Below are some of the best scholarships for high school juniors, the Class of 2026:
Award Amount: $1,000 National Scholarship Month is a great time to set new application goals for yourself. Use November to explore scholarship opportunities and to get serious about applying for them. Let us know how many scholarships you'll be applying for by picking the answer that fits you. Every answer's correct! To enter, you must be a Fastweb member. Answer a multiple-choice question—there's no wrong answer—and submit your entries daily through November 30, 2024.
Award Amount: $2,500
Participate in the #ScholarshipNow challenge for a chance to win $2,500! To participate, download the Goodwall app and simply share a video telling us how winning this scholarship would help you achieve your educational goals, on the hashtag #ScholarshipNow.
Award Amount: $10,000 The United States Senate Youth Program is open to outstanding high school juniors and seniors who are interested in pursuing careers in public service. Recipients of this award will serve as delegates to Washington Week in Washington D.C in March. During Washington Week, the student delegates meet and learn from the highest level elected and appointed officials in Washington. The deadline varies by state.
Award Amount: Full-Tuition The Coolidge Scholarship is available to high school juniors. You must have a distinguished academic record, demonstrate an interest in public policy, and demonstrate a sense of humility and service to be considered for this award.
Award Amount: $500 The Rubincam Youth Writing Competition is available to high school students. To be considered, you must submit a genealogy in a biographical narrative format for one family line; include four generations, beginning with you, as the first generation.
Award Amount: $15,000 The G2 Overachievers Student Grant is available to middle and high school honor roll students between the ages of 13 and 19. To be considered, you must submit a 1,000 – to 2,000 - word handwritten essay explaining how you (or the person you are nominating) make a difference in the world around you and why you deserve to be recognized for these efforts.
Award Amount: $1,000
The Fastweb Invite a Friend Sweepstakes is open to registered Fastweb members who are legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia, and who are at least sixteen (16) years of age. You must log into your Fastweb account to obtain your personal referral link. For each person who registers for Fastweb via your personal referral link during the Promotion Period, you and your referral will be entered as a pair into the current drawing.
Award Amount: Full-Tuition The Coolidge Scholarship is available to high school juniors. You must have a distinguished academic record, demonstrate an interest in public policy, and demonstrate a sense of humility and service to be considered for this award.
Award Amount: $1,000 The Christophers High School Poster Contest is open to high school students. To enter, you must create a 16" x 20" poster that illustrates the idea that one person can change the world for the better, and includes the following statement: "You can make a difference." The poster concept, design, and any photos or artwork used must be the original work of the student entering the competition. Posters will be judged on overall impact, effectiveness in conveying the theme, originality, and artistic merit.
Award Amount: $2,500 The Optimist International Essay Contest is open to students who are under the age of 19. To be considered for this award, you must submit a 700 - to 800 - word essay on the following topic: "How Optimism Has Paved My Road to Success."
Award Amount: $1,250 - $2,500
The AFSA National High School Essay Contest is open to high school students. To be considered, you must submit a 1,000 - to 1,500 - word essay on the following topic: "Critically assess what you believe to be the most significant effects of the Foreign Service's work during the Vietnam War on contemporary U.S. diplomacy."
Award Amount: $10,000
The Create-A-Greeting Card Scholarship Contest is open to students who are at least 14 years of age. To enter, you must submit an original design for a Christmas card, holiday card, birthday card, or all - occasion greeting card. All designs or photographs must be the original work of the applicant.
Award Amount: $50 - $2,500 The Stossel in the Classroom Essay Contest is open to students between the ages of 10 and 18. You must submit a 500 - to 1000 - word essay on one of four topics to be considered for this award.
Award Amount: $1,000 - $5,000 The We The Future Contest is open to high school and college students. To enter, you must submit an essay, song, STEM project, short film, social media video, or PSA on a given topic related to the Constitution.
Award Amount: $1,000 The Carson Scholars Program is open to students in grades four through eleven. You must have a minimum GPA of 3.75 and display humanitarian qualities through community service to be eligible for this award. Interested students MUST be nominated by an educator at their school. Only one student from each school is able to apply.
Award Amount: $20,000 - $25,000 The American Legion National Oratorical Contest is open to junior high and high school students who are under the age of 20 and are citizens or lawful permanent residents of the United States. To be considered, you must prepare an oration on some aspect of the U.S. Constitution, with emphasis on a citizen's duties and obligations to our government. A complete list of topics are available on the Legion's Web site. Each individual state winner certified into and participating in the first round of the national contest receives a $2,000 scholarship. Check out these Four Scholarship Tips via this Instagram Reel:
Fastweb's $1,000 National Scholarship Month Sweepstakes
Deadline: 11/30/24Award Amount: $1,000 National Scholarship Month is a great time to set new application goals for yourself. Use November to explore scholarship opportunities and to get serious about applying for them. Let us know how many scholarships you'll be applying for by picking the answer that fits you. Every answer's correct! To enter, you must be a Fastweb member. Answer a multiple-choice question—there's no wrong answer—and submit your entries daily through November 30, 2024.
Goodwall #ScholarshipNow Challenge
Deadline: 11/30/24Award Amount: $2,500
Participate in the #ScholarshipNow challenge for a chance to win $2,500! To participate, download the Goodwall app and simply share a video telling us how winning this scholarship would help you achieve your educational goals, on the hashtag #ScholarshipNow.
United States Senate Youth Program
Deadline: 12/1/24Award Amount: $10,000 The United States Senate Youth Program is open to outstanding high school juniors and seniors who are interested in pursuing careers in public service. Recipients of this award will serve as delegates to Washington Week in Washington D.C in March. During Washington Week, the student delegates meet and learn from the highest level elected and appointed officials in Washington. The deadline varies by state.
Coolidge Scholarship
Deadline: 12/11/24Award Amount: Full-Tuition The Coolidge Scholarship is available to high school juniors. You must have a distinguished academic record, demonstrate an interest in public policy, and demonstrate a sense of humility and service to be considered for this award.
Rubincam Youth Writing Competition
Deadline: 12/15/24Award Amount: $500 The Rubincam Youth Writing Competition is available to high school students. To be considered, you must submit a genealogy in a biographical narrative format for one family line; include four generations, beginning with you, as the first generation.
G2 Overachievers Student Grant
Deadline: 12/30/24Award Amount: $15,000 The G2 Overachievers Student Grant is available to middle and high school honor roll students between the ages of 13 and 19. To be considered, you must submit a 1,000 – to 2,000 - word handwritten essay explaining how you (or the person you are nominating) make a difference in the world around you and why you deserve to be recognized for these efforts.
Fall 2024 Fastweb Invite a Friend Sweepstakes
Deadline: 12/31/24Award Amount: $1,000
The Fastweb Invite a Friend Sweepstakes is open to registered Fastweb members who are legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia, and who are at least sixteen (16) years of age. You must log into your Fastweb account to obtain your personal referral link. For each person who registers for Fastweb via your personal referral link during the Promotion Period, you and your referral will be entered as a pair into the current drawing.
Coolidge Scholarship
Deadline: 1/18/24Award Amount: Full-Tuition The Coolidge Scholarship is available to high school juniors. You must have a distinguished academic record, demonstrate an interest in public policy, and demonstrate a sense of humility and service to be considered for this award.
The Christophers High School Poster Contest
Deadline: 2/13/25Award Amount: $1,000 The Christophers High School Poster Contest is open to high school students. To enter, you must create a 16" x 20" poster that illustrates the idea that one person can change the world for the better, and includes the following statement: "You can make a difference." The poster concept, design, and any photos or artwork used must be the original work of the student entering the competition. Posters will be judged on overall impact, effectiveness in conveying the theme, originality, and artistic merit.
Optimist International Essay Contest
Deadline: 2/25/25Award Amount: $2,500 The Optimist International Essay Contest is open to students who are under the age of 19. To be considered for this award, you must submit a 700 - to 800 - word essay on the following topic: "How Optimism Has Paved My Road to Success."
AFSA National High School Essay Contest
Deadline: 3/1/25Award Amount: $1,250 - $2,500
The AFSA National High School Essay Contest is open to high school students. To be considered, you must submit a 1,000 - to 1,500 - word essay on the following topic: "Critically assess what you believe to be the most significant effects of the Foreign Service's work during the Vietnam War on contemporary U.S. diplomacy."
Create-a-Greeting Card Scholarship Contest
Deadline: 3/4/25Award Amount: $10,000
The Create-A-Greeting Card Scholarship Contest is open to students who are at least 14 years of age. To enter, you must submit an original design for a Christmas card, holiday card, birthday card, or all - occasion greeting card. All designs or photographs must be the original work of the applicant.
Stossel in the Classroom Essay Contest
Deadline: 3/21/25Award Amount: $50 - $2,500 The Stossel in the Classroom Essay Contest is open to students between the ages of 10 and 18. You must submit a 500 - to 1000 - word essay on one of four topics to be considered for this award.
We The Future Contest
Deadline: 5/31/25Award Amount: $1,000 - $5,000 The We The Future Contest is open to high school and college students. To enter, you must submit an essay, song, STEM project, short film, social media video, or PSA on a given topic related to the Constitution.
Carson Scholars Program
Deadline: VariesAward Amount: $1,000 The Carson Scholars Program is open to students in grades four through eleven. You must have a minimum GPA of 3.75 and display humanitarian qualities through community service to be eligible for this award. Interested students MUST be nominated by an educator at their school. Only one student from each school is able to apply.
American Legion National Oratorical Contest
Deadline: VariesAward Amount: $20,000 - $25,000 The American Legion National Oratorical Contest is open to junior high and high school students who are under the age of 20 and are citizens or lawful permanent residents of the United States. To be considered, you must prepare an oration on some aspect of the U.S. Constitution, with emphasis on a citizen's duties and obligations to our government. A complete list of topics are available on the Legion's Web site. Each individual state winner certified into and participating in the first round of the national contest receives a $2,000 scholarship. Check out these Four Scholarship Tips via this Instagram Reel:
How to Find Scholarships for High School Juniors
Instead of wondering how you'll pay for college, do something about it. Students in the 11th grade are generally busy with studying, writing, researching colleges, extracurricular activities and maintaining a social life; it may feel like you don't have time to add applying for scholarships to your schedule. To make the scholarship-application process easier, create a free Fastweb profile. From this you'll be matched to scholarships that fit YOU. You'll also want to establish a weekly scholarship application goal for yourself at the beginning of your junior year of high school. Stick to your scholarship plan; challenge yourself. Stay on top of the scholarship deadlines and keep applying. The more you apply for, the better your odds. Before you know it, it will be your senior year! There are many college scholarships for high school juniors! Scholarships for the Class of 2026 range from small, school-specific awards to national contests and competitions that give away big scholarship money. These scholarships can be competitive and targeted toward student accomplishments, merit scholarships with eligibility requirements, and financial aid for students that demonstrate financial need.You Might Also Like
Shawna Newman
Managing Editor, Contributing Writer
Shawna Newman is the Managing Editor and a writer at Fastweb. She has over 10 years of experience in higher education. Her direct work with college admissions teams, financial aid officers, college deans, ...