USA Scholarships
Pre-University & Secondary Scholarship Guides
Pre-University & Secondary Scholarships
Funded secondary school, junior college, and pre-university programmes for international students. These scholarships open doors before you reach a Bachelor's degree, often covering tuition, hostel, and exam fees in full.
StudyCorgi Video Contest Scholarship 2027 - $1,500
StudyCorgi runs an annual $1,500 video contest for current US high school, college, and university students. Create a one- to two-minute original English video on one of the published AI-in-education topics, upload it privately to Google Drive or Dropbox, subscribe to both StudyCorgi YouTube channels, share the scholarship post on social media, and email [email protected] with proof of enrollment and screenshots by 17 September 2027. First place earns $1,000 and runner-up earns $500 after editorial review, public voting, and a final jury round.
Shout It Out Scholarship 2026 - $1,500 Unigo
Unigo's Shout It Out Scholarship awards $1,500 to one legal U.S. resident age 14 or older who is enrolled or will enroll in an accredited postsecondary program by fall 2031. Answer a 250-word prompt: if you could say one thing to the entire world at once, what would it be and why? No minimum GPA or transcripts. Apply at unigo.com by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on 30 September 2026. Residents of all 50 states and the District of Columbia may enter.
Pay It Forward Scholarship 2026 - $1,000 JumpStart
The College JumpStart Pay It Forward Scholarship awards $1,000 to one merit-based winner who shares how kindness inspired them to help someone else, or who writes on a topic of their choice in 250 words or fewer. Open to US citizens and legal residents in grades 10 through 12, in college, or entering college within 12 months. Financial need, GPA, and test scores are not considered. Apply online at jumpstart-scholarship.net by midnight 30 September 2026 for use at any accredited US college or university.
Injury Advocacy Scholarship 2025 - $1,000
The 2025 Injury Advocacy Scholarship from Schlack & Bassmaji awarded $1,000 to one US student for an essay on injuries caused by someone else''s negligence and advocacy for injured people. The cycle closed 1 September 2025. Rules matched the firm''s later awards: legal US residents nationwide with 3.0+ GPA, enrolled in vocational or two- to four-year post-secondary study, 750-to-1,000-word essay, resume, transcripts, no AI-generated text, and Illinois preference. Use this guide for reference; apply on the current year''s page when the next cycle opens.
Injury Advocacy Scholarship 2026 - $1,000
The 2026 Injury Advocacy Scholarship from Schlack & Bassmaji, a Chicago-area personal injury firm, awards $1,000 to one US student who writes about negligence-related injuries and advocacy for injured people. High school seniors, vocational students, college students, and graduate students with at least a 3.0 GPA may apply if they are legal US residents in any state or Washington, DC, and enrolled in a vocational programme or two- to four-year post-secondary school. You submit a 750-to-1,000-word essay, resume, transcripts or acceptance proof, and the online form by 1 September 2026. Essays are screened for AI-generated text. Preference goes to Illinois students, but applicants nationwide are welcome.
Mediation & Conversations Scholarship 2026 - $1,000
The Mediation & Conversations Scholarship from Dolan Divorce Lawyers, PLLC awards $1,000 to one US student who shows mindful communication and conflict mediation skills. High school seniors, vocational students, college students, and graduate students with at least a 3.0 GPA may apply if they live in any US state or Washington, DC, and enroll in a vocational programme or accredited two- to four-year post-secondary school. You submit a 750-to-1,000-word essay on mediating between people in your life, a professional resume, transcripts or acceptance proof, and the online form by 30 September 2026 at 11:59 PM EST. Essays are screened for AI-generated text. Preference goes to Connecticut students, but applicants nationwide are welcome.
Don't Text and Drive Scholarship 2026 - $1,000
The Don''t Text and Drive Scholarship 2026 is a $1,000 award from Digital Responsibility, a Silicon Valley nonprofit that educates young people about technology''s personal and public consequences. You must be a US citizen or legal resident in high school (freshman through senior) or enrolled at any level of college or graduate school; homeschoolers qualify and there is no age limit. The first step is a 140-character message completing the idea ''I pledge not to text and drive because…'' The top ten finalists write a 500- to 1,000-word essay, and one winner receives $1,000. The deadline is 30 September 2026.
Be A Friend Project Scholarship 2027 - $500 Script
The Be A Friend Project Scholarship asks US high school students to write a two- to four-page script about bystanders turning into upstanders when a friend who bullies someone else is absent from lunch. One winner receives $500, announced 1 October to open National Bullying Prevention Month. Applicants must follow at least one Be A Friend Project social media account. Homeschooled students may enter. Family of BAFP staff and board members cannot apply. The 2025 cycle ran 1 June through 31 August 2025; the next cycle is expected to follow the same summer window in 2027.
Building Bridges Scholarship 2026 - $1,000 NPVA Award
The Building Bridges Scholarship 2026 is a $1,000 merit award from the National Parent Volunteer Association (NPVA) for students who are actively involved in their communities. Applicants write a short essay of up to 150 words describing their community engagement. You can be a high school junior or senior, an undergraduate, or a graduate student, with a GPA of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, enrolled or planning to enroll at an accredited US college, university, or vocational program. The 2026 deadline is 30 September 2026. Winners provide an official transcript and proof of enrollment after selection, not at the initial application stage.
Education Matters Scholarship 2026 - $5,000 Unigo Award
The Education Matters Scholarship is Unigo's $5,000 award for a 250-word answer to one question: what would you say to someone who thinks education does not matter, or that college is a waste of time and money? It is the largest of the scholarships Unigo runs under its own name, and the application asks for no transcript, no GPA figure, no recommendation letters and no financial paperwork. Anyone aged 14 or older who is a legal US resident of the 50 states or the District of Columbia can enter, as long as they already attend an accredited college, university or trade school or will enrol no later than the fall of 2031. The current cycle opened on 30 November 2025 and closes on 30 November 2026 at 11:59pm Pacific Time. A panel picks one winner on or about 28 February 2027, and the $5,000 goes to the winner's school as a check rather than to the student in cash.
Make Me Laugh Scholarship 2027 - $1,500 Unigo Award
The Make Me Laugh Scholarship is Unigo's $1,500 award for the funniest 250-word story, and it is one of the shortest scholarship applications a US student can file. There is no GPA cutoff, no transcript, no recommendation letters and no essay about why you deserve the money. You describe one funny or embarrassing incident from your life, real or invented, in 250 words or less. Anyone aged 14 or older who is a legal resident of the 50 states or the District of Columbia can enter, as long as they are already studying at an accredited college, university or trade school or will enrol no later than the fall of 2032. The current cycle opened on 31 August 2026 and closes on 31 August 2027 at 11:59pm Pacific Time. One winner is picked on or about 29 November 2027 and notified around 30 November, and the $1,500 goes to their school as a check rather than to the student in cash.
YES Scholarship 2028 - Kennedy-Lugar High School Exchange
The YES Scholarship, formally the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program, is a US Department of State exchange that brings high school students from nine partner countries to live with an American host family and attend a US high school for a semester. Airfare, the host family placement, a monthly stipend, health insurance and program activities are all paid for. The spring 2027 round closes between 15 and 23 September 2026 depending on the country, so this guide is set up for the next intake, which is expected to recruit around August and September 2027 for a program starting in early 2028.