Scholarships for College Freshman students

182 open scholarships accept first-year college students according to their official eligibility, including 1 limited to specific years like yours. You can keep winning scholarships after high school. First-year students should check their college’s scholarship portal and department awards each term, and keep their GPA up for renewable awards.

Limited to specific years (1)

Feb 15, 2027119 days left

CollegeCounts Scholarship (Alabama)

$4,000 (four-year college) or $2,000 (two-year college) · Office of the Alabama State Treasurer (CollegeCounts 529) · High school senior / first-year college student

Alabama residents and U.S. citizens who are high school seniors or first-time college freshmen with financial need, at least a 2.75 GPA and an ACT of 29 or below (no ACT needed for two-year schools), enrolling at an eligible Alabama institution.

Application period opens Dec 1, 2026 and closes Feb 15, 2027 (the FAQ lists Feb 28; plan for Feb 15).

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Last verified Oct 17, 2026

Open to first-year college students (181)

Oct 29, 202610 days left

Penn Mutual Scholarship Program

$2,500 to $5,000 · The Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company (administered by Scholarship America) · High school senior / undergraduate

Children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews of full- or part-time Penn Mutual employees (levels 18–24) enrolling full-time in undergraduate study.

Deadline Oct 29, 2026, or once 100 applications are received.

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Last verified Oct 17, 2026

Oct 30, 202611 days left

The Allen Kaiden Scholarship Program

$2,500 to $5,000 · Capacity LLC (administered by Scholarship America) · High school senior / undergraduate

Dependent children, age 25 and under, of full-time Capacity LLC team members with at least one year of employment; high school seniors, graduates or current undergraduates enrolling full-time.

Deadline Oct 30, 2026, 3 p.m. CT.

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Last verified Oct 17, 2026

Oct 31, 202612 days left

$2,000 No-Essay Scholarship

$2,000 · Sallie Mae · Any

Monthly drawing (sweepstakes) open to students and parents; next entry periods end Nov 30 and Dec 31, 2026.

Monthly drawing; entries don't roll over

No essay Random drawing

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Last verified Oct 14, 2026

Oct 31, 202612 days left

Schwarzkopf Professional Shaping Futures Scholarship

$2,000 (five awards) · Professional Beauty Association / Schwarzkopf Professional · Trade student

Cosmetology students currently enrolled in an accredited cosmetology or hairstyling program in the U.S.

Application deadline Oct 31, 2026.

Cosmetology & Barbering Trade school

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Last verified Oct 17, 2026

Oct 31, 202612 days left

Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship

$2,000 · Unigo · Any

U.S. students 13+; short written response (about 250 words).

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Last verified Oct 14, 2026

Nov 1, 202613 days left

ACI Foundation Fellowships and Scholarships

$5,000 scholarships; $10,000 fellowships plus paid travel to two ACI conventions (about 50 awards) · American Concrete Institute (ACI) Foundation · Undergraduate / graduate

Full-time undergraduate and graduate students in concrete-related degree programs; fellowship applicants must attend an accredited school in the U.S. or Canada.

Applications for 2027–28 are open; close Nov 1, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. EDT.

EngineeringConstruction Trade school

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Last verified Oct 17, 2026

Nov 1, 202613 days left

Alamo Chapter MICA Scholarships for Military Intelligence Families

Varies (based on available funds and number of qualified applicants) · Alamo Chapter, Military Intelligence Corps Association (MICA) · High school senior / undergraduate / spouse

Spouses and dependent children (with a valid military dependent ID) of Military Intelligence active duty, National Guard or Army Reserve soldiers, retired MI personnel and Gold Star MI families; priority to those in the Joint Base San Antonio area. High school seniors and undergraduates need a 2.5 GPA, 30 volunteer hours and a 200-word essay; full-tuition scholarship holders are ineligible.

2027–28 applications must be submitted by midnight, Nov 1, 2026.

Military / ROTCTX

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Last verified Oct 17, 2026

Nov 3, 202615 days left

Chick-fil-A Community Scholars

Up to $25,000 · Chick-fil-A (administered by Scholarship America) · High school senior / undergraduate / graduate

Applicants 18 or older by July 15, 2027, living in the U.S., Puerto Rico or Canada, who are high school seniors, college undergraduates or graduate students planning full-time study in 2027–28 at a two- or four-year college or vocational-technical school. Open to the public, not only Chick-fil-A employees.

Deadline Nov 3, 2026, 3 p.m. CT.

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Last verified Oct 17, 2026

Nov 15, 202627 days left

EagleRidge Legacy Fund Construction Trades Scholarship

Up to $2,000 · EagleRidge Legacy Fund · High school senior, trade student or adult

Applicants 17+ attending or applying to an accredited school in North Dakota or Minnesota who are pursuing a construction trade (carpentry, electrical, HVAC, plumbing, welding, diesel, heavy equipment, masonry and more) or are the child of a trades worker.

Round 1 due Nov 15, 2026 (Spring 2027 funds); Round 2 due Mar 15, 2027 (Fall 2027). Apply by emailing documents.

NDMNConstruction Electrical & Lineworker HVAC/R Plumbing Welding Trade school

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Last verified Oct 17, 2026

Nov 16, 202628 days left

Carpenters Local 45 Scholarship

$4,000 · Carpenters Local 45 Scholarship Fund (administered by Scholarship America) · High school senior / undergraduate

Dependents of current Carpenters Local 45 members who are high school seniors, graduates or undergraduates enrolling full-time at a two- or four-year college or vocational-technical school, with at least a 2.0 GPA.

Deadline Nov 16, 2026, 3 p.m. CT.

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Last verified Oct 17, 2026

Nov 16, 202628 days left

Hydraflow Scholarship

$10,000 · Hydraflow (administered by Scholarship America) · High school senior / undergraduate

Dependent children or grandchildren, age 26 and under, of full-time Hydraflow employees with at least one year of employment; high school seniors, graduates or current undergraduates.

Deadline Nov 16, 2026, 3 p.m. CT.

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Last verified Oct 17, 2026

Nov 17, 202629 days left

Critical Language Scholarship (CLS)

Fully funded summer language program · U.S. Department of State · College

U.S. undergraduate and graduate students; fully funded summer study of critical languages abroad.

8 p.m. Eastern

Languages & InternationalStudy Abroad

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Last verified Oct 14, 2026

Nov 19, 202631 days left

Point Foundation Flagship Scholarship

Up to $15,000 · Point Foundation · Undergraduate / graduate

LGBTQ+ students with a minimum 3.3 cumulative GPA enrolled full-time in a degree-seeking undergraduate or graduate program in the U.S.

Application closes Nov 19, 2026, 5 p.m. PST; scholarships start fall 2027.

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Last verified Oct 17, 2026

Nov 22, 202634 days left

CSUSM Noyce Teacher Scholarship

Varies · California State University San Marcos (NSF Noyce) · College

CSUSM students preparing to teach math or science; teaching commitment. Fall 2027 start: apply by Apr 18, 2027.

Education & TeachingSTEMCA

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Last verified Oct 14, 2026

Nov 30, 202642 days left

AWS Foundation Welder Training Scholarship

Varies by AWS District (amount not listed) · American Welding Society Foundation · Trade/technical school student

Students seeking welder training in a certificate program less than two years long.

2026–27 cycle open now; apply by Nov 30. Selections are rolling and some Districts have already awarded their 2026 funds.

Welding Trade school

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Last verified Oct 17, 2026

Nov 30, 202642 days left

Education Matters Scholarship

$5,000 · Unigo · Any

U.S. students 13+; short written response.

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Last verified Oct 14, 2026

Dec 1, 202643 days left

Pauahi Foundation Postsecondary Scholarships

Varies by fund (more than 250 scholarship funds) · Ke Ali‘i Pauahi Foundation · High school senior / undergraduate / graduate / trade school

Open to the public, with preference to applicants of Hawaiian ancestry as permitted by law. Undergraduate, graduate and some vocational/certificate students at recognized accredited schools; some funds require Hawai‘i residency or financial need. Service-academy students are ineligible starting 2027–28.

2027–28 application opened Oct 1, 2026 and is due Dec 1, 2026; recommendation letters, essays and other documents due Jan 15, 2027.

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Last verified Oct 17, 2026

Dec 1, 202643 days left

Suneet Singal Giving Award

$1,000 · Suneet Singal Giving · College

Students with a 3.0+ cumulative GPA; random draw, no essay.

11:59 p.m. ET

No essay

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Last verified Oct 14, 2026

Dec 4, 202646 days left

SMART Scholarship-for-Service Program

Full tuition, monthly stipend, health insurance, book allowance and paid summer internships · U.S. Department of Defense (DoD SMART) · Undergraduate / graduate

Bachelor's, master's and Ph.D. students in STEM fields who commit to becoming Department of Defense civilian employees after graduation.

2027 application due Dec 4, 2026 (5 p.m. ET); finalists notified in April 2027. Requires post-graduation civilian DoD employment.

STEMEngineeringComputer Science

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Last verified Oct 17, 2026

Dec 6, 202648 days left

CCME Scholarships for Military-Affiliated Students

$1,000 · Council of College and Military Educators (CCME) · Undergraduate / graduate / adult learner / credential

Active-duty service members, veterans, spouses of service members and children of service members working toward degrees, certificates or licenses at a CCME member institution (confirm your school is a member). Includes Joe King, Loretta Cornett Huff, Veteran, Workforce Credentials and Military Child scholarships.

2027 application period Sept 21 – Dec 6, 2026 (submit by midnight PST).

Military / ROTC

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Last verified Oct 17, 2026

Dec 7, 202649 days left

Foundation for New Hampshire Community Colleges Scholarships

Varies (over $1.2 million awarded last year) · The Foundation for New Hampshire Community Colleges · Community college student

Students at New Hampshire's seven community colleges (Great Bay, Lakes Region, Manchester, Nashua, NHTI, River Valley, White Mountains).

Spring 2027 deadlines by college: GBCC and MCC Dec 7, 2026; NHTI Dec 20, 2026; LRCC, NCC and RVCC Jan 29, 2027; WMCC Jan 31, 2027.

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Last verified Oct 17, 2026

Dec 9, 202651 days left

Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship

Up to $55,000 per year · Jack Kent Cooke Foundation · Undergraduate

High-achieving community college students with financial need transferring to a four-year college.

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Last verified Oct 19, 2026

Dec 14, 202656 days left

Science Ambassador Scholarship

$20,000 one-time (five awards for 2027) · Cards Against Humanity · High school senior / undergraduate

Women and non-binary high school seniors or undergraduate students studying (or planning to study) STEM at a U.S. college. Apply with a three-minute video teaching a STEM topic. U.S. citizenship isn't required.

Submit your video by Monday, Dec 14, 2026, 11:59 p.m. Central. Finalists notified early 2027; winners announced spring 2027.

STEM

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Last verified Oct 19, 2026

Dec 15, 202657 days left

Bonnie Fang Foundation Nursing Scholarship

$5,000 (one California award and one Nevada award) · Bonnie Fang Foundation · Undergraduate / graduate nursing student

Full-time undergraduate or graduate nursing students attending an in-person program (not online or hybrid) with at least one year left, who meet the foundation's California or Nevada residency rules.

Application open Sept 15 – Dec 15, 2026, 11:59 p.m.

Nursing & HealthHealthCANV

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Last verified Oct 17, 2026

Dec 31, 202673 days left

Limitless Potential $1,000 No Essay Scholarship

$1,000 · Sallie (Scholly Exclusive) · College

Undergraduate and graduate students; one winner chosen from applicants.

No essay Random drawing

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Last verified Oct 14, 2026

Dec 31, 202673 days left

Top Ten List Scholarship

$1,500 · Unigo · Any

U.S. students 13+; short written response.

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Last verified Oct 14, 2026

Dec 31, 202673 days left

Unigo $10K Scholarship

$10,000 · Unigo · Any

U.S. students 13+; short written response.

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Last verified Oct 14, 2026

Jan 2, 202775 days left

Automotive Women's Alliance Foundation Scholarship

Varies (past awards $2,500 and $5,000) · Automotive Women's Alliance Foundation (AWAF) · Undergraduate / graduate / trade

Women pursuing careers in automotive, vehicle mobility and related fields.

Two deadlines a year (January and June); Q1/Q2 2027 applications due Jan 2, 2027.

EngineeringAutomotive, Diesel & Collision Trade school

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Last verified Oct 17, 2026

Jan 4, 202777 days left

UFCW Local 951 Scholarships

$2,000 each (fifteen awards in 2027) · UFCW Local 951 · College / trade student

Eligible UFCW 951 members and their spouses, children or grandchildren (under 25) attending a college, university, community college or recognized trade school.

Deadline Jan 4, 2027.

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Last verified Oct 17, 2026

Jan 5, 202778 days left

Live Más Scholarship

Up to $25,000 · Taco Bell Foundation · High school / college

Students ages 16–26 pursuing education; judged on passion (video submission), not grades.

5 p.m. PST

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Last verified Oct 19, 2026

Jan 8, 202781 days left

NAHJ Scholarships

$2,000–$5,000 · National Association of Hispanic Journalists · College

Students pursuing careers in English- or Spanish-language journalism and communications.

11:59 p.m. PST

Journalism & Communicationscommunications

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Last verified Oct 14, 2026

Jan 8, 202781 days left

TMCF Enterprise Access HBCU Scholarship

Up to $15,000 for 2027–28 (81 need-based awards) · Thurgood Marshall College Fund and Enterprise Mobility Foundation · Undergraduate / graduate

Students attending one of TMCF's member schools (publicly supported HBCUs, historically Black community colleges, predominantly Black institutions, and medical and law schools); need-based.

Application opened Aug 3, 2026; closes Jan 8, 2027, 11:59 p.m. ET.

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Last verified Oct 17, 2026

Jan 14, 202787 days left

National FFA Collegiate Scholarships

Varies · National FFA Foundation · High school / college

FFA high school seniors and collegiate members pursuing agriculture, trades or other careers. Opens Nov 1, 2026.

Official page also says 'open through January 15'; plan for Jan 14

Agriculture

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Last verified Oct 14, 2026

Jan 15, 202788 days left

APIA Scholarship

$2,500–$20,000 · APIA Scholars · High school / college

Asian American and Pacific Islander students with financial need attending accredited U.S. colleges. Opens Nov 15, 2026.

5 p.m. EST

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Last verified Oct 14, 2026

Jan 15, 202788 days left

Florida Elks Van Duren Memorial Scholarship

Up to $5,000 per year · Florida Elks Youth Camp and Florida State Elks Association · High school senior / college student

Graduating Florida high school or home-schooled seniors planning to attend college, and students currently enrolled at an accredited American college, university or community college (see Florida Elks rules).

2027 application open since Sept 1, 2026; due Jan 15, 2027.

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Last verified Oct 17, 2026

Jan 15, 202788 days left

GCA Spoldi-Stewart Agriculture Scholarship

$5,000 · The Garden Club of America · Undergraduate / graduate

Students pursuing study in regenerative agriculture and related environmental fields (see GCA's award page for eligibility).

2027 applications open now through Jan 15, 2027 via the GCA website.

AgricultureEnvironment

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Last verified Oct 17, 2026

Jan 15, 202788 days left

NATA Foundation Athletic Training Scholarships

$20,000 pre-athletic training award; $2,300 professional and post-professional awards · NATA Research & Education Foundation · Undergraduate / graduate

Students entering or enrolled in CAATE-accredited athletic training programs, plus certified athletic trainers in post-professional programs. Current NATA membership required; pre-AT applicants need a 3.2 GPA.

2027 cycle opens Nov 15, 2026; deadline Jan 15, 2027.

Health

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Last verified Oct 19, 2026

Jan 15, 202788 days left

Spencer Educational Foundation Undergraduate Scholarship

$7,500 (limited $5,000 awards); full-time master's awards are $10,000 · Spencer Educational Foundation · Undergraduate / graduate

Undergraduate and master's students physically studying in the U.S. or Canada who are interested in risk management and insurance careers (risk/insurance, actuarial, business, finance or IT majors preferred).

2027 application opened Oct 1, 2026; deadline Jan 15, 2027. Awardees notified around May 21.

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Last verified Oct 17, 2026

Jan 27, 2027100 days left