Below are some of the best scholarships for high school juniors, the Class of 2026:
Award Amount: $250 - $1,000 The Teen Changemakers Essay Contest is open to high school students. To be considered, you must submit a 500 - to 1,000 - word essay on the following topic: "How have your mental health experiences helped you to create a supportive and open mental health environment with your peers, within and outside of your high school?"
Award Amount: Varies The Bezos Scholars Program is open to high school juniors attending public high schools. To be considered, you must demonstrate intellectual curiosity and commitment to education, leadership and community engagement, and readiness and capacity to engage in the program. You must also have taken one or more honors, advanced placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), or college - level courses. During this year - long program, scholars will receive leadership training from noted experts, free college advising and tutoring, and $1,000 to fund their projects for up to three years. You must also nominate an educator from your school who will fully participate in the program to serve as a mentor.
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: $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: $5,000 - $20,000 The MathWorks Math Modeling Challenge is open to high school juniors and seniors. In this challenge, students will be given 14 continuous hours to solve an open - ended, realistic, applied math - modeling problem focused on a real - world problem. The challenge is entirely internet - based. Students choose which day they wish to work on challenge weekend. Each high school may enter up to two teams of three to five students.
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: $500 The International Young Eco-Hero Award is available to students between the ages of eight and 16 who exhibit environmental activism. To be considered, you must carry out an action - based, self - initiated project that concerns environmental health, advocacy, research, or protection of the natural world., advocacy, research, or protection of the natural world.
Award Amount: $1,000 The Cancer Pathways Teen Writing Contest is open to high school students. To enter, you must submit an essay of no more than 1,500 words about your experience with cancer. Your essay can be about your own diagnosis or that of a loved one.
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: Varies The Courageous Persuaders Video Contest is open to high school students. To be considered, you must create a 30 - second television commercial targeted to middle school students to warn them about the dangers of drinking and driving or distracted driving.
Award Amount: $500 - $2,500 The President Gerald R. Ford Student Writing Challenge is open to high school students. To be considered, you must submit a 500 - to 750 - word essay sharing what the theme of unity in diversity means to you.
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
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: $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 American Heart Challenge is open to high school juniors and seniors. You must have a passion for impacting the health of your community and participate in your school's American Heart Challenge event to be considered for this award.
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:
Teen Changemakers Essay Contest
Deadline: 1/10/25Award Amount: $250 - $1,000 The Teen Changemakers Essay Contest is open to high school students. To be considered, you must submit a 500 - to 1,000 - word essay on the following topic: "How have your mental health experiences helped you to create a supportive and open mental health environment with your peers, within and outside of your high school?"
Bezos Scholars Program
Deadline: 1/21/25Award Amount: Varies The Bezos Scholars Program is open to high school juniors attending public high schools. To be considered, you must demonstrate intellectual curiosity and commitment to education, leadership and community engagement, and readiness and capacity to engage in the program. You must also have taken one or more honors, advanced placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), or college - level courses. During this year - long program, scholars will receive leadership training from noted experts, free college advising and tutoring, and $1,000 to fund their projects for up to three years. You must also nominate an educator from your school who will fully participate in the program to serve as a mentor.
Goodwall #ScholarshipNow Challenge
Deadline: 1/31/25Award 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.
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.
MathWorks Math Modeling Challenge
Deadline: 2/21/25Award Amount: $5,000 - $20,000 The MathWorks Math Modeling Challenge is open to high school juniors and seniors. In this challenge, students will be given 14 continuous hours to solve an open - ended, realistic, applied math - modeling problem focused on a real - world problem. The challenge is entirely internet - based. Students choose which day they wish to work on challenge weekend. Each high school may enter up to two teams of three to five students.
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."
International Young Eco Hero Award
Deadline: 2/28/25Award Amount: $500 The International Young Eco-Hero Award is available to students between the ages of eight and 16 who exhibit environmental activism. To be considered, you must carry out an action - based, self - initiated project that concerns environmental health, advocacy, research, or protection of the natural world., advocacy, research, or protection of the natural world.
Cancer Pathways Teen Writing Contest
Deadline: 2/28/25Award Amount: $1,000 The Cancer Pathways Teen Writing Contest is open to high school students. To enter, you must submit an essay of no more than 1,500 words about your experience with cancer. Your essay can be about your own diagnosis or that of a loved one.
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.
Courageous Persuaders Video Contest
Deadline: 3/10/25Award Amount: Varies The Courageous Persuaders Video Contest is open to high school students. To be considered, you must create a 30 - second television commercial targeted to middle school students to warn them about the dangers of drinking and driving or distracted driving.
President Gerald R. Ford Student Writing Challenge
Deadline: 3/14/25Award Amount: $500 - $2,500 The President Gerald R. Ford Student Writing Challenge is open to high school students. To be considered, you must submit a 500 - to 750 - word essay sharing what the theme of unity in diversity means to you.
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.
Winter 2025 Fastweb Invite a Friend Sweepstakes
Deadline: 3/31/25Award 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.
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.
American Heart Challenge
Deadline: 5/31/25Award Amount: $1,000 The American Heart Challenge is open to high school juniors and seniors. You must have a passion for impacting the health of your community and participate in your school's American Heart Challenge event to be considered for this award.
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.
High school seniors can find a scholarship list, too! While it's never too soon to begin your college scholarship search, many United States students begin looking for scholarship opportunities their junior year of high school. Your junior year will be busy, filled with campus visits, college-admissions prep work and deciding what you'd like to go to college for. JUMP TO SCHOLARSHIPS FOR JUNIORS IN HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 2026
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, ...
