32 College Scholarships for Middle School Students

Scholarships for middle school students totally exist. While most parents focus on completing scholarships for high schoolers, financing college expenses can take a lot of time and planning. Getting started now can give your middle schooler (and you) a good financial head start.

We’ve got a good list here, but we can’t list everything — so make sure you add the Sallie Mae Scholarship Search to your college savings arsenal. It’s free to register and will give you access to millions of scholarship opportunities.

Note: Not all of these college scholarships accept applications all year long, so if one of these isn’t, check back closer to the scholarship’s deadline.

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Scholarships for middle school students: January deadline

Unigo is a website dedicated to helping parents and students get ready logistically for college — and they offer new scholarships every month. Their start-to-the-year scholarship could increase your college nest egg by $1,500.

1. I Have a Dream Scholarship

• Deadline: Jan. 31, 2024
• Available to: Students 14 and up
• Amount: $1,500

Details: Describe what you dream about in 250 words or less for a chance to win Unigo’s I Have a Dream Scholarship contest. You can describe a literal dream you had while asleep, a daydream, or your aspirations and hopes for the future.

 

Middle school scholarships for college: February deadlines

Here are a few scholarships for 7th and 8th grade students that can pad their college savings by over $50,000:

 

2. Davidson Fellows Scholarship

• Deadline: Feb. 23, 2023 (Not currently open)
• Available to: Anyone under 18 years old
• Amount: $10,000 to $50,000

Details: If you complete a significant piece of work in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Literature, Music, Philosophy, or an “Outside the Box” category, you could win the prestigious Davidson Fellows Scholarship award. Honorees get a trip to Washington D.C. and can earn scholarships ranging from $10,000 to $50,000.

 

3. Action for Nature Eco-Hero Awards Scholarship

• Deadline: Feb. 28, 2023 (Not currently open)
• Available to: Students 8-16 years old
• Amount: $500

Details: If you’re a young activist with a self-initiated project to produce a positive environmental impact, you’re eligible for the Action for Nature Eco-Hero Awards scholarship. The judges give preference to ongoing projects and/or 2+ year-long projects. Judges consider initiative, originality, difficulty, and impact, among other factors.

 

4. Sweet and Simple Scholarship

• Deadline: Feb. 28, 2024
• Available to: Students 14 and up
• Amount: $1,500

Details: Describe a simple yet meaningful gift you received and why it meant so much to you in 250 or less for a chance to win the Sweet and Simple Scholarship.

 

College scholarships for middle school students: March deadlines

Time to get creative with March middle school scholarship contests that are worth over a combined $30,000.

 

5. Doodle for Google Scholarship

• Deadline: March 4, 2024 (Not currently open)
• Available to: All K-12 students, including homeschool students.
• Amount: $30,000 plus $50,000 technology award for your school ($5,000 if homeschooled)

Details: Google chooses a new theme every year and invites students to create a doodle featuring their logo. If your doodle wins the national Doodle for Google contest, it’ll be featured on Google’s homepage for one day. You’ll also receive Google hardware and swag. Finalists receive $5,000 and Google swag.

 

6. Superpower Scholarship

• Deadline: March 31, 2024
• Available to: Students 14 and up
• Amount: $2,500

Details: Answer the question, “Which superhero or villain would you like to trade places with for a day and why?” in 250-words or less for a chance to win the Superpower Scholarship.

RELATED: Check out these weird scholarships nobody applies for and how to get them

 

 

Middle school scholarships for college: April deadlines

April has two scholarship contests your 7th or 8th grader can enter. Potential winnings are $13,000.

 

7. Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes Scholarship

• Deadline: April 15, 2023
• Available to: U.S. and Canada residents 8-18 years old
• Amount: $10,000

Details: Involved in a project that shows your dedication to public service? Inspiring acts of service through generosity, unselfishness, and positivity are what grab the judges’ attention. The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes awards scholarships to 25 students (the youngest winner was 8 years old) toward higher education or their service project.

 

8. All About Education Scholarship

• Deadline: April 30, 2023
• Available to: Students 14 and up
• Amount: $3,000

Details: In 250 or less describe why winning the money for school would make a big difference to you for a chance to earn the All About Education scholarship.

 

College scholarships for middle school students: May deadlines

Scholarship contests in May offer cash and a chance to join a scholarship program.

 

9. The Paradigm Challenge Student Contest

• Deadline: May 1, 2023
• Available to: Students 4 -18 years of age (worldwide)
• Amount: Up to $100,000 grand prize (individual or team), $10,000 first place (two teams), $2,000 second place (three teams), $1,000 third place (three teams), $200 finalists (91 teams)

Details: Enter The Paradigm Challenge Student Contest by addressing one or more of the challenge projects to help make a difference and solve real-life issues like waste reduction, food security, biodiversity, and personal health. They accept all kinds of types of entries including posters, videos, websites, public messages, inventions, or community events.

 

10. Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholars Program

• Deadline: May 11, 2023
• Available to: Students in grade 7 at the time of deadline
• Amount: Varies

Details: If you’re a high-performing student with a financial need, you could become a Cooke Young Scholar. Instead of a flat scholarship amount, those selected for the program will receive a personal academic counselor, funding for academic enrichment programs, an internship, study abroad opportunities, and educational materials, including books and technology. In 2021, 60 students were selected.

 

11. Earth Island Institute Brower Youth Awards

• Deadline: May 1, 2023
• Available to: Students living in North America (including Canada, Mexico, some Caribbean Islands, and U.S. territories) 13 to 22 years of age as of the contest deadline
• Amount: $3,000 (six winners)

Details: Judges for the Earth Island Institute Brower Youth Awards look for students with outstanding leadership skills, fresh solutions, and approaches to addressing environmental challenges. They will also consider your project’s scalability, impact, and applicability, as well as your charisma and personal commitment to your work.

 

12. Fifth Month Scholarship

• Deadline: May 31, 2023
• Available to: Students 14 and up
• Amount: $1,500

Details: If you’re interested in a quirky opportunity, try writing a letter to the number five, explaining just why it’s so important in 250 words or less for a chance to win the Fifth Month Scholarship. Both serious and humorous entries are encouraged.

 

 

Middle school scholarships for college: June deadlines

June’s scholarship opportunities require creativity and reflection for a chance to win over $250,000.

 

13. DoSomethingGood.org & 3M STEM Works For Me Scholarship

• Deadline: June 2, 2023 (Not currently open)
• Available to: Students under 26 years of age
• Amount: $2,500

Details: To enter the DoSomethingGood.org & 3M STEM Works For Me Scholarship contest you and your friends need to take a quiz about your interests that will show your perfect STEM jobs. Submit a photo of you hyping up your friends about their dream STEM jobs.

 

14. DoSomething.org Zero Crash Future Scholarship

• Deadline: June 8, 2023 (Not currently open)
• Available to: Students under 26 years of age
• Amount: $1,500

Details: Contestants in the DoSomething.org Zero Crash Future Scholarship contest need to take a brief survey about staying safe on the road and come up with three words that show what a zero crash future looks like to you.

 

15. Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Contest

• Deadline: June 12, 2023
• Available to: Students 11-18 years old from around the world
• Amount: $1,500

Details: If you can write, draw, produce a film or perform an original piece on the topic “The Funny Thing About Climate Change,” exploring our connection to climate change and its impact on the ocean, you could win up the Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Contest.

 

16. Breakthrough Junior Challenge Scholarship

• Deadline: June 25, 2023
• Available to: Students 13 (as of 12:01 a.m. PDT on April 1, 2023) to 18 (as of 11:59 p.m. PDT on October 1, 2023)
• Amount: $250,000

Details: To enter the Breakthrough Junior Challenge you must create a video less than two mins long that creatively communicates a theory, concept, or principle in mathematics, physics, or life sciences that you must submit with your application and share on your Facebook page. You must also participate in a peer-to-peer review and score submissions from five other contestants.

 

17. Do-Over Scholarship

• Deadline: June 30, 2023
• Available to: Students 14 and up
• Amount: $1,500

Details: You could win the Do-Over Scholarship by writing the best answer to this prompt in 250 words or less: “What if you had the chance to “do-over” a moment in your life? What would it be and why?”.

 

College scholarships for middle school students: July deadlines

Like ice cream? 7th and 8th graders can talk about their favorite ice cream for a chance to win $1,500 in this month’s scholarship contest.

 

18. Flavor of the Month Scholarship

• Deadline: July 31, 2023
• Available to: Students 14 and up
• Amount: $1,500

Details: In honor of National Ice Cream Month, explain “what your favorite ice cream flavor is and why, along with if you were a flavor of ice cream, which would you be” and you could win the Flavor of the Month Scholarship.

 

Middle school scholarships for college with an August deadline.

August’s scholarship is about humor and can have you laughing all the way to the bank with $1,500 in prize money if you win.

 

19. Make Me Laugh Scholarship

• Deadline: Aug. 31, 2022
• Available to: Students 14 and up
• Amount: $1,500

Details: These judges don’t care about your GPA or sports stats; just make them laugh! Submit a factual or fictional account of a hilarious incident in 250 words or less for a chance to win the Make Me Laugh Scholarship.

 

College scholarships for middle school students with a September deadline.

A short essay, and audio or video samples, can win you a combined $10,000 in September’s scholarship contests.

 

20. Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award

• Deadline: (dates for the 2023 – 2024 season have yet to be announced) Sept. 1, 2022, Nov. 15, 2022, April 15, 2023
• Available to: Full-time students 8 to 18 years of age
• Amount: $10,000

Details: You will need two unedited, unenhanced audio or video samples to enter the Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award contest. It’s also necessary to submit recommendations from two teachers and your family’s most recent tax forms. They don’t recommend applying if your household makes $100,000 or more.

 

21. Shout It Out Scholarship

• Deadline: Sept. 30, 2023
• Available to: Students 13 and up
• Amount: $1,500

Details: You can win the Shout It Out Scholarship for detailing in 250 words or less what you’d say if you could speak to the whole world at once.

 

 

Middle school scholarships for college: October deadlines

Students will need to write essays for October’s scholarship contests worth a combined $7,000.

 

22. Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship

• Deadline: Oct. 31, 2023
• Available to: Students 14 and up
• Amount: $2,000

Details: Describe your plan for survival if your school was overrun by zombies, including where you’d hide and the top five items you’d pack in order to survive for a chance to win the Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship.

 

23. VFW Patriot’s Pen Youth Essay Contest

• Deadline: Oct. 31, 2023
• Available to: Students in grades 6-8, including homeschool students
• Amount: $5,000

Details: If you can submit a 300-400 word essay on a patriotic theme chosen by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Commander in Chief over all entries in the nation, you could win the VFW Patriot’s Pen Youth Essay Contest and a trip to Washington D.C. Each first-place state winner receives $500.

 

College scholarships for middle school students: November deadlines

The 7th and 8th grade scholarships for college place attention on financial, societal challenges, and education. Together they are worth $20,000.

 

24. Prudential Emerging Visionaries Program

• Deadline: November 2023
• Available to: Students 14 – 18 years old
• Amount: Up to $15,000

Details: The Prudential Emerging Visionaries Program focuses on financial and societal challenges. Five winners in the Financial Solutions category and 20 winners in the Societal Solutions for a Changing World category, will each win $5,000.

The National Selection Committee will then select and award one winner from the five Financial Solutions winners an additional $10,000. Prudential employees choose a Prudential Employees’ Choice Award Winner that will get an extra $5,000.

 

25. Education Matters Scholarship

• Deadline: Nov. 30, 2023
• Available to: Students 14 and up
• Amount: $5,000

Details: You can win the Education Matters Scholarship for writing the best answer to this question: What would you say to someone who thinks education doesn’t matter or that college is a waste of time and money?. Your answer must be 250 words or less.

 

Middle school scholarships for college: December deadlines

This month’s scholarship contests are about climate change, transportation infrastructure, historical figures (with a twist), and David Letterman. Combined the contest are worth a total of over $24,000.

 

26. Scholastic Art & Writing Awards

• Deadline: December 2023 through January 2024 (depends on your region)
• Available to: Students in grades 7 – 12, ages 13 and up
• Amount: $500 to $10,000

Details: To enter the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards contest you must submit an original piece of art, such as photography, painting, fashion, film & animation, mixed media, sculpture, or writing such as an essay, dramatic script, flash fiction, novel, or poetry that demonstrates your technical skill and personal voice or vision. Entry fees are $10 for an individual, and $30 for a portfolio. If you are able to afford this, they will waive the fee once you submit a completed fee waiver form.

 

27. Alliance for Young Artists Scholarships

• Deadline: Dec. 1, 2023
• Available to: U.S. and Canada residents, 13-18 years old
• Amount: $1,000

Details: For the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers Scholarship offers several awards.

The Herblock Award for Editorial Cartoon Award is $1,000, for visual art that gives commentary or criticism on current events, social events, or political topics. The Flaunt It Award is $1,000 with a focus on “The things that make me different make me, me.” You must include a 50+ word personal statement. New York Life Award, $1,000 to six students, $500 to two students from California, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, and Texas. Work submitted must explore death and personal grief. This award also requires a 50+ word personal statement.

 

28. Transportation Development Foundation Student Video Contest

• Deadline: December 2023
• Available to: Students from Kindergarten to Graduate School
• Amount: $500 (first place in category) $250 (second place in each category)

Details: The American Road & Transportation Builders Association wants you to create a two to four-minute video for the Transportation Development Foundation Student Video Contest on the importance of transportation infrastructure to the economy. Each category is judged separately, and students in grades K-12 are judged separately from college students.

 

29. Rubincam Youth Writing Competition

• Deadline: Dec. 15, 2023
• Available to: Students 6th – 8th grade
• Amount: $250

Details: For a chance to win the Rubincam Youth Writing Competition you’ll need to write a 750 -1,200 word essay in biographical format about a person (biological or adoptive relative, guardian, or foster parent) that demonstrates you understand various genealogical records.

 

30. Unigo 10K Scholarship

• Deadline: Dec. 31, 2023
• Available to: Students 14 and up
• Amount: $10,000

Details: “Would you rather be smart, funny or rich…and why? You’ll get 250 words or less to answer this for your chance to win the Unigo 10K Scholarship.

 

31. Top Ten List Scholarship

• Deadline: Dec. 31, 2023
• Available to: Students 14 and up
• Amount: $1,500

Details: Inspired by David Letterman and his top ten lists, the Top Ten List Scholarship asks students to simply name the top 10 reasons they should get this scholarship. You can get creative, be silly, or choose perfectly serious reasons.

 

32. Apprentice Ecologist Initiative Youth Scholarship

• Deadline: Dec. 31, 2023
• Available to: Students 13 to 21 years of age
• Amount: $1,000 (first place essay), $500 (second place essay), and $250 (third place essay)

For a chance to win an Apprentice Ecologist award, you must conduct your own environmental stewardship project in 2022 (for example; plant trees or remove graffiti from natural areas), take photos of the project, and write a 750 -1,500 word essay about the project and what it means to you.