20 Scholarships for High School Juniors in 2024

Finding ways to pay for college might not be on the top of the list for many high school juniors, but maybe it should be. Once senior year starts, it’s a whirlwind of applications, exams, and sentimental goodbyes. High school juniors who begin their search for scholarships before their senior year create an advantage for themselves. When students apply early, they can take their time to apply, search, and edit their applications. This will increase their chances of getting those awards. Continue reading to learn more about scholarships for high school juniors.

About High School Junior Scholarship 

high school junior scholarships

Scholarships are just one of several ways that college students use to pay for college. High school junior scholarships are awards that are intended for students in their junior year, or ones that aren’t specific about the intended applicant’s education level. Sometimes, scholarship applications will be specific to graduate students, undergrad students, high school seniors, or even high school juniors or sophomores. The awards for high school juniors and sophomores are likely less competitive than ones for seniors or undergraduate students because many students don’t know about these scholarships. If a high school junior plans to attend college in the future, they should learn all they can about scholarships for high school juniors.

What are High School Junior Scholarships?

There are many ways to pay for college that are specified as awards for high school seniors, but there are also awards that go to students as young as four years old. Scholarships don’t have to be open to anyone and everyone who wants to apply, and there are some awards that are meant for only a specific age or grade level. There are some awards that are intended for only high school junior applicants, including nationwide awards. Some awards are also open to students at any education level. High school junior awards are an excellent way for juniors to prepare to attend college if they decide to go to college after high school. 

Scholarships help students pay for college without students needing to pay back any of the funds they borrowed, usually. Financial award money is often given to high school students based on their interests, financial need, or academic performance. Many applications may ask for a minimum GPA, but decision boards will take other aspects into consideration as well. Financial awards help college students attend their dream schools without creating a financial burden, so high school juniors should certainly begin their search early. The earlier that students begin their search, the better chance they’ll have to apply and earn great scholarships. Because scholarships are an excellent way for students to pay for college tuition, many might wonder what qualifies as a high school junior scholarship.

What Qualifies as a High School Junior Scholarship?

There are a few different types of awards that qualify as scholarships, and these qualifications apply to high school junior scholarships as well. There are awards that are given based on a student’s interests. There are athletic scholarships meant for students that play on any of the athletic teams in high school. There are also creative scholarships meant for students that participate in art, music, or theater. There are also awards for women, minorities, and academic scholarships. There are also awards for students who perform community service or participate in clubs, like student government. Any of these types of scholarships can qualify as a high school junior scholarship, unless the application specifies that the award is intended for a specific grade level, like high school seniors. Here are some examples of different types of scholarships for high school juniors available.

Types of High School Junior Scholarships Available

high school junior scholarships

There are awards that students can apply to because of their specific interests. Some awards may also be given to students based on the specific undergraduate study or degree program a student chooses. The scholarship search process is as individualized as the college search process, and it varies from one high school student to another. Here are some examples of the many different types of awards that students can apply for to help pay for college. 

Science Matters Scholarship

The Science Matters Scholarship is a $500 award that will be given to one student. This award seeks to support students who are interested in science and fascinated by scientific discoveries. To apply, students will need to share which scientific discovery is their favorite and why. The application deadline is September 14, 2022, and the winner will be announced on October 14, 2022. 

Art Matters Scholarship

The Art Matters Scholarship is an award intended for students at any education level. This is a $500 award that will go to one winner who is passionate about art. To enter, students will need to share about their favorite piece of art and why they’re drawn to it. The application deadline is July 14, 2022, and the winner will be announced on August 14, 2022. 

Optimist Scholarship

The Optimist Scholarship is meant to encourage students to live their lives with optimism, hope, and joy. This $500 award will go to one winner, and the application deadline is July 14, 2022. The winner of this award will be announced on August 14, 2022. 

Financial Literacy Scholarship

The Financial Literacy Scholarship aims to support students who are passionate about taking charge of their personal finances. This is a $500 award that will go to one student of any education level. To apply, students will need to share about a personal financial lesson that has benefited them. The application deadline is July 14, 2022, and the winner will be announced on August 14, 2022.

Climate Changemakers Scholarship

The Climate Changemakers Scholarship seeks to support students who are passionate about advocating for and protecting the environment for future generations. To apply, students need to share what they do to benefit the environment in their daily lives. The application deadline for this $500 award is July 13, 2022. There will be one winner and they will be announced on August 13, 2022.

Mentor Scholarship

The Mentor Scholarship is a $500 award that seeks to support students who act as mentors and role models to others. To apply, students will need to share how they hope to positively impact the lives of the people around them. The deadline to apply for this award is July 13, 2022, and the winner will be announced on August 13, 2022.

Community Activist Scholarship

The Community Activist Scholarship aims to support students who strive to positively benefit their community and the lives of those around them. To apply, students will need to share what they do in their local communities to bring about positive change. This $500 award will go to one winner. The deadline to apply is July 13, 2022. The winner will be announced on August 13, 2022.

Learning and Changing Scholarship

The Learning and Changing Scholarship aims to encourage students to have an open mind and continue to learn and grow. This $500 award will have one winner. To apply, students should share something they have learned that changed their opinion on something important in their life. The deadline to apply is July 13, 2022, and the winner will be announced on August 13, 2022.

Great Books Scholarship

The Great Books Scholarship exists to encourage students to continue reading, learning, and applying their acquired knowledge in their daily lives. To apply, students need to share more about their favorite book and why they love it so much. The deadline to apply is June 30, 2022, and the winner of this $500 award will be announced on July 30, 2022.

Caring for Seniors Scholarship

The Caring for Seniors Scholarship is a $500 award that will be given to one winner. This award aims to support students who are passionate about caring for seniors and improving their lives. To apply, students will need to share one thing they do to make the lives of the elderly people in their community better. The deadline to apply is June 30, 2022, and the winner will be announced on July 30, 2022.

Deep Thinking Scholarship

The Deep Thinking Scholarship is a $500 award that will be given to one winner. To apply, students will need to share which problem they think poses the greatest threat to this world, and one way to work towards fixing it. The deadline for this application is June 25, 2022, and the winner will be announced on July 25, 2022. 

Financial Freedom Scholarship

The Financial Freedom Scholarship is an award meant for students at any education level. This $500 award will have one winner. To apply, students will need to share about the most beneficial piece of financial advice that they have ever heard. The application deadline is June 25, 2022, and the winner will be announced on July 25, 2022.

Great Minds Scholarship

The Great Minds Scholarship is a $500 award that will be given to one student at any education level. To apply, students will need to share about a historical figure they admire, and why. The application deadline is June 25, 2022, and the winner will be announced on July 25, 2022.

Future of Education Scholarship

The Future of Education Scholarship is an award that exists to support one student who is passionate about making sure future generations have access to education. To apply for this $500 award, students will need to write about one change to education they believe would positively impact future generations. The deadline to apply is June 25, 2022, and the winner will be announced on July 25, 2022. 

Mental Health Awareness Scholarship

The Mental Health Awareness Scholarship is a $500 award that will support one student who is struggling with mental health or is passionate about helping others who struggle with mental health. To apply, students will need to share what they think should be done to help people who struggle with mental health. The deadline to apply is June 24, 2022, and the winner will be announced on July 24, 2022. 

Creativity Scholarship

The Creativity Scholarship is a $500 award that will be given to one student so they can afford to pursue their education and their dreams. To apply, students will need to share how they apply creativity in their life. The deadline to apply to this award is June 17, 2022, and the winner will be announced on July 17, 2022.

Generosity Matters Scholarship

The Generosity Matters Scholarship consists of five $100 awards that will be given to five students. The only requirement is that students believe in the power of generosity and strive to help those around them whenever they get the chance. The application deadline is June 12, 2022, and the winners will be announced on July 12, 2022. 

Persistence Scholarship

The Persistence Scholarship is a $500 award that will be given to one student. To apply, students need to share how they’ve used persistence to overcome obstacles in the past. The deadline to apply for this award is June 12, 2022, and the winner will be announced on July 12, 2022.

Study Strategies Scholarship

The Study Strategies Scholarship consists of five $100 awards that will be given to five students. This award seeks to reward bright students who use creative methods to study and learn. To apply, students will need to share what study strategies they use. The application deadline is June 12, 2022, and the winners will be announced on July 12, 2022. 

Nature Matters Scholarship

The Nature Matters Scholarship consists of five $100 awards that will be given to five students. To apply, students will need to share about their love for nature and what they do to show their appreciation for it. The deadline to apply is June 12, 2022, and the winners will be announced on July 12, 2022. 

These are only a few examples of the many different types of awards that students can encounter in their search for ways to pay for college. These examples were all found online, but there are a few different ways that students can find awards to apply for.

How to Find High School Junior Scholarships to Apply for?

junior high school scholarships

There are a few different ways that high school juniors can search for ways to pay for college, and they’re all ways that students should explore. 

School Counselors

High school students should speak to their school counselor to discuss a variety of different topics. School counselors can help students with questions about college applications, financial aid, college admissions, and many other questions regarding the college journey. School counselors will likely have a list of reliable scholarship awards that students can look into. While not all of the awards on the list will apply to every student, this is a good starting place in a student’s search for ways to pay for college. A school counselor is meant to support high school students, and this includes helping with the transition to college and how to pay for college. But high school counselors are only one way that students can use to find ways to pay for college.

Local Organizations or Clubs

If students are involved with local clubs or organizations, they should check with the director about any financial awards for college they may offer to members. Local clubs and organizations could include sports leagues, religious organizations, or volunteer organizations. Many financial awards are given to students with specific interests anyway, so it makes sense that some clubs and organizations could offer awards to student members for college. These club directors will also know students personally, so they may be more likely to earn awards through a local club than a large, nationwide organization. 

Reliable Organizations Online

Students can also perform online searches for reliable sources of ways to pay for college online. Students will just need to do a little bit of research about each source they find, because there are also websites that hope to scam students. Finding scholarships online will probably be both easy to do and very competitive. It’s easy to find financial awards online because any student can enter their grade level, interests, and the word scholarship and get very many results. It’s competitive because many students are turning to reliable organizations online to help find ways to pay for college. But it’s one of the best ways to find a variety of financial awards for students with many different interests. Students should also keep these tips in mind when applying for awards.

Tips for Winning High School Junior Scholarships

There are a few things that high school juniors should keep in mind when applying for ways to pay for higher education. 

Stay Organized

First, it’s essential that all students stay organized in their financial award searches. Some students may start applying for financial awards as high school freshmen, and they will likely continue applying into their junior or senior years. Students should make a spreadsheet that allows them to stay organized and track a few different elements in their award search. Students should have columns for the following information: The name of the scholarship, the organization of the award, the scholarship award amount, the date they applied, and the type of award. 

Types of awards can include merit scholarships awarded by a merit based scholarship program, an annual scholarship, or niche scholarships. Students should also have a column for notes and a column for winning awards. The admissions process for any accredited college demands a lot of students. Students can free up time and energy by staying organized in their financial award searches. This will help them succeed in all aspects of the admissions process.

Apply to Many Scholarships

Students should not limit the amount of awards they apply for, because there is no limit on how many they can apply for. Even juniors who choose to be community college students should keep their eyes open for relevant awards, because the costs of higher education can add up. By junior year of high school, students will likely have an idea of the things that interest them. Some students may choose to be high school student athletes, musicians, or student photojournalists. Students can check with club organizers and online to find ways to pay for college that fit their interests and extracurricular activities. There are likely many. 

High school juniors should try and increase their chances of earning any amount in awards, because these award amounts can add up to pay for a student’s tuition costs. Students should not eliminate themselves before they’ve even tried to apply for ways to pay for college. If a financial award is an easy, no-essay scholarship and students think they have a chance to win the award, they should give it a shot. The chances of winning an award without applying is zero.

Apply Early

The rush of senior year can make that last year of high school zip by. That’s why it’s important for students to begin applying for ways to pay for college early. The earlier students begin their search for ways to pay for college, the more time they can invest in this search. If students wait until senior year, or if they wait until the award deadline is closer, the process will be rushed. High school juniors need to make sure they’re giving themselves enough time to work on the application, proofread it, rework any part of the application, ask for letters of recommendation if they want to, and then double-check everything again before submitting. Polished, authentic applications will give students a better chance at winning awards. If students wait until senior year, they may not be able to give their award search the time and attention necessary to be successful.

Apply to Scholarships with Different Award Amounts

Lastly, students should do their best to not discount any awards just because the award amount may be smaller than others. Any amount of award money will help. Because some ways to pay for college do not usually need to be paid back, students should try and earn all they can in this type of award money. Any money that students earn through scholarships is money they don’t have to take out in school loans. 

Frequently Asked Questions About High School Junior Scholarships

Here are a few frequently asked questions about high school junior financial awards.

Are High School Junior scholarships legit?

Yes, high school junior financial awards are legit. Students should make sure to always research the source of the award, but there are many legit awards out there.

How can I improve my chances of winning High School Junior scholarships?

Students should stay organized, apply to many awards, apply early, and apply to scholarships with different award amounts.

How many High School Junior scholarships can you get?

There is no limit to how many awards a student can get.

Are High School Junior scholarships taxable income?

No, these awards are typically not taxable income.

What’s the best way to apply for High School Junior scholarships?

Students should ask school counselors for help, talk to the organizers of clubs they’re involved in, and apply online using reliable companies that want to help students achieve their dreams by helping them pay for college.

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