Top Essay Scholarships to Apply for in 2025

Students aren't statistics. You're more than your GPA and test scores—while grades are important, they don't measure your personality, ambitions, and limitless potential. Essay scholarships approach student applicants with this in mind, providing you a valuable opportunity to explain who you really are beyond just a resume.

In this guide, we'll cover:

1. Exclusive essay scholarships you can apply for
2. How to find essay scholarships
3. How to write a scholarship essay

Use essay scholarships to your advantage and showcase your unique talents, personality, and aspirations to persuade donors that you should win. Any student who has a clear goal in mind for where they want to end up in terms of education or career will have an advantage applying for essay scholarships.

Scholarships may seem like a long shot, but financial aid could be closer than you realize. According to the Education Data Initiative, tuition aid for college is reasonably available:

1. $24 billion in scholarships is available to college students every year, distributed over five million scholarship awards.
2. Scholarships and grants cover 25% of educational costs every year.
3. There is enough public and private scholarship money available to give every full-time enrolled student $9,744.

Don't miss out on the available funding for college students! Keep reading to get a better understanding of how to win essay scholarships and write a killer personal statement.

Find easy essay scholarships to apply for on Bold.org, along with helpful guides on how to write a good personal statement and other free resources. Sign up for an account with Bold.org today!

Essay Scholarships College Students Can Apply for

Given that you'll have to write a compelling personal statement, apply for essay scholarships that are relevant to your interests or experiences. For example, look for essay scholarships related to what you're studying in school, as the prompts will likely ask about your future plans and ambitions. These may be especially applicable for undergraduate students.

1. Chemistry Scholarships

If chemical reactions are your thing, apply for these college scholarships that support future chemists, pharmacists, and engineers. Apply for multiple scholarships at once to improve your odds of winning.

2. Culinary Scholarships

Academic achievement is important, but so are your hobbies. Cooking might be your passion, and if so, you should have the tools to pursue it as a career. These culinary scholarships can help you pay for cooking programs at an accredited college of your choice.

3. Healthcare Scholarships

International students or indigenous students looking to make healthcare a more inclusive environment can appeal to the scholarship committees of these awards for funding. Many essay contests exist to provide funding for healthcare workers, in particular, as this industry is essential to society.

4. Political Science Scholarships

Students with political courage can apply for these political science scholarships. If you yearn to make the world a better place, whether on the national level or in your local community, these awards could be your ticket into university.

5. Math Scholarships

Students with a gift for numbers may be rewarded with the many scholarships available for STEM. Math scholarships, in particular, can guide students towards higher education, as a math degree can often result in highly specialized and in-demand occupations, like quantitative finance.

If your major isn't listed above, check out the full range of scholarships on Bold.org to find your academic discipline.

Remember that you don't have to be good at writing to apply for essay scholarships—we'll explain how to write a good personal statement later on, with actionable tips anyone can follow. However, if writing does happen to be your thing, definitely apply to these essay scholarships as well since they'll be relevant to your talents:

College Scholarships and Essay Contests for Writers

1. Writing Scholarships

It goes without saying that creative writing scholarships and other forms of writing awards will likely require essays. If you're good at writing, a scholarship application that includes a personal statement may be your best chance of winning money.

2. Poetry Scholarships

Similarly, aspiring poets can consider writing and other scholarships to fund their college search and tuition. Though creative writing isn't necessarily a craft that requires a classroom education, college or university can also provide a community of like-minded individuals to support your academic pursuits.

Essay Scholarships vs No-Essay Scholarships

There are essay scholarships and no-essay scholarships. Essay scholarships require applicants to write a personal statement. On the other hand, no-essay scholarships will only look at your transcripts and other provided records.

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. 

Pros and Cons of No-Essay Scholarships

The fact that no writing is involved will often encourage students to apply for no-essay scholarships, as they are easier to apply to in terms of both time and effort. While the no-essay scholarship is a great resource as well, students should apply 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 who 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. 

Apply for no-essay scholarships here!

Why Essay Scholarships are Worth Your Time

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. 

Writing the Personal Statement: Crash Course

You don't have to be great at creative writing to craft a good personal statement. For the full guide, read here on how to write a personal statement for scholarships.

The most important thing to consider when writing the essay is to answer the prompt in a way that reveals something personal about you.

1. First, stay on topic. Most essay scholarships will ask you a specific question, like how winning this money will help you fulfill your ambitions. Be sure to give a clear and detailed answer.
2. Second, get personal. As you're answering the question, relate it back to yourself and the experiences that have shaped you. Explain what drives you, interests you, or makes you want to apply for the scholarship. The donor wants to get to know you!
3. Third, draw on your personal experiences or life goals. High school students might focus more on their goals for the future, while undergraduate and graduate students might talk about their current studies. 
4. Fourth, focus on what makes you different or what personal ambitions and passions you have. Students who've done a lot of charity work should mention that, or their large self-made artist Instagram following. Topics like your side gigs and hobbies are often good fodder for personal statements.

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 Scholarship Eligibility

Essay scholarships are available to students of all ages and all grade levels. Current 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.

High school juniors and graduating high school seniors, for example, may be more interested than others in building up a budget for college. However, any students interested in gathering funds for tuition should apply for financial aid, both essay and no-essay scholarships. Some requirements you should check for include:

1. Grade level
2. Organization associations
3. College major
4. Citizenship or permanent residents

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. Check the requirements for any essay scholarship you're interested in for a definitive answer. Rest assured there will be scholarships that undergraduate college students, high school students, and even middle school students can apply to.

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. 

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. 

How to Apply for Essay 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. 

1. Finding Scholarships to Apply For

High School and University Opportunities

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. Speaking with a guidance counselor can also help you plan out what you should put in your essay. 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. 

Online Scholarship Platforms

Online scholarship platforms like Bold.org are also a great resource! Using a scholarship platform allows you to consolidate your information and applications into one format, which will help you keep track of everything and stay organized.

Scholarship platforms will also have exponentially more scholarships available than local offices and organizations. However, you'll also be facing fiercer competition as these scholarships are available to more people.

Try to apply for a mix of locally-sourced scholarships and online scholarships to maximize your chances of winning.

2. Filling Out the Application

The application process for general 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.

Make sure to keep track of upcoming deadlines and whether AI tools are permitted. Small logistics like these can seem unimportant, but could result in your disqualification if you don't follow the rules.

Personal Information

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. 

Scholarship Essay

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. 

Tips for Winning Essay Scholarships

1. Write on a Focused Topic

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.

2. Balance Creative Writing with Grammar

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. 

2. Use an Engaging Hook

Another way to improve 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. 

3. Consider What Donors Are Looking For

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. 

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