Many students believe that they will not be eligible for college scholarships if they are not straight-A, gold-star, or super-athletes. That, thankfully, could not be further from the truth. Colleges require a diverse range of students, which means there are scholarship opportunities to suit a wide range of interests and backgrounds.
Going Merry is one of the most comprehensive and easy-to-use scholarship platforms available. One feature that distinguishes us is our platform’s wide variety of scholarships.
We’ve put together this guide to the 18 different types of scholarships we offer to give you a sense of the variety. Academic scholarships, athletic scholarships, easy scholarships, and everything in between are available. There is a lot of free money for higher education. Continue reading to find out how you can win.
Read More: Investing in Your Child’s Education: Here’s How
18 Types of scholarships available on Going Merry
We have scholarships for every type of student, regardless of academic achievement, financial need, or hobbies. Check out this list to get a sense of the various types of scholarships available.
1. Weird and unique scholarships
Not all scholarship committees are concerned with serious qualifications such as your GPA or FAFSA® report. Some people are only interested in hearing about your hobbies and rewarding you for doing cool things like making a prom dress out of duct tape.
Check out this list of unique scholarships for all of the wackiest, strangest scholarship opportunities you can think of. Here are some good examples:
Duck Brand, a popular manufacturer of duct tape, created this wacky scholarship contest to see how creative its fans could be. To apply, you must create prom attire entirely out of duct tape. The winners of the tuxedo and dress categories will each receive $10,000, with eight runners-up receiving $500.
Scholarship for the Zombie Apocalypse: Calling all people with overactive imaginations: You’ll have to write about how you’d escape a fleet of zombies taking over your high school for this entertaining essay contest. The $1,000 scholarship, sponsored by Unigo, provides an opportunity to demonstrate raw creativity without imposing many eligibility requirements.
2. Summer scholarships
School may be over, but that doesn’t mean you should put your scholarship search on hold. While most scholarship deadlines fall during the spring or fall semesters, there are numerous scholarship opportunities available during the summer (you know, when you actually have the extra time). Here’s a list of summer scholarship deadlines, including these:
Reef2Leaf Aquatic Scholarship: If summer have you daydreaming about going to the beach, channel that desires into an engaging essay about ocean conservation. The $1,000 scholarship is sponsored by Seaview 180, a manufacturer of snorkeling equipment. The committee is looking for a thoughtful, climate-conscious student who is passionate about protecting undersea habitats.
Scholarship for Cyberbullying Removal: Bullying can now occur even when school is not in session (thanks, to the Internet). Delete Cyberbullying is a non-profit organization that encourages students to make the internet a safer place all year. To apply, write about your passion for ending cyberbullying and how you plan to persuade your classmates to join you.
3. STEM scholarships
Employees with degrees in STEM-related fields (science, technology, engineering, and math) are in higher demand than ever before in our increasingly digital world. And the large number of scholarship funds aimed specifically at STEM students reflects this. If you’re interested in computer science, particle physics, or anything else in the field of STEM, this comprehensive list contains a plethora of excellent opportunities. Among them are the following:
Simple Artificial Intelligence and Technology Scholarship: This $7,500 scholarship award is sponsored by Simplr, a company that developed an AI chatbot to help businesses scale. To be eligible, write an essay about artificial intelligence, the internet of things (IoT), blockchain technology, or intellectual property law. Feel free to speculate on the field’s future, and don’t be afraid to dream big.
Engineering Scholarship from ExxonMobil: The ExxonMobil Engineering Scholarship is sponsored by the League of United Latin American Citizens for high-achieving Latinx students. This $20,000 scholarship is available to STEM students from the following cities: Oxnard, CA; San Diego, CA; Colorado Springs, CO; Miami, FL; Kansas City, MO; Albuquerque, NM; Philadelphia, PA; Bayamon, PR; Austin, TX; Corpus Christi, TX; Houston, TX; Dallas, TX; and others.
4. Easy scholarships
Let’s face it, filling out scholarship applications and writing long essays can get tedious. But there is a tonne of scholarship funds you can access without much work at all. Each of these simple scholarships has simple applications, minimal requirements, short essays, and clear deadlines.
Burger King James W. McLamore Whopper Scholarship Award: This simple scholarship is available if your GPA is 2.5 or higher. Fill out the online application and outline your previous work experience and community service to win between $1,000 and $50,000.
Earnest Scholarship: Earnest offers low-interest loans to students of all disciplines. To help those students succeed even more, the company established this $5,000 scholarship, which takes simple to a whole new level. To enter, simply provide your email address, mailing address, and college or university name.
5. Scholarships with no GPA requirement
A good student is more than just their grades and test scores. That is why Going Merry favors scholarships with no GPA requirement. If your high school GPA does not accurately reflect your potential, or if you prefer to learn through experience, there are numerous scholarship opportunities that do not require a transcript or a minimum GPA.
The Doodle for Google Scholarship is for you if you thrive in the art studio rather than the classroom. Google gives students up to $30,000 in free money each academic year, with no GPA requirement. All you have to do is create an original Google Doodle in your preferred medium.
RealtyHop Scholarship: RealtyHop is a group of business owners who want to help other young entrepreneurs pay for college. They give out $1,000 scholarships twice a year to students who respond creatively to a prompt about their future. This scholarship includes an internship as an added benefit (either full- or part-time).
6. Community service scholarships
Being a well-rounded and thoughtful citizen includes giving back to the community. Fortunately, there are numerous scholarship funds available to reward a desire to make the world a better place. Check out this great list of community service scholarships, which includes the following:
Going Merry Community Service Scholarship: As part of our mission to support students, we established this $1,000 need-blind scholarship award. To apply, you must write a brief essay outlining your commitment to community service.
Vista Americorps Community Service Scholarship: Americorps is one of the nation’s largest volunteer organizations. So it’s not surprising that its Vista scholarship connects students with volunteer projects that address some of our society’s most pressing issues. Students will receive a $6,000 scholarship to help pay for college (or a $1,800 cash stipend) in exchange for fieldwork.
7. Merit-based scholarships
Many merit scholarships are awarded to students who have high academic achievement, excellent test scores, outstanding athletic abilities, or extracurricular activities that help them stand out. If these things describe you, look no further: we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of merit-based scholarships to help you capitalize on your efforts.
Cameron Impact Scholarship: Funded by a private family foundation, this merit-based scholarship covers the entirety of a student’s tuition and fees — potentially saving you money on student loans. Applicants must have a GPA of 3.7 or higher. You must also include information about your leadership roles, awards, and community service experience.
ASCO Engineering Scholarship Program: This $5,000 merit-based award is available to engineering students with at least a 3.2 GPA. You must have completed your first year of college and be able to demonstrate your desire to make significant contributions to the engineering industry in order to apply. If you win, the engineering department at your school will receive a $1,000 grant as well.
8. Scholarships for transfer students
If you’re transferring universities, you already have a lot on your plate; you shouldn’t have to worry about piecing together different types of aid on top of that. To alleviate your financial burden, we have compiled a list of scholarships specifically for transfer students. Here are a few examples:
Tau Sigma Honor Society Scholarship: Tau Sigma, a transfer-only honor society, established this $5,000 merit-based scholarship to recognize new transfers with a 3.5 GPA or higher.
The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship assists community college students who are transferring to a four-year institution to continue their education. It pays up to $55,000 in tuition for the remaining years of a student’s education. Winners will also receive one-on-one college counseling and planning.
9. Athletic scholarships
You can receive an athletic scholarship even if you are not actively recruited to play a sport at your college or university. There are a number of independent, athlete-focused awards that can be used in addition to student loans or other forms of financial aid. Begin by reviewing these athletic scholarships. Here are a few examples:
Heisman High School Scholarship: This $10,000 scholarship is sponsored by the same organization that bestows the Heisman Trophy on college football players. It is awarded to academically gifted and community-minded athletes. Performance on the field is important, but so is your track record of leadership in the classroom.
Sara Scholarship: This $2,000 scholarship is awarded to 12 female high school golfers each year. To be considered, you must have a 3.3 GPA and be able to demonstrate financial need. This selection committee values passion as much as skill, so apply even if you believe your game could be improved.
10. Scholarships for average students
It can be difficult to stand out in the classroom, especially if you attend a competitive high school. Because colleges and universities require a diverse range of students, your average academic performance should not prevent you from pursuing your educational goals. If you excel in extracurricular activities, take a look at this list of scholarships for average students.
HOTH SEO Scholarship Program: For this $1,000 award, grades and test scores are irrelevant; the only application requirements are a college acceptance letter and an essay. You’ll need to research digital marketing and write about how businesses can benefit from online advertising.
“Create Real Impact” Scholarship Contest: A $3,000 scholarship will be awarded to nine students (ages 14 to 22) who develop the most compelling strategies to end reckless and distracted driving. You may include creative writing, video, graphic design, or musical elements in your submission.
11. Scholarships for Black students
Black or African American college students make up only 12.7% of the undergraduate student population. Scholarship providers want to see that figure rise. If you’re a Black student in need of financial assistance, we’ve discovered a number of lucrative scholarship opportunities for you.
The Gates Scholarship is for academically motivated students of color who are Pell Grant eligible. It covers the entire cost of attendance (tuition and fees), making it one of the more generous scholarships on our list. It’s extremely competitive, but it’s a fantastic opportunity for talented Black and African American college students.
Presidential Scholarships from TMCF and ETS for HBCU Students: This Thurgood Marshall College Fund scholarship is another full-tuition award for Black and African American students. To be eligible, you must be enrolled in a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) and have at least a 3.5 GPA.
12. Scholarships for Hispanic students
According to the Postsecondary National Policy Institute’s 2019 report, Hispanic students received the least amount of financial aid of any ethnic group during the 2015-2016 school year, the most recent year for which data was available.
Fortunately, there are numerous scholarships available to Hispanic students. These options may supplement your federal aid, work-study benefits, or other student loans.
McDonald’s HACER National Scholarship: If you have one Hispanic parent and a 2.8 GPA, you can apply for this $100,000 college scholarship. The selection committee for this prestigious award considers a variety of factors, including financial need and a personal interview.
El Cafe Del Futuro Scholarship: Students must be attending or planning to attend a Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) member institution to be eligible for this $5,000 award. An essay about how your heritage has influenced you is included in the application.
13. Scholarships for Asian American students
For Asian American college students looking to supplement their student loans, these scholarship programs can be a great option. Here are a few awards dedicated to Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. (See our complete listing of Asian American scholarships here.)
The OTEFE Foundation Scholarship: Developed by the OTEFE Foundation, a non-profit organization that assists Korean and Korean American students, this award varies based on a student’s financial need. You will be required to write an essay about your love for your Korean community and your community service experience.
The Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) funds the Sports Task Force Journalism Scholarship, which awards $2,000 to aspiring Asian American journalists. Students with a passion for sports are especially encouraged to apply.
14. Scholarships for women
Today, more women than men pursue higher education, which can make the field feel competitive. Fortunately, there are many different types of scholarships available.
We have scholarship opportunities for you whether you are a female graduate student pursuing a STEM degree, a female undergraduate, or a woman pursuing a teaching degree. These are just two of our favorites; you can find our entire list here.
ABC Humane Wildlife Academic Scholarship – Women in STEM: ABC Humane Wildlife recognizes that STEM fields are overwhelmingly dominated by men — and wants to assist women who are fighting for equality. To apply, you must write an essay about your enthusiasm for your specific STEM degree and explain how investment in your field will help improve our planet. Each winner is awarded a $1,000 scholarship.
Scholarship for Women in Technology from Palantir: This annual scholarship, sponsored by Palantir, a groundbreaking technology company, awards $7,000 to ten women studying technology-related fields. Winners will also be invited to a special development workshop.
15. Graduate school scholarships
Many scholarship opportunities are aimed at undergraduate students, but graduate students are not immune to student debt. Fortunately, there are numerous merit and degree-specific scholarships available to graduate students. Check out our list of graduate scholarships, which includes two large awards:
MS Engineering and Science Fellowship Programs: This multi-year award assists promising scientists from underrepresented groups in pursuing graduate degrees in engineering and science. It pays for all of the winners’ tuition and fees, as well as a $16,000 stipend.
Sidney B. Williams Jr. Scholarship: This scholarship awards up to $30,000 to Black and African American law students, with a preference for students interested in patent law. Many factors are considered by the selection committee, including financial needs and academic performance.
16. Scholarships for children of single parents
Because single-parent households frequently rely on a single income, the prospect of paying for college is often more burdensome. Fortunately, a slew of scholarship programs has stepped forward to fill the void. Whether you lost a parent due to divorce, illness, or a tragic accident, our list of scholarships for single-parent children has you covered.
ReWritten Scholarship: According to statistics, fatherless children are more likely than two-parent children to drop out of school. Rewritten is a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting fatherless children in defying the odds and writing their own futures.
Consider applying for the organization’s ReWritten Scholarship if you were raised by a single mother, which could provide up to $5,000 to help you attend college. You’ll simply need to write an essay about your future plans and demonstrate your financial need
Life Lessons Scholarship Program: If you’ve had to deal with the loss of a parent while continuing your education, you’ve faced a battle that most students will never understand. This scholarship award, which varies depending on financial need, wishes to acknowledge your efforts. Applicants must submit a written essay or a video explaining how the death of a parent has affected their life and future plans.
17. First-generation scholarships
Being the first person in your family to attend college is a huge and exciting step. However, if you don’t have family members who are familiar with the process, figuring out financial aid, federal loans, and college scholarships can feel overwhelming. Fortunately, there are numerous scholarship opportunities available to students like you. Check out our complete list of first-generation college scholarships, which includes these two awards:
Scholars Program at Fontana Transport Inc.: This $5,000 scholarship is sponsored by a long-haul trucking company and is available to students from underrepresented backgrounds. Fontana Transport Inc. gives it out every year to first-generation college students who are interested in transportation or STEM fields. To be eligible, applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.5.
First in Family Scholarship: If you live in North or South Carolina and are the first person in your family to attend college, you should apply for this need-based scholarship. This award, endowed by the George Rogers Foundation to assist first-generation college students, is open to students with a minimum GPA of 3.0. To apply, write an essay about what it means to you to be a first-generation college student.
18. State-specific scholarships
Many state governments offer scholarships and grant opportunities to their constituents. Among them are numerous outside scholarships for specific schools, as well as broader scholarships for various types of students. You might even be able to find scholarships that are specific to your city or county.
Choose your state from the alphabetized list below to begin learning about scholarships in your area.
Get more scholarships delivered to you with Going Merry
You do not have to fit a specific mold to be eligible for fantastic scholarships. There is something for everyone, from passionate athletes to average test-takers, from full-time undergraduate students to part-time graduate students.
Going Merry makes it simple to find and apply for scholarships. All you need to do is create a profile on our platform and we’ll take care of the rest. We’ll search our database for scholarships that meet your specific eligibility requirements.
We can also assist with other aspects of the college search, such as navigating financial aid or determining how to write the perfect essay. Sign up for Going Merry today to gain access to all of these resources and more.
