Top Scholarships for High School Seniors in January 2023

Want to jump straight top scholarships for high school seniors?
Here are the top senior scholarships!
It’s easy to get caught up in the busyness of senior year, but don’t forget to apply for scholarships! It’s a good idea to set aside some time between college applications, extra curriculum, and schoolwork to fill out scholarship applications. You could miss out on some great opportunities if you don’t take the time to apply.
There are many scholarship opportunities available for high school seniors throughout the year. If you are looking for scholarships to apply to, you can search for them by season (fall, winter, spring, or summer) or by type of scholarship (merit-based or need-based). Many organizations offer scholarships on a rolling basis, so be sure to check back often!
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Easy scholarships for high school seniors
Top scholarships for high school seniors in 2022
Other scholarships for high school seniors in 2022
How to win scholarships for high school seniors
College merit scholarships for high school seniors
Explore these other scholarship categories
Keep reading for our full list of scholarships available for high school seniors! No matter your intended major, location, or background, there are plenty of scholarships out there that you may be eligible for.
Easy scholarships for high school seniors
$10,000 Scholarship
- Eligibility:Easy scholarship open to all US-based high school, college, and graduate students
- Amount: $10,000
- Deadline: June 30, 2023
$2,000 Nitro College Scholarship
- Eligibility: High school, college, community college and graduate students
- Amount: $2,000
- Deadline: January 31, 2023
$25,000 Scholarship
- Eligibility: Open to all high school, college, and graduate students
- Amount: $25,000
- Deadline: March 29, 2023
$2,000 College Scholarship
- Eligibility: High school and college students
- Amount: $2,000
- Deadline: January 31, 2023
New Year, New Me Scholarship
- Eligibility: Open to all high school students
- Amount: $2,023
- Deadline: January 31, 2023
- Eligibility: High school students, college students, community college students, and graduate students.
- Amount: $25,000
- Deadline: January 31, 2023
$2,500 January Scholarship Points Scholarship
- Eligibility: High school students, college students, community college students, and graduate students.
- Amount: $2,500
- Deadline: January 31, 2023
Scholarships for High School Seniors in 2023
$10,000 Scholarship
Exclusive
Easy scholarship open to all US-based high school, college, community college and graduate students.
$2,000 Nitro College Scholarship
Sponsored
Easy scholarship open to all high school, college, community and graduate students.
Niche $2,000 College Scholarship
Sponsored
Easy scholarship from Niche open to all high school, college, and graduate students.
Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Awards
Offered by Helen Diller Family Foundation
Open to Jewish teens (aged 13-19) who have started or deeply expanded an initiative that embodies the values of “repairing the world.”
DECA Student Scholarships
Offered by Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA)
Open to college-bound high school or current college students who are DECA members.
JFK Profile in Courage Essay Contest
Offered by John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum
Open to high school students who submit essays on an act of political courage by a U.S. elected official who served during or after 1917.
National Washington Crossing Foundation Scholarship
Offered by Washington Crossing Foundation
Open to college-bound high school seniors who are planning to pursue a career in government service.
Lyons Aviation Scholarship
The Lyons Aviation Foundation
Open to aspiring pilots between the ages of 16 and 24 who will be available to complete pilot training within the next 6 months.
Bird Dog Foundation Annual Youth Art Contest
The National Bird Dog Foundation
Open to K-12 students who create original nature-conservation-themed art and live within 75 miles of Grand Junction, Tennessee.
Hagan Scholarship
Hagan Scholarship Foundation
Open to high school seniors in rural areas who are pell-grant eligible and have had to work a job throughout their high school experience.
$25k “Be Bold” Scholarship
Sponsored
Easy scholarship open to high school students, college students, community college students, and graduate students.
APIA Scholarship Program
APIA Scholars
Open to low-income, first generation, incoming or current college students who identify as APIA.
Student Cam Scholarship
Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network (C-SPAN)
Open to middle and high school students who create a 5-6 minute documentary addressing the year’s given theme.
Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship
Offered by Amazon
Open to high school seniors with financial need who have a “B” average of better who plan to major in computer science in college.
Diversity Advancement Scholarship
Architects Foundation
Open to high school seniors and college underclassmen who will soon be enrolling in or continuing NAAB-accredited architecture programs.
Dominion Energy Educational Equity Scholarship Program
Dominion Energy
Open to historically undeserved high school seniors and college students.
Foot Locker Scholar Athletes Program
Offered by Foot Locker
Open to college-bound high school seniors who are leaders in their sports teams, classrooms, or communities.
Mary Quon Moy Ing Memorial Scholarship
Asian American Journalists Association
Open to high school seniors, undergraduate, or graduate students who have shown commitment to the AAJA’s mission.
$10,000 College Xpress Scholarship
Sponsored
Annual $10k scholarship from College Xpress open to all high school students.
$2,500 January Scholarship Points Scholarship
Sponsored
Easy $10k scholarship from Scholarship Points open to all students.
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How to win scholarships for high school seniors
With most scholarships receiving such a high volume of applications, it’s more important than ever to make sure yours stand out from the rest of the crowd. The essay is often one of the most important parts of the scholarship application as it allows the committee to get to know you on a more personal level.
Your essay should be unique and reflect your own personality, experiences, and goals. Remember that this is your chance to show the scholarship committee who you are as a person, so make sure to take the time to write a thoughtful and engaging essay.
If you’re not sure where to start with your scholarship essay, you can check out our guides on how to start a scholarship essay and how to write an essay about yourself. Many essays will also have a word count limit, so you can also refer to our articles on how to write a 250 word essay and how to write a 500 word essay. As a final step in the essay writing process, students should ask someone else to proofread their scholarship essay!
Scholarship interviews are another great way for applicants to make themselves stand out to the scholarship committee. If you have an upcoming scholarship interview, you should take some time to think about common scholarship interview questions that are asked during these interviews, so that you can be as prepared as possible. By preparing for questions in advance, you’ll be able to show off your best qualities and interests, and demonstrate why you deserve the scholarship.
Also see: The ultimate guide to finding and winning scholarships
College merit scholarships for high school seniors
College merit scholarships are awarded to students who have excelled in academics, extracurricular activities, and leadership. The primary factors that are considered when awarding these scholarships are grades and test scores. Merit scholarships can be a great financial aid option because they are generally renewable for all four years of college.
To apply for merit-based scholarships students will need to follow the specific scholarship application process for each college. Some colleges have a separate merit scholarship application and deadline, while others consider all students for merit scholarships. You can get started on your search by checking out our guide to top merit scholarships.
FAQ
It’s never too late to apply for scholarships as a high school senior!
Scholarships are available throughout the year, so there should always be opportunities available to you. You can even continue to apply for scholarships after receiving your college acceptance!
Should high school seniors fill out the FAFSA?
The FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, is a form that high school seniors must fill out in order to be eligible for financial aid for college. The FAFSA is important because it helps students receive grants, loans, and work-study opportunities.
High school seniors should fill out the FAFSA in order to be considered for financial aid for college. The sooner you fill out the FAFSA, the better your chances are of receiving aid.
If you’re looking for more scholarship opportunities, check out these popular categories:
Full ride scholarships for high school students
Scholarships for women
Easy scholarships to apply for
Scholarships for Black students
Scholarships for immigrants