Niche $25,000 No Essay Scholarship
Cara Goldstone Image Written By: Cara Goldstone | Edited By: Kevin Ladd | Updated: June 1, 2026

No-Essay Scholarships

Key takeaways:

  • While a lot of scholarship applications require students to write an essay, many do not.
  • No-essay scholarships take many forms, including scholarship sweepstakes, video scholarships, art contests, and institutional awards.
  • Students should apply to a combination of essay-based scholarships and scholarships without essays to have the best chance of winning money for college.

One of the most common roadblocks discouraging students from applying for scholarships is the workload of doing so. The hassle of gathering recommendation letters and academic transcripts while trying to balance homework and extracurriculars is enough on its own; having to write an essay on top of all that can seem quite daunting.

While writing scholarship essays is almost always worth the effort, there are also scholarships that do not require written essays to apply. If you are a creative, outside-of-the-box thinker, you can take advantage of the no-essay scholarships below to win money for college. Keep reading to find out how.

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The 25 Best No-Essay Scholarships with Approaching Deadlines in 2026

  • 1

  • 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

  • 2

  • $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

  • 3

  • SoFi Scholarship Giveaway

  • Amount$2,500
  • DeadlineJune 30, 2026

SoFi is giving away a $2,500 scholarship every month! Entering is quick and easy—no essays, no interviews, no hoops to jump through. Simply enter each month for your chance to win by registering with SoFi if you haven't yet or by logging in. Don’t miss your opportunity to win free money for college! Scholarship Details Scholarship award amount: $2,500 One winner selected every month No

  • 4

  • 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.

  • 5

  • 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

  • 6

  • FMAA Scholarship Program

  • Amount$3,500
  • DeadlineAugust 31, 2026

The FMAA Scholarship Program is an annual program offering college scholarships to those enrolled in college or vocational school who have thoughtfully and creatively shared what the American flag means to them through original videos. Scholarship Details Annual scholarship offered by the Flag Manufacturers Association of America (FMAA) Open to students enrolled in college or

  • 7

  • College Photographer of the Year Award

  • Amount$5,000
  • DeadlineSeptember 15, 2026

Each year, most of the roughly 600 students from 130 colleges and universities worldwide who enter CPOY hope to win a prestigious award and have their work recognized. However, our greatest value is educational, as it encourages still and multimedia photographers to evaluate their best work and share it with their peers and the esteemed working professionals who judge the contest each

  • 8

  • 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

  • 9

  • 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

  • 10

  • 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

  • 11

  • Marine Band Concerto Competition for High School Musicians

  • Amount$2,500
  • DeadlineNovember 15, 2026

“The President’s Own” United States Marine Band, in conjunction with the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation, is pleased to announce its Concerto Competition for High School Musicians is now open. All application materials are due Nov. 15th. The winner will appear as a guest soloist with the Marine Chamber Orchestra during the following concert season and receive a $2,500 scholarship from the Marine

  • 12

  • Chick and Sophie Major Memorial Duck Calling Contest

  • Amount$5,000
  • DeadlineNovember 29, 2026

The Chick and Sophie Major Memorial Duck Calling Contest offers students ages 16 to 20 the opportunity to compete for $9,000 in college scholarships. Held annually in Stuttgart, Arkansas, this unique event celebrates the art of duck calling while honoring the legacies of legendary duck callers Chick and Sophie Major. Participants must be continuing their education through traditional college,

  • 13

  • Doodle for Google Scholarship

  • Amount$55,000
  • DeadlineDecember 17, 2026

Google has always been known as a champion for creativity and for creating environments where ideas blossom into innovations, but with the Doodle for Google Scholarship, this philosophy is extended to the arts. Through this competition, artistic students have the opportunity to craft an original "Doodle" that brings their personal goals and creativity to life on a global stage. There is a new

  • 14

  • John Lennon Scholarships

  • Amount$20,000
  • DeadlineJanuary 15, 2027

The John Lennon Award is an annual competition open to student songwriters and composers of contemporary musical genres including alternative, pop, rock, indie, electronica, R&B, and experimental. Established in 1997 by Yoko Ono in conjunction with the BMI Foundation, this prestigious award honors the memory of John Lennon and supports talented emerging songwriters. Three scholarships totaling

  • 15

  • Dolly Parton Songwriters Award

  • Amount$20,000
  • DeadlineJanuary 15, 2027

The Dolly Parton Songwriters Award is a prestigious annual competition designed for aspiring songwriters across the nation. Established in 2015, originally as the Nashville Songwriting Scholarship, this award offers a generous grant of $20,000 for up to two individuals. The grant supports various professional expenses, including study, instrument purchase, recording costs, and more, extending

  • 16

  • DAR Good Citizens Award

  • Amount$11,500
  • DeadlineJanuary 31, 2027

The DAR Good Citizens Award and Scholarship Contest, created in 1934, is intended to encourage and reward the qualities of good citizenship. This award recognizes and rewards high school seniors who possess the qualities of dependability, service, leadership, and patriotism in their homes, schools, and communities. These students are selected by their teachers and peers because they demonstrate

  • 17

  • The Christophers Video Contest

  • Amount$2,000
  • DeadlineFebruary 15, 2027

College students are invited to create a film or video (5 minutes or less in length) that best communicates the message and mission of The Christophers and its belief that one person can make a difference. Entries can express this theme in any genre or shooting style, but must be submitted online. Scholarship Details Open to college students creating a film or video entry Video

  • 18

  • Driven at Heart Scholarship Contest

  • Amount$7,500
  • DeadlineFebruary 28, 2027

The Driven at Heart Scholarship Contest, presented by Cousins Subs in partnership with Donald Driver, awards scholarships to Wisconsin high school senior athletes who excel in academics, sports leadership, and community involvement. Scholarship Details First Place Prize: $7,500 scholarship awarded to one male and one female athlete Runner-Up Prize: $2,500 scholarship awarded to one

  • 19

  • Science Without Borders Challenge

  • Amount$500
  • DeadlineMarch 2, 2027

Keystone species play a crucial role in keeping ocean ecosystems healthy and balanced. To apply for this year’s contest, students should submit artwork featuring a keystone species that lives in the ocean, highlighting this creature’s vital role in its marine ecosystem. Scholarship Details Art competition focused on ocean conservation Prizes awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in

  • 20

  • Districts Make the Difference Video Contest

  • Amount$2,000
  • DeadlineMarch 31, 2027

We've taken our California student video contest and expanded it across the U.S. High school students are invited to create a fun and informative short video (60 seconds max) highlighting the ways special districts ‘Make the Difference’ in local communities across the US for a chance to win a scholarship. Additional prize money will be given to the teachers of the winning students to promote

  • 21

  • AGL Over the Rainbow Scholarship

  • Amount$1,000
  • DeadlineMay 1, 2027

The AGL Over the Rainbow Foundation is proud to announce the Blooming Artist Award sponsored by Ronald and Patti Loveless. The Blooming Artist Award is an annual scholarship gifted to a high school fine arts student who continues their education at a college level, who exhibits a love for their craft and a dedication to their community. Ronald and Patti served as founding board members of the AGL

What is a no-essay scholarship?

A no-essay scholarship is a scholarship which does not require the submission of a written essay to apply. Just like any other kind of scholarship, the eligibility criteria and required materials vary between different no-essay scholarships. There are a few main types of scholarships within this category.

Video Scholarships

Video scholarships evaluate applicants based on a video submission rather than a typical essay. The exact guidelines for the video submission, including length, production quality, and subject, depend on the scholarship, but typically the video must emphasize the applicant’s creativity and authenticity in pursuit of some particular goal.

The Taco Bell Live Más Scholarship, for example, requires applicants to submit a brief video about how they plan to pursue their passions. This scholarship may be renewed every year with a new video submission, which can net students up to $100,000 without ever having to write an essay.

Art Contests

Art contest scholarships are judged based on applicants’ art submissions. This may include visual art such as painting or drawing, musical compositions, and even non-essay creative writing, like poetry and scriptwriting.

One notable art contest scholarship is the annual Doodle for Google Scholarship, worth up to $55,000. To win this award, students will need to create a new artistic interpretation of Google’s logo. Rather than a formal essay, a written artist’s statement is required to apply.

Performance Competitions

Some scholarships take the form of talent competitions. Instead of an essay, applicants to these scholarships will be evaluated based on their performance at a competition. Most often, these competitions are suited for students interested in music, theatre, or dance.

The Annual Sphinx Competition is an example of a no-essay performance competition scholarship. Excellent Black and Latino string musicians can win $5,000 by competing in a live semi-final competition in Detroit, no essay required.

Institutional Awards

Most colleges and universities offer institutional financial aid that is automatically awarded to students who enroll. Other than the college application essay, no additional written component is usually required for students to be considered for these institutional scholarships.

Columbia College Chicago (CCC), for example, automatically considers all admitted students for financial aid awards without requiring any extra essays. CCC’s institutional aid award amounts are based on a combination of students’ merit and financial need; some CCC students are offered a full-tuition scholarship this way.

Scholarship Sweepstakes

Scholarship sweepstakes are raffle or lottery-based financial aid awards most often offered by large companies and organizations. Instead of an essay submission, applicants typically gain entry into the sweepstakes by signing up for a particular service or completing a survey.

It’s important to remember that legitimate scholarships, whether they require an essay or not, should not charge applicants any fee in order to apply. If a scholarship sweepstake requires you to pay to enter, it is likely a scam. All awards in the Scholarships.com database are carefully vetted for this reason; everything on Scholarships.com is completely free, safe, and legitimate.

How to apply for no-essay scholarships

The best way to find and apply for no-essay scholarships is with Scholarships.com. When you create a free account on Scholarships.com, you are automatically matched with every scholarship in our database for which you are eligible, including scholarships that do not require essays to apply.

Once you have your scholarship matches, you can view their eligibility criteria and the materials they require to apply simply by clicking on each award. This makes it simple to determine whether a scholarship requires an essay and helps you organize your application process accordingly.

Frequently asked questions about no-essay scholarships:

Are no-essay scholarships legitimate?

Every scholarship in the Scholarships.com database is legitimate, including our selection of no-essay scholarships. If you are searching for no-essay scholarships outside of Scholarships.com, research the scholarship provider and examine the application carefully to determine if it is a scam.

Keep in mind that while many no-essay scholarships are legitimate, they may not necessarily be easy to win. No-essay scholarships, especially scholarship sweepstakes, usually receive many more applications than the average scholarship, which makes them extremely competitive. It’s best to apply to a mix of essay-based and no-essay awards to have the greatest chance of winning money for college.

Who can apply for no-essay scholarships?

Just like any other kind of scholarship, the qualifications for no-essay scholarships vary by award. Some no-essay scholarships will have age requirements or be limited to students of a particular academic major; it all depends on the award in question.

For instance, the College Photographer of the Year Award is a $5,000 no-essay scholarship that is open to undergraduate and graduate students, but not high school students. Other scholarships without essays may accept students from different grade levels.

Can I apply for multiple no-essay scholarships?

You can and should apply for as many scholarships as possible, including no-essay scholarships. As long as you follow each scholarship’s guidelines– for example, not submitting the same poem to 2 separate poetry contests if they specify that simultaneous submissions are disallowed– there will not be any issue.

In the case of scholarship sweepstakes, you may be encouraged to apply more than once. Some sweepstakes allow students multiple entries based on engagement with the scholarship provider’s organization. Many sweepstakes re-open on a month-to-month basis and encourage students to apply each month. The more you apply, the more likely you are to win.

Are no-essay scholarships better than essay scholarships?

No scholarship is necessarily better than any other scholarship. Each student has unique circumstances and needs, so legitimate scholarships cannot be universally evaluated against each other this way. For students who have the time to write one, an essay scholarship may be better; for students with less time to apply, no-essay scholarships may be better.

It’s important to note that no-essay scholarships are not always easier to apply to than essay scholarships. Many no-essay scholarships, like the $2,500 Take Care of Texas Video Contest, entail the production of creative, well-executed solutions to open-ended prompts. Though writing an essay is not required, students must still invest hard work, resources, and time to win.

Do you have to have a certain GPA to apply for a no-essay scholarship?

Since the category of scholarships without essays is so broad, the GPA requirement for each particular award varies. Some are reserved for students with extremely high GPAs, some accept a range of GPAs, and some have no GPA requirement at all.

The Dolly Parton Songwriters Award, for example, does not have a GPA requirement in order to apply. Worth up to $20,000, this award entails almost no academic qualifications whatsoever– neither transcripts, recommendations, an essay, nor a certain GPA is required. Applicants are judged wholly based on their musical submission.