their personal struggles with mental health and how they have overcome those challenges in pursuit of a better education. 

Similarly, major-based scholarships, like STEM or arts scholarships, often ask students to write about why they chose to study that particular field. Typically, no additional research needs to be done to write the essay portion of the application. In nearly all cases, donors simply want to hear about who the applicant is. 

To write the essay scholarship, students only need to draw on their personal experiences or life goals to show the donor who they are as a person. High school students might focus more on their goals for the future, while undergraduate and graduate students might talk about their current studies. 

Whatever the case, both high school students, as well as undergraduate and graduate students, should focus on showcasing their talents, goals, and personality in the essay. The more detailed and unique an essay is, the easier it is for the donor to feel a connection with you, making your application stand out from the competition.

Essay scholarships are available to students of all ages and all grade levels. College students and high school students alike can apply for essay scholarships. As long as the scholarship allows applicants of your grade level, you can apply.

Though some essay scholarship prompts may seem better suited towards one age group than another, students should still apply as long as they are eligible. For example, a scholarship that asks applicants to write about their major and why they chose it might seem easier to answer as a college student. 

However, if high school students are eligible, they can likely answer the prompt by writing about their intended major. Both high school students and college students should be able to write most scholarship essays.

The purpose of the essay scholarship is to allow the donor to get a better view of the applicant, so make sure to add personality and detail to your essays. You can also check out  this guide  on writing scholarship essays for exclusive tips!

Best essay scholarships

 The majority of scholarships available are essay-based, so there are plenty of opportunities to choose from. Each scholarship has its own benefits, so it's important to apply for a variety of scholarship opportunities. The highest-value scholarships can be the most helpful when paying your tuition, but they often receive the most competition as a result. To have the best chances of winning, consider smaller scholarships with fewer eligible applicants.

Essay scholarships for high school students

There are plenty of high school scholarships available for students of all grade levels. Additionally, high school students can apply for scholarships specific to their grade level.

Essay scholarships for high school freshmen 

Freshman year is the earliest students can begin applying for scholarships, meaning that applicants who start as high school freshmen can get ahead of the game. The earlier you start applying, the longer you'll have to earn college funding. The following scholarships are a great place for high school freshmen to begin their search!

• Bold Climate Changemakers Scholarship
•   M.R. Brooks Scholarship  
• "Equal Opportunity" Scholarship

Essay scholarships for high school sophomores

There are also plenty of scholarship opportunities for high school sophomores who are looking to get a jump on their scholarship applications. The scholarships below are a great way for sophomores to get started!

• Bold Community Activist Scholarship  
• CollegeXpress No-Essay Scholarship
• Bold Great Books Scholarship  

Essay scholarships for high school juniors

As upperclassmen, high school juniors have even more scholarships available to them than freshmen and sophomores. In addition to scholarships open to all high school students, juniors can also apply for scholarships exclusively open to juniors and seniors. Check out the list below and start applying!

• Cat Zingano Overcoming Loss Scholarship  
• Scorenavigator Financial Literacy Scholarship  
• Janey Mae Memorial Scholarship

Essay scholarships for high school seniors

Senior year of high school is one of the most popular times to apply for scholarships. As a result, there are many scholarships created specifically for high school seniors. Since other grade levels can't apply, there are often fewer eligible applicants for senior scholarships, giving you a better chance of winning! You can check out the scholarships below to begin applying. 

• MJM3 Fitness Scholarship  
• Michael Valdivia Scholarship
• Charlotte Emery Memorial Scholarship   

Essay scholarships for college students

While it's great to start securing scholarship funding in high school, it's never too late to apply! There are plenty of scholarships for those currently in college, such as those listed below.

• Live Your Dash Entrepreneurs Scholarship
• Dr. Sharyn First-Generation in Business Scholarship   
• Chris Jackson Computer Science Scholarship  

Essay scholarships for graduate students

Many graduate students aren't aware of all of the scholarships available to them, meaning that many miss out on available financial aid. If you're a graduate student, consider applying for the scholarships below!

• Jameela Jamil x I Weigh Scholarship
• Derrick Richardson Law Student Scholarship  
• Chang Heaton Scholarship for Music Excellence

Essay scholarships for international students 

International students are often left behind when it comes to earning financial aid. With fewer government resources available, international students pursuing their degrees in the US may have unmet financial needs. The following scholarships for international students in the US are a great place to start!

•   International Studies Scholarship
• Crenati Foundation Supporting International Students Scholarship   

Essay scholarships for women 

Many scholarship donors aim to help underrepresented or disadvantaged students, such as racial minorities, low-income students, LGBTQ+ students, or women. If you're a female student, consider applying for the following scholarships!

• Taking Up Space Scholarship  
• Indigenous Women in STEM Scholarship  
• Charlotte Emery Memorial Scholarship

Frequently asked questions about essay scholarships 

How do i win essay scholarships.

The most important part of the essay application is simply finishing it. Many high school students and college students won’t even bother to apply for essay scholarships. As a result, just turning in an application that meets all of the requirements and answers the prompt places you ahead of a good chunk of your peers. 

Still, it’s good to fine-tune your scholarship essays and make sure you turn in your best work. There are several steps students can take in order to take their scholarship essays to the next level. Click here to read our full guide on how to write a scholarship essay .

First, make sure your essay stays on topic and answers the prompt. Don’t get sidetracked by tangential experiences. Read the question carefully and make an outline of what you want to write before you start writing. This can help make sure your essay is focused and coherent. Make a list of what points you want to include in your answer and in what order. Then, make sure to stick to those points.

One important point is to make sure you maintain your basic writing skills. If grammar is something you struggle with on occasion, make a plan to catch any mistakes you might make. Using a tool like Grammarly or Microsoft Word’s spell check can be very helpful in making sure no minor errors are made. You can also try reading your essay out loud, or asking a friend to look it over. Sometimes two pairs of eyes are better than one. 

Another way to elevate your essay is to open with a hook. Perhaps you have a funny story about your academic experiences that relates to the question asked. Or, you could retell the moment you decided to pursue your current major. Any impactful experience you’ve had that relates to the question asked can be a good way to open your essay. 

Opening with a hook makes your essay more memorable and makes the reader want to keep reading. If your essay sounds generic or uninspired, the donor may pass you over for someone else. Making your essay personal and engaging is a key way to make an impact on your reader and stand out from other competitors. 

Most of the time, when a donor includes an essay question, it’s because they’re looking for a specific type of student. Many donors favor students that are driven, motivated, and willing to work hard to achieve their dreams. Look carefully at the prompt for hints on what qualities the donors are looking for. 

An essay question that asks about a student’s struggle with finances, for example, is likely looking for a high school student or college student that has worked hard to pursue education despite the challenges they faced. A prompt that asks students to talk about their chosen major is likely looking for a student that is inspired and has a special interest in their field. 

A mix of your personal experiences, academic interests, and goals for the future are usually good points to work into your essay. It’s important to both answer the question clearly and help the donor understand who you are as a person. 

How do I apply for scholarships? 

Applying for scholarships is not as difficult as it seems. Most applications give clear instructions and are easy to complete. A good place to start is finding a scholarship search resource that works for you. 

One easily accessible way to find scholarships is through your school. For high school students, the guidance office may be able to connect you with scholarship opportunities. College students, including graduate students, will want to talk to their financial aid office instead. 

The advantage of finding scholarships through your school is that the financial aid or guidance office may be able to find opportunities specifically made for your school. This means the competition pool will be much smaller as you will only be competing with your classmates. 

As for how high school students and college students can apply for these opportunities, the instructions will likely depend on that specific school’s process for applying. Administrators in the financial aid or guidance office will be able to guide students through the application process. 

An alternative is using online platforms to search for and apply for scholarships. High school students and college students alike will benefit from this method, as online platforms typically allow students to apply for multiple scholarships at once. Making a free profile with  Bold.org , for example, will allow high school students and college students to quickly apply with just one click to no-essay scholarships. 

Creating a profile with online scholarship platforms allows the site to submit applications on your behalf. In addition, the information stored in the profile can be used to help find more relevant scholarship search results for each student’s needs.

For example, high school students will automatically be barred from applying to scholarships that only look at college students, and vice versa. This can help save some time and ensure students don’t waste their efforts applying for scholarships that will not consider them. 

In order to apply for a scholarship on an online platform, students simply need to create a free profile and find the scholarships they want to apply for. Their information will be sent to the donors for review. 

If there is an essay requirement, students must prepare a written statement ahead of time. Students can then paste their essays into the application on the online platform. The essay will be submitted along with the student’s personal information from their profile. 

When can I start applying? 

High school students, as well as undergraduate and graduate students, can apply whenever they like. Very few scholarships exist for students below the high school level, and while some opportunities are available to recent college graduates, most are for those still in school. 

Students at any level between high school and graduate school can start to apply for scholarships at any time. High school seniors are the group of high school students that will likely have the easiest time finding scholarships they can apply for. Many donors looking to create opportunities at the high school level view high school seniors as the demographic most concerned with generating funding for college. 

Winning scholarship money while still in high school can help students in their college search. Getting an idea of how much money you will be able to spend on college is a good way to narrow down your search for the perfect school for you. In addition, winning scholarship money might make it possible for high school students to attend a college they previously thought would be too expensive. 

As a result, starting to apply for scholarships as a high school senior or junior would be a reasonable time to begin. 

Applying earlier is typically better than applying for scholarships later on. This is simply because starting to find and apply to scholarships earlier will allow students more time to apply, get their results back, and apply again. The more this cycle is repeated, the more money students typically make. 

Remember that not every scholarship you apply to will yield positive results. Therefore, applying to as many scholarships as possible will increase the possibility that a few of those applications will win. 

However, there’s nothing wrong with trying to find scholarships even before your senior year in high school. In addition, starting to apply as an undergraduate student or a graduate student is completely fine as well. There are many opportunities made specifically for college students, many of which include graduate students as well. 

It may seem counterintuitive to start applying for scholarships after committing to a college. However, winning scholarship money can help not just with creating a budget for college, but also with the expenses of continuing your college education. Each new semester means new textbooks and new school supplies, for example. 

In addition, college is a path to many educational opportunities that are usually not available to high school students. For example, many college students study abroad, whether as undergraduate students or graduate students. Saving up some scholarship money for the costs of continuing your education and taking advantage of college opportunities like studying abroad can be very helpful. 

How do I know if I’m eligible for a scholarship?

Every scholarship posting will clearly state its requirements, so be sure to read the entire description. Remember that your efforts may be wasted if you do not fit the criteria for a certain scholarship. No matter how much you excel in school, you cannot win a scholarship that you are not eligible for. 

Scholarships often tend towards very general requirements or more exclusive requirements. General scholarships are often open to students of any major and any grade level, meaning the vast majority of students will be able to apply.

Exclusive scholarships, on the other hand, are made for a more specific purpose. For example, the donor of an exclusive scholarship might want to use their money to uplift indigenous students in the medical field. As a result, the scholarship might only accept applicants that are indigenous students and focused on nursing or medicine. Students that do not match these criteria will not be considered. 

Some common restricting factors in exclusive scholarships are education level, demographic, income level, academic interest, and GPA. An exclusive scholarship might restrict the applicant pool by all or some of these criteria. 

Certain opportunities might be open to graduate students only, and not high school students or undergraduate students. Some scholarships might require students to study a particular major, such as graphic design. A more general scholarship might use an umbrella term, like the humanities, instead of a specific major. Whatever the case, be sure you have carefully read each of the requirements before applying. 

Many exclusive scholarships will be specific enough that most students will not be able to apply. For example, a scholarship open only to Asian American molecular biology graduate students will receive a lower volume of applications than a scholarship available to all STEM majors. 

However, there’s no need to get discouraged if you find it difficult to locate an exclusive scholarship that matches your needs. The multitude of scholarship opportunities available on sites like  Bold.org  means that there is a scholarship for everyone. New scholarships are created and added each day, meaning students who continuously look for and apply to scholarships are more likely to find relevant opportunities. 

In addition, it’s a good idea to apply for both general and exclusive scholarships. This helps students cast a wider net and hopefully increase their chances of winning money. 

What do I have to do to apply?

The application process for most scholarships is fairly simple, especially if students choose to apply through an online platform. 

Sometimes, the most difficult part of applying for a scholarship is simply qualifying, especially if there are many requirements. Once students find opportunities that match their needs, very little action is required.

Students will need to send some of their personal information to the donor to confirm they match the criteria listed. This is often done automatically through online platforms, or students may need to fill out a form through the appropriate school office if the scholarship is not listed online. 

If the scholarship does not require an essay, then that’s all you need to do. If the scholarship does require a personal statement, then that will be the second and final part of the application. 

The essay question, as we’ve covered, can appear intimidating but is usually answered in a page or less. Since donors simply want to hear about you as a person and your academic pursuits, staying honest and true to yourself is usually the best way to tackle the essay. 

It’s not necessary in most cases to do more research to answer the essay question. Sharing personal experiences that relate to the question can be a good way to start. Students should already have all the information they need to answer the question. The only thing left is presenting that information and any personal experiences in an orderly, coherent manner. 

To summarize, scholarships are relatively low-stress to apply to. Students will only need to submit their personal information and write a short personal essay about themselves to be considered.

Are scholarships counted as income? 

Typically, scholarships are not counted as income. 

Scholarships will remain tax-free as long as the scholarship money is used for necessary educational expenses. Necessary educational expenses include tuition fees, textbook and equipment fees, mandatory course fees, and mandatory enrollment fees. It’s important to note that housing and travel expenses do not count as necessary educational expenses. 

In other words, if failing to pay an expense would obstruct your ability to graduate with a degree, that expense likely qualifies as a necessary educational expense. 

In addition, the following requirements must be met for your scholarship money to be considered tax-free. First, the total money earned from all essay scholarships cannot be greater than the total amount your university or college charges you for your education. This rarely happens and is usually not a problem for most students. 

Secondly, the recipient of the essay scholarship money must be currently completing a degree at an accredited college or university. Third, the money cannot be given in exchange for a service or job provided. Scholarship money is not a payment or a salary; it is gift aid that is given to a student to help them pay for college. 

Lastly, the money cannot be marked for other expenses such as room and board (which are not necessary educational expenses). Typically, donors will not stipulate how the money should be spent, so this is rarely an issue. 

The most important part of the essay application is simply finishing it. Many high school students and college students won’t even bother to apply for essay scholarships. As a result, just turning in an application that meets all of the requirements and answers the prompt places you ahead of a good chunk of your peers. Still, it’s good to fine-tune your scholarship essays and make sure you turn in your best work. There are several steps students can take in order to take their scholarship essays to the next level. Click here to read our full guide on how to write a scholarship essay.

Applying for scholarships is not as difficult as it seems. Most applications give clear instructions and are easy to complete. A good place to start is finding a scholarship search resource that works for you. One easily accessible way to find scholarships is through your school. For high school students, the guidance office may be able to connect you with scholarship opportunities. College students, including graduate students, will want to talk to their financial aid office instead.

High school students, as well as undergraduate and graduate students, can apply whenever they like. Very few scholarships exist for students below the high school level, and while some opportunities are available to recent college graduates, most are for those still in school. Students at any level between high school and graduate school can start to apply for scholarships at any time. High school seniors are the group of high school students that will likely have the easiest time finding scholarships they can apply for. Many donors looking to create opportunities at the high school level view high school seniors as the demographic most concerned with generating funding for college.

Find College Scholarships - Essay

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Niche $25,000 "No Essay" Scholarship

• Deadline May 31, 2024
• Amount $25,000
• Offered By Niche
• State National
• Description Help cover the cost of college without writing a single essay! Niche is giving one student $25,000 to help pay for tuition, housing, books and other college expenses — no essay required! High school seniors will also be eligible to receive acceptances (and scholarships!) from our Direct Admissions partner colleges. Fill out your Niche Profile with key details like your GPA and the high school you attend, and you’ll automatically be considered. Apply below for your chance to win so you can focus on your education, not your finances. Good luck!
• Essay Required :  No
• Recommendations Required :  No
• Minimum GPA :  None
• Major All majors
• Type Generic

Critical Teaching Needs Scholarship

• Deadline April 15, 2024
• Amount Varies
• Offered By South Dakota Board of Regents
• State South Dakota
• Description The purpose of this scholarship is to encourage South Dakota's high school graduates to obtain their postsecondary education in South Dakota for teaching, to remain in the state upon completion of their education, and to contribute to the state and its citizens by working in a critical need teaching area.
• Minimum GPA :  2.80
• Major Education

First State Manufactured Housing Association Scholarship

• Amount $2,500
• Offered By First State Manufactured Housing Association
• State Delaware
• Description Four (4) $2,500 scholarships will be awarded to graduating seniors, GED recipients, or students who are currently enrolled in college, technical schools or trade schools. Full or part-time registration in an accredited program is acceptable. Award recipients may reapply annually. Eligible participants must live in a modular or manufactured home in Delaware for at least one year prior to the application.
• Essay Required :  Yes
• Recommendations Required :  Yes
• Major Any Major

Frank O'Bannon Grant

• Offered By Indiana Commission for Higher Education
• State Indiana
• Description The Frank O'Bannon Grant is designed to provide access for Hoosier students to attend eligible postsecondary institutions. It receives its funding through appropriations made by the Indiana General Assembly. Eligibility for the grant is based on financial need as determined by the FAFSA.
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Legal Opportunity Scholarship Fund

• Amount $15,000
• Offered By American Bar Association
• State Nationwide
• Description The American Bar Association (ABA) awards an annual Legal Opportunity Scholarship to first-year law students. The mission of the program is to encourage racial and ethnic minority students to apply to law school and to provide financial assistance to attend and complete law school. The ABA Legal Opportunity Scholarship grants 10 - 20 incoming diverse law students with $15,000 of financial aid over their three years in law school.
• Essay Required :  Unknown
• Recommendations Required :  Unknown
• Minimum GPA :  2.5
• Major Legal Studies
• Type Minority

Sigma Tau Delta Scholarships

• Offered By Sigma Tau Delta
• Description Annually, Sigma Tau Delta offers a variety of scholarships valued at up to $6,000 each. Because these scholarship opportunities are offered exclusively to Sigma Tau Delta members, those members who take the time to submit a carefully assembled application have a significantly better chance of receiving an award. Applications are judged based on academics, service, and quality of writing. These scholarships are funded by Sigma Tau Delta, the International English Honor Society for four-year colleges and universities.
• Major English

State Employees Association of North Carolina (SEANC) Scholarships (Need-Based)

• Amount $1,000
• Offered By SEANC Scholarship Foundation
• Description Established in 1974, the SEANC Scholarship Program Foundation awards scholarships to active and associate SEANC members, their spouses, and their dependents to attend technical schools, community colleges, trade schools, junior colleges, or four-year universities full-time.
• Type State Employees Association of North Carolina

Stephanie Nicole Ross Foundation Graduate Scholarship

• Amount $1,500
• Offered By Stephanie Nicole Ross Foundation, Inc.
• State Florida
• Description The SNRF Graduate Scholarship supports graduate students studying psychology, cognitive or behavioral science, or any related field at a college or university in the state of Florida.
• Major Psychology

Tennessee Student Assistance Award

• Offered By Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation
• State Tennessee
• Description The Tennessee Student Assistance Award Program (TSAA) was established to provide non-repayable financial assistance to financially-needy undergraduate students who are residents of Tennessee. Applicants must be enrolled or accepted for enrollment, at least half time, at a public or an eligible non-public postsecondary institution in Tennessee.

Umatilla-Morrow County Farm Bureau Scholarship

• Amount $3,000
• Offered By Umatilla-Morrow County Farm Bureau
• State Oregon
• Description Umatilla-Morrow County Farm Bureau will award up to $3,000 in scholarships to high school seniors in Umatilla and Morrow Counties who will be attending any school of higher education, including trade school, a university, or a community college. Priority consideration will be given to those with an agricultural background, FFA experience, or an intended major in an agriculture-related field. Applications are available from high school counselors in Umatilla and Morrow County schools.

Virginia Nursing Scholarships

• Offered By Virginia Department of Health, Office of Health Equity
• State Virginia
• Description The Virginia Department of Health, Office of Health Equity offers several scholarship opportunities to help pay for nursing education.
• Major Nursing

William C. Johnson Scholarship

• Amount $6,000
• Description This scholarship is given in honor of Dr. William C. Johnson, Executive Director of Sigma Tau Delta, in recognition of his dedication to the founding of National English Honor Society. It recognizes academic excellence and outstanding service to the Society at the local, regional, and/or national level. Applications should demonstrate both academic achievement and campus, community, and chapter service.
• Minimum GPA :  3.5

Governor's Cup Scholarship

• Deadline varies
• Amount 5000
• Offered By Idaho State Board of Education
• State Idaho
• Description The Idaho Governor's Cup Scholarship provides approximately 25 awards, depending on funding, to Idaho high school seniors planning to attend an Idaho college or university.

HGA Dendel Scholarship

• Deadline April 18, 2024
• Offered By Handweavers Guild of America, Inc.
• Description The Handweavers Guild of America, Inc., offers scholarships for each academic year through the HGA and Dendel scholarship funds. Applicants will be judged on their skill and dedication to handweaving.
• Major Design

Leiber & Stoller Music Scholarship

• Deadline April 19, 2024
• Offered By The ASCAP Foundation
• Description This scholarship provides assistance to young aspiring songwriters, musicians and vocalists. The scholarship recipient is auditioned by the Young Musicians Foundation in Los Angeles.
• Major Music

Google Lime Scholarship

• Deadline April 21, 2024
• Amount $10,000
• Offered By Google
• Description Google's education and scholarship programs aim to inspire and help students become future leaders in computing and technology by breaking down the barriers that prevent them from entering these fields. As part of our commitment, we've partnered with Lime Connect, a nonprofit organization that supports students with disabilities while they pursue education and promising careers, to help university students with disabilities work toward their academic goals in the field of computer science.
• Major Computer Science

Generation Google Scholarship

• Deadline April 23, 2024
• Description The Generation Google Scholarship was established to help aspiring computer scientists excel in technology and become leaders in the field. The Generation Google Scholarship will be awarded based on the strength of each candidate's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, demonstrated leadership, and academic performance.

NSA Foundation Scholarship

• Deadline April 28, 2024
• Amount $5,000
• Offered By National Society of Accountants
• Description This year, NSAF will award six $5,000 scholarships to full-time students who have at least a junior status or working on a graduate degree with demonstrated ability in public speaking. Or students who wish to use and/or pursue a career in public speaking. To date, the Foundation has awarded over half-a-million dollars to help students achieve their educational goals while, at the same time, giving back to the communities where they attend class, work and live.
• Major Finance/Accounting

$ 2,000 Sallie Mae No Essay Scholarship

• Deadline April 30, 2024
• Amount $2,000
• Offered By Sallie Mae
• Description Sallie Mae will award $2,000 each month to eligible entrants. No essay or account sign-ups, just a simple scholarship for those seeking help in paying for school.
• Minimum GPA :  No

$ 25,000 "Be Bold" No-Essay Scholarship

• Amount $ 25,000
• Offered By Bold.org
• Description An easy, no-essay scholarship. Students at any education level, school, field of study, and GPA are eligible to apply.

$ 50,000 ScholarshipOwl No Essay Scholarship

• Amount $50,000
• Offered By ScholarshipOwl
• Description Apply for the scholarship that gives you a shot at a total of $50,000. At least 4 Winners will be selected each month to be awarded $1,000. No essay is required. Once you apply, you will be automatically reapplied each month for more chances to win!

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Connect with us, scholarship opportunities.

Girls Write Now mentees have earned scholarships including Posse, Questbridge, Capstone, CAGNEY, Ascend Educational Fund, Samuel H. Scripps, the Presidential Scholarship and many more—including awards directly through the colleges they attend! Pro tip: Call colleges and ask what kind of funding they provide. You can still get scholarships after you’ve matriculated and started college.

Scholarship Essay Writing & Tips

• Learn how to write a scholarship essay here
• Tips on finding and getting scholarships
• Students and Financial Literacy

Scholarships for High School Students

• Ojeda Multi-County Youth Scholarship : This scholarship aims to assist inner-city high school students so they can afford the costs of their tuition and books. Applicants must be of Hispanic or African American origin, and have a minimum 2.9 GPA to apply for this scholarship. ( Applications closed)

For undocumented students with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status who are not eligible for federal student aid funds, but may be eligible for financial aid from the state government or the college, depending on where they live or go to school. Play close attention to eligibility requirements.

• The Dream National Scholarship : For highly motivated undocumented students with significant, unmet financial need, enrolled or intending to enroll in a bachelor’s degree program. Must have graduated or will graduate high school by the end of 22-23′ academic year. (Applications closed)
• Hispanic Scholarship Fund : For graduating high school senior and undergraduate students of Hispanic heritage planning to enroll full-time in university. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, permanent legal residents, or DACA recipients (Applications closed)
• The HOPE Scholarship with Bard High School Early College : Offers financial assistance towards the cost of tuition and books at the transfer school of the BHSEC student’s choice.
• DREAM Act Application for CUNY and SUNY
• Guide for Undocumented Students
• BestColleges Guide for DACA and Undocumented Students
• Undocumented Student Tuition Overview
• “Be Bold” No-Essay Scholarship : The $25,000 “Be Bold” Scholarship is a no-essay scholarship that will be awarded to the applicant with the boldest profile. Open to students of all ages. (Applications closed)
• Ayn Rand Fountainhead Essay Contest : For 11th and 12th grade students worldwide (November 6, 2023)
• Elevate Mental Health Awareness Scholarship (November 30, 2023)
• Love Your Career Scholarship : Open to any student who will be enrolled in a college or University at the time of the next deadline (Applications for Winter semester due January 10, applications for Fall semester September 10)
• Scholastic Scholarships : Multiple arts-based scholarships of varying award amounts for high school students. (Fall deadline— specific to region)
• High School Scholarship : Graduating high school seniors are invited to apply for the Dedalus Foundation Scholarships awarded for artistic excellence. The scholarship money must be used for school expenses. (Application closed)
• Mary Bowman Arts in Activism Award : These $5,000 awards are intended to support young artivists (27 years of age or younger) each year who exemplify Mary’s passion for the arts as the vehicle for their own HIV/AIDS and/or health and social justice community activism and expression. (Applications closed)
• Singhaus Scholarship for the Performing Arts : The Singhaus Scholarship for the Performing Arts provides financial assistance to elevate young talent in their pursuit of a career in theatre: performance, technical, creative, costume design. This scholarship is designed to support members of the Central Florida LGBTQ+ community and their allies. (Applications closed)
• Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest : The Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest is open to high school seniors, undergraduate, and graduate students. You must write an essay of between 800 and 1,600 words on one of the three topics listed on the sponsor’s website to be considered for this award. ( Application Deadline: November 6, 2023 )
• Beacon Scholarship for Rural America : The Beacon Scholarship for Rural America is intended for applicants who are college-bound graduating high school seniors, current college students, or adult learners with a GPA of 3.0 or higher (high school or college) and who are planning to enroll in an accredited college program. Applicants must also reside in a rural area and meet low-income criteria. ( Application Deadline for Spring 2024: November 30, 2023 )
• Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP Program) with CUNY Community Colleges
• Education Opportunity Program (EOP) with SUNY
• New York Ramblers Scholarship : For student athletes grade 12 or higher pursuing an undergraduate education who self-identify publicly as LGBTQ+ or demonstrated and committed straight allies. (Applications open January 1, 2024)
• Scholarships for LGBTQ Students : Study.com has compiled a list of scholarships for LGBTQ+ students.
• Community Pride Scholarship : This scholarship aims to support LGBTQIA+ high school seniors who are pursuing careers in public service so they have the encouragement necessary to achieve their dreams. (Applications closed)
• Scholarships and Resources for LGBTQIA+ Students

Among the most competitive, and largest, scholarships

• Cameron Impact Scholarship : For high school juniors. (Applications available in February, early decision deadline in early May, regular decision deadline in early September)
• Posse Scholarship : High School students must be nominated.
• Stamps Scholarship : Apply through their partner universities/colleges.
• Excelsior Scholarship (CUNY and SUNY)
• Amherst College (Private)
• Berea College (Private)
• Brown University (Private)
• Columbia University (Private)
• Macaulay Honors College at CUNY
• Princeton University (Private)
• Stanford University (Private)
• Swarthmore College (Private)
• Webb Institute (Private)
• University of Pennsylvania (Private)
• Vanderbilt University (Private)
• Dr. Jack G. Shaheen Media Scholarshi p : The Dr. Jack G. Shaheen Media Scholarship is available to college junior, senior, and graduate students of Arab American heritage. You must be studying mass communications, journalism, radio, television, and / or film, be a U.S. citizen, and have a minimum 3.0 GPA to be eligible for this award.
• Immerse Education Blog Competition : This competition provides the opportunity for students aged 13-18 to write a blog about a pre-set topic relating. Four winners will receive a 100% scholarship to our Online Insights virtual summer program, with runner-up prizes also awarded. (Application closed)
• Nicholas J. Bartilucci Environmental Scholarship : For high school students living in New York Enrolled full-time in a B.S. or B.E. degree program with an emphasis on public service. (Applications close February 28, 2024)
• Princeton Prize in Race Relations : For high school students who have undertaken significant efforts to advance racial equity and understanding in their schools and communities. Winners will receive an award of $1,000 and are invited to participate in a Symposium on Race . (Applications closed)
• CodeWizardsHQ Educational Scholarship : Priority given to students applying to STEM programs. Must be a high school senior or incoming college freshman. (Applications close May 1, 2024)
• Share Your Poetry Scholarship : The Share Your Poetry Scholarship will support students of any educational level who write poetry, encouraging their future in writing. (Application closed)
• G2 Overachievers Student Grant : To be considered, you must submit a 1,000 – to 2,000 – word handwritten essay explaining how you (or the person you are nominating) make a difference in the world around you and why you deserve to be recognized for these efforts. (Application Deadline: December 15, 2023)
• Sustainability Essay Contest : The Sustainability Essay Contest is open to high school students. You must submit an essay on a sustainable construction – related topic to be considered for this award. (Application Deadline: November 3, 2023)

For students who are New York residents attending a school in New York.

• Macaulay Honors College Scholarship
• NYS Aid to Native Americans
• NYS Scholarships for Academic Excellence
• Capital Preparatory Charter Harlem Charter School : No fee charter schools with a mission of social justice in the heart of Harlem.

Scholarships for College Students & Young Professionals

• Growing Up In America Art, Essay, Video Contest | AACI, NBC Bay Area Hosted by AACI and in partnership with NBC Bay Area, Growing Up in America (GUA) is an annual art, essay and video contest that reaches hundreds of Bay Area students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Founded 25+ years ago by Lance Lew of NBC Bay Area, GUA gives a unique platform for young people to creatively explore and celebrate their cultural identity through the lens of civic engagement. 2024’s Contest Theme is “I Choose My Future” participants are prompted to reflect on their vision of their future self and their future community. The Submission form will be open from March 1st until March 15, 2024.
• Single Mother’s Education Scholarship : This scholarship is for low-income Asian or Latino undergraduate students who have at least a 3.0 GPA. Children of single moms may apply but single mothers are preferred. (Applications closed)
• Scholarship for Indigenous STEM Students : An academic award of $1,000 will be provided to an indigenous STEM student by Study.com. Increasing access to education is at the heart of Study.com’s mission and we hope to aid indigenous students pursue higher education in STEM through this scholarship. ( Applications closed )
• Pearson Scholarships guide for people of color
• The Dream National Scholarship : For highly motivated undocumented students with significant, unmet financial need, enrolled or intending to enroll in a bachelor’s degree program at a Partner College in your state in the Fall of 2023 or Spring of 2024. ( Applications open November 1, 2023)
• Hispanic Scholarship Fund : For graduating high school senior and undergraduate students of Hispanic heritage planning to enroll full-time in university. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, permanent legal residents, or DACA recipients. ( Applications closed )
• Davis Putter Scholarship Fund : Need-based scholarships awarded to students who are able to do academic work at the college or university level or are enrolled in a trade or technical program and who are active in the progressive movement. ( Applications closed )
• BestColleges Guide for Undocumented Students
• Love Your Career Scholarship : Open to any student who will be enrolled in a college or University at the time of the next deadline ( Applications for Winter semester due January 10, applications for Fall semester September 10 )
• Elevate Mental Health Awareness Scholarship (Applications close November 30, 2023)
• P.E.O. Program for Continuing Education ( PCE ) : A need-based grant program providing one-time financial assistance of up to $3,000 to women whose education has been interrupted and who find it necessary to return to school to complete a degree or certification that improves their marketable skills for employment to support themselves and/or their families.
• New York Ramblers Scholarship : For student athletes pursuing an undergraduate education who self-identify publicly as LGBTQ+ or demonstrated and committed straight allies. (Applications open January 1, 2024)
• LGBTQ+ STEM Scholarship : Any LGBTQ+ student pursuing their undergraduate college degree in a STEM field can apply. Study.com offers a $1,000 academic award. Study.com’s mission is to make education accessible. (Applications closed)
• Thomas J. Watson Fellowship : For graduating college seniors at a Watson partner institution who wish to conduct research abroad for a year following graduation. (Ask your institution for their specific deadline)
• National Institutes of Health (NIH) Undergraduate Scholarship Program (UGSP) : For students from disadvantaged backgrounds who are committed to careers in biomedical, behavioral, and social science health-related research. Must be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a full-time student at an accredited 4-year undergraduate institution located in the United States of America. ( Applications open January 2024)
• CodeWizardsHQ Educational Scholarship : Priority given to students applying to STEM programs. Must be a high school senior or incoming college freshman. ( Application deadline is May 1, 2024 )
• Lockheed Martin STEM Scholarship : Each year, the STEM Scholarship Program awards $10,000 to 200 recipients studying engineering or computer science at a 4-year college or university. Recipients may renew the scholarship up to three times for a total potential value of $40,000 per student. ( Applications open in 2024 )
• BHW Women in STEM Academic Scholarship : Women who are pursuing an undergraduate or master’s degree and are majoring in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics during the 2024 school year are eligible. ( Applications open January 2024 )
• 2024 ISF Scholarship | Islamic Scholarship Fund 
• $3,000-$10,000  Students who are Muslim or active members of the Muslim community may apply for the Islamic Scholarship Fund. The ISF awards multiple scholarships each year ranging from $3,000-$10,000, though the amounts and number of recipients will vary. Students must submit applications including essay questions, work samples, and letters of recommendation, and must also be majoring in an ISF-supported field related to media or politics. Deadline: March 21, 2024
• NYC Women’s Fund for Media, Music and Theatr e : The NYC Women’s Fund for Media, Music and Theatre (“Women’s Fund”), administered by the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) in partnership with the City of New York Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME), is a signature initiative that addresses the underrepresentation of women in the entertainment industry. The Fund provides grants to encourage and support the creation of content that reflects the voices and perspectives of all who identify as women. ( Applications close: November 1, 2023 at 11:59 PM ET )
• Women in Technology Scholarship Program ’23 : Orangesoft offers a scholarship dedicated to female college or university students pursuing STEM, or other technology-related studies and careers. As an Orangesoft Scholar, you will receive new financial opportunities and a chance to participate in the IT industry development. ( Application deadline: November 15, 2023 )
• $1,500 Annual Video Contest Scholarship | IvyPanda :  Each year IvyPanda awards creative and talented students that make movies with up to scholarships $1,000 total. Scholarships are given to two winners: the winner receives a $1,000 scholarship; the runner-up prize is $500. ( Application Deadline: October 31, 2023 )
• Excelsior Scholarship
• NYS Memorial Scholarship

Big-Time Scholarships

• QuestBridge College Prep Scholarship : For Academically outstanding high school juniors from families earning less than $65,000/year for a family of four. ( Applications opens in February of your junior year and are due in March )
• Cameron Impact Scholarship : For high school juniors. (A pplications available in February, early decision deadline in early May, regular decision deadline in early September )
• Thomas J. Watson Fellowship : For graduating college seniors at a Watson partner institution who wish to conduct research abroad for a year following graduation.
• National Institutes of Health (NIH) Undergraduate Scholarship Program (UGSP) : For students from disadvantaged backgrounds who are committed to careers in biomedical, behavioral, and social science health-related research. Must be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a full-time student at an accredited 4-year undergraduate institution located in the United States of America. (Applications open January 2024)
• Davis Putter Scholarship Fund : Need-based scholarships awarded to students who are able to do academic work at the college or university level or are enrolled in a trade or technical program and who are active in the progressive movement. (Applications open January 2024)

More Scholarship Opportunities

• Not Consumed $1000 Scholarship Program : The Not Consumed scholarship provides a one-time reward of $1,000 to pay for tuition, books, computers, room and board, or any education-related expense. There’s no GPA requirement and no application forms.
• Dayspring Pens Scholarship : The Dayspring Pens scholarship provides a one-time award of $1,000.00 to offset the costs of tuition, books, computers, room, or any other education-related expense for both undergraduate and graduate students. There are no GPA requirements or application forms.
• The Rise Challenge : The Rise Challenge program provides Global Winners ages 15 to 17 with scholarships, mentorship, access to career development opportunities, and funding, as they work toward solving humanity’s most pressing problems. ( Applications open end of September )

ASAP, EOP, HEOP, TAP & SEEK Programs (NY-Based and for NYS Residents)

Provide academic and financial assistance to students who are financially and academically disadvantaged. Students must also be New York residents and attend college in New York.

• Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Program (HEOP) with NY-Private Colleges
• Search for Education, Elevation, and Knowledge (SEEK) with CUNY
• Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)

Online Financial Aid, Scholarship & Federal Grants Resources

• Bankrate 5 best scholarships for Latino students
• Best Colleges Financial Aid Opportunities for Students of Color
• Best Colleges Financial Education Resources
• Best Colleges Scholarships for Hispanic and Latino/a Students
• Collegexpress.com
• College Board BigFuture Scholarship Search
• Daughters of the American Revolution Scholarships
• fedmoney.org
• fastweb.com
• GoodCall Scholarship Search Engine
• Myscholly.com
• Niche Scholarships
• NYS Higher Education Services – Types of Financial Aid
• Peerlift.org
• Scholarshipmonkey.com
• Study.com First Generation College Student Guide
• Study.com Guide for Community College Scholarships
• Study.com Need-Based Scholarships: What Are They & How to Apply
• Study.com Ultimate Guide to Student Loans & Student Loan Repayment
• Study.com Comprehensive Scholarship Guide
• Study.com Scholarship Resources for Students of Color
• Study.com Student Scholarships
• Scholarships.com
• 2020 Porch Skilled Trade & Technology Scholarships
• Williams College All-Grant Financial Aid Program

Don’t forget to call colleges and ask what kind of funding they provide. You can still get scholarships after you’ve matriculated and started college.

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Scholarships

Best Essay Writing Scholarships – 2024 [With Application Tips]

Written by Medha Pandey

Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just starting, essay competitions offer an exciting opportunity to express your thoughts, refine your writing skills, and potentially win recognition and prizes.

Besides, participating in an essay writing competition may be an exciting and intimidating experience. Knowing the ins and outs of essay writing is essential for success, regardless of experience level. 

In this guide, we’ll explore a curated selection of the best essay competitions to apply for in 2024. We’ll cover a wide range of categories, from personal narratives to persuasive arguments, so there’s something for everyone.

We will explore the essential elements of essay writing that can distinguish your work, from comprehending the theme to expressing your ideas clearly. Thus, this tutorial is your go-to resource for finding the best suitable essay writing contest for yourself and winning it!

 Here are the best essay writing scholarships to apply for in 2024:

1. Scholastic Art &Writing Awards

Home | Scholastic Art and Writing Awards

Competition’s Overview

It is a non-profit organization presented by an alliance for young Artists and writers. They aim to recognize young talents and showcase their talent, thought processes, and views to the world. 

Eligibility Criteria

Students of middle school and high school from grades 7 to 12 can enter this competition. There are 28 different categories of art and writing to get yourself enrolled in.

Evaluation Criteria

The judges are either a leading figure in visual and literally arts or are Scholastic awards alumni. They judge an essay based on originality, skillful writing, and how well the writer can voice their vision to the readers. 

Prizes and Recognition

• The winner’s scholarship award amount may be up to $12500. 
• Students’ work gets published in the annual art catalog and writing anthology publications . 
• National medallist work gets published in the yearbook . 

2. Wiingy Future STEM Leaders Scholarship

Home | Wiingy Future STEM Leaders Scholarship

Wiingy is a 1-on-1 online tutoring platform that delivers personalized, quality, and affordable tutoring to school as well as university students. It started in 2021 to make STEM learning accessible to everyone with better learning facilities. 

• Applicants must be currently enrolled as a school or college student in a recognized institution.
• Applicants must be majoring in or intending to major in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) subject.

To apply for the scholarship, students must write and submit an original essay on the topic of the month. Scholarships will be awarded based on the following criteria:

The essay should be well-written and informative. It should clearly and concisely explain the essay topic of the month.

• Creativity :

The essay should be original and thought-provoking. It should demonstrate the applicant’s ability to think critically and creatively about STEM education.

• Grammar and style :

The essay should be free of grammatical errors. It should be written in a clear, concise, and engaging style.

• Scholarship Amount of up to $1200. 
• Publication of the winner’s essay and bio on their official site.
• Even if your essay didn’t make the winning list, Wiingy features its choicest essays on its official page!

3. Bennington Young Writers Awards

Young Writers Awards | Bennington College

Bennington College launched the Young Writers Award to celebrate the literary legacy. It has 12 Pulitzer Prize winners. Three U.S laureates and many New York time bestsellers. High school students can participate and get recognized for their skillful writing.

Each year students from 9 to 12 grade participate in any one category of poems, non-fiction, or fiction. There is no entry fee.

The work submitted by the students should be approved and sponsored by the teacher who is from high school. In case of any queries, the sponsored teacher is questioned. For homeschooled children, their tutors (online or offline) or mentors must approve of the submission.

• Scholarship Amount of up to $1200
• Second place wins $500. 
• The third-place winner gets $250.
• Also, students are eligible for scholarships at Bennington College.

4. Youth Scholarships- Patriot’s Pen

Youth Scholarships – VFW

The VFW offers scholarships for high school and middle school students interested in promoting patriotism and investing in the future generation.

Middle and high school students can participate in this essay writing scholarship. A student can write an essay of 300-400 words on the given by VFW. The 2023 to 2024 theme is “How Are You Inspired By America?” and “What Are the Greatest Attributes of Our Democracy?”

The Essay is marked on the knowledge they have about the topic. They get 30 points for that.

How well they have written the essay revolving around the thesis gives them 35 points.

Finally, the creativity and clarity in concepts and ideas have more than 35 points.

• $500 is the prize for a winner who comes first at the state level. 
• $5000 for the winner at the national level.
• Get published as the winner of the session you participate in.

5. The Adroit Journal

The Adroit Prizes – The Adroit Journal

It is a non-profit organization founded in 2010 by Peter Laberge. Notable works of authors such as Rita Dove, Ocean VOung, Sarah Kay, and many such authors’ work have been shown on the pages of the journal.

The students in secondary and undergraduate can participate in the competition. International students who have passed a year earlier can also participate.

• Creativity and originality: Present the article that has new ideas and unique concepts. 
• Voice and style: Your writing style should be clear, concise, and engaging for the readers. It should voice out strong opinions.
• Content and development: The structure of the content should be well maintained. Support your essay with facts, statistics, and quotes from reliable resources.
• Mechanics and grammar: Check your work before submission. It should be correct grammatically.
• The winners get an award of $200. 
• The work of the winner and the runner-up from the secondary and undergraduate categories is published in the Androit Journal.

⭐Graduating soon? Discover opportunities with the Best Scholarships for High School Seniors .

6. John Locke Institution

Essay Competition | John Locke Institute

This institution is named after the seventh-century Oxford philosopher and writer John Locke. It is a private educational Institution. It aims at inspiring students towards educational excellence.

Entry Requirements and Guidelines

Students from around the world can participate in this competition. You can apply for this competition between April and May. Entry is free. The essay must be related to any one subject category as per the rules. It should not exceed more than 2000 words.

The essays are judged by the seniors and members from the Oxford and Princeton Universities . The essays are selected from each subject category junior and subject category. Out of which the overall best essay is selected.

• The prize for the Junior category and subject category is a scholarship of $2000 for attending any John Locke Institution program.
• For receiving the prize the winners are called for an academic conference and an award dinner. But these are paid.
• An e-certificate is given to the winners who are unable to attend. Others who attend the ceremony get a signed copy of the certificate. 
• The overall best essay winner gets a fellowship with US $10,000 for attending summer school for a year or more or getting courses for the year.

7. We the Student’s Essay Contest

Student Hub – Bill of Rights Institute

The Bills of Rights Institution is a non-profit educational organization, founded in 1999.

It aims at teaching the students civics. The meaning and importance of freedom, justice, and equality in our society.

U.S.-based citizens and students who study in middle or high school from 13-19 years of age can participate in this competition. The essay submission must be done from MyImpact Challenging’s online portal only. The past winners cannot participate in this again.

The essays are judged on how strongly you voice out your views and opinions to the audience. Keep your essay grammatically right. The essay is also judged on how clearly have you stated the civic virtue from the Bills of Rights institution principle and virtue.

Prizes and Recognition  

The winners receive monetary payments as rewards. It is not limited to any usage. The essays that are submitted according to the guidelines receive a Civis Achievement Award digital badge.

✏️Wish to get ample room to exhibit art skills? Find out the Best Art Scholarships .

8. Jane Austen Society Essay Contest

Essay Contest » JASNA

The Jane Austen Society of North America was formed to remember the great work and geniuses of Jane Austen. It is a non-profit organization. They aim to instill the young students with great work and Jane Austen.

The essay must be on the current topic as given for the contest. Submit the essays through the official essay contest website and the official entry form only. To mention the mentor’s name is optional. While submitting the essay stating that it is the original work of the student is important.

Judgment is made based on the originality of the work. The general audience must be addressed in the essay. Jane Austen’s work should be taken for inspiration and communicating your message to the audience.

• The award for the first-place winners is a $1000 scholarship. 
• The first-place winners also get free registration along with two nights lodging for the Annual General Meeting.
• The second-place winner gets a $500 scholarship.
• The winner who stands 3rd gets $250 as a scholarship.
• Along with these prizes, the winners get a membership in JASNA. Their essays are published on the institution’s website too.

9. SPJ/JEA High School Essay contest

SPJ/JEA High School Essay Contest – Journalism Education Association

Sigma Delta Chi Foundation was founded by the Journalist Education Association and the Society of Professional Journalists. Here, they state the importance of media in our daily lives.

There is a $5 entry fee for each essay submission. Students from 9-12 grade studying in private or public schools in the US can participate. The essay should be approximately 300-500 words. The original work should be submitted before the deadline.

There is a panel of qualified judges who judge these essays. They give you points in the following:

• Material and The originality of your work and quality of writing from research and reliable resources get 40 points.
• Vocabulary and Style- The style you use to express your views and ideas. With good vocabulary holds-30points
• Grammmer- The fewer grammatical errors are there in your writing the more points you get. If your essay is grammatically correct you get 20 points.
• The neatness of your work holds points
• Format- The correct format of essay writing will give you more than 5 points.
• The first-prize winner gets-$1000 a scholarship
• The second-prize winner gets-$500 scholarship
• The third prize winner gets a scholarship of $300.
• Winners’ names are posted on the association’s website.

10. New York Times Editorial Writing Contest

Our Eighth Annual Student Editorial Contest – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

It is led by the New York Times. The essay writing focuses on the issues that inform the reader of the present times. 

Write an essay of about 450 words on a topic that will be appreciated by the audience at large. Submit the essays before the deadlines. Middle school and high school students can participate in this competition.

The work is read and judged by the New York Times journalist, Learning Network Staff members, and US educators.

The prize for the winners is the publication in Learning Network. If the work is extraordinarily outstanding then it gets published in the New York Times too.

🎗️Pursuing higher education? Read Best Scholarship for College Students .

How to win essay writing scholarships?

Good writing skills, understanding the topic, and doing thorough research can help you to win an essay competition. Here we will discuss some tips in which you can excel in an essay competition.  While maintaining a good GPA serves well, there are more crucial tips to win an essay writing competition.

Crafting a compelling thesis statement

Your thesis statement is the topic name. Generally, platforms that host essay contests, provide option(s) of topics you’re supposed to write. Ensure your essay heading or topic name clearly states its main argument and provides a roadmap for the reader.

For that matter, you should: 

• First, understand the topic clearly. 
• Research as deeply as possible without deviating from the main topic. Gather comprehensive information on the topic using reputable sources like academic journals, books, and websites, taking notes and tracking sources for proper citation in your essay. The researched facts should support your argument.

Structuring and organizing the essay effectively

Mark the flow, the plot, the events, and the characters that come into play in your essay. Everything should be well-organized to create the desired impact on the reader. 

What is the word limit? What is the topic? What story do you have? What’s your storyline? How do you plan to begin and end your story? All these questions are important.

For better performance, you should:

• Have matter in your story. What is the essence of your write-up? What does the reader take along with them at the end? That’s the essence of your essay; make sure it’s worth the time and effort of the reader.
• Next, have an outline. This outline is a mindmap where you cover all the important topics, This helps in writing the essay. This outline helps you to structure your essay so that you don’t miss out on the important points. 

Writing a top-notch essay

If you’re good till here, kudos! Next, comes the writing part. Always remember to create an original piece of art. Do not weave too fake-to-believe stories. Keep your story unique yet relatable. You want the maximum audience to be able to relate to the story you’re narrating. They should also find your story interesting. 

Make sure to: 

• Keep your work is plagiarism-free. Avoid jargon. Don’t use terms that are not easy to understand. Use relatable words.
• Never beat around the bush. Be clear and concise in your writing style. You can uplift your writing by adding statistics, facts, and quotes from reliable sources. 

Polishing and editing for excellence

After you have written your essay, reviewing is the next step. All the grammatical errors, spelling, and sentence-forming errors need a fix. 

You should: 

• Rectify your grammatical errors, punctuation mistakes. Check your spelling. Reread to see whether your work is error-free and smooth. You can use grammar correcting tools, but make sure your grammatical fundamentals are strong. 
• Proofread again after correction. Yes, read until you’re satisfied with the message conveyed via your statement. 

Submit your essay on time!

All the hard work goes wasted if you delay the submission. To make sure you submit your essay on time make sure to:

• Set a reminder on your phone about the deadline or submission date. You can ask your friends and family to keep you reminded or make a sticky note (noticeable enough).
• Plan to complete your work one to two days before the actual deadline. The sooner you complete essay-writing the better. You will have maximum time to edit and proofread.

💡Read the December 2023 winning essay of Wiingy’s Future STEM Leaders Scholarship Program and find the top student essays for reference.

🌞Planning a productive summer? Uncover the Best Scholarships for Summer Programs .

Are essay competitions worth it?

Participation in essay writing contests is a great way that lead to self-recognition. You get inspired through different ideas and start developing and polishing your skills. Here are the benefits of participating in an essay writing scholarship:

💲You earn scholarship amounts

Most essay competitions have a prize money award. The scholarship amount can help you pay for your educational needs, savings, and more.

✨You get inspired to write better 

Writing contests are a great way to inspire you with different and new ideas. Throughout the contest, you hone both your abilities and skills. 

📺Your write-up gets published

Some competitions award the writers by publishing their essays in a newspaper or a magazine, or the official websites of the platforms. This is a fantastic method to get recognized and appreciated for your skills, plus you a get solid material to add to your resume and make it stand out.

🫡You get professional exposure

The competition is judged by official writers and authors who have extended experience and knowledge in their fields. You get a good exposure for your work.

🏆Achieving academic excellence? Navigate the Best Merit-based scholarships .

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the most prestigious essay competition.

The John Locke Institute , named after the seventh-century Oxford philosopher and writer, just hosted a 2023 essay competition. Students from around the world can apply for the competition, which is free and requires essays related to any subject category. The top essay will be selected from each category. The winner will receive a $2000 scholarship for attending any John Locke Institution program, an e-certificate, and a $10,000 fellowship for attending summer school or taking courses.

Jane Austen Essay Contest by JASNA is another prestigious essay competition. The contest requires essays on the current topic and submission through the official website and entry form. Judging is based on originality and general audience appeal, with Jane Austen’s work as inspiration. First-place winners receive a $1000 scholarship, free registration, and lodging for the Annual General Meeting. Second-place winners receive $500, and third-place winners receive $250.

Is there any essay writing competition?

Yes, we have Wiingy’s Future STEM Leaders Scholarship Program for high school and college STEM aspirants.  Students pursuing a variety of STEM fields are eligible to apply, including but not limited to computer science, biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, computer science, environmental science, engineering, statistics, aerospace, and artificial intelligence.

By participating in our scholarship contest:  Win up to $1200 scholarship amount. We value your efforts in creating a masterpiece. Hence, we publish top-grade write-ups on our official website page, even if your name didn’t make the winning list!

Do writing contests help you get published?

Yes. Many contests award the writers through the publication of their work. This gives the winners great recognition as writers. It lays a platform for his/her future writings. The names of such great writers get in front of those who judge their work. Winning a writing contest can also be used as a publishing credit.  Wiingy’s Future STEM Leaders Scholarship Program appreciates the work you put into making a masterpiece. Thus, Wiingy posts its choicest essays on its official website page, even if your name didn’t make the winning list!

Is it worth it to submit to writing contests?

Essay writing contests understand your skills better, and provide further skill development. They offer scholarships, work publications, and professional recognition. Prize money awards can help cover educational expenses and savings. Getting your essay published on an official website helps build your resume. The competition is judged by professional writers, providing more exposure to your work. If your requirements and expectations align with these benefits, yes essay competitions are worth it!

Do writing contests look good on college applications?

Yes, if you’ve participated in and won an essay writing contest, you must mention it in your college application. It especially looks impressive when the topic of the essay aligns with your college disciplines.

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28 Super Easy Scholarships to Apply for in 2023

What’s covered:, 28 easy scholarships to apply for, strategies for applying to easy scholarships.

Applying for scholarships is an important part of preparing for college. Given how expensive higher education is, these awards can relieve lots of anxiety and provide students with unique opportunities. Unlike loans, scholarships do not have to be paid back.

That said, after a grueling college application process, the thought of completing more applications can feel overwhelming to many students. Fortunately, there are plenty of easy scholarships you can apply for in under an hour. Some don’t even require essays. We’ve rounded up X super-quick scholarships with applications you’ll complete in no time at all.

1. CollegeVine Scholarships

Amount: $2,000

Deadline: Quarterly

Eligibility: High school student and US resident

Application Requirements: Create a free CollegeVine account or fill out your chancing profile if you already have an account

CollegeVine provides a quarterly, no-essay scholarship of $2,000. All you have to do is sign up for a free account, which allows you to see your chances of acceptance at 1,600+ schools, get your essays reviewed by a peer, ask questions in our community forum, and more. If you already have an account, just make sure your chancing profile is filled out.

Awards will be paid out directly to students to help them cover any educational costs. Learn more about the CollegeVine scholarships .

2. Because College Is Expensive Scholarship

Amount: $500

Deadline: End of each quarter at 11:59 pm EST

Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors, college students, and graduate students

Application Requirements: Simple online form

Cedar Education Lending gives out the aptly-named Because College Is Expensive Scholarship once per quarter. All you need to do to apply is complete a simple form, and you’ll be entered into a $500 random drawing.

3. I Have a Dream Scholarship  

Amount: $1,500

Deadline: January 31, 2024

Eligibility: Must be a legal U.S. resident; must be at least 14 years old at the time of application

Application Requirements: Short answer question

For this scholarship, applicants will submit an online written response to the following prompt in 250 words or fewer:

“We want to know… what do you dream about? Whether it’s some bizarre dream you had last week, or your hopes for the future, share your dreams with us for a chance to win $1,500 for college.”

4. SmarterCollege Scholarship

Amount: $2,500

Deadline: Recurring (next deadline is June 30, 2023)

Eligibility: Must be at least 17 years old; must be a US resident

All you have to do to apply for this scholarship is complete a 5 question application! You can apply each month.

5. Cappex Easy Money Scholarship

Amount: $1,000

Deadline: The end of each month

Eligibility: Must be a registered Cappex user; must be at least 13 years old; must be a US resident; must be planning to enroll in an accredited post-secondary institution of higher learning within 4 years

In order to enter this scholarship contest, sponsored by Cappex, all you need to do is complete the online registration form. Perhaps that’s why it’s called “Easy Money!”

6. “No Essay” College Scholarship

Deadline: Monthly (next deadline is May 31, 2023)

Eligibility: High school students, college students, and others planning to attend college or graduate school within the next year ( additional eligibility requirements )

As noted in the name, this scholarship requires no essay to enter. The recipient is selected by a random drawing, and you can enter once per month. If you win, you can use the award for education-related expenses, such as tuition, housing, and books.

7. No Essay Smart Owl Scholarship

Deadline: May 29, 2023

Eligibility: Must be at least 16 years old and a U.S. resident in any state, territory, or the District of Columbia, except for Rhode Island and Michigan; must be enrolled in a U.S. high school, college, or university

When you create an account on Scholarship Owl on or after April 30th, 2023, you’ll automatically be entered to win the scholarship. You can then enter again once every seven days during the Sweepstakes Period. 

8. Make Me Laugh

Deadline: August 31, 2023

Here’s one for the comedians out there. This is not only an opportunity to win $1,500 in scholarship money but also a chance to showcase your comedy set. In 250 words or fewer, respond to this prompt:

“OMG… finding and applying for scholarships is serious business, but it’s time to lighten things up a little. We don’t want to know why you deserve $1,500 or how great your grades are, we simply want to LOL. Describe an incident in your life, funny or embarrassing (fact or fiction), and make us laugh!”

9. ScholarshipPoints Scholarship

Deadline: Monthly

Eligibility: Legal residents of the U.S. who are at least 13 years old; must sign up as a member of ScholarshipPoints.com

This simple online form secures $2,500 scholarships for randomly selected students each month. Completing the form means you will be automatically entered.

10. Flavor of the Month Scholarship

Deadline: July 31, 2023

I don’t know about you, but I love ice cream. The premise of this scholarship is simple: you just need to talk about your favorite flavor of the (objectively) best dessert out there. In 250 words or fewer, respond to this prompt:

“Summer and ice cream go hand-in-hand. In fact, July is National Ice Cream Month, and that’s the inspiration behind this award. We think people are very similar to ice cream; some are nutty, others a little exotic, while some are very comforting. If you were an ice cream flavor, which would you be and why?”

11. Courage to Grow Scholarship

Eligibility: Must be a high school junior or senior or a college student with a minimum GPA of 2.5 and a U.S. citizen

This scholarship is awarded once per month. To enter, you just need to describe in 250 words or fewer why you believe you should receive the scholarship.

12. College Is Power Scholarship

Deadline: May 31, 2023

Eligibility: Must be at least 17 years old and plan to start college within the next 12 months or already be enrolled; must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident

Full- or part-time students may apply for this easy scholarship. Judging is mainly based on your response to the following prompt, which you should address in 150 words or fewer:

“What is your primary goal for going to school?”

13. Nitro Scholarship

Eligibility: Must be at least 17 years old and a high school senior or college student, parent of a high school senior or college student, or loan-paying college graduate or parent of a graduate; must be a legal U.S. resident

This scholarship, open to both students and their parents, is offered once per month. All you need to do is complete a short form to enter the competition.

14. SuperCollege Scholarship

Deadline: May 31, 2023 

Eligibility: High school seniors, college or graduate students, or adults planning to enroll in college or university; must be a permanent U.S. resident; Employees, officers, and directors (and their relatives) of SuperCollege and its affiliates are not eligible

To enter the SuperCollege Scholarship drawing, you just need to complete this form . Winners are chosen at random and may apply the award to education-related expenses.

15. Tallo + Niche Scholarship

Eligibility: Must be 13 years of age

Application Requirements: Create a profile and short answer questions

You don’t need to write an essay for this scholarship—you just need to create a profile on the sponsoring site, click “Opportunities,” and enter “Niche” in the keyword field. From there, you can apply by answering very brief questions:

“What’s your next step after school? Is there a company you have your eye on? Tell us! Just answer a few questions—no essays, we promise—and you’ll be entered to win!”

16. $40,000 BigFuture Scholarships

Eligibility: High school students, college students, community college students, and graduate students

Application Requirements: Make account and complete simple steps

The College Board offers scholarships with easy requirements—advance your college application process. You get entries into their drawing for things like building your college list, practicing for the SAT, exploring scholarships, strengthening your college list, completing the FAFSA, and applying to colleges.

17. Book Recommendation Scholarship

Amount: $1,300

Eligibility: N/A

Application Requirements: Simple online form and short answer question

All you have to do to get entered to win this scholarship is register and answer the following question in one sentence:

“What is a good book you’d recommend to a friend for the summer?”

18. $5,000 Christian Connector Scholarship

Amount: $5,000

Eligibility: Must request Christian college, university, and/or Bible college information; must be enrolling for the first time as a full-time student at a Christ-centered Christian college, university, or Bible college

Students planning to attend a Christian college can fill out a simple online form to submit for this online drawing, which will surely draw fewer students than others on the list. 

19. $2,000 CampusReel Virtual Tour Scholarship

Deadline: June 30, 2023

Eligibility: Open to all high school, college, community and graduate students

Application Requirements: Watch a video

Students can easily get their name entered into this lucrative drawing by watching a student-led virtual tour!

20. Annual Catholic College Scholarship

Eligibility: Must be at least 13 years old

To submit to this drawing, students must complete a form to receive information from Catholic colleges and universities.

21. Community Champions Scholarship

Eligibility: Must have applied to or be enrolled in a degree program; or the parent or legal guardian of a person who has applied to or who is enrolled in a degree program; Must be legal resident of the US; Must be age 18 or older

Application Requirements: Social media engagement and a simple online form

To be entered in this drawing, students must follow @AscentFunding on Instagram,“like” a specific post, tag two friends in a post with a specific hashtag, save the post, and complete a contact form.

22. Shining Stars Scholarship

To be entered in this drawing, students must follow @AscentFunding on Instagram,“like” a specific post, leave a comment about mental health with a specific hashtag, save the post, and complete a contact form.

23. Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship

Deadline: October 31, 2023

Eligibility: Students age 14 or older; Must be planning to enroll in a postsecondary institution sometime before the Fall of 2027

This application asks you to respond to a specific prompt in 250 words or less:

“ Describe your escape plan if there were a zombie outbreak at your school.”

24. Education Matters Scholarship

Deadline: November 30, 2023

Eligibility: Must be U.S. student; Must be 14 years of age or older; Must be a legal U.S. resident

To submit to this competition, students must respond to the following prompt in 250 words or less:

“What would you say to someone who thinks education doesn’t matter, or that college is a waste of time and money?”

25. Top Ten List Scholarship

Deadline: December 31, 2023

“Create a Top Ten List of the top ten reasons you should get this scholarship.”

26. Unigo $10k Scholarship

Amount: $10,000

“Would you rather be smart, funny or rich? Why?”

27. Too Cool to Pay for School No Essay Scholarship

Deadline: Quarterly (next deadline is June 30, 2023)

Eligibility: Must be high school, college, or graduate school student; Must be currently enrolled full time (in high school or at an accredited university) or planning on enrolling within 24 months

This easy online form submits you for a drawing that will happen four times this year.

28. Around the Corner from College Scholarship

Deadline: June 30th, 2023

Eligibility: Open to current high school students (freshman, sophomores, juniors, and seniors)

This drawing requires filling out a quick and simple online form.

1. Apply to as many easy scholarships as possible. 

Given that many of these scholarships are lottery-based, it’s easy to apply. Even those that have short essays require minimal time to complete the application process, so they won’t eat up too much of your day. You can maximize your chances of winning one by applying to as many as possible.

Additionally, many of these scholarships you can apply to every month. Make a schedule and fill out the simple online forms for each drawing.

2. Balance easy scholarships out with more specific ones.

You shouldn’t focus solely on “easy” scholarships since your odds of winning are much lower. Because applying to these scholarships takes minimal effort, they draw a high number of entrants. This means your odds of winning are lower than they are for scholarships with a more rigorous application process. 

If you apply to scholarships that are tailored to your profile and require more of a time commitment to enter, you will increase your award potential. That might mean entering scholarship contests for people who share your background or demographics or for students intending to study a certain discipline. Find more opportunities on the scholarship section of our blog .

3. Apply to schools with generous merit scholarships.

Most scholarship money comes from schools themselves and not external providers. Many schools consider students for merit scholarships just based on their application, so it’s no extra work; in fact, many schools have automatic scholarships based on SAT/ACT scores . Applying to schools where you’re in the top 75th percentile or above in terms of grades and test scores can maximize your chances of getting merit scholarships.

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• How to Write a Scholarship Essay | Template & Example

How to Write a Scholarship Essay | Template & Example

Published on October 11, 2021 by Kirsten Courault . Revised on May 31, 2023.

A good scholarship essay demonstrates the scholarship organization’s values while directly addressing the prompt. If you plan ahead , you can save time by writing one essay for multiple prompts with similar questions.

Table of contents

Apply for a wide variety of scholarships, make a scholarship tracker spreadsheet, tailor your essay to the organization and the prompt, write a focused and relevant personal story, scholarship essay example, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about college application essays.

Scholarships are a type of student financial aid that don’t require repayment. They are awarded based on various factors, including academic merit, financial need, intended major, personal background, or activities and interests.

Like college applications, scholarship applications often require students to submit their grades, standardized test scores, letters of recommendation, and an essay.

A scholarship essay shares your values and qualities in the context of a specific question, such as “How does technology affect your daily life?” or “Who has had the greatest impact on your life?”

Be wary of scholarship scams

While some applications may not require an essay, be wary of scholarship scams that do the following:

• Guarantee you scholarship money for a fee
• Claim scholarship information is exclusive to their company
• Ask for your bank or credit card information to hold the scholarship

Some legitimate companies do charge for releasing comprehensive scholarship lists or creating a tailored list of scholarship opportunities based on your profile.

However, you can always discover scholarship opportunities for free through your school counselor, community network, or an online search.

Many students focus on well-known, large scholarship opportunities, which are usually very competitive. To maximize your chance of success, invest time in applying for a wide variety of scholarships: national and local, as well as big and small award amounts. There are also scholarships for international students .

In addition to charitable foundation and corporate scholarships, you should consider applying for institutional scholarships at your prospective universities, which can award money based on your application’s strength, your financial situation, and your demonstrated interest in the school.

Check with your guidance counselor, local organizations, community network, or prospective schools’ financial aid offices for scholarship opportunities. It’s a good idea to start applying as early as your junior year and continue throughout your senior year.

Choose the right scholarships for you

Choose scholarships with missions and essay topics that match your background, experiences, and interests. If the scholarship topic is meaningful to you, it will be easier for you to write an authentic and compelling essay.

Don’t shy away from applying for local scholarships with small dollar amounts. Even a few hundred dollars can help you pay for books.

Local scholarships may be more tailored to your community, background, and activities, so they’re likely more relevant to you. Fewer students apply for these scholarships, so you have less competition and a higher chance of success.

Some places to look for local scholarships include

• Civic organizations, such as the Rotary Club, Lions Club, etc.
• Your church, mosque, synagogue, or place of worship
• Community groups, such as the YMCA
• Ethnicity-based organizations
• Your local library or local small businesses
• Organizations related to your intended major
• Your city or town
• Your school district
• Unions, such as SEIU, the Teamsters, CWA, etc.
• Your employer or your parents’ employers
• Banks, credit unions, and local financial institutions

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

While researching scholarship opportunities, create a scholarship tracker spreadsheet to keep track of the following:

• Scholarship amounts
• Required application materials

You can use our free Google Sheets template to track your scholarship applications.

Scholarship application tracker template

You can also include scholarship essay prompts in your college essay tracker sheet . By grouping or color-code overlapping essay prompts, you can plan to write a single essay for multiple scholarships. Sometimes, you can also reuse or adapt your main college essay .

Even if you’re adapting another essay, it’s important to make sure your essay directly addresses the prompt, stays within the word count limit , and demonstrates the organization’s values. The scholarship committee will be able to tell if you reuse an essay that doesn’t quite respond to the prompt, so be sure to tailor it to the questions asked.

Research each organization

Before writing, research the scholarship organization’s mission and reason for awarding the scholarship. Learning more about the organization can help you select an appropriate topic and relevant story.

While you should tailor your essay to the organization’s values, maintain your authentic voice. Never use false or exaggerated stories. If the organization’s values don’t align with yours or you can’t brainstorm a relevant story for the scholarship, continue searching for other scholarship opportunities to find a more appropriate one for you.

After researching the organization, identify a specific personal experience that embodies its values and exemplifies why you will be a successful student.

Choose a story with the following criteria:

• Responds to the prompt
• Demonstrates the organization’s values
• Includes an authentic story
• Focuses on you and your experience, not someone else’s

A good scholarship essay is not

• A resume of your achievements
• A lengthy opinion piece about the essay topic
• An essay featuring a negative tone that puts down others

If appropriate, you can briefly address how the scholarship money will help you achieve your educational goals. You should also end with a brief thank-you.

Take a look at the full essay example below. Hover over the underlined parts to read explanations of why they work.

Prompt: Describe how working for Chelsea’s Chicken restaurant has developed leadership skills that will help you succeed in college. Give specific examples of leadership characteristics that you have exhibited during your employment with us.

As a nervous 16-year-old, I walked into Chelsea’s Chicken for my first day of work determined to make enough money to put gas in my car and buy pizza on the weekends. My only previous job was mowing my neighbors’ lawns when they were on vacation, so I had no idea what to expect. I was a bit intimidated by my new responsibilities, especially handling money and helping disgruntled customers.

However, it didn’t take me long to learn my way around the cash register and successfully address customer complaints. One day, Roger, the store manager, asked me if I wanted to join Chelsea’s Chicken Leadership Training Initiative. He said he saw leadership potential in me because of my attitude with the customers and my enthusiasm for learning new job responsibilities. It surprised me because I had never thought of myself as a leader, but I quickly agreed, and Roger handed me a three-ring binder that was thicker than my math and science textbooks put together! He told me to take it home and read over it during the following week.

In that binder, I discovered that being a leader means taking the initiative, especially when the job is undesirable. One week later, I got to practice that idea when a little kid threw up in the bathroom and missed the toilet. It smelled terrible, but I stepped forward and told Roger that I would clean it up. My coworkers thought I was crazy, but I started to believe in my leadership potential.

That night as we closed the store, Roger pulled me aside in the parking lot and told me that he could tell that I had been studying the manual. He wanted to give me more responsibility, along with a dollar-per-hour pay raise. I was surprised because I had been working there for only a couple of months, but his encouragement helped me make a connection: good leadership helps other people, and it often is rewarded. I was determined to experience more of both.

Within a month, I was ready to take the Team Leader exam, which mattered because I would receive a promotion and a much bigger raise if I passed. But, when I got to work, two of the scheduled team members had called in sick. We were noticeably short-handed, and our customers weren’t happy about it.

I walked back to the lockers, put on my vest and hat, and took my place behind an open register. Customers immediately moved into my line to place their orders. Roger looked at me with surprise and asked, “Did you forget that you’re testing tonight?” I responded, “No, sir—but what’s the use of taking a leadership test if you aren’t going to lead in real life?” Roger smiled at me and nodded.

He stayed late that night after we closed so that I could leave early and still take the test. I noticed that Roger was always staying late, helping employees learn new skills. His example taught me that leaders take the initiative to develop other leaders. He gave me a clear picture of what shared leadership looks like, making room for others to grow and excel. When I asked him where he learned to do that, he said, “From the same leadership manual I gave you!”

Chelsea’s Chicken has offered me so much more than a paycheck. Because of Roger’s example, I have learned to take the initiative to care for my family and friends, such as being the first to do the dishes without my mom asking or volunteering to pick up my friend for our SAT prep course. Now, as I prepare to enter college, I have confidence in my leadership ability. I know I’m signing up for a challenging major—Biology, Pre-Med—yet I also know that Chelsea’s Chicken has helped me to develop the perseverance required to complete my studies successfully.

If you want to know more about academic writing , effective communication , or parts of speech , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Academic writing

• Writing process
• Transition words
• Passive voice
• Paraphrasing

 Communication

• How to end an email
• Ms, mrs, miss
• How to start an email
• I hope this email finds you well
• Hope you are doing well

 Parts of speech

• Personal pronouns
• Conjunctions

A scholarship essay requires you to demonstrate your values and qualities while answering the prompt’s specific question.

After researching the scholarship organization, identify a personal experience that embodies its values and exemplifies how you will be a successful student.

Invest time in applying for various scholarships , especially local ones with small dollar amounts, which are likely easier to win and more reflective of your background and interests. It will be easier for you to write an authentic and compelling essay if the scholarship topic is meaningful to you.

You can find scholarships through your school counselor, community network, or an internet search.

You can start applying for scholarships as early as your junior year. Continue applying throughout your senior year.

Yes, but make sure your essay directly addresses the prompt, respects the word count , and demonstrates the organization’s values.

If you plan ahead, you can save time by writing one scholarship essay for multiple prompts with similar questions. In a scholarship tracker spreadsheet, you can group or color-code overlapping essay prompts; then, write a single essay for multiple scholarships. Sometimes, you can even reuse or adapt your main college essay .

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• Applying For Scholarships

Financial Need Scholarship Essay Examples (2023)

Jennifer Finetti Oct 2, 2022

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Many scholarships are awarded based on financial need. In order to win these scholarships, you must explain the nature of your financial need. In the guide below, we’ll explain how to write these types of essays to increase your chances of winning. Check out these scholarship essay examples for financial need scholarships.

How to write financial need scholarship essays

Here are some tips for writing financial need scholarship essays:

• Maintain a positive tone throughout the essay . You do not want to come across as self-pitying. Focus on ways you learned and grew from past experiences – how they made you stronger.
• Do not diminish other people’s suffering. This is a competition, but that doesn’t mean you should belittle your competitors. In fact, it would be better to say “I know there are many worthy candidates for this scholarship, but…” than to say “I have suffered far more than…” Show respect in everything you write.
• Frame your essay around a specific event. You may add other details if you have space to, but use one experience as the thesis for your essay.
• Avoid controversial statements and opinions. When discussing events from your past, do not belittle someone else or talk negatively about a group of people. You never know who will be reading your essay.
• Tell your story with honesty. Do not fabricate any details to make yourself sound needy. Your past and present circumstances will speak for themselves.
• Don’t try to sound philosophical. Some students will do this because they think it makes them seem smarter, but it rarely has that effect. Focus on proofreading and writing solid content. That is enough intelligence on its own.
• Discuss your career goals, if possible. You may not have room for this if the essay is short. If you do have room though, discussing your career goals will indicate a plan for the future. Review boards reward determination.

You know why you need financial aid. Tap into the key elements of your circumstances and use them to craft the perfect essay.

Many scholarships are awarded based on financial need. In order to win these scholarships, you must explain the nature of your financial need. In the guide below, we’ve provided examples of scholarship essays for financial need scholarships, along with some tips to help you write your own essay.

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Example 1: “Provide a statement of financial need”

Some scholarships will simply ask for a statement of financial need. There are no parameters to follow. You’re left to write whatever you want. Typically, a statement of financial need is two or three small paragraphs. This will come out to roughly 150-200 words, but it could be slightly longer. Think of this as a cover letter for your scholarship application, highlighting the key elements of your financial need. Don’t build up to the thesis. Get directly to the point.

I am the first person in my family to graduate high school, and thus the first to attend college. Both of my parents dropped out of school when they were teenagers. Because of their limited education, they have always worked in entry-level positions, earning barely enough to put food on the table. My first job I got was at the age of 12 delivering papers, and I have worked hard ever since to relieve pressure from my family. I enrolled in Mississippi’s HELP program during my senior year, which covers tuition and fees at select colleges in the state. I also have a Federal Pell Grant to cover my housing. However, I still need funding for books, supplies, and transportation to campus as needed. I am an engineering student, and our classes come with high fees. My parents cannot contribute to my college expenses, and I cannot work much while I’m in school. This scholarship would help me avoid costly student loans that could take years to repay.  

Example 2: “Describe your financial need in 100 words”

This essay is even shorter than the financial need statement. It may be one of several short answer questions you need to fill out. Working with 100 words is tricky. That only leaves room for about 7-10 sentences, depending on length. Make compelling statements using the fewest words possible.

Also note that grammar errors and misspellings will be much more noticeable in this short essay. Carefully proofread your writing before submitting the scholarship application.

I got pregnant and dropped out of high school when I was 15. By the age of 20, I had two more children, and we all shared a one-bedroom apartment. I worked three jobs to pay the bills, but I never earned much. When my oldest started high school, I did the same. I got my GED at 29 and enrolled in nursing school. My financial status has improved now with a GED, but I’m still a single mom with three kids. I want to become a registered nurse to give my children a stable future. I appreciate your consideration.

Word Count: 100

Example 3: “Explain your financial need in 500 or more words”

This scholarship essay prompt is the opposite of the one above. You have much more room to discuss your circumstances. Talk about your family life, your income, and other restraints that contribute to your financial aid . Try not to throw too much in the essay though. You want the information to flow together seamlessly. Edit carefully, and give the readers a full view of your situation.

My name is Brandon Noviello. I am a sophomore on track to earn my Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. I need financial aid because I do not have a family to contribute to my education. I was in foster care for two years before I aged out of the system, and now I am pursuing a degree completely on my own. I was raised by a wonderful woman who didn’t always have a wonderful life. My mother got pregnant after a sexual assault, but she was determined to raise a smart, successful man. She went through an accelerated program to graduate high school before I was born. She devoted the rest of her life to supporting me, both financially and emotionally. My mother’s family cut ties with her the moment she became pregnant. Life wasn’t easy for us, but I never wanted for anything. She always found a way to keep me fed, dressed, and in school. Unfortunately, she lost a long-term battle with depression when I was 16, and I was put into the foster system until I reached adulthood. I did not have a positive experience with foster care, but I admit, I had no desire to. My mother’s passing weighed heavily on my mind, and I felt an overwhelming sense of anger, regret, and frustration. There was one gleam of hope in my experience though. I had a great social worker. I fought her decisions every step of the way, and she still managed to find a family to get me through high school. My social worker was the only person I invited to my graduation ceremony.  She helped me realize how much one person’s efforts can make a difference in the lives of others. I was only one of countless children she had helped over the years. I researched how to become a social worker so I could help other children like me. My plan is to work with the Department of Human Services in the foster care and adoption division after I graduate. In order to make my dreams a reality, I need financial aid. I am working as a server to pay for food, utilities, and basic necessities, but I do not earn enough to pay for college as well. I go to school during the day and work at night. Furthermore, I have a maximum Pell Grant to cover most of my tuition, but I still need help with other expenses. I did not do well in high school as a result of my mom’s passing, but I have done well in college. I have a 3.25 cumulative GPA, and I have never made less than an A in a degree-related course. As such, I am committed to being successful despite my circumstances, and I want to help young people find that motivation within themselves. I look forward to working with children and teens in the foster system, so I can be the hope that someone else was for me.

Word Count: 498

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• Scholarship Essay

Jennifer Finetti

As a parent who recently helped her own kids embark on their college journeys, Jennifer approaches the transition from high school to college from a unique perspective. She truly enjoys engaging with students – helping them to build the confidence, knowledge, and insight needed to pursue their educational and career goals, while also empowering them with the strategies and skills needed to access scholarships and financial aid that can help limit college costs. She understands the importance of ensuring access to the edtech tools and resources that can make this process easier and more equitable - this drive to support underserved populations is what drew her to ScholarshipOwl. Jennifer has coached students from around the world, as well as in-person with local students in her own community. Her areas of focus include career exploration, major selection, college search and selection, college application assistance, financial aid and scholarship consultation, essay review and feedback, and more. She works with students who are at the top of their class, as well as those who are struggling. She firmly believes that all students, regardless of their circumstances, can succeed if they stay focused and work hard in school. Jennifer earned her MA in Counseling Psychology from National University, and her BA in Psychology from University of California, Santa Cruz.

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NPG IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE WINNERS OF OUR 2023 ESSAY SCHOLARSHIP CONTESTS

• July 10, 2023
• Scholarship

NPG is pleased to offer challenging contests as part of our mission to enlist a new generation of activists who will be focused on calling attention to the dangers of population growth. We send our thanks to all of our members and friends who have so generously contributed, as well as our appreciation for the tens of thousands of students who have competed in our contests. It is your support and participation that make this critical program possible!

Please scroll down to see the winners from both our Essay Scholarship Contests!

2023 Graduate Students Essay Scholarship Topic

Experts from the U.S. Census Bureau predict U.S. population may reach 404 million by 2060 unless we change course. That means we may be living with an additional 70 million people in less than 40 years. What aspects of your life will be most affected by this growth? In order to protect our environment and quality of life for future generations, should the US government encourage policies designed to reduce growth to a smaller, truly sustainable, level?

Click on each name to view the text of the winning essay.

2023 High School Seniors & Undergraduate Students Essay Scholarship Topic

Experts from the U.S. Census Bureau predict U.S. population may reach 404 million by 2060 unless we change course. That means we may be living with an additional 70 million people in less than 40 years. What 3 aspects of your life will be most affected by this growth?

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$5,000 – The Donald W. Mann Memorial Scholarship for Population Studies  Alex Blake University of Nevada, Las Vegas

The world we inhabit contains finite resources that we depend on. As the population increases, the strain we place on both our limited resources and our infrastructure puts our livelihoods at risk. National policies should be implemented that aim to achieve an optimum population, sustain our finite resources, and improve the quality of life for our present and future generations.

Over the course of a century, the United States’ population has skyrocketed. The population grew from 111 million in 1923 to almost 340 million in 2023. As a result of advancements in medicine and accelerating migration, our carrying capacity – the maximum population size that can be sustained in an environment based on its available resources – has been exceeded. In his article, Way Too Many For Us , Hillel J. Hoffmann of Cornell University’s Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology projected the U.S. carrying capacity to be 200 million. If the U.S. population is predicted to reach 404 million by 2060, our government needs to take action. This growth will impact many aspects of our daily lives by amplifying existing issues such as traffic congestion, resource depletion, and a competitive workforce. With regard to our society’s urbanization, an additional 70 million people would drastically increase commute times in a city that relies heavily on vehicular transportation resulting in lower air quality. Severe supply chain issues would arise from the projected population growth due to a heavier demand for limited resources similar to the global supply chain crisis we witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The rise in automation and artificial intelligence has already impacted the workforce’s limited capacity. Finding good, secure jobs will become incredibly competitive with the increase in population. These issues merely scratch the surface of the impact our projected population growth will have without the proper policy implementation.

The United States has the highest immigrant population in the world with nearly 50 million as of 2020, which accounts for 15% of the population. The second largest immigrant population in the world is Germany with about 15 million. In 2020, the United States granted 707,362 people with lawful permanent resident status. This is a significant decrease from the typical average of over a million. According to Brookings, “the bulk of last year’s increase in population growth (about 86%) was due to a rise in immigration.” In an effort to achieve a sustainable growth in population, the rate of immigration should be limited to a drastically lower number.

As a democratic society, the United States government should not dictate the family planning of the general public. The decision-making needed to combat overpopulation will be driven largely by a general public that is well-informed. Ideally, the government’s role should be to inform people about the causes and effects of overpopulation and provide incentives to families that adhere to sizes suitable for offsetting population increase. Implementing such policies may not necessarily be a priority, however. U.S. census data indicates that fertility rates are at an all-time low with an average of 1.62 births per woman in 2020. Although the average family has reached a sustainable size, the sheer number of families is still a factor not to be overlooked. The policies the U.S. government should focus on are those that modernize our infrastructure by taking into account the population growth that has already taken place.

In order to protect our environment and quality of life, the foundation of our infrastructure needs to be restructured. Cities that solely rely on vehicular transportation are not sustainable for the growing population. Policies that fund public transportation and fixed-route transit services would benefit both the economy and the environment through their ability to serve the masses. According to the American Public Transportation Association, “an investment of $10 million in public transportation generates about $32 million in increased business sales” and creates tens of thousands of jobs. Public transportation can accommodate 90 to 100 times more people than individual automobiles which significantly reduces traffic congestion and air pollution. Policies that directly aim at removing air pollution would improve our quality of life and protect our environment for future generations. The U.S. government should prioritize our shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy such as wind and solar. Our reliance on non-renewable energy sources is detrimental as these limited sources of energy cannot sustain our growing population in the near nor distant future.

Reaching an optimum population will require a conscious effort from the general public and advocacy from the government through policy implementation. Responsible family planning as well as policies that limit immigration into the United States will aid in a gradual decline in our population growth. Having already exceeded our projected carrying capacity, it is crucial to also support policies that take into account our existing growth by addressing issues of infrastructure and sustainable energy. Quality of life is a notion that we should strive to improve upon for not only the present but more importantly the future.

$2,500 Veronica Irwin NYU Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute

As a resident of San Francisco, I am acutely aware of the harm that population growth can inflict. San Francisco has been densely populated since its transition from a Gold Rush town in the late 1800s, and the constant influx of people in the time since has only exacerbated the issues we face as a small, coastal city. Every day, San Franciscans are reminded of the impacts of population growth on the local environment and cost of living, whether it be because of rising sea levels flooding the Embarcadero or crowds of homeless people filling the downtown core. Because of my experience living here, I have come to believe that proactive federal action is necessary to slow population growth to a sustainable level and save major American cities like my own.

One of the most significant problems that population growth has caused in San Francisco is the skyrocketing cost of living. As more people move to the city, the demand for housing increases, and landlords can charge exorbitant rents. San Francisco is constantly battling New York City for being the most unaffordable place to live in the country, leading to four decades of steadily increasing homelessness. Just between 2005 and 2022 homelessness increased 43.5% in San Francisco, according to the city’s official point-in-time counts. Many long-term residents are forced to leave the city in search of more affordable living arrangements. Meanwhile, those who remain put a strain on our public transportation system and housing supply, leading to overcrowding, transit delays, and rising crime that impact both residents and visitors.

Another major issue that population growth has created in San Francisco is environmental degradation. The city is already prone to natural disasters: earthquakes because of its proximity to major fault lines, fires because of a state-wide drought and the close proximity of buildings, and a shrinking coastline on all three exposed sides of the peninsula. But the construction of new buildings and infrastructure has destroyed green spaces the city is known for and native wildlife’s natural habitats, leading to a loss of biodiversity and increased pollution. The sheer number of people in the city has also put a strain on our water and energy resources, making it increasingly difficult to maintain a sustainable way of life. According to the New York Times, even San Francisco’s iconic fog is disappearing due to local climate changes.

Fortunately, there are solutions that the US government could implement to help mitigate the negative impacts of population growth on coastal cities like San Francisco. For one, metropolitan public transit systems could be provided with funding to extend further into city suburbs, making it easier for people to both work in the city and live in less densely populated areas. When the Bay Area Public Transit System (BART) was first designed, for example, it stretched deep into cities up to a 90-minute drive from San Francisco. If it had been developed as originally intended, and not had its plans shrunk due to lobbying from the automobile industry, many of the city’s workers could comfortably live in cities like Fremont, Santa Rafael, and Redwood City, nearly twice as far from the city center as the BART lines extend now. Tax breaks and other subsidies could also be used to further incentivize people to trade the commute for more space in the suburbs. The government could also invest in infrastructure and job creation in these areas to make them more attractive to potential residents.

Another solution would be to invest more in dense, affordable housing and transportation options in coastal cities like San Francisco. This would help alleviate some of the strain that population growth has put on our housing supply, reducing homelessness and the waste that comes with people living on the city streets. Additionally, dense housing has been shown to reduce households’ carbon footprint. A collaborative 2022 study from the New York Times and UC Berkeley, for example, showed that dense neighborhoods in Manhattan expended nearly 50 tons of CO2 less per household than more spread-out neighborhoods in the New Jersey suburbs. Additional investments in renewable energy and water conservation efforts, particularly via subsidies for more environmentally friendly systems in this dense housing, would improve this solution.

Finally, the government could implement policies that encourage people to have fewer children. This could be achieved through more public education campaigns that promote family planning and birth control, as well as through tax incentives for families that choose to have fewer children. Investments in reproductive health care would also make it easier for people to make strong, informed decisions about their reproductive choices.

Since moving to the city in 2019, I have witnessed the firsthand harm that population growth has caused. In fact, I’ve seen it accelerate in just the four years I’ve been here, as cost of living spikes post-pandemic and people return to the re-awakening downtown. Personally, I am frightened — not only for our population, as a whole, but for my own future ability to afford to live and work in an urban area.

From the high cost of living to environmental degradation, population growth has created a host of problems that must be addressed if we want to create a sustainable future for our communities. By enabling and incentivizing people to move to less populated suburbs, investing in dense affordable housing options, and encouraging families to have fewer children, the US government can help to reduce population growth and create a better future for all of us. It is time for us to take actions and protect our cities and our planet from the harmful effects of population growth.

$1,500 Leanne Deng Georgetown University

 A Call to Manage Overpopulation in the United States 

As an immigrant from China living in the United States and now a nurse working every day and caring for patients, I want to bring a different take to limiting population growth in the United States. Immigration for many people is life changing. It has personally given me the opportunity to move out of a tiny village in China, obtain my master’s degree in nursing, and now pursue a career as a nurse practitioner. It is hard for someone like me who was given the opportunities to be in favor of policies designed to reduce population in the United States because at least one of them would probably involve limiting immigration. However, based on the claims of experts from the U.S. Census Bureau that we will have a 70 million increase in population in less than 40 years, the United States will need to start incorporating policies to limit population growth in order for its residents to live quality lives.  

I believe legalizing abortion and providing individuals with additional education on the use of contraceptives would be a step in the right direction to mitigate overpopulation in the United States. I am fully aware that abortion rights are a whole separate battle with many other factors and cannot limit population growth alone. However, having abortion as an option would help maintain our population numbers and decrease abandoned children. I had a patient come from Texas to my hospital in Oregon for an abortion because it was illegal in that state. If my patient did not have the financial ability to travel, she probably would’ve kept the child and contributed to unwanted population growth. In a study of population growth in 116 of the world’s largest countries, the use of contraception and abortion was able to keep the growth rate low. The results showed that abortion is necessary but not sufficient alone to lower the growth rate. Legalizing abortion and promoting education of contraceptive use in high school would be beneficial in reducing our growth rate. 

I also agree that aspects of immigration should be limited such as stopping illegal immigration and prohibiting anchor babies. In 2016, about 250,000 babies were born to unauthorized immigrant parents in the United States making up 6% of the total birth that year. I strongly believe the United States should discourage unintentional fertility through high school education on the use of contraceptives and the high cost of raising children. The United States should also endorse families to limit their household to two children. I was born in China while the one child per household policy was in effect, and while it was harsh and radical, it did help China’s population become more sustainable. While I do not believe the United States should do something as harsh as China, I do believe the United States should provide more benefits for couples to have less children. This will help promote smaller families and help them financially. 

Slowly but surely, everyone will be affected by the large population surge in the next 40 years. Working in surgery, I am able to see how fast technology is advancing and that life expectancy has been longer than ever before. In the 1960s, the average life expectancy of Americans was 69.77 years old and currently it is at 77.28 years old with a slight decrease due to the COVID-19 pandemic. What will most likely happen is that we will expand our cities and there will be an increase in deforestation resulting in an increase in carbon dioxide into our environment. From a nurse’s perspective, losing even more trees and natural reserves which are healing to the mind and body can lead to an increase in mental health problems more than ever before. In a worldwide ecological study, deforestation was shown to be strongly associated with poor mental health including higher suicide rates. Aside from mental health, we will most likely also be living in overcrowded cities allowing contagious diseases to spread quickly. Decreasing our growth rate will slow down deforestation to expand our cities.  

I do believe the United States government needs to establish policies to prohibit illegal immigration and anchor babies while approving and supporting abortion rights for women and education on contraceptive use. The combination of these actions will help maintain our population, and from thereon we can promote proper education for families to prevent having more than two children per household, showing them health benefits. As an immigrant, I do support immigration through family reunification because I would never be the way I am without being raised in a nuclear family and having the support of both my parents. As a nurse, I believe population should be limited so we can slow expansion of cities and deforestation leading to mental health and stress with the loss of nature which can be healing for many. We need to look at the bigger picture and ahead for the future of our next generations and support limiting population growth.  

$1,500 Ashlyn Puckett Georgia State University College of Law 

The rush of millions of minds crowds the streets in Houston, TX.  Their metropolitan area boasts a population of over seven million and growing.  Almost 1.7 million immigrants and refugees call Houston home, which accounts for roughly a quarter of their population.  While these relocations have made Houston the diverse cultural center it is today, they have also threatened the wellbeing of the residents who live there.  Without a strict immigration policy, areas like Houston will become overpopulated.  To combat this, the United States should enforce a stricter immigration policy to prevent overpopulation, which would ultimately harm both the environment, and our citizens’ quality of life.

Although the fundamental idea of immigration is not a threat to the United States, the effects of it, should it continue in the proportions it is now, could lead to overpopulation.  Immigration is “a major driver of population growth” in the United States, meaning that decreasing the number of immigrants who come in will lower the population growth dramatically.  Especially because many of the immigrants who enter are illegal, improving security on the border could have great effects.  Contrarily, “the number of babies born in the U.S. hit its lowest level in more than three decades last year.” This further proves that the most efficient way to limit the U.S. population growth is by decreasing incoming immigrants.  If the number of babies born in the U.S. remains low, and immigration is slowed, then the U.S. will maintain a stagnant growth rate, allowing it to avoid many overpopulation related issues in the future.

Overpopulation both increases climate change and decreases one’s quality of life.  Climate change is, in part, fueled by the amount of people on the planet.  The industrial revolution occurred in the 19 th century, and sparked a wide culture of innovation, causing humans to use more of their natural resources.  Despite the industrial revolution, “if we had invented steam engines and coal- powered electrical grids and automobiles but kept global population at 1800 levels – climate change would be much less of an issue” In the 19 th century, population levels were much lower than they are today, meaning that the scale of pollution was much smaller.  With a reduced level of pollution, earth’s natural cycles could easily keep up with the waste created.  However, this is not the case today, as the global population has skyrocketed, so has pollution.  If the United States wants to remain, in terms of reference to other countries, one of the leaders in global environmentalism, keeping populations down is a necessity.  Another large effect of overpopulation is the lowered quality of life that comes with population density.  If the United States becomes too overcrowded, there will be a “rise [in] unemployment,” an increase of the cost of living, and “starvation, [will] become more likely.” Protecting the citizens of the U.S. from these occurrences can only be done through monitoring population growth.  Without it, there will be a dramatic decrease in the quality of life in the U.S, and in the quality of the environment. 

In order to protect the United States from the effects of overpopulation, the best policies to decrease illegal immigration include the use of E-Verify like systems, and the removal of dangerous foreign nationals.  Previous administrations have enforced the use of E-Verify, which “checks the social security numbers of newly hired employees against Social Security Administration and Department of Homeland Security records to help ensure that they are genuinely eligible to work in the U.S.” By accounting for every employee’s eligibility to work in the U.S, employers help take a step to enforce documentation of immigrants.  Those that make it into the U.S. undocumented will find it difficult to be there and will thereby be encouraged to go through the legal immigration process.  Additionally, the U.S. should “arrest, detain, and remove criminals, fugitives, and other dangerous foreign nationals  by leveraging federal information […] and working with the Department of Justice to ensure more timely hearing of immigration cases and appeals.”  The U.S. immigration system has long been a part of its journey to one of the most powerful nations in the world.  It is important to keep this essential factor well-oiled and polished, even if it means enforcing verification systems and removing those who are illegally in the country.  By restricting illegal immigration, the U.S. will be able to lower growth rates and prevent overpopulation. 

With the global population projected to reach eight billion this year, the earth is reaching its carrying capacity. With a limited number of resources, it is vital that measures are taken to decrease population growth rates, not just in the United States, but across the globe.  However, as one of the most influential nations in the world, it is important that the United States takes this important step toward human survival. 

$1,000 Lorena Elizabeth Diaz Strayer University

Albert Einstein once said, “ Overpopulation in various countries has become a serious threat to the well-being of many people and a grave obstacle to any attempt to organize peace on this planet of ours.” (1) I wholeheartedly agree with him. In the United States’ overpopulation has become one of the most serious threats to the environment’s health, natural resources, ecosystems, and quality of life. Many factors contribute to this serious threat, the most impactful are uncontrolled immigration and higher birth rates. The United States government must make decisions and policies aimed at reducing population growth to preserve our country’s resources and quality of life for future generations. Failure to do so could have a destructive effect, including environmental deterioration, starvation, stress, and even violence.

Overpopulation and Immigration Crisis

According to Merriam-Webster, the term overpopulation is defined as “the condition of having a population so dense as to cause environmental deterioration, an impaired quality of life, or a population crash.” (2) I believe that overpopulation occurs when there are no longer sufficient natural resources to sustain the lives of all people inhabiting the earth and still leave behind a healthy planet for future generations. To put this definition into perspective and give it the credence it deserves, I present data from the United States Census Bureau. According to data provided by the Unites States Census Bureau, as of March 2023, the total estimated U.S. population will have reached 334,545,826 people. (3) Their data further shows that the estimated population continues to increase exponentially every year. The chart below shows population growth in the U.S. over the past four years.

Additionally, the data from the United States Census Bureau suggests that a leading cause to the threat of overpopulation is immigration. Data from the United States Census Bureau indicates that there is precisely one migrant to the U.S. every 22 seconds .(5) At present, there is an alarming inflow of undocumented immigrants coming through the U.S. southern borders. For example, in my home state of Florida, there have been at least 8,000 immigrants apprehended on the waters off the coast of Florida since August 2022. (6) There are also examples of numerous immigrants who reach the shores of Florida by boat every day. Many times, these boats are left on shore for local authorities to dispose of, creating an environmental hazard. (7).According to Migration Policy Institute, in 2021 Florida had the third most immigrants of any state, at approximately 4.6 million. (4) Regrettably, it is not feasible for Florida to continue to accept everyone who wants to come in without extreme repercussions to the state’s natural resources.  

While immigration may have some positive impacts on our communities, such as providing skilled, documented immigrant workers who contribute to the health of the economy. Undocumented immigrants, on the other hand, bring more issues because they are not vetted and their ability to financially support themselves could be lacking. (6) This issue directly impacts our communities by way of unaffordable housing and overcrowded classrooms. Undocumented immigrants contribute to the issue of run-down neighborhoods, which in turn increases crime, pollution, and unsanitary living conditions. Not to mention, the tremendous strain on our local authorities and social services that do not have the resources to accommodate such a large influx of immigrants. (7) It is important for the health of our communities that the government take initiatives to make polices about reducing immigration on our shores.

It is also imperative that we acknowledge that higher birth rates contribute to the threat of overpopulation .(5) According to the United States Census Bureau, there is one birth every 9 seconds. (5) Impoverished areas are experiencing higher birth rates due to lack of educational resources. It is the government’s responsibility to conduct research and identify areas of need and provide free contraception and education for boys and girls. Education among young women and teenage girls can have several positive effects, including delayed motherhood, and an increase in labor force contribution. (9) The government must increase Its efforts to share information about family planning and expose myths about contraception. This will surely help with the high birth rate in the U.S, which is currently a leading factor in the threat of overpopulation.

Conversations about population control present ethical challenges, especially when referring to the number of children a household should have. However, we should not be deterred from having these conversations. In the end, these conversations could prove to have an everlasting positive effect on the topic of overpopulation that threatens our small world. Pope Francis once said, “Some people think that — excuse my expression here — that in order to be good Catholics we have to be like rabbits. No. Parenthood is about being responsible. This is clear.” (8) I believe what the Pope was trying to say is that procreation should never be regarded as a requirement, and instead we must look outward and claim responsibility for choices in creating a family. Certainly, participating in responsible population growth is one of the most reliable and economic methods of helping our environment and securing a sustainable future.

Overpopulation is the biggest threat we are currently facing, and it will become a more complex issue in the coming decades. This issue has a devastating impact on the Earth’s limited supply of natural resources, and leads to problems such as environmental degradation and adverse effects on our forests and oceans. The biggest contributors to U.S. overpopulation are illegal immigration and higher birth rates in impoverished areas. Overpopulation negatively impacts our communities in many ways, including increasing pollution and contributing to the lack of affordable housing, which leads to homelessness and overcrowded classrooms. Recognizing the issue is not sufficient. The United States Government must act immediately and incessantly adopt policies to solve the issue before it worsens.

$1,000 Grace Katzmar Columbia University, Teachers College 

With a projected increase of 70 million people by 2060, the United States is facing a population growth crisis which would lead to increased damage to the environment and put further pressure on the housing crisis and the economy. On a personal level, my life as a teacher would be greatly impacted by population growth, as the American education system is already breaking under the strain of too much need, and too few resources. The American Government has a responsibility to enact policies intended to limit further growth to protect the health of the environment and increase equity and sustainable living for Americans.

As a teacher in American public schools, I have experienced crowded classrooms, with abysmally low funding and little support. The education system is on the verge of a breaking point, and it’s hard to imagine the additional stress an increasing population would put on already overwhelmed teachers. Between housing insecurity, hunger, poverty, environmental change, community violence and infrastructural decline, schools feel the ripple effects of all societal crises. With an increased population, the cost of housing, healthcare, and food would likely skyrocket, leaving communities in need with even fewer resources, and schools would be taking on even more responsibility to pick up the slack. For my students in New York City, the price of housing is already a severe problem in many of their lives, an increased population would only create more demand for housing, and fewer resources from educational and social agencies to support an increased number of students experiencing houselessness. The National Center for Education Statistics predicts that the number of students enrolled in American schools could double by 2100. Such an increase would be untenable under the current education system without government intervention to curb population growth and support American schools.

Based on my experiences as a teacher, I feel that the U.S. Government has a responsibility to enact policies designed to limit population growth in ways that increase quality of life for American citizens through greater access to women’s healthcare and education. The ethical dilemma in population growth policies lies in creating more access and more equity without violating human rights. The primary way to limit population growth while upholding equity would be universal support of women’s healthcare including affordable and accessible birth control methods, and nation-wide abortion access. By inhibiting women’s access to birth control and abortion, American women are forced to carry unwanted pregnancies, even in cases of rape and incest. With the power to make decisions about their own healthcare, even women without insurance could make the decision not to have children or have the agency to prevent unwanted pregnancy in the first place. Data from the University of Washington shows a significant link between the rise in contraceptive use and a decline in fertility rates in El Salvador, citing, “the country’s total fertility rate went from 5.44 births per woman in the mid-1970s — when 28% of women used birth control — to 2.72 births in the mid-2000s, when contraceptive prevalence had more than doubled”.  The solution to make contraception more accessible and affordable empowers communities while also addressing population growth.

Furthermore, more access to educational programs would empower Americans to make informed decisions about having children. Many people who have more than the average amount of children do so due to lack of other options. Societies with higher levels of education also have lower population levels. The public forum cites research from the Population Council which shows, overall, educated women have significantly fewer children than women who have not received formal education, “We’ve seen some astonishing transitions, especially in the 1970s in what were then poor countries where fertility rates fell when levels of education went up” (Murray).  There is a direct link between low birth rates and education around contraception and women’s health, but also when it comes to education in general.

When people are educated and have universal access to contraceptive methods, they can make more informed decisions about their fertility. Based on several studies on the link between contraception, education, and lower birth rates, I posit that creating educational programs surrounding women’s health and family planning, as well as offering universal and affordable contraception and access to abortion are positive first steps for the U.S. Government to take to address the threat of overpopulation.

$1,000 Brian Lum University of Arkansas

It is predicted in the year 2060, the U.S. population may reach 404 million. This should be an alarming number for everyone. It does not matter your political affiliation, background, economic status, or location. Everyone will be drastically impacted. That includes me. I will be forced into the effects of overpopulation.

My entire life has been spent in the most rural areas of Iowa or Arkansas. My lifestyle is an evolution of living rural and remote. At 47 years old, I now reside in an unincorporated community with a population of 223. Our community has one gas station, which is only open Monday through Saturday for eight hours each day. I can only see one house from any point on our five-acre property. On any day, there are less than a hundred cars that pass the house. One of the big factors that contributed to me and my wife, Jenn, choosing this property was its lack of population and attractions to the area.

  I am a technical trainer for a large thermoforming plastic company. At our facility, we produce food packaging made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Yes, the evil plastic is the means that provides my income.

  Now that the picture is painted of my current position, we can begin to complicate it with projections from the rapid growth of population.

  In the last couple of decades, Jenn and I have noticed the area between our small community and the larger metropolitan areas dwindling down. More and more farmlands are being turned into subdivisions. The forests are shrinking in size to accommodate for more businesses, housing, parking lots, and roadways. During late night drives, as we get closer to the city, the stars in the sky begin to disappear as the lights of the hustle and bustle take over the sky. At home, we can sleep with the windows open and only awakened by the sound of a cow, or one of our chickens, that has an apparent internal broken clock. When at a friend’s house in the city, there is the constant noise of a sleepless population.

Our meals are usually food provided by our farm or neighboring farms. With several farmers in the area selling fresh from the farm products, traveling to the grocery store is minimized. These farms have been in their families for many generations and have provided their livelihoods. As word runs rapid through our community when someone sells their farm to developers, conversations are started. Questions are asked about when it reaches us, what will happen. Will we sell? Will we be forced into buying our meat, vegetables, milk, and eggs from some big-name store that buys from big producers? Will we be the last generation of farmers in our family?

  The company I work for has been growing at record rates in the last decade as the demand for food packaging has increased at a parallel rate as population. This might be the only positive impact population growth has for me. However, irresponsibility of recycling is a huge problem. A large part of our product is made with post-consumer recycled material. The unfortunate side, some of our customers require that their products be made with 100% virgin materials. The most common reason is for the appearance of the packaging. It saddens me to think the product we produce can be recycled repeatedly, making a small mark on our environment, but there is a huge part of the population that either does not care or do not have a means of recycling reusable products. Our product, when mishandled, will end up in a landfill for 500-700 years. This is outrageous and action need to be taken.

What is the approach to protect the night sky, farm to table foods, silence in the night, the trees, the animals, and the environment? Should the government intervene and make aggressive policies to push change? I am a “less government is better” kind of guy, but not in this case. I support policies to reduce growth to a smaller, truly sustainable level. I wish there were other avenues to consider and try, but I am convinced that most businesses and individuals are selfish in their approach to environmental conservation. As a teacher, I see how difficult it is to impress an idea on someone that is not affected immediately or directly and must resort to changing company policies and procedures to force team members to abide.

What will my life look like in 40 years? Well, I imagine my 87 year-old self will no longer be able to live the rural life I love and crave. I am sure I will have neighbors living in my backyard (in my front and side yards also). My diet will consist primarily of processed and packaged foods. I could see noise pollution will be unbearable. Crime, I do not even want to think about crime. Clean water problems will become the norm for our area. Resources will be depleted and scarce. It will be a different world entirely forced to change by overpopulation. It will not be the “good ole days” any longer.

$1,000 Michael Soaries Union Theological Seminary New York

I moved into the community in which I now live approximately 25+ years ago. It was a mixed income community and a diverse population. While there were still the problems of race, gender, economics, I think the relative small size, coupled with a demographic who lived and engaged through the 1960s, allowed for a better working out of these issues. However, over time gentrification set in and the population increased as well as became less diverse. This has resulted in some issues that I believe correspond to the projected increase in world population.

A simple change has been more buildings needed to house more people. This means constant construction, closing of businesses for space, and increased rents and property values as well as noise and other pollutions. Then there is the increase in automobile traffic resulting in jams on the two main avenues at the going to work and coming home from work hours – as well as the school pick up and drop offs that result in congestion nightmares. More cars also mean more pollution which means more breathing and other related health problems that then contribute to an even larger flow into the emergency rooms for treatments. Health costs are enormous.

Add to that the after-pandemic affects of workforce changes, the struggling economy that is seeing tech companies dropping thousands of jobs and with a population increase that will only fuel potentials for fighting over already limited resources – we see this already playing out with immigration fights in the US and other countries.

Other qualities of life will definitely be impacted. We will need to manage resources much better. We’ve seen in the past in some African countries where the problem of hunger could have been alleviated much quicker had the obstacles to the needed resources getting in been dealt with. We already have an historic model for what can happen if we don’t become more aware, on an individual basis, of how we use and misuse resources. Hungry people eventually will not sit and wait for food. They will get up and go to where they think it is and not always peacefully. Can the US military withstand an onslaught of hungry people banging at the doors of the great wall? Maybe for a time but not forever. Especially when some of the hungry are within the wall itself. We already see the negative results of the political infighting, the racial divides, the gender gaps have on our way of life. Multiply that by 100 and add in unemployed anger, hungry children, the elderly, desperate people and it is a mess.

I’ve seen the stress growing up in low income black communities plagued with food deserts, a scarcity of jobs, over policing, overcrowded and underfunded schools – a mismanagement of resources in the sense that it generally was just a matter of time before a match was struck and somebody or group of bodies exploded in a rage that threatened to consume even the little that was there.

With advancements in technology I am not sure we would go back to that but I don’t know. Larger populations also mean a larger divide between the haves and the have-nots. Personally, I don’t believe in a war on the rich. However, as tempers get strained, as the competition for work gets greater and jobs harder to come by the have-nots will look to the haves and see them as the cause. And the haves will probably already put in place mechanisms of protection because psychologically it seems harder to give up money than to share.

We also have a model for population control already in place. China has been struggling with this for years. Their one child rule may have seemed like a good idea at the time to control growth but it has resulted in a deficit of people able to contribute to the economy and an increase in people aging out of the economy. According to an article on Forbes.com:

“The key demographic in this regard is the relative size of the country’s working population. Because China’s one-child policy has over time come to limit the human resources available to support the country’s dependent population, largely China’s elderly, the nation will lose much of its ability to invest for future growth. The figures are stark. According to United Nations (UN) demographers, China’s workforce has already begun to shrink absolutely even as the country’s dependent elderly population has continued to grow rapidly. Of course, labor power is not the whole story. Technological advances and productivity increases will allow a more efficient use of China’s available human resources, but the demographic situation will nonetheless limit Beijing’s options, especially when it comes to the huge development projects that have awed so many around the world, including the so-called “Belt and Road,” as well as China’s military buildup.”

Here we can see that China has a problem. We also get a sense that they recognize it and have implemented some strategies of resource management that might prove a better solution than population control. By the way, China has increased the amount of children couples can have to three, a concession of sorts.

All that being said I do believe that governments, particularly the US government should continue to encourage policies that support slower/smaller more sustainable growth, with a heavy emphasis on educating individual members in regards to their impact and role in the process. I as an individual have had and continue to have to learn that my individuality is not endless. What I do impacts others here and in other countries. As what others do impacts me. Understanding what that means and then how to translate that into meaningful actions is where education and support might make the biggest difference.

$2,500 Peter Sloniewsky Georgetown University

Among all of the other crises facing the members of my generation, few receive less attention than the impending reality of overpopulation. In the United States, a country defined by its existing inequalities, the consequences look dire for those unable to afford an escape. For myself, as an individual beginning my college education next year, the progressing tides look to threaten not only my potential for a secure livelihood but also that of my children.

The earth is groaning beneath our feet, and we must learn to walk more lightly upon it.

 – John Muir, “My First Summer in the Sierra”

Overpopulation seeks to threaten the most existential threat faced by those in my generation: the effect of humanity on the Earth’s climate. People generate waste; more people will result in increased usage of goods and needs for energy, which will lead to increased pollution and depletion of our natural resources. Some have declared that the climate disaster is already here; we are already beginning to see unprecedented increases in the frequency and intensity of massive storms and extreme weather events, and overpopulation threatens to accelerate that environmental decline by a significant margin. It is a sincere possibility that more than four hundred million Americans, including myself, will live in a world, within forty years, both unrecognizable and significantly less habitable than the one we enjoy today.

We have lived our lives / in the shadow of towering buildings / Where the air is thick with the smell / of fear and despair.

– Langston Hughes, “The Dream Keeper and Other Poems”

As the population expands, the inequalities which divide America today have no clear future beyond expansion. A lack of effective social services, housing, and infrastructure lead to diaspora and widen the gap between rich and poor. Additionally, a significant expansion of population increases demand for jobs that may just not exist, as it is likely that job market growth will not be able to compete with rapid changes in population. As the gap between rich and poor widens as well, those in areas which cannot support their populations will crumble, exacerbated by climate change. The economic decline which grows from a trend of stressed industrial systems and local economies will undoubtedly come to affect me in a personal way, in part due to the economic vulnerability attached to this period wherein I am meant to be spent acquiring the wealth which will secure my future.

The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere / The ceremony of innocence is drowned.

– W.B. Yeats, “The Second Coming”

Lastly, the strain of increased population will perhaps most prominently and decisively manifest itself within my life in social tension, namely through the spread of disease, increased crime, and an increase in competition for important natural resources. Correlations are clear between overpopulation and groups with a high tendency to spread disease not unlike the pandemic which so powerfully affected my upbringing. Increases in crime as cities begin to crowd even further are inevitable, which has the potential to fuel political fires and inflammatory rhetoric. Competition for natural resources, now depleted even further, will become rampant to serve to reinforce our socioeconomic divides and distinguish the rich from the poor even more distinctly from today.

It is easy to diminish the problem of overpopulation as alarmist, or simply not an issue of extreme concern in a period of time which seems plagued by an infinite list of catastrophes. However, this dilemma holds the potential to severely diminish the futures of myself and others my age as we grow up in an America which cannot give as much as we take.

$2,000 Curtis J. Halpin Penn State University 

Annihilation by Population

The time bomb is ticking with every heartbeat that is created.  The predicted increase of 70 million people by 2060 in the United States will have a detrimental effect on not only our country, but the citizens that populate our borders.  Life is defined by balance.  Actions have their consequences.  Over the next several years, balancing the demands of a growing population will put a strain on the limited resources of the United States.  When the seesaw of the ecological balance is overthrown by the density of a growing population, harsh realities such as pollution, urbanization, and increased conflicts will begin to arise. 

For the past 16 years, I have had a front row seat to the pyrotechnic display from the coal powered steam plant five miles from my house.  Daily, I can watch the white plumes of pollutants released from the towering, cannon-like smokestacks.  According to the EPA, these pollutants contribute to the decline of the ozone layer and numerous health issues.  Not only are hazardous chemicals being released into the air, the chemicals found in coal ash are also imposing health and environmental problems.    In the year 2014, the harms of coal ash became personal.  A spill at a retired Eden, NC power plant carried between 50,000 tons and 82,000 tons of cancer-causing chemicals and hazardous pollutants to my doorstep.  The effects of this accident and the tons of coal ash that are still stockpiled in the United States will continue to pose health issues, environmental hazards, and increased consumer electrical costs well into our future. 

The density of a growing population has erupted through rural towns across the United States.   Urbanization is spreading at an uncontrollable rate.  It is predicted by 2040 that North Carolina will be ranked second in the United States for losing the most farmland to urbanization. Urbanization does not just result in the loss of land, but it creates a demand for infrastructure to support the growing neighborhoods.  Our local high school enrollment exceeds the size of the building and has entire grade levels housed in trailers.  The local communities are funding regional water studies to identify outside water supplies.   Several areas of North Carolina experienced rolling blackouts in December because the local grid was not able to handle the power demand.   As urbanization continues to spread, the chances of dark hours, crowded spaces, and increased water costs will haunt our future.

In addition to the infrastructure conflicts that are caused by population growth in our borders, vast worldwide conflicts are experienced on a global scale as we compete for more crude resources.  Already, wars are being fought in the Middle East and other regions for these resources.  The war in Ukraine is centered on acquiring more land and control of a nuclear power plant.  The hunger for more, as the result of starvation and destruction, will come at the cost of lives being lost in conflicts and the annihilation of nations. 

Power versus waste byproducts, urbanization versus farmland, conflicts versus resolutions – the predicted population growth by the year 2060 is the ticking time bomb threatening our ecological seesaw.  Our actions, inventions, and technological advancements that have enabled our population to grow may ultimately seal our fate by 2060.   If nothing is done now to counterbalance, our demands will continue to come at a cost that is higher than our earth can afford.

$2,000 Amanda Jorjorian-Furcho Valencia College 

The Effects of an Increased Population on Florida Beautiful

Earth, air, fire, and water. Four elements that are essential to life as we know it. As the world population increases, we are the puppeteers in the delicate balancing of the stresses placed on these elements. On a personal level, a population increase would negatively affect my life within earth, air, and water elements. Looking ahead nearly 40 years, the U.S. population is predicted to reach 404 million adding additional pressure on my home state’s natural resources and ultimate quality of life. The first element – water surrounds the state on three sides and is one of the most essential elements to life.

Of the 71 percent of water on the planet, only about 0.3 percent is usable. Florida relies on water primarily from the Floridan Aquifer. This aquifer – one of the world’s most productive – is stressed with the current addition of 900 residents a day and could join nearly half of America’s water basins in experiencing significant water supply shortages in the next 50 years. A bird’s eye view would suggest the acceptance of a future without green lawns, but a closer look would showcase a future without water to clean dishes, take showers, limited access to water to drink and particularly for agriculture. Population growth would therefore have a detrimental effect on daily life and importantly as well, food supply.

Another aspect of my life that would be affected by population growth is air quality. I will be in retirement by 2060. Poor air quality can cause health problems towards humans, plants, and wildlife and research suggests that older adults are “more susceptible to air pollution-induced health effects”. An increased population means an increase in cars on the road and reduction in natural land or open space which has negative effects on the vibrant ecology of Florida.  

For example, without continued protection and investment towards a wildlife corridor and conservation of lands due to urbanization, I may see the extinction of animals, such as the Florida Panther in my lifetime due to a loss of habitat and biodiversity. To me, this is the earth element that is vital to my spirit, peace and ultimately my wellbeing.

Not only could a population increase see the loss of unique animals, place strain on the water supply and air quality but the natural beauty of Florida including its pristine springs, the Florida everglades, and miles of glorious beaches have the potential to be damaged by increased human activity. Couple this with climate change and sea level rise causing homes to be moved or built further inland, an increase in population in Florida will have unfavorable effects on my life quality, health, and wellbeing and not be sustainable in balancing the four elements to keep Florida Beautiful.

$2,000 Morgan Pursley University of Tennessee Chattanooga

In 2060 I will be 56 years old. If the population continues to grow at the expected rate, I imagine a world where healthcare will be harder to obtain, my children and I will be paying an unreasonable amount of taxes to support an overburdened education system, and my family and I will be facing water and food shortages.

I work at an Assisted Living. During the pandemic, there was such a shortage of beds at hospitals that our Covid positive residents would get turned away at the hospital, have to come back to the Assisted Living, and would pass away. The hospital could not support the amount of care that was needed, and if the population rises at the expected rate, it is unlikely the hospitals can support the rate of population growth, even when there is no disease or health crisis currently happening. Since the majority of population growth is coming from immigration, and non-insured people, The United States medical systems cannot continue to provide free services and stay in business.

My great Aunts are retired teachers in West Texas. They have witnessed firsthand the unbalance in resource allocation that it takes to get immigrant children up to grade level. Texas schools get their funding from property taxes. Because most illegal immigrants don’t own property or pay taxes, these school systems are forced to provide an unrealistic amount of educational resources to Spanish speaking children without the increase in funding to hire more teachers or other staff. The school system is legally required to provide Spanish translators for the children, leaving less resources to hire other staff or purchase supplies. In the next 40 years I believe the school systems all across the US will be experiencing the same burden that West Texas has faced for so long. My children and grandchildren will likely be taught by teachers who have to choose whether to help them reach their potential or get the immigrant children up to grade level. It’s not fair to give these immigrants false hope. We can’t sustain the education that we’ve been providing with the same amount of tax money if we have to provide interpreters for 30+ languages.

My Grandmother lives on 10 acres near Austin, Texas. She has a well. I live in Chattanooga, Tennessee and we have city water. It is easy when the city provides water to think that it is unlimited, but it is not. When they build new neighborhoods in Texas near my grandmother’s place, the underground water table gets depleted and there’s not enough water for everyone to drink, much less flush their toilets, take showers, wash their clothes, etc. People need to understand that water is not unlimited and we cannot make more of it. As the population grows exponentially, and the water does not increase, it is very likely that within the next 40 years, my family and I will face dire water shortages. Without enough water to sustain agriculture, the United States will likely face severe shortages in our food supply as well.

In conclusion, by the time I am 56, The United States will hopefully have found a way to stop the current rates of overpopulation. I want my children and grandchildren to inherit the quality of life I have been fortunate to have in Chattanooga, Tennessee. I am grateful to NPG for bringing a voice to the concern of overpopulation in America. The process of writing this scholarship has opened my eyes on the problems we face from overpopulation. I hope to carry this message forward for the rest of my life.

$1,500 Sebastian Henson Lake Forest College

How Will I Be Affected by Population Growth?

I don’t believe that any American can breathe fully without the touch of nature reminding us of our origins and gently guiding us on a path of calm, purpose, and joy. I certainly can’t­—when I sit in my yard, take a breath of fresh air, and listen to the cardinals’ songs, I am reminded of my place in life. In these moments, we forget that nature may not always be our guiding light. As the U.S. population is expected to grow by 70 million people in the next forty years, I can only expect to see increased habitat destruction, and see my connection with nature, quality of life, and health decrease.

Living in an area with limited access to open space and nature preserves, I cherish every nature excursion or glimpse of it. Open forests give me room for contemplation, learning, and joy. But these havens may not be available forever. Population growth invariably means loss of land and loss of natural habitat, leading to the most irreversible loss, the extinction of species. From 2000 to 2017, the U.S. population increased by 37 million, resulting in almost 12,000 acres of land developed due to population related factors. With a population growth of 70 million, developed land could be calculated to increase by almost 23,000 acres. It’s hard to imagine the implications of losing a portion of open space the size of West Virginia. I fear the day when I tell children tales about times when nature was abundant, and our nation was rich with biodiversity.

I usually think of the United States as a country with copious agricultural resources, and a shelter from dangers present in other parts of the world. But with the projected population increase, even this may be challenged. As population increases, so does America’s carbon dioxide emissions, which intensifies global warming. This has a multitude of results. When temperatures rise, certain crops cannot grow as well, become more vulnerable to weeds, and can even lose their nutritional value. Increased development may also decrease available farmland. Both factors can decrease agricultural output, potentially making quality food less accessible for my family. Beyond food impacts, additional global warming will cause natural disasters that are far more frequent than now. This will put more homes, including mine, in danger of destruction from storms, tornadoes, earthquakes, and hurricanes, directly affecting my quality of life.

The increase will also affect our health. The COVID-19 pandemic put to light the dangers of a large population—heightened disease transmission and overcrowded medical facilities. As America’s cities become denser, we can only expect these problems to get worse. A population increase will also result in more pollution as there is a greater need for energy and consumer goods. This will result in lower air quality, which has been linked to numerous health conditions. Since I plan to become a physician, I anticipate that my career will be very different than those before me; there will be a greater focus on improving the health of a nation afflicted with overpopulation related illnesses.

All that said, there is always hope. With proper immigration, land use, and infrastructure legislation, as well as initiatives to educate on family-planning, it doesn’t have to come to this. Without intervention, however, we can expect to lose our connection with nature, safety and security, and health—all of which have been cornerstones of my life and pillars of our nation.

$1,500 Connor Karpilovsky St. Joseph’s University – Long Island

My Future in a Growing Population

Twenty-one. Twenty, one. No, I am not talking about the legal drinking age in the United States nor am I referring to the 2008, critically panned film of the same name. Vespa et al. (2020) of the U.S. Census Bureau project that the United States’ population will reach roughly 404 million people by 2060, from a roughly 332 million population in 2020 (p. 4). The “twenty-one” I was referring to is the growth of about 21.6% in the U.S. population that would occur, which would certainly change the world as we know and see it today. By analyzing these projections, I can better understand how such an increase would affect my everyday life.

One aspect of my life that would be impacted with a drastic population increase would, in my view, be the housing market. Living on Long Island, I am no stranger to a housing market that is inconceivably expensive, but if you add in a 21.6% population increase then I believe that will be a recipe for disaster. More people means an increased demand for housing, and thus an amplified market.  I believe that this projected population growth will only exacerbate the housing market crisis and make it even more difficult to purchase a home during my lifetime.

The food supply chain is another aspect of my life that would be impacted. We have seen shocks and constraints in the supply chain ever since the COVID-19 pandemic started back in 2020, so it is my assertion that a population increase of this magnitude would only create more shortages at local stores. Similar to the housing issue, additional people in the economy would equate to an increased demand for basic goods and if our supply chains are not improved upon in the next 40 years then that will pose a key problem. This would not only have a major impact on my own personal life, but it would have a wide-ranging effect on the entire country as people would start to struggle to find basic goods that we all consume.

Lastly, I believe the environmental impacts will be grave and dire with this population increase. Our country already has a tremendous number of issues with respecting our environment, ranging from pollution to worsening climate change to even just daily littering, all of which will continue to have negative environmental ramifications. This will affect me personally as it could mean the further destruction of parts of nature that I interact with and see daily. Spending time with my wife on Peconic Lake or traversing through the Pine Barrens could be ancient history if necessary actions are not taken to lessen the impact of a dramatic population increase.

A 21.6% increase in the population over the next 40 years would have a profound impact on a plethora of aspects of my life. If no changes are made in how we live our lives then there will be severe consequences for us all. It is my hope that we as a society can come together to ensure that such devastation does not happen for the betterment of, not only ourselves, but more importantly for future generations as well. We cannot keep pushing our problems to the side; we need to be the change that we want to see in the world.

$1,000 Simran Bhogle Irvine Valley College

In its prime, population growth was the machine that revolutionized America’s power in the world. The country bled with newfound potential and scared the rest of the world into submission. The economy strengthened and culture found its muse through the arts. Yet, this benefactor slowly but surely turned to a disadvantage. The bustling transportation and manufacturing changed the climate, polluted the waterways, and contributed to social inequalities. Although population growth caused an influx in American wealth, it slowly destroys our success now. As I look around the world in the future, the three aspects of my life most affected by population growth will be climate, pollution, and social inequality.

Climate is an incredibly important aspect of life because it determines the availability of crops and other valuable resources, but human overpopulation changes these delicately-set functions. Population growth has been identified as an immediate cause of greenhouse emissions. These emissions are increased due to “increased material extraction, deforestation, industrial agriculture,” and many other forms of man-made production.[1] These acts take massive tolls on Earth’s resources because there is an influx of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses in the air. These acts would be necessary to support an overpopulated group of people, yet they would destroy nature’s balance with the resources and animals around it. This will affect my life along with others’ lives because we will face soul-blazing forest fires and unbearable weather conditions as long as overpopulation continues to harm Earth’s climate.

Along with greenhouse gasses released in the air due to overpopulation, there will also be added pollution. This will affect my life and others’ lives incredibly because pollution decimates the resources people can use for nutrition and recreation. As an example, “In 2004, 31 states had statewide fish consumption advisories in place because of toxic pollution.”[2] Since overpopulation leads to a lesser amount of fish, people would have to limit their consumption. In the future, this would not just apply to fish, but to a multitude of animals and plants that many people once enjoyed. Added pollution will be one of the largest effects of overpopulation in the future, which will affect my life greatly because there may be many shortages of goods once enjoyed around the world.

Along with climate change and pollution, social inequality would be a large aspect of the future due to overpopulation. When there is a lack of resources in the world, it becomes difficult “for low-income and lower-middle-income countries to commit sufficient resources to improving the health and education of their populations.”[3] This means that overpopulation would lead to a further imbalance in society in which people are limited in their ability to succeed. Without an equal playing field, people may lose hope in society and find a lack of joy in everyday life. This would be significant for my life and the lives of others because a life without hope of advancement would be unbearably bleak. If overpopulation continues at the rate predicted by the  U.S. Census Bureau, a lack of social and economic equality would be incredibly apparent.

As I look around the world in the future, the three aspects of my life most affected by population growth will be climate, pollution, and social inequality. Life would be surrounded by disastrous natural events due to climate change, scarcities of precious animals and plants, and social imbalances in society. In order to ensure a bright future filled with pleasant climate, an abundance of natural resources, and greater life satisfaction, we must take action to slow the population growth.

$1,000 Madelyn Heckert Portland State University

Not a Movie Title but Real Life: The Impending Crush of People in 2060

A few years ago, my dad’s company eliminated his job, and we moved in with my grandparents. The house was a decent size, but even so, my grandpa got really stressed out about the noise and the lack of privacy. There weren’t enough seats for everyone to sit at the kitchen table and there were never enough snacks. Eventually, my dad found a job, we moved out, and my grandparents got their quiet house back. Unfortunately, it’s not as easy to solve when it’s not a house that’s overcrowded, but the whole United States. This country is expected to grow from 334 million people in 2020 to 404 million by 2060. If we don’t make changes to stop this from happening, the repercussions will be significant. I will be impacted by the resulting climate change, the shortages of resources, and the psychological distress of being stuck in a clown car from which there is no escape.

We’re already seeing climate change. We’ve known for a long time that human activities that create greenhouse gases like CO2 cause climate change. Adding more people will accelerate climate change. The results would be a catastrophic chain of events, causing weather-related crises and widespread diseases, threatening our health/overall well-being. I would have to suffer through more pandemics and more natural disasters, while watching sadly as habitats disappear and animals go extinct.

Remember how there were never enough snacks for everyone in my grandma’s house? Well, if the United States population grows to 404 million, the problem will be more than just a snack shortage. Demand for food in general will increase and food shortages like the kind we experienced during COVID will be common. Food won’t be the only commodity affected. We’ll have to change the way we collect and/or use water as it would be impossible to meet the growing demand. Virtually, everything we consume would be affected. When more people compete for a limited amount of something, like housing, prices skyrocket. I will likely spend a lot of time worrying over how to afford the necessities.

Another effect of population growth will be psychological. Dense neighborhoods drive up noise and crime, negatively impacting psychological well-being. It will be like that terrible crush of holiday traffic at the beginning of a long weekend, but instead it will be all the time, all year round. Every time you leave home, it will be like what happens when you leave a sports game; you’ll be surrounded by people, everywhere you look. In addition to the stress of overcrowding, there’s also the stress of the other effects – having to deal with climate change and its terrible repercussions, combined with the endless economic struggle of sky high prices.

It sounds like a survivalist movie – too many people and not enough water or food or housing – but it will be the reality of this country if we don’t make changes. Just like there weren’t endless amounts of chairs around my grandma’s kitchen table, there aren’t endless spaces here in the United States. We need to be careful to not overpopulate our planet so that all of the people living in the future have the same opportunities for health and well-being that people living right now have. Let’s make changes now before it’s too late.

$1,000 Domnica Reutov Portland State University

The U.S. Census Bureau predicts the U.S. population may reach 404 million by 2060. This increase in population creates a slew of problems, such as an increase in disease outbreaks, water insecurity, and an increase in emissions which contribute to climate change.

In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak a global pandemic. As cases of COVID-19 increased, weaknesses in the United States healthcare system began revealing themselves. This, mixed with citizens’ reluctance to follow guidelines and the lack of coordination from government offices, proved that action needs to be taken to prevent future pandemics. “However, infectious disease outbreaks have been increasing over the last decades. The exponential growth of the human population has led to increased urbanization which accelerates epidemics, as was the case with COVID-19 in Wuhan” (Spernovasilis at el.). Overpopulation and urbanization go hand in hand. Densely populated areas accelerate disease outbreaks. This was very apparent in New York City. New York is the largest city in the United States, which is a significant reason why the city consistently ranked highest for confirmed cases and deaths of COVID-19 (Bean). If actions against overpopulation are not taken, pandemics such as COVID-19 will become more frequent.

Fresh water is a fundamental human right. However, many people need to remember that it is a finite resource becoming less and less available. Humans rely on water to consume, cook, wash, and clean. It is estimated that in this year, 2023, “2.2 million people in the United States are without running water and basic indoor plumbing, and more than 44 million people have inadequate water systems” (Rees). Many Americans face water insecurity due to groundwater exhaustion, climate change conditions, and contamination, and with an increased population, these causes will only be exaggerated. Wells will dry out faster on account of increased use; climate change will worsen due to the rise in greenhouse gasses released due to a higher demand for products and services from the larger population, causing millions of Americans to be without water. Although America is a developed country, millions of its citizens face issues obtaining a fundamental human need: water. If this is already a problem, it will only intensify with a larger population.

Climate change creates long term-shifts in temperature and weather patterns, and since the 1800s, human activity has been the main driver of climate change (United Nations). Climate change can worsen our air and water quality, increase the spread of certain diseases and change the frequency and intensity of severe weather events (EPA). As greenhouse emissions increase, these issues will become more common. It is stated by Population Connection that:

Population growth and increasing consumption tend to increase emissions of climate-changing greenhouse gasses. Moreover, rapid population growth worsens the impacts of climate change by straining resources and exposing more people to climate-related risks—especially in low-resource regions (Population Connection).

Climate change affects everyone, and as the population grows, the intensity of climate change will grow with it.

It is clear that the United States has limited resources, and with those limitations, there is a limit on the number of people the country can support. An increase in exposure to disease outbreaks, water scarcity, and the effects of climate change don’t only affect an individual but the entire country. Because of this, action must be taken to prevent issues like these from progressing.

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2023-2024 AMA Foundation Collegiate Scholarship Winners

We’re Passionate About Building the Future Generation of Marketing Leaders.

The AMA Foundation awards collegiate scholarships to student marketers who are making an impact on their campus and in the community. Here’s a look at the 2023-2024 winners of our Diversity Leadership Scholarships, Robert DeLay Social Impact Scholarships, EBSCO Student Scholars, Stryker Buonocristiano Scholarship, and Lee Epstein Scholarships.

Diversity Leadership Scholarship Winners

The AMA Foundation Diversity Leadership Scholarship is awarded to student leaders who serve others, inspire greatness and achieve remarkable things through empowerment and action. Students must be a member of one of the following underrepresented groups: American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander.

Jovany Guillen Castillo

Montana State University, Bozeman

“As Vice President of Marketing for the AMA, Bozeman Chapter, and volunteering at Bienvenidos, a non-profit supporting immigrants in cultural assimilation to the US, I am deeply engaged in community involvement and global initiatives. Participating in events like Diversity Leadership Institute, Business Leadership KeyBank Symposium, American Institute of Graphic Arts Design Conference in NYC, and the Global Engagement Summit at the UN Building in NYC, I actively involve myself in discussions shaping global perspectives on pressing issues and aim to become the change needed for a diverse, inclusive future.”

Shreya Mocherla

University of Pittsburgh

“ As a child of immigrants I know the beauty of embracing one’s cultural heritage and that diversity is a strength. In the ever-changing world of marketing, I hope to be a driving force in bridging cultural gaps by continuing to create impactful and inclusive campaigns that elevate and uplift every perspective and background. I am honored to receive this scholarship and have the opportunity to further DEI initiatives not only in my community but the marketing world as a whole.”

Nica Marie Gumban

University of Tennessee, Knoxville

“As a young Filipino woman, my goal is to enhance the presence of women in sports and promote greater visibility for Asian women. Being someone who doesn’t fit the stereotype of what a ‘typical sports fan’ looks like, I want to share how sports can reach other ‘non standard audiences’ and bring to light a new generation mindset of sports fans and future business owners on their way into the industry. AMA has equipped me with the skills and experience to be a great leader and allowed me to make a difference in my community.”

Hannah-Mia Hinds

Emerson College

“The most important part of embracing diversity, to me, is ensuring that the door remains open for others while creating environments where inclusivity is considered normal. My experience in higher education has given me the ability to fight for and embrace diversity, establishing a pattern of inclusion that I hope will stretch well beyond AMA, my own achievements, and my role as a student and marketer.”

Sadikshya Shrestha

Eastern Michigan University

“My experiences growing up in Kathmandu, Nepal, have deeply ingrained in me the value of diversity and its pivotal role in enriching the educational and social fabric of academic institutions. As a leader in the American Marketing Association, I’ve leveraged my diverse perspective to bring fresh ideas to the table, fostering innovation and creativity within the organization. As the President, I’ve strived to ensure that our marketing initiatives are culturally relevant and resonate with the diverse student population at EMU.”

LaTroya Nelson

University of Maryland Global Campus

“I see marketing as more than just selling products—it’s about sparking emotions, igniting conversations and building meaningful connections. My goal is to infuse every campaign with creativity and authenticity, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. I believe in the power of representation and diversity in advertising and am committed to advocating for inclusivity in all my endeavors. With creativity as my compass and determination as my fuel, I’m ready to make my mark on the marketing world.”

EBSCO Student Scholar

The EBSCO Student Scholar Award presents tuition scholarships to exceptional marketing students involved in developing their marketing skills on and off campus, including demonstrating leadership within their AMA collegiate chapter.

Aleisha Dutton

“Throughout my time as the VP of Communications and Executive Vice President for the MSU AMA chapter, I have enjoyed working with my peers to motivate other students. I look forward to continuing to serve AMA during my senior year of college. I am thankful for the opportunities I have had to apply my marketing knowledge beyond the classroom. The skills I have obtained through my AMA experiences will be invaluable upon entering the workforce, and I am excited to apply the same dedication and leadership skills to my career and community.”

Emma Hendrix

Marian University

“In my role as Vice President and President-Elect of the Marian University AMA Chapter, I’ve been deeply committed to fostering growth, inclusivity and impactful initiatives within our chapter. Initiatives like promoting awareness and engagement with American Sign Language goals and leading a chapter food drive to combat food insecurity reflect my commitment to social responsibility. I am passionate about photography and graphic design and believe in the power of visual storytelling to convey messages and evoke emotions and often incorporates these skills into my marketing projects and campaigns.”

Gracie Hughes

University of Wisconsin – Whitewater

“Being a part of AMA has completely transformed my life and helped me find my passion. Outside of my co-president role, I actively participate in both internal and national sales competitions to develop my professional sales skills. I am incredibly thankful for the leadership positions I have held thus far in my AMA chapter. So many opportunities await, and I am thrilled to be the head of my chapter next fall to help continue our success.”

Robert Delay Social Impact Scholarship Winners

The Robert DeLay Social Impact Scholarship is awarded to student members who have made a positive impact in their local, regional or large community.

Kylin Rosnick

Chatham University

As a social marketer, I want people to care about those in poverty. Persuading people to care about a cause is one of the hardest but most rewarding forms of marketing. My time working for Work, a non-profit that works toward providing stable jobs to Haitian citizens has been one of the most meaningful parts of my college career, using my knowledge of business and political science to contribute. My goal is to elevate the issue of poverty in their minds and to care about it as I do.

University of Pennsylvania

“Marketing unarguably plays one of the most important roles in consumer behavior and their subsequent purchasing decisions. With advertisements becoming a constant part of daily life, it’s important to harness the power of marketing to make positive societal contributions. Witnessing the unexpected reach of my own passion project through effective marketing strategies has motivated me to delve even deeper into exploring how marketing can not only be a tool for promoting a brand and generating revenue but also a source for promoting diverse initiatives related to societal challenges.”

Stryker Buoncristiano Scholarship

The Stryker Buonocristiano Scholarship aims to support talented undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds and with broad skill sets who have a common desire to pursue a career in marketing.

Ngoc Quynh Nhu Le

University of Houston-Downtown

“My passion lies in marketing, particularly in product management within the tech industry. Post-graduation, I aspire to become a Product Marketing Manager or Product Manager, steering strategic development and successful product launches. I’m committed to reshaping outdated perceptions in marketing by infusing fresh viewpoints that genuinely connect with multidimensional customers. Thank you for granting me this scholarship; it aligns perfectly with my aspirations to contribute meaningfully to the marketing industry and promote diversity and inclusion.”

Lee Epstein Scholarship

The Lee Epstein Scholarship supports talented undergraduate students with a passion for marketing in the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut.

Hofstra University

“Marketing isn’t just a job that I find interesting but a form of expression that I have found to be limitless. The thing that motivates me to continue being a marketing professional is finding new things no one has done before. Whether it’s some sort of geo-based marketing or a new type of email-based campaign, I want to evolve with the industry, and eventually help out others who I see are passionate. I am extremely grateful to AMA for the Lee Epstein Scholarship, as it will go a long long way.”

Arianna Wiltsie

Messiah University

“In marketing, you have to be creative and think outside of the box in order to capture the attention of people. I have a passion for art, and in my career I hope to combine my artistic skills with my love of marketing. This year, I have been active in my university’s marketing club where members assist local nonprofits in their marketing efforts. I hope that I can use what I am learning in my classes to help other people. I am both honored and grateful to be the recipient of the 2024 Lee Epstein scholarship.”

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