I've found a few scholarship opportunities that may be of interest to high school students -- especially passionate and driven learners like those found at UCAS. Many scholarship websites can be predatory, sometimes offering "No Essay," lottery-style awards in exchange for students sharing their personal data. Here are a few systems that I've found safe and helpful:
Kaleidoscope: Scholarship and Grant Management Software. Reputable, non-phishy scholarship website. Link: https://www.mykaleidoscope.com/. Examples:
- Bezos Scholars Program: A leadership experience that lasts. There’s no experience like the Bezos Scholars Program— a transformative, year-long, no-cost leadership development program that amplifies youth voice and action so young people with passion can start making a difference today. Each year, 17 exceptional juniors, 12 from the U.S. and five from Africa, along with educators from each of their schools, are selected as Bezos Scholars. High school juniors. (Due: January 12th; may be useful next year)
- The David and Dovetta Wilson Scholarship 2023: Recipients are graduates of United States public high schools, excel academically, engage in civic and faith-based/religious acts of service, and demonstrate a commitment to use their education to give back to our local, state and national communities. High school seniors. $1,000-5,000 (Due: April 30th)
- Datadog Upward Scholarship 2023: Breaking down silos is in our DNA and that extends to the systematic and cultural silos that have historically prohibited certain underrepresented communities access to the tech industry - specifically those who identify as women or non-binary and members of the Black and Latinx communities. As part of an effort to open new pathways to those groups, we created the Upward Scholarship for US high school seniors interested in majoring in computer sciences or related fields. High school students. $15,000 (Due: March 1st)
Scholarship Universe: Specially-curated scholarships tailored to student needs and achievements. Sources scholarships all across the internet and matches them to your profile, while organizing them by due date. UVU has a license for students to register here: https://uvu.scholarshipuniverse.com/. Example:
- Taco Bell Live Mas Scholarship: $5,000, $10,000, and $25,000 scholarships for passionate students. High school and college age. (Due January 11th; may be useful next year)
- (This website is a source of gold. A student's profile could match them to literally millions of dollars in scholarships per year. Applying for one scholarship per week might yield something grand.)
Raise.Me: An ingenious system for awarding student achievements by pooling "micro-scholarships" offered by participating universities. Both increases financial aid opportunities as well as raises students' awareness of universities across the United States. (I was in love with this system back in high school. .) Link: https://www.raise.me/.