The Best Pennsylvania Scholarships with Upcoming Deadlines

About scholarships in Pennsylvania

With a population of almost 13 million, Pennsylvania has a large number of residents. Out of these residents, 693,340 people are enrolled in Pennsylvania colleges. Enrollment has declined by 13.8% since 2010, but since 1970, it has increased by 95.8%. 71.1% of students enrolled in Pennsylvania colleges are state residents, meaning that a majority of students pursuing higher education in Pennsylvania are in-state students.

While college enrollment may be declining slightly, being a high school graduate is not. 90.5% of people in Pennsylvania are high school graduates or higher by the time they are 25 years old. This is slightly higher than the national average of around 90%. With such a high graduation rate for high school seniors, it is important that those who want to go to college are able to attend.

Colleges in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania has more than one hundred colleges and universities to choose from. Whether you are looking for a community college, a private university, or a public university, Pennsylvania has plenty of options for you.

In terms of private institutions, Pennsylvania has a large number of accredited universities. The University of Pennsylvania is an Ivy League institution located in Philadelphia with an enrollment of 9,872 students in 2020. Carnegie Mellon University, Villanova University, and Lehigh University are also great options for students looking for private institutions.

While private institutions are a great option, 84.1% of enrolled students attend public institutions. There are 58 public colleges in Pennsylvania, including the University of Pittsburgh which has 19,197 students at its Pittsburgh campus. Pennsylvania State University is also a great option, with campuses throughout the state.

If you are looking for a school that is out-of-state, there are plenty of other options out there for you. 19.9% of Pennsylvania residents leave the state to attend school.

Pennsylvania college demographics

 A majority of Pennsylvania students are women. In the 2020-2021 academic year, Pennsylvania's colleges were 40.51%male and 59.49% female.

Additionally, there are 367,877 Caucasian, 66,037 Black/African American, 36,461 Asian, and 46,520 Hispanic students in Pennsylvania colleges. While the colleges have a large number of white students, this matches the state's general population and demographics since the state of Pennsylvania is 75.7% white.

Pennsylvania students and student debt

165,630 college students graduate annually in Pennsylvania. Out of all students graduating, 65% of Pennsylvania college graduates had student loan debt.

The average in-state college tuition in Pennsylvania was $23,495 in the 2020-2021 academic year. This high cost is $8,575 higher than the U.S. average and results in Pennsylvania ranking as the 5th most expensive state to attend college.

Because of high tuition rates, Pennsylvania has the second-highest average level of debt in the United States. The average debt of a Pennsylvania college graduate in 2018-19 was $39,027. 36% of Pennsylvania college graduates’ student loan debt was private, non-federal debt. This form of student loans is often more costly and difficult to pay back.

To help Pennsylvania students with the cost of tuition and student debt, there are plenty of options, including federal student aid and private scholarships. On Bold.org, there are many scholarships specifically for Pennsylvania residents.

The best scholarships for Pennsylvania students 

Regardless of your identity or your academic interests, there is a scholarship for you. Below, you can find a list of scholarships in PA specifically for Pennsylvania residents.

Antoinette Casino Petrella Memorial Scholarship

Any high school senior from Pennsylvania who will be a first-generation college student is eligible to apply for this scholarship. This scholarship has two winners who will each win $1,000.

James E. Simonetti Memorial Scholarship Fund

This scholarship will support two undergraduate students at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania who are majoring in criminal justice or are cadets at the criminal justice training center.

Michael J. L. Suojanen Memorial Athletics Scholarship

Any athlete who is a high school senior living in Pennsylvania may apply for this $1,200 scholarship opportunity. Low-income and minority students are strongly encouraged to apply.

Robert H. Wagner Jr. Memorial Music Scholarship

Any senior in high school who lives in Pennsylvania and plays music may apply for this $1,200 scholarship. Low-income and minority students are strongly encouraged to apply.

Sean Flynn Memorial Scholarship

Any high school junior or senior from Pennsylvania who will be going on to pursue higher education may apply for this $500 scholarship. 

Additional scholarships that students in Pennsylvania should consider 

For Pennsylvania students who are interested in applying for more scholarships, here is a list of more general scholarships to apply to.

1. Isaac Yunhu Lee Memorial Arts Scholarship
2. @ESPDaniella Debt Grant
3. Tyde Memorial Scholarship
4. Juno Better Rates No-Essay Scholarship
5. Freddie L Brown Sr. Scholarship
6. ¡A Buena Amistad! No-Essay Scholarship
7. Sloane Stephens Doc & Glo Scholarship

Scholarships for high school students in Pennsylvania

High school is a great time to start applying for scholarship opportunities. The earlier you begin your search, the more time you'll have to earn some financial assistance to help you get through college. The following scholarships in PA are great opportunities for high school students to get ahead on the financial costs of college!

1. Freddie L Brown Sr. Scholarship
2. Lo Easton's “Wrong Answers Only” Scholarship
3. "A Daring Path" No-Essay Scholarship
4. #FinancialFreedom No-Essay Scholarship

Pennsylvania scholarships for high school seniors

Many high school scholarships are created specifically for high school seniors who are preparing for college. You can apply for the scholarships below to get a head start on funding your college education.

1. Sammy Ochoa Memorial Scholarship
2. Taylor Ibarrondo Memorial Scholarship
3. #FinancialFreedom No-Essay Scholarship

Scholarships for current college students in Pennsylvania

If you're in college and just starting your scholarship search, don't worry. There are still plenty of options for college students. There are scholarships in Pennsylvania for all levels of students, including undergraduate and graduate students. You can get started by clicking on any of the following scholarship awards!

1. Freddie L Brown Sr. Scholarship
2. Youssef University’s College Life Scholarship
3. Finesse Your Education's "The College Burnout" Scholarship
4. Lo Easton's “Wrong Answers Only” Scholarship
5. "A Daring Path" No-Essay Scholarship
6. #FinancialFreedom No-Essay Scholarship
7. William M. DeSantis Sr. Scholarship
8. The Final Push Scholarship

Pennsylvania scholarships for out-of-state students

While a majority of students in Pennsylvania are in-state students, there are still plenty of opportunities for out-of-state students interested in attending a Pennsylvania college or university. Below, we've collected a list of scholarships for non-resident Pennsylvania students.

1. James E. Simonetti Memorial Scholarship Fund
2. Nitro Pay for College No-Essay Scholarship
3. Matthews Overcoming Adversity Scholarship
4. "A Bold Life" No-Essay Scholarship

Scholarships for single mothers in Pennsylvania

Single parents often struggle to complete their education due to the responsibilities and time constraints that come from childcare. With few resources to help parents balance their education, many give up on completing their degrees. The following scholarships aim to make college more accessible to single moms in Pennsylvania.

1. REVIVAL Scholarship
2. Saroya Byrd Legacy Scholarship
3. Women’s History Scholarship
4. Larry Darnell Green Scholarship
5. Law Family Single Parent Scholarship

Frequently asked questions about scholarships in Pennsylvania

How to apply for scholarships in Pennsylvania

Applying for Pennsylvania scholarships on Bold.org is simple and the process is designed to be as quick as possible. It only takes a few easy steps to begin applying! You can start by creating your free Bold.org profile or by clicking on any of the scholarships above.

Using Bold.org and applying for scholarships is completely free, so you can apply for as many opportunities as you'd like! You can browse through the hundreds of exclusive scholarships offered by Bold.org. New scholarships are posted every day, so check back often for new opportunities to fund your post-secondary education. If you're short on time, you can even bookmark scholarships that are a good fit for you so you can come back and apply later.

There are unlimited scholarship options for students in Pennsylvania, whether you are in high school, an undergraduate or graduate student, or even a recent graduate who has student loan debt. It's never too early or too late to start accumulating financial aid so you can afford all of your collegiate expenses.

After you've looked through the available opportunities and determined which scholarships are the best fits, you can immediately begin applying. Due to the busy lives and many responsibilities of students, the scholarship application process was specifically created to make applying a rapid and easy task. 

Additionally, each scholarship's description will state what applicants must submit or do in order to enter the scholarship. This could include writing an essay, sharing a video, uploading a piece of art you've created, or something else. There are all different kinds of scholarships available, so there will be opportunities for you regardless of which areas you excel in. With college costs continuing to rise, apply for as many Pennsylvania scholarships as you can to boost your chances of winning and to take charge of your financial need.

When can I start applying?

You can start applying for scholarships as soon are you're at least fourteen years old and in high school. While many high school scholarships are exclusively available to high school seniors, there are plenty of scholarships that can help Pennsylvania students fund their education even if they're just beginning their high school years.

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

Each scholarship offered on Bold.org will have eligibility requirements included in the description. While a scholarship award may only be open to a certain group of students, there are plenty of more broad scholarships that any student can apply for. Always be sure to check any eligibility requirements before spending your time on an application!

Are scholarships counted as income?

Scholarship money won through Bold.org will be sent directly to your college's financial aid office. Or, if you are a high school student, Bold.org will hold your scholarship money for you until you enroll in a college. Since scholarship money is applied directly to your college costs, it is not considered taxable income.