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Scholarships for High School Juniors


Most high school students experience quite a lot of stress over where to get the money for college if they plan to take their education to the next level. Some people think that the senior year is the time to start the process, but high school juniors have opportunities for financial help that they should not ignore. Scholarships are one of the best ways to help pay for your education. However, scholarships for high school juniors can be tricky to find.

Scholarships are a great way to help high school students pay for their education. They offer students financial stability and the opportunity to pursue their dreams. The earlier you start researching free money for college and applying for competitive scholarships, the better chance you have of getting enough to pay for all your tuition, room and board, books, and other fees.

This type of financial help represents an important part of the pathway to success. You can find the right school for you, meet new people, keep up with grades, and let your personality shine without the added stress of high-cost student loans or work/study programs. They provide an opportunity to not only study what you love but get rewarded for your passions as well. High school juniors can get started as soon as they make the decision to attend college or university after graduation.

What Types of Scholarships Are Available for High School Juniors?

Three main types of scholarships exist: merit-based, need-based, and others. Merit-based ones award money for academic achievement, excellence in sports, music, art, and other talents, and similar things. Need-based scholarships are given to those who have low family incomes or other economic challenges that would otherwise put university education out of reach. Other scholarships cover everything from specific demographics to fields of study to company workplace support to those based on things like leadership, community service, and more.

How Can High School Juniors Successfully Apply for Scholarships?

Scholarships are a great way to save money on college, but how do you find them? With so many scholarships for different things, it can be hard to know where to start. Here are some tips to help make your search easier as a high school junior. Begin with your state's scholarship database if possible. Although you cannot yet fill out FAFSA for federal student aid, your state will undoubtedly have resources for the type of scholarships, grants, and other educational funding programs available.

Determine if you want to apply to merit-based, need-based, or specialty scholarships targeted to particular fields of study or demographics. For example, there are many awards specified for women who intend to go into the STEM fields and others for students dedicated to government or community service. Choose as many scholarships as possible that you qualify for, gather the application packets together or save the website URL in your favorites, and start gathering necessary information and documentation. For those scholarship applications that require an essay or another type of media project, get help from your high school guidance counselor, parents, older students, or mentors.

When you start your quest for scholarships early as a high school junior, you increase the chance of getting enough money to pay for your entire college education. Give yourself a leg up on the future to minimize the pain of student loan debt as you begin your career after graduation.

Scholarships for High School Juniors

$1,000 All Star Verified Scholarship
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: April 30, August 31, December 31

Digital Responsibility Scholarships
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: January 30, April 30, June 30, September 30
The Technology Addiction Awareness Scholarship helps you understand the negative effects of too much screen time. The E-waste Scholarship helps you understand the impact of e-waste and what can be done to reduce e-waste. The Digital Privacy Scholarship helps you understand why you should be cautious about what you post on the Internet. The Don't Text and Drive Scholarship helps you understand the risks of texting while driving.

Cashtelligent Financial Literacy Scholarship
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: March 31, June 30, September 30, December 31
This scholarship is designed to encourage students to increase their financial literacy skills and adopt positive habits for managing their personal finances both in college and beyond.

$5,432 Sallie Mae No Essay Sweepstakes
Amount: $5,432
Deadline: Monthly
To help students pay for college, Sallie Mae is awarding this $5,432 Plan for College Sweepstakes.

American Legion National Oratorical Contest
Amount: Varies
Deadline: Varies
To reward students for their knowledge of government and oral presentation skills.

Carson Scholars
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: January 14
To recognize students who demonstrate academic excellence and commitment to the community.

Davidson Fellows
Amount: Up to $50,000
Deadline: February 9
To reward young people for their works in mathematics, science, technology, music, literature, philosophy or "outside the box."

DNA Day Essay Contest
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: March 1
To support high school students who are interested in genetics.

Jane Austen Society of North America Essay Contest
Amount: Up to $1,000
Deadline: June 2
To support appreciation of Jane Austen’s works.

LA Tutors Innovation in Education Scholarship
Amount: $500
Deadline: Monthly
This award supports innovation. Applicants must be a high school or college student within the U.S. or Canada.

Student Video Contest
Amount: $1,200
Deadline: February 22
To support students who are interested in global challenges.