Exclusive Community Service Scholarships to Apply for in 2026

About Community Service Scholarships

Volunteering not only helps improve your community and the lives of those around you but has also been linked to mental and physical health benefits! Community service can improve your resume and increase your chances of getting hired, as employers are nearly 80% more likely to hire candidates with volunteer experience.

However, less than 30% of college students volunteer. This means that community service scholarships have a limited pool of applicants. Furthermore, volunteering will help you stand out from the crowd when it comes to applying for graduate school or jobs!

To help you find the best scholarships for students with community service experience, we’ve compiled this list of scholarships available exclusively on Bold.org. You can start applying today by clicking on any of the scholarships above!

What Is a Community Service Scholarship?

Community service scholarships are created specifically for students involved in community service and volunteer activities. These scholarships seek to reward students that take the time to give back to their communities, providing exclusive scholarships open only to students that volunteer. Donors of these scholarships want to reward students involved in public service by creating scholarships that give to students who are making a significant positive difference in their communities.

Can You Get a Scholarship for Community Service?

Young volunteers are encouraged to apply for community service scholarships, for their public service is directly rewarded through these specific scholarships. You can win scholarships for your volunteer efforts as long as you are a student and have experience with community service. Bold.org has a wide range of opportunities, offering scholarships that recognize students who are actively making a difference.

Why Are There Community Service Scholarships?

There are many scholarships available to students who volunteer service, demonstrate their community engagement, and showcase necessary leadership skills. Public service is critical for local and national communities to be able to open opportunities for significant growth for the youth and less fortunate people in those areas. 

Many students engage in community service. This work can have significant impacts on communities, as college students alone contribute approximately $6 billion of service! 

Additionally, more students than ever want to be involved in their communities, with nearly half of college freshmen wanting to become community leaders and 80% wanting to help others.

At Bold.org, we’re committed to fighting student debt by helping students all over the country to reduce their college costs and their need for loans. The following scholarships were created to recognize outstanding community service work from students like you, to incentivize more students to get involved with some of their own local community service activities, and to provide financial aid opportunities for givers.

How to Qualify for Community Service Scholarships

In order to start applying for Bold.org's community service scholarships, you must start by creating a free Bold.org profile. Click on any of the community service scholarships above, and you will be redirected to create an account. Once you've created a profile, you can begin searching for scholarships, using filters to find scholarships you are most suited for.

Participate in Community Service

The main qualification to apply for community service scholarships is having volunteer experience. Volunteer scholarships look for students that have put in time giving back to their local community and have done various volunteer work. Most community service scholarships don't need a particular type of public service, for they are primarily looking to see that you have been involved in volunteer service.

Be in High School, Undergraduate, or Graduate School

Community service scholarships are given to students that have done volunteer service. High school students, undergraduate and graduate students are all able to find scholarships that fit their education and community service requirements. There are general eligibility requirements in order to apply for scholarships on Bold.org. In addition to the education requirement, applicants must be fourteen years of age or older and enrolled in a United States school.

Check Other Eligibility Requirements

Community awards are given to a wide variety of students. Different scholarships have different specifications to apply, so make sure to check the eligibility requirements before applying. Different requirements can include factors such as specific education levels, interests, experiences, and locations.

Types of Scholarships Available for Community Service

Bold.org offers many different types of community service scholarships. Some scholarships are open to students of any education level. Others are catered to more specific education levels. There are other specifications for community service scholarships aside from education level. Some scholarships require a certain major, leadership skills, or location.

There are many factors that set various community service scholarships apart from others, which gives you the chance to find the scholarships most suited to you.

How to Find Community Service Scholarships

After you create your free Bold.org profile, you are able to begin looking for scholarships you are eligible for. To find a list of scholarships specifically for community service, go to the scholarship search and choose the "Community Service" category. This will filter specific community service scholarships in your search.

Make sure to check if you are eligible for individual scholarships by looking at additional eligibility requirements. Listed above are examples of some of the unique opportunities there are for students involved in community service.

When to Start Applying for Community Service Scholarships Scholarships

High school is a great time to start your scholarship search and get a head start on financial aid for your college education. Many of the scholarships above are open to high school students, so don’t wait to apply. While starting your applications early can help you maximize your winnings, it’s never too late to start finding scholarships, so don’t worry if you’re already in college and just starting.

What to Consider When Applying for Scholarships

Look for scholarships that are right for you. You may not be eligible for every scholarship, but that is okay! Bold.org provides many opportunities for students of any education level to choose from. Look for as many scholarships as you can that you are eligible for and apply to all of them. This will help give you a better chance at winning scholarships.

Certain scholarships will have many applicants, so you will not win every scholarship you apply for. However, there are ways to improve your chances at winning community service scholarships. Continue on to read tips for winning scholarships that can help your chances of securing volunteering scholarships.

Consider what organizations you're a part of or volunteer with and start there. For example, students who are affiliated with the Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts have probably already been involved in a number of community service projects. Apply for Eagle Scout Scholarships to capitalize on that.

Similarly, if you're part of other local community projects, see if there's any funding allocated to participants.

How to Apply for Community Service Scholarships

Applying for Bold.org scholarships takes only a few easy steps. To start, create your free Bold.org profile. Click on any of the listed scholarships, and you will be led through how to create an account. Then, you can begin browsing the hundreds of exclusive scholarships you have access to through Bold.org.

Use features, such as filters for category, education, and deadline, to help you sift through the unique scholarship categories. If there is a scholarship you want to revisit later, use the bookmark feature to set aside various scholarships you are interested in for later use.

From there, decide on the scholarships that are best for you, and begin applying. The scholarship application process is set up specifically to ensure an easy process. This way, you can maximize your Bold.org account, applying for many more scholarships.

Tips for Winning Scholarships for Community Service

Some scholarships may have more applicants submitting to them, increasing the competition. Don't let this stop you from applying! There are many strategies used by scholarship winners that help them to give better applications and therefore secure more scholarships. Keep in mind these simple tips to help you put together the best applications you can.

Apply to as Many Scholarships as You Can

You will not win every scholarship that you apply to, so in order to increase your chances of winning scholarships, apply to as many as you're able. The more scholarships you apply to, the more chances you have to be selected than if you only applied to two or three. Apply to plenty, and you will have better odds of securing scholarships.

The Earlier You Apply, the Better

Bold.org posts new scholarships frequently, opening up new scholarship opportunities all the time. Some scholarships have a quick turnaround, being posted quickly and having a deadline only a few weeks later. The early you start applying, the more scholarships will be available to you, since they inevitably close, making applying time-sensitive. Applying sooner will give you more opportunities, giving you a chance you space out when you apply to scholarships so that you won't have to stress all at once about submissions.

Apply to Scholarships with More Specific Eligibility Requirements

The more eligibility requirements there are for a scholarship, the fewer students will apply. Since there are fewer eligible students, there is a greater chance for your application to be chosen. Be on the lookout for scholarships with several requirements, for this will narrow the submission pool and give you a better chance of winning.

Make Your Bold.org Profile Strong

Make sure that you fill out your Bold.org profile thoroughly, giving information about yourself that could help donors decide if you are the right candidate for a scholarship. This is especially helpful for scholarships without essays, for donors will be more likely to select students will a complete profile. Filling in your profile will also give you more Bold points, opening up exclusive scholarships that you can then apply to.

Put Effort into Your Essay Submissions

A well-written essay can help you stand out from other applicants. Many of the scholarships presented above have essay questions associated with them, so make sure to put your best foot forward when writing your application essay. This means taking the time to plan your essay, write thoughtfully, and edit it once you have finished. The essays are not always required to be long, but you can be impactful with few words.

Why Should I Apply for Community Service Scholarships?

Volunteer scholarships like the ones above exist to support youth leaders like you who are dedicated to helping others. While you should apply to many different types of scholarship awards, community service scholarships have limited eligibility since many students don’t volunteer or partake in a community service project. This means that there will be a lower number of applicants, which will increase your chances of winning!

Does No Community Service Disqualify Me for Many Scholarships?

Bold.org offers different scholarships for people of all different backgrounds and interest, so while no community service may disqualify you from the specific scholarships listed above, there are many opportunities for you to win scholarships elsewhere. The scholarships above require an involvement in community service, but if you haven't been involved in service work, you can still look elsewhere on the site for the many scholarships that you are eligible for.

How Many Community Service Hours Do I Need for a Scholarship?

Many of the scholarships listed above do not have a specific hour requirement. However, in order to apply to community service scholarships, you must have some form of volunteer experience. Whether this is an ongoing commitment or various unrelated volunteer experiences, you will qualify. At the same time, keep in mind that having more community service hours will make your application stronger.

What Is the Difference between Volunteer Work and Community Service?

Community service and volunteering are often used interchangeably, which is the case for many of the scholarships listed. However, it is important to note the slight difference. Community service can be assigned by school or court, whereas volunteering is completely optional. Make sure to check what the eligibility calls for. Some scholarships want your service to be completely voluntary, and others do not have a preference, as long as the work is for the greater good of the community.

High school seniors are encouraged to engage in community service projects through local opportunities or other community service organizations. Learn more about community service on our Scholarship Blog!