What’s on this list?
Every entry records what the award is worth, who qualifies and how to apply, and links straight to the awarding organisation’s own page. Filter by group, or search across the whole list for a term like “nursing”, “first generation” or the name of an organisation you already know.
- 68 scholarships across Asian and Pacific Islander backgrounds, from pan-Asian awards to ones for a single nationality
- 49 scholarships from religious organisations and faith communities
- 20 scholarships for the children of teachers, nurses, police officers and firefighters
- 17 scholarships for enrolled tribal members and their descendants
- 16 scholarships for Black and African American students
- 15 scholarships for Hispanic and Latino students
- 10 scholarships for veterans, service members and military families
- 2 scholarships tied to European heritage
A scholarship open to several groups is listed once and appears under each filter it belongs to, so those totals add up to more than the 196 awards in the directory.
Some carry requirements beyond the group itself — a few are open only to women, some fund a long-term research project, and a handful are reserved for first-generation college students. Read the eligibility on each entry before you spend time on an application. Awards range from one-time payments of a few hundred dollars to renewable scholarships worth tens of thousands over four years, and there is nothing stopping you from winning more than one.
What are the requirements for college scholarships?
Each scholarship sets its own criteria, but most of the awards here look for the same things. You generally need to be a high school senior or already enrolled in a college program, and you will be asked for documentation that proves you qualify — transcripts, proof of tribal enrollment or military service, a letter from a religious leader, or whatever the organisation’s own standard is.
Merit-based awards reward academic achievement, extracurricular involvement or leadership. Many specify a minimum GPA, and some weigh SAT or ACT scores alongside it — if that is where you are, our SAT prep course and ACT prep course are built to move that number. Career-pathway programs often prioritise a particular field of study, such as computer science, nursing or public advocacy.
Follow each program’s instructions exactly. Transcripts, personal essays and recommendation letters are the three things applications most often ask for, and the three things most often submitted late or in the wrong format.
When should I start applying?
Deadlines vary widely, and some fall as much as a year before the academic year they fund. If you are in high school, start researching and applying in your junior and senior years, alongside your college applications. Plenty of these awards are open to students already enrolled in college, so the opportunity does not close when you matriculate.
Deadlines and award amounts change every cycle. Treat the details here as a starting point and confirm them on the organisation’s own page before you apply — every entry links directly to it.
Other ways to pay for college
The cost of attending college has nearly doubled over the past 25 years, and almost 90% of students rely on financial aid, scholarships or grants to pay for it. Most families end up combining several sources. Start by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is the gateway to most other aid.
- Scholarships awarded by universities. Most schools set aside funds each year for awards based on need and merit, deducted directly from tuition and never repaid. Requirements differ by institution, and keeping the award usually means maintaining a minimum GPA.
- Federal student loans. Subsidized and unsubsidized loans from the Department of Education. On subsidized loans the government covers the interest while you are enrolled at least half-time; on unsubsidized loans it accrues immediately. Either way, they are repaid after graduation.
- Private student loans. Worth considering only after the options above — interest rates are typically higher and repayment terms less flexible.
- Work-study. Filing the FAFSA can qualify you for federally funded part-time work, often on campus, that pays toward your expenses without adding debt.
- Service-based loan forgiveness. If you are heading into public service, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, the National Health Service Corps and Teacher Loan Forgiveness cancel or repay part of your balance in exchange for a service commitment.
- In-state public universities. Every state has at least one public university with reduced tuition for residents — one of the most effective ways to keep the total down.
Look for the smaller discounts too: resident assistants are often given free housing in exchange for the work. And remember that college costs go well beyond tuition — housing, textbooks and supplies add up quickly.
The Achievable scholarship
Alongside this directory we run one of our own. The Achievable scholarship contest is a 30-second, no-essay monthly drawing for a free Achievable course of your choice — and we pick enough winners that entrants have roughly a 10% chance.