Key Takeaway
Are you a junior in high school looking for scholarships to help pay for school? We’ve rounded up 11 to help you get started. See which ones below are a good fit for you:
- One for students who are passionate about the environment and love to be creative.
- One through College Raptor that requires a short essay.
- Four scholarships through College JumpStart for those committed to their education.
- One for Spanish history lovers.
- One for students looking for a quick essay submission.
- One for teens making an impact on the environment or local community.
- One for high-scoring PSAT test takers aiming for national recognition.
- One for high-achieving students creating meaningful projects.
- One for creative minds who want to design the next Google Doodle.
- One for those who desire to make a difference through community work.
- One for students who can make their prom attire from duct tape.
It’s never too early to start looking for scholarships to help cover the cost of college. The earlier you start, the more opportunities you have to earn some free money* towards tuition, books, and other college costs. And, hey, every little bit can help! Applying for college scholarships for high school juniors is a great way to get an early start. Don’t let that busy schedule get in the way of potential scholarship awards available to high school juniors.
We’ve assembled a list of 11 scholarships that high school juniors are eligible for to get you started:
1. BOW SEAT OCEAN AWARENESS CONTEST
- Award Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: June
The Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Contest is a fantastic opportunity for anyone passionate about art and the environment. Each year, Bow Seat organizes a new theme to challenge and motivate students worldwide. For 2025, the theme is “Connections to Nature: Looking Inside, Going Outside.” The prompt encourages students to reflect on their personal connections to the natural world, explore how being outside shapes their perspective, and creatively showcase these relationships. To enter, applicants must be between the ages of 11-18 and can submit their entry in a wide variety of formats, including visual art, poetry, spoken word, creative writing, film, music, dance, and multimedia.
2. $2,500 COLLEGE RAPTOR SCHOLARSHIP
- Award Amount: $2,500
- Deadline: March, June, September, December (Awarded Quarterly)
The $2,500 College Raptor Scholarship** is one of many ways that College Raptor helps students achieve their college dreams. To qualify for the College Raptor Scholarship, you must be:
- 16 years or older.
- A legal resident of the United States, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. Territory.
- Enrolled in or enroll no later than the fall of 2027 in an accredited secondary institute of higher learning.
To apply, you’ll need to register using the College Match tool and submit a short essay on one of the scholarship topics provided. No purchase necessary**.
3. COLLEGE JUMPSTART SCHOLARSHIP
- Award Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: Varies
The College JumpStart Scholarship awards students committed to using education as a tool for a better life, family, and community. This annual, merit-based competition is open to high school, college, and non-traditional students. There are four scholarships offered each year:
- The College JumpStart Gratitude Scholarship (Deadline June 30, 2025): This scholarship gives students the opportunity to share their gratitude for someone who has done something for them.
- The College JumpStart Pay It Forward Scholarship (Deadline September 30, 2025): This scholarship rewards students who can highlight how they have paid it forward.
- The College JumpStart Love of Learning Scholarship (Deadline December 31, 2025): This scholarship invites students to share an idea or subject they are passionate about. Applicants must answer one of two prompts in 250 words or less.
- The College JumpStart Show Grit Scholarship (Deadline March 31, 2026): This scholarship rewards students who demonstrate grit and persevere in spite of challenges or obstacles.
4. ALBA GEORGE WATT MEMORIAL ESSAY CONTEST
- Award Amount: $250
- Deadline: July
Established in 1998, this annual essay competition invites students, both those in undergraduate and graduate studies, from all over the world to submit writing about various aspects of Spanish history. Students can submit essays, thesis chapters, short stories, or even poetry on topics ranging from the Spanish Civil War to the political and cultural fights against fascism. The competition is open to many formats as long as the writing is original, thoroughly researched, and presents effective arguments. Winners are announced by the end of September.
5. GEN AND KELLY TANABE SCHOLARSHIP
- Award Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: July
The Gen and Kelly Tanabe Scholarship is open to 9th-12th grade high school students as well as college, graduate, and adult students. To apply, you will need to submit an essay of 250 words or less to be eligible for this $1,000 scholarship. Applicants will need to answer one of the three essay questions:
- Why do you deserve to win this scholarship?
- Describe your academic or career goals.
- Any topic of your choice.
Note that applicants may reuse an essay that they have previously written for a class, college application, or scholarship competition.
6. ABBEY ROAD GREEN TICKET SCHOLARSHIP
- Award Amount: Fully or Partially Funded Abbey Road Summer Program
- Deadline: December
The Abbey Road Green Ticket Scholarship honors high school students ages 14-18 who have demonstrated compassion and dedication to the environment and their local community. Applicants must show that they have made a positive impact in areas such as environmental conservation, wildlife protection, sustainable agriculture, or local service initiatives. This could be through their schoolwork or extracurricular activities. To be considered, students must demonstrate strong academic performance, high overall GPA, notable grades in related subjects, and active participation in cultural, leadership, or service activities.
7. NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
- Award Amount: Thousands of Awards Available up to $33 Million
- Deadline: See timeline here
This award is well known among students and is an excellent college scholarship opportunity. Students who choose to take the PSAT in their junior year of high school are eligible to participate in the National Merit Scholarship Program, which recognizes the top 50,000 scoring students, with 15,000 advancing to the finalist standing. The National Merit Scholars then select winners based on their academics, recommendations, and essays. The best part? Even students who are recognized but don’t qualify as finalists can reap the benefits of this program just because of their participation.
Although 6,870 scholarships are awarded, this is a competitive scholarship. If you choose to pursue it, you’ll need to read the detailed information about types of scholarships, detailed entry requirements, and more to be best prepared.
8. 2026 DAVIDSON FELLOW SCHOLARSHIP
- Award Amount: $100,000 / $50,000 / $25,000
- Application Open Date: Opens in Fall
This is one of the most prestigious and generous scholarships for gifted, high-achieving students 18 years old and under. To be considered for this scholarship, you must have completed a significant piece of work in any one of these eight submission categories:
- Science
- Technology
- Engineering
- Mathematics
- Philosophy
- Music
- Literature
- Outside the Box
Every submission category has unique requirements that are different from others. Make sure to read through the criteria and other requirements to ensure that you don’t lose out on the award due to a technicality. Two-person teams are eligible to apply as well. Winners must be able to attend the awards reception in Washington, D.C., and the Davidson Institute will pay for travel and lodging expenses.
9. DOODLE 4 GOOGLE: $30,000 SCHOLARSHIP
- Award Amount: $30,000
- Application Open Date: Opens in Fall 2025
Google has built its empire with the help of extremely innovative individuals, so it’s no surprise that they have scholarships for high school juniors (and other students). The Doodle 4 Google contest, created in 2008, invites students K-12 to create a Google Doodle to feature on the Google web page for a day, and the winner will receive a $30,000 college scholarship! And there’s more: the winner’s current school receives a $50,000 technology grant. Being named a National Winner (or even just a National Finalist!) will look amazing on your college application.
10. GLORIA BARRON PRIZE FOR YOUNG HEROES
- Award Amount: $10,000
- Application Open Date: Opens in early January 2026
This scholarship awards students aged 8-18 who are involved in their community, have made an impact, and benefited others and the planet. Interested students must currently be working on a service project or have worked on one in the past 12 months, as well as be leading or have led service work. To apply, students must submit a letter from a lead reference (someone who can advocate for their work), and two additional letters of recommendation. In addition to $10,000, winners will receive a personalized plaque, a recognition certificate, and unique networking opportunities.
11. STUCK AT PROM SCHOLARSHIP CONTEST
- Award Amount: Awards from $1,000-$15,000
- Application Open Date: Opens in March 2026
This is a fun opportunity to showcase your creativity—and get rewarded for it! This scholarship requires applicants to create original prom wear using duct tape or crafting tape. Participants must submit at least one high-resolution photograph of themselves in the Duck Tape® promwear and fill out an entry form with other details. The top two winners will each receive $15,000, with the four runners-up receiving $1,000. Additionally, another three of the top eight runners-up receive a Judges’ Choice award with $1,000.
Where Else Can I Find Scholarships for Juniors in High School?
The above scholarships are just a few examples of the financial aid that is available to high school juniors! So, how do you find others? We recommend:
- Talking to your guidance counselor.
- Speaking with your intended college’s financial aid office about scholarships, grants, and other awards.
- Using scholarship databases! After you input your information, you will be matched with awards that you are most qualified for.
There are thousands of awards out there, and these 11 college scholarships for juniors in high school are a great starting point in your search for financial aid. Sign up today for our FREE Scholarship Search tool to explore more opportunities. This easy-to-use tool allows you to find scholarships for juniors in high school from institutions, businesses, governments, and more!
* While a scholarship does not have to be repaid, there may be other obligations associated with the scholarship.
** No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. The $2,500 College Raptor Scholarship Contest is open to legal residents of the 50 United States, D.C., and U.S. Territories, who are 16 years of age or older, and are students or prospective students who are enrolled or intending to enroll in an accredited undergraduate/graduate post-secondary institution no later than Fall 2027. The Contest begins at 12:00 AM ET on 4/1/25 and ends at 11:59 PM ET on 6/30/25. See Official Rules for details.
