Top Scholarships in Ohio to Apply For in 2025

About Scholarships in Ohio

A key state in the Midwest, Ohio is home to a plethora of students and a variety of higher education options. While Ohio is full of educational opportunities, it has not been immune to the growing student debt crisis.

Education in Ohio

Ohio residents have many in-state higher education options, but the growing cost of a college degree and the crisis surrounding student loans deters many prospective students from pursuing college.

Ohio grade school students

In the 2019-2020 academic year, Ohio was home to 1,655,285 K-12 students. The majority of these students are white, at 68.2%, followed by Black students at 16.8%, and then by Hispanic students at 6.4%. Only 2.7% of Ohio K-12 students are Asian while 5.8% identify as multiracial.

A staggering 49.4% of Ohio K-12 students were economically disadvantaged in the 2019-2020 school year and 1.4% were homeless. Between 2010 and 2020, the number of homeless students increased by 10,607, rising a shocking 80%. Additionally, the number of economically disadvantaged students grew by 4% during the same decade. With college costs rising, it's clear that Ohio students need financial assistance to pursue higher education.

Colleges in Ohio

Ohio is home to 14 public universities, many of which have multiple regional campuses, and 23 community colleges. The Ohio State University, known for its football team and location in capital-city Columbus, is the largest college in Ohio with 61,369 students at its main campus. The second-largest school in Ohio is the University of Cincinnati-Main Campus with 40,286 students, followed by Kent State University.

Ohio college demographics

Ohio colleges have an average acceptance rate of 70.61% and a total of 669,840 students, 583,378 of whom are undergraduates. Like most states, Ohio has a female-dominated college population, with 388,423 female college students as compared to only 281,417 men.

Of these students, 454,097 are white, followed by 76,224 Black students, 36,561 Hispanic students, and 21,777 Asian students.

The majority of Ohio college students attend full-time, though more than one-third attend on a part-time schedule, which is more common among graduate students than undergraduates.

College students in Ohio have an average graduation rate of 62.69%. Women have a higher graduation rate of 65.83% while only 59.21% of male students graduate.

Costs of college in Ohio

The average cost of undergraduate tuition alone in Ohio is $20,177 and $6,791 for in-state students. On-campus living expenses cost an average of $13,722 while off-campus living is slightly cheaper, costing an average of $13,192. Graduate tuition is is $19,271 and $11,403 for in-state students. While in-state tuition is still expensive, Ohio residents can take advantage of more manageable in-state tuition rates by remaining in Ohio throughout their education.

Books and supplies cost college students in Ohio an additional $1,568 each year. Together, these expenses add up and make it difficult for the average student to finance their college degree.

Ohio students and student debt

As a result of rising tuition and living costs, many students turn to student loans to pay for their pursuit of higher education.

Ohio students follow this trend, as 62% of them graduate with student debt. The average Ohio graduate who has debt owes $30,629 at the time of graduation.

While these numbers are high, Ohio student debt is lower than the national, which is even more overwhelming at $37,693. Altogether, 45 million borrowers in the US collectively owe a massive $1.71 trillion in student debt alone.

While many students are holding out hope that some or all of their debt will be forgiven, the student loan crisis shows no signs of ending, making grants and scholarships and other forms of financial aid more important than ever.

The Best Ohio scholarships

There are many different scholarship opportunities for students in Ohio, including high school scholarships, opportunities for college students, and scholarships for more narrow groups. The scholarships below are a great place to start your search!

1. The Mark Neiswander "110" Memorial Scholarship

This $5,000 scholarship is open to any high school seniors and undergraduate students in Ohio who have demonstrated leadership in school or have community service or volunteering experience. Students can apply by writing about their experiences growing up in a small town, and applications are due by May 29th, 2022.

2. The Ohio Information Technology Scholarship

This scholarship opportunity is worth $1,500 and is offered to female high school seniors and undergraduate students in Ohio and Pennsylvania who are studying IT or a related degree program. You can apply by writing about your interest in information technology and the deadline is February 27th, 2022.

3. The Trade Scholarship

This $1,500 scholarship is available to trade school students and high school seniors in Ohio and Pennsylvania who are interested in attending trade school after graduation. Applicants can submit an essay about the trade they want to pursue by the deadline on March 2nd, 2022.

Additional scholarships that students in Ohio should consider

While scholarships that are exclusively open to students in Ohio are great opportunities due to the lower number of eligible applicants, there are plenty of scholarships without location requirements that Ohio students should also consider applying for.

Scholarships for high school students in Ohio

There are plenty of scholarships available to help high school students and graduating high school seniors afford higher education. You can find high school scholarships by selecting "high school" as your education level. You can also apply for broad scholarships that are open to all students, such as the $25,015 "Be Bold" No-Essay Scholarship.

Female high school seniors and undergraduate students who are low-income and pursuing STEM careers should consider the $30,000 Young Women in STEM Scholarship which will help three women pursue their education. Applications are due by March 1st, 2022, so don't wait to apply!

First-generation high school seniors should definitely apply for Rita's First-Gen Scholarship, which is a $33,688 opportunity due by March 1st, 2022.

Juniors and seniors who have lost a parent or were raised by a single parent can apply for the $4,000 Janey Mae Memorial Scholarship.

If you're a current high school student, you can find more opportunities by grade level by checking out our lists of scholarships for freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors.

Scholarships for current college and university students in Ohio

Undergraduate students and high school seniors who have at least a 2.5 GPA should look into the $20,000 Sloane Stephens Doc & Glo Scholarship which will be awarded to twenty different applicants.

Any first-generation undergraduate student who is pursuing the hospitality field and is a minority or part of an underrepresented group (such as BIPOC students, LGBTQ+ students, and women) should consider the $5,000 Joseph J. Canfora Hospitality Scholarship, which is due by April 14th, 2022.

BIPOC undergraduates and high school seniors who are pursuing STEM can apply for the $10,000 Eleven Scholarship, which is due on May 5th, 2022 and will have two winners.

Current college students who have student debt can apply for the $10,000 Forget Your Student Debt. No-Essay Grant, which recent graduates who have student loans can also apply for.

You can find more college scholarships by checking out our lists of undergraduate scholarships and graduate scholarships or by browsing by your selected education level.

Nursing scholarships in Ohio

Due to all of the critical work that nurses do, especially during the Coronavirus pandemic, there are many opportunities available for nursing students.

BIPOC high school and undergraduate students who are first-generation students majoring in some type of nursing should consider the $1,000 HSINTELLIGENCE Minority/Indigenous Nurse Leader Scholarship. You can apply by writing about how you plan to improve minority healthcare through your career. Applications are due by March 15th, 2022, so make sure to apply soon!

Undergraduate and graduate nursing students, as well as current nurses who have student loans, can apply for the $1,000 National Healthcare Heroes Grant for Nurses before the May 16th, 2022 deadline.

Undergraduate nursing students who are interested in pediatric nursing can apply for the Deborah Stevens Pediatric Nursing Scholarship which will award $500 each to three winners. Be sure to apply by the deadline, May 20th, 2022.

Any student who is pursuing a career in nursing can apply for the $500 WiseGeek Nursing No-Essay Scholarship, which has a deadline of August 16th, 2022, and the $500 WiseGeek Nurse Appreciation No-Essay Scholarship, which is another no-essay option due by April 16th, 2022.

LGBTQ+ scholarships in Ohio

LGBTQ+ students in Ohio should look into the WiseGeek LGBTQ+ Awareness Scholarship, which is a $500 award that any LGBTQ+ student can apply for. This scholarship is easy to apply for since it's a no-essay opportunity. If you qualify, be sure to apply by the April 16th, 2022 deadline.

Frequently asked questions about scholarships in Ohio

When can I start applying for scholarships?

As soon as you're in high school and at least fourteen years old, you can begin applying for scholarships through Bold.org. While some scholarships are exclusively for adult learners, most have no age requirements. There are financial aid opportunities for students at every level of education, including high school underclassmen, high school seniors, undergraduate students, and graduate students.

You can filter scholarships by education level to find opportunities for students in your current degree program. You can start applying at any point, but beginning the application process earlier will give you more time to earn grants and scholarships.

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

All scholarship opportunities should have eligibility requirements listed out in the description, making it easy to determine whether or not you qualify. Always be sure to check these criteria to verify your eligibility before spending valuable time working on an application.

Some scholarships are broad and open to all or most students while others may have extensive eligibility requirements, which can include criteria based on gender, race, financial need, academic merit, location, education level, age, or field of study.

Are high school scholarships only for high school seniors?

Many donors seek to create scholarships specifically for high school seniors, but there are also opportunities for freshmen, sophomores, and juniors. While senior year is a time when many students start thinking about college funding and financial aid programs, don't be afraid to start applying at earlier points in high school. Often, your first years of high school are less overwhelming, so you can take advantage of extra time by securing scholarship money.

What do I have to do to apply?

Every scholarship is different, but the majority of them require applicants to submit an essay. While desired essay length can vary, most scholarships require short essays of just a few hundred words to apply.

There are also grants and scholarships that require a creative submission in place of an essay or in addition to an essay. This requirement could include a piece of art you've created, a video you've made, a link to your art portfolio, or some other type of supplemental material. If writing isn't your strong suit, you should definitely look into these scholarship opportunities, many of which can be found under the "Arts" category.

Finally, there are no-essay scholarship options as well. No-essay scholarships may require applicants to complete a task or to read a newsletter, but many require just a few clicks to apply. No-essay scholarships are great opportunities for busy students since they're so quick to apply for, but they're normally quite competitive as a result, so consider applying for a variety of different scholarships.

You can get started by clicking on any of the scholarships above and creating your Bold.org account.

Which scholarships should I apply for?

As stated above, there are many different types of scholarships available to you. You can prioritize scholarships that allow you to showcase your strengths to put your best foot forward. This includes applying for artistic scholarships if you're creative and applying for writing-based scholarships if you're a skilled writer. Additionally, you can seek out academic scholarships if you demonstrate academic excellence through your GPA or test scores.

If you demonstrate financial need, you can also look into scholarships for low-income students since that requirement limits the number of eligible students. Finding scholarships that are specific to your field of study, demographic, and education level will further boost your chances. You can find these scholarships, such as scholarships for women, scholarships for BIPOC students, etc., by filtering by category.

Additionally, scholarships that have more eligibility requirements are the easiest to win since there will be fewer eligible applicants, reducing the competition and increasing your chances of winning.

Do I still need to apply for federal student aid programs?

While private scholarship programs are a great way to earn more money for school, you should still consider applying for other financial aid programs, including federal student aid. To do so, you can fill out the FAFSA each year. As a result, you may receive grant money, federal loan options, and aid from your college based on the information you reported.

Any grants, loans, or tuition assistance offered to you will be included in the financial aid package you receive after filling out the FAFSA. Depending on your financial need, you may qualify for federal grants such as the Pell Grant, so federal aid can be a great opportunity to fund your college education.

When looking for financial aid, make the most of all of your options and don't restrict yourself to a single source of assistance. You can find funding through scholarships on Bold.org, institutional grants offered by your college, and also aid provided by the federal government.

Are scholarships counted as income?

Scholarship money is not counted as income since it goes towards your educational costs. As a result, you don't have to pay taxes on scholarship money as long as the total amount received is less than or equal to your education expenses. Student loans are also not considered income since they're meant to be paid back, so you also won't need to pay taxes on any loans you take out.