Niche $25,000 No Essay Scholarship
Cara Goldstone Image Written By: Cara Goldstone | Edited By: Kevin Ladd | Updated: June 4, 2026

Scholarships for High School Juniors

Key takeaways:

  • As of 2024, 36% of teenagers were worried about financing their higher education.
  • Students should apply for scholarships to ease the financial burden of college as early as they can; junior year of high school is a great time to begin.
  • There are countless scholarships specifically targeted towards high school juniors of all identities and circumstances.

In 2024, a joint study by Junior Achievement and Citizens Financial Group found that more than a third of teenagers were worried about being able to afford the education they need to pursue their life goals. That’s why it’s important to start seeking tuition assistance early. If you’re a junior in high school, you can apply for and win scholarships to fund your higher education now; Scholarships.com has all you need to get started today.

Jump to:

The 25 Best Scholarships for High School Juniors with Approaching Deadlines in 2026

  • 1

  • Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Contest

  • Amount$1,000
  • DeadlineJune 8, 2026

The annual Ocean Awareness Contest empowers young people to explore environmental issues through artistic expression and creative communication. This global contest invites students to create works in various categories, including visual art, creative writing, film, interactive & multimedia, performing arts (music & dance), and poetry & spoken word Scholarship Details Open to students

  • 2

  • Singhaus Scholarship for the Performing Arts

  • Amount$2,000
  • DeadlineJune 13, 2026

The Singhaus Scholarship for the Performing Arts is an award of up to $2,000 for Central Florida theatre students who are actively involved in the LGBTQ+ community. The scholarship aims to bring resources to these underserved students in the form of materials or funding for theatrical endeavors. Scholarship Details Need-based Awards range from $1,000 to $2,000

  • 3

  • One Earth Film Festival Young Filmmakers Contest

  • Amount$1,000
  • DeadlineJune 25, 2026

One Earth Young Filmmakers Contest is open to students from third grade through college. Each film submission is based on one or several of the following topics: water, waste, food, transportation, energy, open space, and ecosystems. All entries must be between 3 and 8 minutes in length. Submissions are open to Elementary, Middle School, High School, Undergraduate and Graduate, as well as

  • 4

  • Kids' Chance of Maine Scholarship

  • Amount$5,000
  • DeadlineJune 30, 2026

Kids’ Chance of Maine is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides scholarships for children of workers that have been seriously injured or killed in a compensable work-related accident or occupational disease. Scholarships are awarded once a year and students may apply every year for which they are eligible. Scholarship Details Scholarship awards range from $1,000 to $5,000

  • 5

  • $2,000 No Essay Scholarship by Sallie

  • Amount$2,000
  • DeadlineJune 30, 2026

Sallie cares about providing you the resources needed to successfully navigate financing college. That's why Sallie is offering you the opportunity to earn a $2,000 scholarship. We know that college is a big step forward in achieving your goals and we want to help you get there using all the tools Sallie has to offer. Scholarship Details Monthly award of $2,000. No essay or account sign-ups

  • 6

  • Regions Riding Forward Scholarship Contest

  • Amount$8,000
  • DeadlineJune 30, 2026

Regions Bank awards quarterly scholarships of $8,000 each to the student with the best video or written essay. The topic of students' written or video essays must be an individual they know personally who lives in their community; the essay must address how the individual has inspired the applicant and helped them build the confidence they need to achieve their goals. Scholarship Details 4

  • 7

  • L. Ron Hubbard Illustrators of The Future Contest

  • Amount$5,000
  • DeadlineJune 30, 2026

L. Ron Hubbard’s Illustrators of the Future Contest is an opportunity for new science fiction and fantasy artists worldwide to have their work judged by some of the masters in the field and discovered by a wide audience. Scholarship Details A historic and influential contest in the fields of science fiction and fantasy art. Open to new science fiction and fantasy artists worldwide.

  • 8

  • L. Ron Hubbard Writers of The Future Contest

  • Amount$5,000
  • DeadlineJune 30, 2026

L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future Contest is an opportunity for new writers of science fiction and fantasy to have their work judged by some of the masters in the field and discovered by a wide audience. Entrants retain all publication rights. Scholarship Details Merit-based Up to $5,000 available Quarterly opportunities for submission, with one grand prize winner per

  • 9

  • Live Poets Society of New Jersey - National High School Poetry Contest

  • Amount$500
  • DeadlineJune 30, 2026

The Live Poets Society of New Jersey hosts the National High School Poetry Contest each year, with submission options and scholarship awards offered each quarter. The Poet of the Year will win $500; 20 to 30 quarterly winners will be selected for scholarships, and hundreds of topical winners will receive publication of their work. Scholarship Details Financial need not required

  • 10

  • $40k BigFuture Scholarship

  • Amount$40,000
  • DeadlineJune 30, 2026

Start a list of colleges you're considering, and we'll enter you to win a $40k scholarship every month. The earlier you complete each step, the more chances you’ll have to win. BigFuture provides an opportunity for students to be rewarded for planning their post-high school future, free from essay requirements, minimum GPA constraints, or mandatory test scores. Qualify for monthly entries to win

  • 11

  • Desire to Inspire Scholarship

  • Amount$2,000
  • DeadlineJuly 12, 2026

The 2026 Desire To Inspire Scholarship is a one-time financial award. First place is $2000, second place is $1000, and third place is $500. This scholarship is dedicated to recognizing young individuals from historically underrepresented minority groups who are interested in a career in healthcare and are making a determined effort to inspire others. Scholarship Details 1st place: $2,000,

  • 12

  • Niche $10,000 No Essay Summer Scholarship

  • Amount$10,000
  • DeadlineJuly 31, 2026

Niche can help with every step of the college search including paying for it. Apply for the Niche $25,000 No Essay Scholarship and focus on your education, not your finances. Scholarship Details $10,000 scholarship Apply in minutes No essay requirement Eligibility High school or college students may apply Currently enrolled or will be enrolled in the coming

  • 13

  • U.S. Naval Intelligence Essay Contest

  • Amount$5,000
  • DeadlineJuly 31, 2026

This year’s naval intelligence essay contest invites applicants to propose a course for naval intelligence to adapt, inform, and shape the Navy and nation. Awards will be given to the top three submissions. Scholarship Details $5,000, $2,500, and $1,500 prizes awarded. Winners will be recognized at the Naval Intelligence Professionals' Annual Meeting. Essays have the potential

  • 14

  • Adam Charles Ports Foundation Scholarship

  • Amount$8,000
  • DeadlineJuly 31, 2026

To be eligible for the ACP Foundation College Scholarship, you must have completed at least one year of training in any style of Martial Arts and be a resident of the State of Ohio or an undergraduate with a permanent address in Ohio. Evaluation criteria will include: Academic Achievements; Leadership Qualities; Extra Curricular Activities; Community Involvement; Martial Arts Accomplishments;

  • 15

  • Minecraft Scholarship

  • Amount$2,000
  • DeadlineJuly 31, 2026

Apex Hosting is dedicated to supporting education and the positive impact of Minecraft in learning. We are excited to offer a scholarship for students passionate about this unique educational tool. Scholarship Details $2,000 scholarship towards college tuition. Annual scholarship with drawings in early August. Eligibility Criteria U.S.

  • 16

  • Oregon Chafee Education and Training Grant

  • Amount$5,000
  • DeadlineAugust 1, 2026

The Chafee Education and Training Grant (also know as The Chafee Education and Training Voucher) provides funding to help current or former foster care youth with postsecondary education and training. To be eligible for the Chafee Education and Training Grant, applicants must: currently be in child welfare foster care; have been in child welfare foster care for at least 180 days (six months)

  • 17

  • Apprentice Ecologist Scholarship

  • Amount$1,000
  • DeadlineAugust 31, 2026

Applicants must lead or join an environmental stewardship project, take a photo of their project in action, write an essay about their project and what it meant to them, and submit their project photo and essay to the scholarship provider. Scholarship Details Three scholarships awarded annually totaling $1,750 Scholarships are for tuition and fees at an accredited college or

  • 18

  • San Diego AEP Student Scholarships

  • Amount$1,000
  • DeadlineSeptember 4, 2026

The San Diego Chapter of the Association of Environmental Professionals (AEP) supports students who are actively engaged in the pursuit of a career in a field with an environmental emphasis. Scholarship Details Up to $2,000 awarded per recipient Includes free admittance to one AEP-sponsored webinar or workshop Scholarship funds may be used for tuition, books, research, and other

  • 19

  • American Red Cross - Leaders Save Lives Scholarship

  • Amount$2,500
  • DeadlineSeptember 7, 2026

Sign up to host a blood drive while school is out of session and join the impressive group of youth across the nation who are helping save lives with the American Red Cross! You could earn leadership skills, volunteer hours, a gift card and be entered to win a scholarship. Scholarship Details Program encourages high school and college students to host American Red Cross blood drives

  • 20

  • Breakthrough Junior Challenge

  • AmountFull-Tuition
  • DeadlineSeptember 15, 2026

The Breakthrough Junior Challenge invites individuals aged 13 to 18 to participate in a scholarship opportunity that explores complex scientific concepts through creative videos. Your film can take any form you like: animation, talking head, documentary, dramatic reconstruction, whatever. It’s worth keeping in mind that video is a dynamic visual medium – using diagrams, simulations, physical

  • 21

  • ConnectHER Film Festival

  • Amount$5,000
  • DeadlineOctober 1, 2026

The ConnectHER Film Festival welcomes submissions that focus on issues that affect the lives of women and girls with a special emphasis on amplifying BIPOC voices. Films, be they animated, documentary or narrative, must be related to any of the following themes, all centered around women’s issues: refugees/IDPs, war and conflict, political enfranchisement and power, gender inequality, ending

  • 22

  • The Explorers Club Student Grants

  • Amount$3,000
  • DeadlineOctober 8, 2026

The Explorers Club takes pride in championing the scientific fieldwork of trailblazing explorers worldwide. With grantees spanning 6 continents and 24 countries, the club has a rich history and an unwavering commitment to fostering new ideas and avenues of exploration. As part of its dedication to public service, the club provides exploration grants across distinct categories, supporting the

  • 23

  • Singing for Scholarships

  • Amount$1,000
  • DeadlineOctober 11, 2026

At the Annual National Shrimp Festival, the Coastal Alabama Business Chamber awards up to $1,000 to high school students in their Singing for Scholarships competition. Scholarship Details Event Date: Saturday, October 11th, during the Annual National Shrimp Festival One student per Baldwin County high school (public, private, city school, or home-schooled) will compete Top three

  • 24

  • Annual Sphinx Competition

  • Amount$50,000
  • DeadlineOctober 20, 2026

The Sphinx Competition, held every year in Detroit (MI), is a national competition for string musicians, that transforms lives by celebrating the artistic talent, providing career advancement opportunities and addressing systemic obstacles within Black and Latino communities. Scholarship Details Senior Division (ages 18–30): 1st place receives $50,000 and concert engagements Junior Division

  • 25

  • NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing

  • Amount$500
  • DeadlineOctober 28, 2026

The NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing (AiC) honors 9th-12th grade students who self-identify as women, genderqueer, or non-binary for their computing-related achievements and interests, and encourages them to pursue their passions. Applicants must be thirteen years or older, attend school in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, or on a U.S. overseas military base, and to

Why should high school juniors apply for scholarships?

Given that such a large number of scholarships are intended for high school seniors, some students may wonder why they should bother applying any earlier than senior year. The truth is that while many scholarships are only open to seniors, there are a plethora of opportunities for high school juniors to jumpstart their college careers— and if you wait to begin applying to scholarships until your senior year, you could miss out on thousands of dollars in tuition money reserved for juniors.

Take the Horatio Alger National Scholarship, for example. Every year, this prestigious $25,000 scholarship is awarded to 105 high school students with critical financial need. However, applications are only open to students in their junior year of high school; students who elect to wait until senior year to begin searching for scholarships are ineligible to apply. The later you start, the more opportunities you may miss.

Further, the earlier you begin your scholarship application process, the more practice time you will have to build up your applying skills. Many common components of scholarship applications, including interviews, essays, and personal statements, are difficult for students without prior experience. If you start to search for and apply to scholarships as a junior, you will build up valuable skills in doing so; not only will these skills help you win more scholarships as you complete high school, but they will also help you when you begin applying to college.

Where to find the best scholarships for high school juniors

The best way to find the perfect scholarship for you is to sign up for a free account on Scholarships.com. It takes less than 5 minutes to input your demographic, academic, and extracurricular information, including your school year. Using these factors, Scholarships.com will match you with every scholarship in our database for which you are eligible.

There are hundreds of scholarships available to high school juniors in the Scholarships.com database. When you create your account, your scholarship matches will be tailored to your personal needs and interests to narrow your search automatically. That way, you can find specialized scholarships for high school juniors with your particular traits and background, lowering the competition and increasing your likelihood of success.

How to apply for high school junior scholarships

Once you have your free Scholarships.com scholarship matches, it’s easy to apply. Click on each match to see a detailed description of the scholarship, including the eligibility criteria, steps to applying, and a direct link to the application. We’ll even send you emails to remind you about upcoming deadlines so you never miss your chance to apply for a great opportunity.

Even with a personalized list of matches, it can be intimidating to apply for scholarships as a high school junior. That’s why Scholarships.com has a full guide article on the scholarship application process, plus a printable checklist to keep you on track. You can also use our built-in dashboard tools to notate the application status of each of your matches; mark them as “Favorite,” “Applied,” “Won,” or “Hidden” to keep organized.

Frequently asked questions about scholarships for high school juniors:

What are the best scholarships for high school juniors?

Generally, the best scholarship for any individual student is the one that they are most likely to win. Therefore, high school juniors should search for scholarships with more specific eligibility criteria just their grade level; they should consider minority status, gender, and academic areas of interest as a way to narrow their scholarship search even further.

One highly-specialized award for high school juniors is the Dedman Distinguished Scholars Essay Competition. This $1,500 prize is open to high school sophomores and juniors residing in the state of Texas and entails a 750-word essay submission to apply. The decent workload involved in writing the required essay, plus the eligibility criteria being limited by residence state and grade level, makes the Dedman Essay Competition a reasonably specialized award for those who can apply.

Do you have to have financial need to apply for high school junior scholarships?

There are plenty of scholarships for high school juniors which do not require applicants to demonstrate financial need. For example, the Coolidge Scholarship, one of the most prestigious awards available to high schoolers anywhere, is completely merit-based. It is a full-tuition scholarship and it is only open to applicants in their junior year of high school.

Can you apply to colleges as a junior in high school?

Students who plan to graduate from high school ahead of schedule may apply to colleges during their junior year; however, to graduate early, you need to plan far in advance to ensure you will have all your requirements and credits in order by the time you wish to graduate. For that reason, very few high school students can apply to colleges during their junior year. You can use Scholarships.com’s Applying to College article to learn more about the college application process and how you can plan ahead for it as a high school junior.

How old do you need to be to apply for scholarships?

There are scholarships available for all kinds of students, including those who are not yet high school juniors— and even those who are not yet in high school at all! Typically, the youngest age a student can start applying for scholarships is age 13. Most scholarships open to younger students draw the bottom line for application year at 7th or 8th grade.

However, some scholarships are open to students even younger than that. Google’s prestigious Doodle for Google contest invites submissions from students in grades as early as kindergarten, though parents must submit entries on behalf of applicants younger than 13. In short, it is never too early to begin your scholarship search, and the earlier you start, the more chances you will have to win.

Can you win a scholarship if you are homeschooled?

Because homeschooled students do not always fit into the traditional high school grade level structure, those hoping to win money for college may be concerned about applying for any scholarships whose eligibility criteria includes a range of grade levels. However, there are many scholarships which are open to homeschooled students; some even make specific provisions for them.

For instance, the $100,000 Earth Prize Competition is open to all students between the ages of 14 and 20, including those enrolled in homeschool and alternative secondary schooling programs. As this scholarship involves students forming teams under the guidance of an educating supervisor, there are particular provisions made for parents of homeschooled students so that they may register as supervisors.