College scholarships aren’t just for college students and high school seniors. Many contests are open to students in elementary and middle school, and earning prize money now can help ease the burden of college costs down the road. We highlight six scholarships below for students in younger grades. Review the details of each one and encourage any interested students you know to apply on time.
International Young Eco-Hero Award
How to Apply: Submit an application describing an environmental project you completed that concerns environmental health, advocacy, research, or protection of the natural world.
Eligibility: Open to students ages 8-16
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: February 28, 2025
Website: https://actionfornature.org/eco-hero-awards/apply
Stossel in the Classroom Essay Contest
How to Apply: Write a 500-1,000-word essay about one of four topics: the effect of minimum wage on entry-level workers, a better immigration system, cancel culture or censorship, or coercion vs. choice.
Eligibility: Open to students ages 10-18 who live in North America, Hawaii, or at a U.S. military address
Amount: Ranges from $50 to $2,500
Deadline: March 21, 2025
Website: https://stosselintheclassroom.org/essay-contest/
Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes
How to Apply: Submit an online application, including a letter from a lead reference and two additional letters of recommendation.
Eligibility: Open to children ages 8-18 who are currently working on an inspiring service project or have done so within the past 12 months
Amount: Multiple winners receive $10,000 each
Deadline: April 15, 2025
Website: https://barronprize.org/apply/
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Young Scholars Program
How to Apply: Complete an online application, including report cards, completed parent/guardian forms, two academic recommendations, answers to three short-answer prompts limited to 200 words, and one essay limited to 300 words.
Eligibility: Open to students entering 8th grade in the fall of 2025 who demonstrate unmet financial need
Amount: Scholarship awards vary, but all include educational and college advising as well as financial support from 8th to 12th grades
Deadline: April 30, 2025
Website: https://sbomagazine.com/2024-sbo-essay-contest/
My Impact Challenge
How to Apply: Write an essay of up to 1,200 words on a project you have completed that furthers at least one principle and one virtue as defined in the Bill of Rights Institute’s “Principles and Virtues,” write a report of up to 2,000 words detailing your civic engagement project, including your inspiration and project plan, and include a video or series of photos highlighting your project’s impact on the community.
Eligibility: Open to any U.S. middle or high school student between the ages of 13 and 19
Amount: Prizes range from $500 to $10,000
Deadline: May 18, 2025
Website: https://billofrightsinstitute.org/my-impact-challenge
Ocean Awareness Contest
How to Apply: Think about your connection to the natural world through the lenses of generational knowledge, concrete jungle, resilience, and the relationship between healthy environments and healthy humans. Submissions are accepted as visual art, creative writing, film, interactive & multimedia, performing arts, poetry, and spoken word.
Eligibility: Open to students ages 11 to 18. Students must provide the contact information for an adult sponsor (teacher, parent, mentor, etc.)
Amount: Multiple awards of up to $1,000
Deadline: June 9, 2025
Website: https://bowseat.org/programs/ocean-awareness-contest
Scholarships should be considered a small—yet still important—source of revenue for college. Data shows that most families pay for college using parent and student income, savings, and loans. Most scholarship recipients receive $2,500 or less, and only 0.1% of undergraduate students receive $25,000 or more in scholarship funds. In addition to looking for scholarships to help pay for college, families should apply for financial aid and consider saving in a dedicated college savings account.
