Best Scholarships for College Students in 2026

About Scholarships for College Students

It's no surprise that scholarships for college students have increased in importance. As a college degree becomes an increasingly necessary qualification for a variety of career fields, more students than ever are pursuing higher education. Out of the 2.7 million students who completed high school in the initial nine months of 2021, approximately 1.7 million had enrolled in college by October 2021.

With college costs steadily rising, many students go to any means necessary to fund their degrees. Often, this means taking out student loans to cover unmet costs. While student loans can make higher education more accessible, they can also prove difficult to pay off. 

With high interest rates and no safety net, many recent graduates in entry-level jobs struggle to afford their payments. The majority of student borrowers in default as of September 2021 comprised Pell Grant recipients (67 percent) and individuals who did not complete their academic programs (62 percent).

Student loans now total approximately $1.7 trillion. This debt often takes years or even decades for borrowers to pay off. Some graduates who get buried in debt struggle to save for retirement, buy a home, or pursue graduate school due to their heavy debt. 

Scholarships for college students aim to solve this problem at the source by reducing the need for student loans. With millions of scholarships for college students available from different sources, there are plenty of ways for students to pay for college without having to go deep into debt. 

The first step in seeking out financial aid is usually to fill out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). Completing the FAFSA can help your school determine your level of financial need and you also may qualify for federal loans or grants depending on your financial situation. 

Federal Pell Grants, for example, are awarded to undergraduate students who have considerable financial need. These grants don't need to be repaid and can be helpful when paying for college. However, the maximum Pell Grant award amount is approximately $6,895 per year. With tuition and fees alone costing nearly $10,000 to $65,000 per year, depending on institution type, these grants often don't completely meet students' needs. 

Scholarships can be a way for students to cover their unmet financial need. However, since scholarship applications require time and effort that busy college students often aren't willing to give, $100 million in scholarship funding goes unclaimed every year. By putting in the work and learning where to look, you can avoid unnecessary debt by earning free money through college scholarships.

Scholarships for college students are a form of gift aid that does not need to be repaid. There's also no limit to how many scholarships you can apply for or win, so you can maximize your winnings by starting your scholarship search now and applying for as many opportunities as you can!

Scholarships for College Students by Grade Level

Whether you're a student in college or graduate school, community college, or a technical school, scholarships for college students can be an important part of your financial plan. In addition to applying for government assistance and financial aid from your school, you should consider additional scholarships to make up the rest of your financial need.

The following scholarships for college students are available exclusively on Bold.org and won't be found anywhere else. You can start applying by clicking on any of the scholarships below!

Scholarships for Undergraduate Students

There are plenty of scholarships for college students of all grade levels. Whether you're just beginning your degree or you're preparing to graduate or begin graduate school, scholarships can be a vital source of financial aid. The earlier you begin searching for scholarships, the more time you'll have to earn college funding. Consider applying for the scholarships below to take charge of your college expenses.

Community college students are considered undergraduate students. There are many opportunities for community college students to apply for scholarships. Vocational and trade school students may also find scholarships specific to their niche. Check out these scholarships for community college, trade school, and vocational school.

1. Trade School Scholarships
2. Community College Scholarships
3. Scholarships for College Students

Scholarships for Undergraduate Freshmen

You can start applying for scholarships for college students as soon as you enroll in a college, university, or technical school. High school students can also prepare for their college years by starting the application process early. High school seniors, in particular, can find many scholarships available to them. 

Even if you've finished high school and are now beginning higher education, there's no shortage of scholarships for college students! The following scholarships are a great place for first-year college students to start!

1. Scholarships for College Freshmen
2. Undergraduate Scholarships
3. Scholarships for Community College
4. Scholarships for College Students
5. Physician Assistant Scholarships

Scholarships for Undergraduate Sophomores

If you saved money or won scholarships while in high school, you may have had a plan for your first-year funding. By sophomore year, however, you may be running low on resources for college. Current college students can continue taking advantage of scholarships in order to finance their degrees. 

During the second year of your college education, it's important to continue prioritizing your financial aid so you can afford all of your necessary expenses. Sophomore university students can get started with the scholarships below. 

1. Scholarships for College Sophomores
2. Undergraduate Scholarships
3. Scholarships for Community College
4. Scholarships for College Students
5. Psychology Scholarships

Scholarships for Undergraduate Juniors

By your junior year of college, you may be taking on additional responsibilities besides just attending college. You may be working, doing an internship, or beginning to think about graduate school. Even if you're busy, it's important to continue applying for scholarships and other student aid so that you can finish your post-secondary education strong. 

You can find scholarships for college students in their junior year, as well as other scholarships you qualify for, to eliminate your need for loans. You can begin your scholarship search with the following opportunities.

1. Undergraduate Scholarships
2. Scholarships for Community College
3. Scholarships for College Students
4. Aviation Scholarships
5. Teachers Scholarships

Scholarships for Undergraduate Seniors

Undergraduate and graduate students of all grade levels can apply for scholarship opportunities. Whether you're planning on pursuing graduate school after graduation or entering the workforce, there are plenty of scholarships that undergraduate seniors can apply for. 

If you won't be returning to school after graduating, you can consider applying for grants to pay off student loans. While you're finishing your college degree, consider applying for the scholarships below.

1. Undergraduate Scholarships
2. Scholarships for Community College
3. Scholarships for College Students
4. Art Scholarships
5. Nursing Scholarships

Scholarships for Graduate Students

Many graduate students don't take the time to apply for scholarships. Since graduate school can often be even more expensive than undergraduate programs, scholarships can be vital. Whether you're pursuing law school, medical school, a master's degree, or a Ph.D., there are scholarships available for you. 

Scholarships for Master's Degree Students

It's not often to find a fully funded master's program. That's why scholarships help graduate students pay for college without immense amounts of debt. Take a look at these scholarships for students pursuing a master's degree.

1. Master's Degree Scholarships
2. Scholarships for Graduate Students
3. MBA Scholarships
4. Scholarships for College Students
5. Medical School Scholarships

Scholarships for PhD Students

Many PhD students will find full funding for their programs. However, there are some that do not cover all the costs of college. Check out these scholarships for PhD students.

1. PhD Scholarships
2. Scholarships for College Students
3. Scholarships for Graduate Students
4. Law School Scholarships
5. Entrepreneur Scholarships

How to Find Scholarships for College Students

The first step in finding scholarships for college students is to create your free account on Bold.org. Even high school students are eligible to begin applying for college scholarships so they can afford to attend college when the time comes. Make sure to fully fill out your profile and make it unique and personal so that donors can get an idea of who you are.

Once your account is complete, you can begin browsing through scholarships. To find the best opportunities for your background and interests, try browsing through the scholarship categories that interest you.

There are many types of categories, including identity-based categories such as "Women," extracurricular categories, such as "Athletics" and "Arts," and even career-oriented categories like "STEM" and "Business." There are also need-based and merit-based scholarships for students with awesome academic achievement.

Using these categories can help you find options that many other students won't qualify for which boosts your chances of winning as a result! 

Once you've found a good option, you can follow the instructions in the description to apply. If you're short on time, you can also bookmark scholarships you're interested in so you can return to them later.

You can also search for scholarships for college students available in your community, such as scholarships offered by businesses or organizations in your area. Additionally, your employer or your parents' employers might offer college scholarships.

What Type of Scholarship Is the Easiest to Apply For?

Every scholarship is different and has its own set of eligibility requirements and application instructions. Often, the easiest scholarships to apply for are no-essay scholarships. These awards can be applied for with just a few clicks, making them relatively effortless. Additionally, most no-essay scholarships have few or no eligibility criteria, meaning it's easy to qualify for them. 

While these no-essay scholarships are good options when you don't have a lot of time to spend on applications, they're normally the most competitive. Since all or most students are eligible to apply for no-essay scholarships and they're low-effort, they often receive more applications than other scholarships. 

To increase your chance of winning, consider applying for other scholarships for college students as well. These other scholarships can include essay-based opportunities, athletic scholarships, and creative scholarships that require college students to submit artwork, poetry, or videos instead of an essay. 

Additionally, look into scholarships that have many eligibility requirements since these criteria will mean that fewer students are eligible to apply. Since there are so many different types of scholarships available, there's bound to be an opportunity that's perfect for you. Apply for a variety of opportunities for the best chance of earning money to fund your college degree.

How Do I Use a Scholarship?

If you're a college student, scholarship funds will be sent directly to your college or university's financial aid office. When you win a scholarship, you'll be notified by the Bold.org awards team. After the information necessary to prepare the check has been collected, such as proof of enrollment and your student ID number, the funds will then be sent. Any accredited college, university, or technical school located in the US is eligible to receive your scholarship money.

The exact rules for using a scholarship depend on your school, but it usually takes little to no additional work to use a scholarship. It's possible that students attending certain colleges or participating in athletic programs may need to remain in good academic standing in order to qualify for scholarship usage. Specific scholarships may also require students to be enrolled full-time or in a certain field of study to use the funds. Generally, college and university students will be able to use scholarship money as long as they're currently enrolled. 

Once your school has received the funds, the money can be applied directly to your eligible costs. These qualified expenses include your course books, mandatory enrollment fees at your school, and the cost of your tuition. Since scholarships from Bold.org can't be applied to unqualified costs, such as travel, housing, or food, award money is generally not counted as income, meaning it's not taxable. 

If you're a current high school student and you win a scholarship, your award money will be held until you enroll in a higher education program. Transfer students can also use scholarship funds and can request to hold their funds for up to a year while they change schools.

If you've received a grant to pay off your student loans, the funding may go directly to your lender. In other cases, the money may be disbursed to you after you sign an agreement to use the money toward your student debt. 

In all cases, Bold.org makes it as easy as possible for students to win and use scholarship money.