The Best Religious Scholarships with Upcoming Deadlines in 2024

About religious scholarships

Some 72% of college students enrolled in the United States say that religion is at least somewhat important in their lives. Whether this manifests through attending a religiously-affiliated college or university, helping around the community, attending religious services, or simply practicing spirituality on a personal level, many college students find that religion is a great way to stay connected to their roots while they are in school.

And, for those college students who are interested in religious studies or philosophy at the undergraduate level, they are not limited to working for churches, as some may believe.

College students looking for religious careers may consider roles such as Campus Ministry Directors, Christian Faith Education Ministers, Religious Activities Coordinators, and Youth Ministry Leaders, which are just some leadership positions with a career growth outlook in the near future, at 3.56% for each upcoming year. 

Additionally, for those college students interested in teaching, the demand for philosophy and religion professors is expected to grow by 4.85% each upcoming year. This field includes studies like Pastoral Ministries, Theology, and Eastern Philosophy.

No matter a student's religious interest, there are scholarships available for them to help support that involvement through education. With the cost of college tuition steadily on the rise, scholarships are an accessible way to ease the financial impact on students enrolled in colleges and universities. Bold.org has a wide variety of exclusive scholarships for students, whether they be high school seniors, those already enrolled in an undergraduate program, or graduate students.

What is a religious scholarship?

Often, particular churches or religious organizations want to offer financial assistance to those who will continue their mission of service and religious involvement. This aid is intended to encourage and support their own members, or other members of their community. These grants are then awarded to a certain student (or a few) and go directly towards their educational expenses.

The first official scholarship for an undergraduate program was created in 1643, by a woman by the name of Lady Mowlson, also known as Ann Radcliffe. This was created at Harvard University, for their incoming students. Harvard is the oldest college in the nation, having formed in 1636, and was originally created to train Puritan ministers with a Christian education. So, religious involvement in higher education scholarships in the United States is older than the nation itself!

Can you get a scholarship for religion?

If you meet some of the involvement that is highlighted above, you can absolutely get financial assistance through a scholarship for it. Applying to scholarships that have even more requirements unique to you and your background can also increase your chances of being rewarded. Religious students who demonstrate financial need can unlock even more scholarship opportunities.

These religious scholarship opportunities can have requirements ranging from particular church membership to simply being involved in your community. Many churches or other religious groups organize public service, and if you are involved, you can earn financial support for your efforts to bolster your community as you join the ranks of college students. In fact, just about one-third of people said that they mainly volunteered with religious organizations.

How to apply for religious scholarships

Applying to scholarship opportunities may seem daunting at first, with countless options to choose from. Besides those that are listed below, you can find more that you may be eligible for either on the Bold.org Categories page or by searching by specific keywords or requirements on the broader search page.

When you find some that fit your background, read the scholarship information in the description to find out what application materials they require you to submit. Most scholarships ask you to write an essay in response to a given prompt, often about your particular involvement or activities. If a scholarship has a religious requirement, the essay is a great time to get creative and let donors know more about your religious background.

How to get a religious scholarship

Other than religious involvement, being an active member of your community and achieving high academic excellence will be helpful to get a religious scholarship. If you're a high school senior, now is a great time to buckle down on gaining leadership opportunities, attending clubs, and increasing your grades and academic merit. Some awards may have minimum GPA requirements, while others may not take grades into account but will rather be determined based on your experience or essay quality.

It is important to remember that most donors award scholarships to those with strong and passionate application materials. Make sure to highlight your dedication to religious involvement, and what kinds of actionable steps you've taken to improve your community. Mentioning your goals for the future can also show donors how driven and ambitious you are.

Additionally, if you are a high school student applying to scholarships and universities, consider what kind of college you prefer to attend, and apply to scholarships particular for that school. Many students even find an enticing community within colleges of particular religious affiliation. For instance, Christian students may be more inclined to apply to Christian schools, while Jewish high school seniors may look for Jewish schools.

A college is considered to have a "religious affiliation" when it has an official connection to a particular religion. Out of around 6,000 colleges and universities, there are nearly 1,000 that fit this description. Many religiously-affiliated colleges can vary widely in how religion manifests for students in on-campus life.

Schools can also change in religious affiliation over time. As mentioned above, Harvard was home to the first official scholarship for undergraduate studies and was religiously affiliated with the Christian church. Today, however, Harvard is officially secular and does not have religious requirements in place for students. 

For a different experience, high school students may consider religious schools like Lipscomb University in Tennessee, which was founded in 1891 by Christian ministers and requires all undergraduate students to attend a certain number of religious services each semester.

Deciding which experience you might be looking for in your undergraduate career will open up a number of scholarships for you, depending on where your college lies in eligibility. However, most scholarships can be applied to any accredited university so you don't need to be positive about which school you'll attend in order to apply.

Best religious scholarships

Great religious scholarships are ones that celebrate your strengths. If you excel in school as well as community service, you should work to apply to scholarships that tie academic achievement with religious involvement. If your grades aren't the best, you can apply to those that focus more on extracurriculars.

The best scholarships are ones that you feel enthusiastic about and are willing to devote time to apply for. Below are some scholarships that you may be eligible for if you're interested in religion in some way.

Religious scholarships for high school students

A student's junior or senior year of high school is a great time to begin applying for scholarships. Below are some awards open to students looking to enroll in faith-based colleges or any other religiously accredited institution.

Faith-Based Colleges No-Essay Scholarship

If you are interested in joining the many college students at faith-based colleges for your undergraduate studies, apply early to this scholarship which has rolling monthly deadlines. You'll also receive specified information on faith-based mission opportunities, and other scholarship resources and tips, after applying.

Best Christian Colleges No-Essay Scholarship

Christian students are rewarded in this no-essay scholarship, awarding $1,000 to one winner. This scholarship has rolling deadlines so apply early to increase your chance of winning!

Christian Colleges No-Essay Scholarship

Christian scholarships are readily available to high school seniors planning to enter an undergraduate program at a Christian college. Consider applying for this easy, no-essay scholarship to help cover your financial need!

Catholic Colleges No-Essay Scholarship

This scholarship is a bit more specified, seeking applicants that are high school seniors pursuing a degree from a Catholic college. Selection criteria include having a top-notch Bold.org profile, and an impactful background.

Lorraine Belcourt Love in the Community Scholarship

This scholarship is for high school and undergraduate students who are from North Dakota and are actively engaged in their community through volunteering or other public service experience. Those interested in social work, law school, pastoral commitment, or other public-serving professions are encouraged to apply.

Marcarelli Community Spirit Scholarship

With the Marcarelli Community Spirit Scholarship, high school students from Maryland can get a head start on financial aid - if they are involved in athletics, volunteer work, or other community-impacting activities.

Religious scholarships for college students

As a college student, applying for scholarships throughout your undergraduate or graduate career is necessary if you want to increase your chances of being rewarded. And, if you're looking to apply to an accredited graduate program or religious vocational school, this will give you a financial leg-up in preparation for more studies.

Whether you just finished high school and are entering an undergraduate program, or you are one of the many religious graduate students pursuing another degree, check out this list of religious scholarships for college students to find a scholarship for you.

Camp Wyldewood Counselor Scholarship

Any Christian student from Arkansas who is actively involved in their community can apply for this scholarship. Application materials include an essay on how students want to improve the world, and how the scholarship would help them do that.

Michael Rudometkin Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship aims to honor the life of Michael Rudometkin by supporting students who are passionate about serving their community and making the world a better place.

Wisegeek Community Service No-Essay Scholarship

If volunteering as part of your church or larger community is an important part of your life, apply to this easy no-essay scholarship opportunity.

Bold Community Activist Scholarship

If your religious involvement compels you to be a community activist and help those around you, you can be rewarded with this $500 easy-application scholarship.

Religious minority scholarships

Minorities disproportionately face challenges in higher education that other groups don't have to worry about or overcome. These barriers can include discrimination, limited family resources, a lack of mentors, and many other obstacles. 

Donors often seek to support these students to give them a more level playing field. Depending on the scholarship, eligible minorities may be BIPOC students, disabled students, LGBTQ+ students, or even women. When it comes to religious scholarships, members of certain religious minority groups can unlock exclusive scholarship opportunities. You can find more scholarships for minorities here.

Alan Perlow Scholarship

This scholarship seeks to honor the memory of Alan Perlow by supporting Jewish students who are dealing with financial hardship. High school seniors, as well as undergraduate students who fit these eligibilities, are encouraged to apply.

Al-Haj Abdallah Rashid Abdallah Scholarship

In this Islamic scholarship fund, Muslim students of Palestinian descent can be rewarded for their efforts in seeking an undergraduate degree to honor the legacy of Al-Haj Abdallah Rashid Abdallah. In addition, the scholarship seeks those that are active members of their community and/or mosque.

Southern Baptist Convention New Blood Scholarship

American Baptist churches in the United States have a history of donating over $1 million in program grants towards programs such as financial aid for students in a single year. In this scholarship, Southern Baptist Christian education is supported for minorities or those with non-traditional backgrounds. Particularly, students enrolled at a Southern Baptist Convention Seminary who plan to serve in ministry will be considered.

Frequently asked questions about religious scholarships

Navigating college can be difficult, especially when it comes time to finding financial aid. Bold.org is committed to helping students learn the right information about college finances and scholarships. Below are answers to some questions that you might have during your search for religious scholarship opportunities.

How to find religious scholarships

As a first step, it is especially helpful to begin looking for scholarship opportunities through your church, as it will most likely be choosing winners from a much smaller pool of applicants than nationwide online scholarships. You can also ask your religious leaders or high school counselors for suggestions to learn more about local financial aid opportunities.

The next step would be to find a scholarship provider that fits your needs and offers the resources to find scholarships outside of your local groups. Bold.org has a wide array of scholarships for everyone, ranging from high school students to those enrolled in a graduate program. Applying to the scholarships on the list above is a great starting point.

When can I start applying?

You can start applying for scholarships on Bold.org as soon as you're at least fourteen years old and in high school. By starting to apply early in high school, you'll give yourself plenty of time to earn the funding necessary to cover your financial need.

However, it's never too late to apply. There are plenty of scholarships available to graduate students, including scholarships for doctoral students, students attending law school, or other graduate students. 

When you are accepted to the college or university that you plan to attend, you will receive a financial aid package. Once you understand how much support the school will be offering in academic merit grants and scholarships, you will then know how much is left over, which you will likely be financially responsible for. These costs can include tuition, room and board, books, and other fees. As a result, now is a great time to start applying to scholarships that will help cover your remaining costs after aid. 

When in doubt, apply to scholarships sooner rather than later. Applying early gives you more time to apply for scholarships, and the more you apply, the more you can win. While many scholarships have set deadlines, others work on a rolling basis - in which case, it's best to put your material in for consideration as soon as you can to be ahead of the competition.

While the number of scholarships that you apply for is important, it is also critical to balance quality and quantity. Many scholarships have application requirements such as essays, art, or other creative materials. To put your best foot forward, it is important to spend enough time on each submission so that your passion and involvement can shine through.

Additionally, there are many no-essay scholarships awarded every year that don't require any application materials. These scholarships are great when you don't have time to spend on more difficult scholarships, but they often receive more competition as a result. 

To have the best chance of winning, try to apply for a variety of essay and no-essay scholarships to cover all of your bases.

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

When you find a particular scholarship that interests you, you can find the eligibility requirements listed in the description. Scholarship requirements often vary widely, depending on what kind of student the donor is looking to financially support. Factors like education level, age, race, location, and financial status can all be contributors to a scholarship's eligibility criteria. For instance, one scholarship may be for low income college students, while another may be for graduate students living on the West Coast, or high school student looking to study mathematics.

For religious scholarships, there are often religious membership or community involvement requirements, usually in addition to other non-religious criteria. If a student matches those listed, then they are encouraged to apply. As a result, scholarships that have more eligibility requirements are often less competitive since there are fewer eligible applicants.

Can a religious group give out scholarships?

Religious organizations, as well as specific churches and other groups, can and do give out scholarships. For example, The United Methodist Church currently has over 70 scholarships available directly through the church under one general application. 

Or, much like the Al-Haj Abdallah Rashid Abdallah Scholarship listed above, any one individual with religious membership can come forward to donate through scholarship platforms like Bold.org to share their personal funds to help a student attend school.

Are scholarships counted as income?

Because scholarships for college students are meant to go directly towards funding a student's education, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) generally does not tax this money. 

However, there are two requirements for scholarships to not be taxed. First, the student must be enrolled for a degree of some sort. Second, the amount of financial assistance that the student receives through the scholarship is used to pay for tuition, fees, or other specific educational expenses. However, if the amount rewarded goes over the amount that you owe the school, it can be considered taxable income. You can find out more about taxes and scholarships at the IRS website here.