Best Scholarships for Online Students. An online degree does not have to cost an arm and a leg. You’re already saving money by not moving to school and paying exorbitant prices for lousy cafeteria meals. Depending on the institution, you may even be eligible for a reduced tuition rate as an online student. There are also several scholarships and financial assistance alternatives available to you. Some are specifically for online students, but you are not need to limit yourself to them. Several general scholarships are still open to you.
That being said, it’s really difficult to become intellectually and emotionally engaged in a scholarship that sounds exactly like you, only to discover you’re ineligible for it. Thus we want to assist you in identifying scholarships worth applying for and eliminating those that aren’t. We’ve compiled a big list of scholarships for online students, with all of the important information right up front.
Unless otherwise noted, all of these scholarships will require you to attend a recognized online institution. We’ll show you the following details about the scholarships:
- Amount awarded
- Eligibility
- Application requirements
- Application link
- Deadlines
- And any other details you should know
Before we get started, let’s speak about the scholarship you’re most likely to earn.
The best scholarship opportunity for oBest Scholarships for Online Students
Some of these scholarships are awarded by random drawing, which means they are simple to apply for, but there are thousands of applicants. The odds of winning those are fairly low, but it’s worth applying. As a general rule, the more difficult the application, the less competition there will be.
We discovered a $1,000 merit-based national award with just approximately 20 applications right now. The deadline for this yearly scholarship is December 31. This scholarship will need some effort, but it will be well worth it. What you should know about it is as follows:
1. HeadsetsPlus.com Scholarship
The competition for a $1,000 scholarship that is openly advertised is quite low. Most scholarship applicants are unwilling to spend the effort to record, edit, and distribute a video. You can scout the competition because everyone is required to submit their video publicly. On this, HeadsetsPlus.com is searching for uniqueness and individuality. Make your video engaging while addressing the full prompt. Unless it’s extremely fantastic, don’t merely read an essay answer to the prompt.
Amount awarded: $1,000
Deadline: December 31
Eligibility requirements:
- Must be accepted into a college
- Must be at least 16 years old
- Must be a legal U.S. resident
- Must have at least a 3.0 GPA
Application requirements:
- Publish a YouTube video about yourself
- Provide your most recent college transcript or an acceptance letter
- Provide proof of your GPA
Now for the remainder of the list!
General scholarships for online students
Online students from any institution are eligible for these awards. We’ll let you know whether you need to be in a specific sort of program or if there are any other requirements.
2. Get Educated Online College Scholarship Program
These $1,000 distance learning scholarships are given out twice a year and are based on financial need and merit. It’s unclear how many scholarship recipients there are each time, although the page’s Address states “20-distance-learning-scholarships,” and the phrasing suggests there are more than one.
This scholarship exists as an online degree financial assistance program which is financed and maintained by GetEducated.com’s distance learning professionals as part of their aim to help reduce the cost of online schooling.
Amount awarded: $1,000
Deadline: October 15 or March 15
Eligibility requirements:
- Must be a U.S. citizen
- Must be currently enrolled in an accredited online college
- Must have a 3.0 GPA
Application requirements:
- 500 word essay on “What a college degree means to me”
- Most recent transcript (college or high school)
- Most recent FAFSA (or a copy of your most recent 1040 tax return)
3. SR Education Group Scholarship for Women
Female college students get two $5,000 need-based scholarships from the SR Education Group. To provide their judges a complete picture of each candidate, she must respond to two open-ended, personal, and thought-provoking questions. Students whose comments are selected by their team to be the most convincing, captivating, and well-written will be considered finalists.
Amount awarded: $5,000
Deadline: September 30
Eligibility requirements:
- Must be a U.S. citizen
- Must not be a resident of Rhode Island, Guam, Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands
- Must be female
- Must be at least 16 years old
Application requirements:
- 300–500 word responses to two questions about your future plans and need for financial assistance
4. SR Education Group Community College Scholarship
Community college and junior college students are eligible for two $2,500 need-based scholarships from the SR Education Group. You’ll need to write persuasive short essays on how you want to use your degree and what your first five years after college will look like, as well as any personal or family circumstances that may impact your need for financial help.
Amount awarded: $2,500
Deadline: October 7
Eligibility requirements:
- Must be a U.S. citizen
- Must not be a resident of Rhode Island, Guam, Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands
- Must be enrolled at an accredited community college or junior college
- Must be at least 16 years old
Application requirements:
- 300–500 word responses to two questions about your future plans and need for financial assistance
5. SHRM Undergraduate Scholarship
Anybody interested in working in human resources should become acquainted with the Society for Human Resource Management. They play an important role in developing and reviewing HRM program standards across the country, and its seal of approval is highly recognized and sought after by businesses and institutions.
Amount awarded: $2,500
Deadline: October 10
Eligibility requirements:
- Must be a current member of the Society for Human Resource Management (professional or student)
- Must be enrolled in an “HR-related” undergraduate program at an accredited university (business, psychology, human resources, organizational development, etc.)
- Must have at least a 3.0 GPA
Application requirements:
- Must provide current resume
- Must provide two letters of reference
- Must provide short answers to questions about volunteer/work experience and career aspirations
6. Undergraduate Distance Learning Degrees Academic Scholarship
Notwithstanding the deadline, this scholarship is not to be taken lightly. It’s quite simple to apply, and it’s available to almost every online education student — even prospective students. The only question they ask is a short statement on how this scholarship would help you realize your dreams, but they also include an optional place for you to write “anything else you want to tell us about yourself”.
The mandatory question allows for a maximum of 100 words, while this optional blank area has no word limit. Here is your opportunity to repurpose your greatest scholarship essays from past applications.
Amount awarded: $500
Deadline: April 1
Eligibility requirements:
- Must be pursuing a distance learning associate or bachelor degree
- Must be at least a high school senior
- Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent U.S. resident
- Must have at least 30 semester or 45 quarter credits remaining in their program
Application requirements:
- Must provide basic information and a short explanation of how this scholarship will help you achieve your dreams
7. Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society scholarships
The PTK honor society is a national honor society. The objective of Phi Theta Kappa is to acknowledge college students’ academic accomplishment and to offer chances for them to flourish as scholars and leaders. They offer over $90 million in scholarships to members.
Amount awarded:
- Associate’s: up to $1,000 each
- Bachelor’s: $1,500 to $30,000 each
- Master’s: up to $2,500 each
Deadlines: fall and spring
Eligibility requirements: varies
Application requirements:
- Varies. Some require PTK membership, others do not
8. Education Matters Scholarship
This scholarship is in reaction to individuals who argue that education (particularly higher education) is unimportant. Candidates must explain personal motivations for seeking higher education as well as “convince” cynics who feel it makes no difference.
Amount awarded: $5,000
Deadline: November 30
Eligibility requirements:
- Must be at least 13 years old
- Must be a legal U.S. resident
- Must enroll in an accredited postsecondary institution by 2023
Application requirements: explain why education matters in 250 words or less
9. Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship
Maybe your subterranean bunker and MRE stockpile will never be used, but your survival abilities can earn you some money for school. Assume your high school or college has been overtaken by zombies. Your math professor, the ladies in the cafeteria, and even your closest buddy have all become part of the wandering dead. Create a strategy for avoiding zombies, including where you’d hide and the top five items you’d take along to stay alive.
Amount awarded: $2,000
Deadline: October 31
Eligibility requirements:
- Must be at least 13 years old
- Must be a legal U.S. resident
- Must enroll in a postsecondary institution by 2023
Application requirements: in 250 words or less, explain how you would survive the zombie apocalypse if it came to your school
10. Hungry to Lead Scholarship
Hungry to Lead provides four merit-based scholarships each year to individuals pursuing a degree in foodservice management or a related industry. The scholarships are administered through a single application, and the amount granted is determined by an applicant’s “position” (for example, fourth place receives $500, whereas first place receives $2,500).
Amount awarded: $500-$2,500
Deadline: July 1
Eligibility requirements:
- Must be a full-time high school senior or college student registered or pre-registered at an accredited postsecondary school
- Must be pursuing a degree in foodservice management, hospitality, or directly related field
- Must have a high school or college GPA of 2.5 or higher
- Must have a SAT score of at least 1300 or ACT score of at least 18
Application requirements: N/A
11. USAttorneys.com National Scholarship Essay Contest
This scholarship does not say that it is solely for law students, but having a legal background will undoubtedly help you write a multi-page report on yes or no questions like “Can you get a divorce at the courthouse?” Anyone with a little research can ace this essay.
Amount awarded: $500
Deadline: June 1
Eligibility requirements:
- Must be a U.S. citizen
- Must be currently enrolled or planning to attend an accredited American university or college
Application requirements: submit an 800–1,000 word legal essay on a divorce-related topic (topics listed on the website)
12. Unigo $10,000 Scholarship
The essay requirement here has to be the shortest essay in college scholarship history. Nothing in the question or program indicates which type of tweet is more likely to win, but let’s be honest. They’re requesting a tweet, so may the wittiest one win.
Amount awarded: $10,000
Deadline: December 31
Eligibility requirements:
- Must be at least 13 years old
- Must be a legal resident of the U.S.
- Must enroll in a postsecondary institution by 2023
Application requirements: a 140-character response to the question, “You just became president—what’s your first tweet?”
13. ZipRecruiter Scholarship
ZipRecruiter is giving away one $3,000 scholarship per quarter until the end of 2018. It’s unclear whether the scholarship program will continue beyond that. You can include text, photographs, infographics, or anything else that fits on one page for your one page submission.
Amount awarded: $3,000
Deadline: September 30 (new scholarship every quarter)
Eligibility requirements:
- Must be a legal resident of the U.S.
- Must be enrolled at an accredited high school, college, or university in the U.S.
Application requirements: a 250–500 word essay about your city, your local job market, or how ZipRecruiter can help you find a job (must be one page)
14. “You Deserve it” Scholarship
Scholarship Owl runs a random scholarship draw and allows you to participate once every seven days while the drawing is running. With a single entry, your chances of winning the drawing are one in 66,000. This is one of the simplest applications you’ll fill out, so if you set a calendar reminder for yourself, it should be very straightforward to enter the maximum number of times in each design.
Amount awarded: $1,000
Deadline: September 29 (new drawings occur frequently)
Eligibility requirements:
- Must be a resident of the United States (except for Rhode Island)
- Must be at least 16 years old
- Must be enrolled in a qualified high school, college, or university within three months of winning
Application requirements:
- Provide basic information
15. Annual USA University Student Scholarship
This essay contest is hosted by Chameleon John. The questions are straightforward: what are your aims, how will this help you, and what great quotation best characterizes you? 1,000 characters isn’t much space to work with — around it’s 200 words. They offer a rather broad list of cooperating schools, and if yours isn’t on it, you may put them in touch with your school to get that changed.
Amount awarded: $2,000
Deadline: December 15
Eligibility requirements:
- Must attend one of the participating universities
Application requirements:
- Must answer three essay questions (up to 1,000 characters each)
16. Return2College Scholarship
Surprisingly, if you wish to provide a longer response to the query, you may input numerous times. Your entire contribution counts as one entry. I would suggest focusing on your best response and leave it at that, but if you need to add more, you may.
Amount awarded: $1,000
Deadline: September 30
Eligibility requirements:
- Must be a legal U.S. resident
- Must be 17 years old
- Must be enrolled at least part-time within the next 12 months
Application requirements: explain why you’re getting a degree in three sentences or less
17. Courage to Grow Scholarship
This is a simple application, and it appears that you might keep your essay and re-submit it every month. Just an idea. This is one of those challenges that might be difficult at first as you learn how to hype yourself up, but don’t hold back. Here is the spot to play your best hits and demonstrate your finest accomplishments.
Amount awarded: $500
Deadline: New every month
Eligibility requirements:
- Must be at least a junior in high school
- Must have at least a 2.5 GPA
Application requirements:
- Explain why you deserve the award in 250 words or less
18. Foreclosure.com Scholarship
The requirement for this scholarship is of a lengthier essay that will need significant study and effort in order to be written successfully. But, if you’re an excellent writer or know a lot about money or real estate, this is a fantastic chance.
Make use of your resources (such as individuals you know who own properties) and bear in mind that this website is a location where people may buy foreclosed homes. To locate the appropriate angle, poke about a little and carefully read the prompt. There are five winners. The winner receives $5,000, while the others receive $1,000.
Amount awarded: $1,000–$5,000
Deadline: December 15
Eligibility requirements:
- Must be currently enrolled as an undergraduate at a college in the U.S.
Application requirements:
- Write an 800–2,000 word essay on the American Dream
19. Top Ten List Scholarship
Because you only get roughly 25 words per “reason” for the requirement of this scholarship, this isn’t the time to tell a story. But, because of the style of this application, you may be able to disclose some of the more intriguing personal information about yourself that you would not be able to discuss in other forms. Examine David Letterman’s top ten lists to see how it’s done.
Amount awarded: $1,500
Eligibility requirements:
- Must be at least 13 years old
- Must be a legal resident of the U.S.
- Must enroll in an institute of higher education by 2023
Application requirements:
- List the top 10 reasons you should get this scholarship in 250 words or less.
School-specific scholarships for online students
Several colleges and universities have their own scholarship schemes. They can drastically lower – or perhaps eliminate – your tuition fees or give other forms of financial aid. If you are already enrolled in a school or considering a certain degree program, check to see whether your institution offers its own scholarship programs. Alternatively, consider any of the following:
20. Tuition-free online education from University of the People
International students can enroll in this tuition-free online education. The University of the People (UoPeople) is the world’s first non-profit, tuition-free online institution. UoPeople, a global organization dedicated to increasing access to higher education, is meant to assist competent high school graduates in overcoming financial, cultural, geographic, political, and personal barriers that prevent people from pursuing postsecondary study.
Amount awarded: 100% of tuition costs
Deadline: There are five admission periods every year
Eligibility requirements:
- Must be a student at University of the People
Application requirements:
- Education information
- English proficiency score (if applicable)
- All students are automatically awarded the “scholarship”
21. Penn State World Campus Scholarships
Penn State Global Campus is consistently ranked as one of the finest online institutions. They have a number of scholarships available for online undergraduate students.
Amount awarded: $500–-$3,000
Deadline: TBD
Eligibility requirements:
- Must be at least a part-time student at Penn State World Campus
- Must have at least a 2.5 GPA
- Other requirements vary
Application requirements:
- Depends on the specific scholarship
22. Gemology Institute of America scholarships
The Gemology Institute of America offers many scholarships twice a year, including a distance study award. International students are eligible for these possibilities. The application requests a lot of basic information, but it appears to be universal—you just need to apply once for all of the scholarships you’re eligible for.
Amount awarded: up to $5,000 or full tuition
Deadlines: September 30 and March 31
Eligibility requirements:
- Must be a student in GIA’s gemology, jewelry, or design programs
- Other requirements vary
Application requirements:
- Photo ID in English
- Letter of recommendation (one is required, two is the maximum)
23. UNICAF scholarships
UNICAF has given over $70 million in scholarships to thousands of students. The UNICAF Scholarship Programme was established to provide bright, poor students with the chance to pursue their education at a reduced cost, through online or blended learning, by gaining globally recognized degrees (only available for Unicaf University programmes).
Amount awarded: varies
Eligibility requirements:
- Must currently earn less than $20,000 per year
- Academic requirements vary
Application requirements: varies
24. Bama By Distance scholarships
The University of Alabama offers one of the best distant learning programs in the country. Its online accounting and online master’s degree programs are very outstanding. Online students at Bama By Distance are eligible for a variety of scholarships from various foundations.
Amount awarded: varies
Eligibility requirements:
- Must be currently enrolled or admitted to The University of Alabama
- Other requirements vary
Application requirements: varies
25. Bemidji State University distance learners scholarships
Bemidji State University offers one of the best online bachelor’s degrees in social work in the country. They provide many scholarships for online education students. The Edward Gersich Distance Learning Scholarship, which is available to distance education students with a 3.0 GPA or better and junior or senior status, is the most commonly accessible opportunity. Additional scholarship possibilities are available to residents of northern Minnesota.
Amount awarded: $1,000
Deadline: March 20
Eligibility requirements:
- Must be a student at BSU
- Other requirements vary
Application requirements: varies
26. Arizona State University scholarships
Arizona State University boasts a robust online education program and over 200 scholarship possibilities, many of which are not based on financial need. Numerous departments provide scholarships to students pursuing specific degree programs. Their scholarship search is a useful tool for narrowing down your options depending on what you are truly eligible for.
Amount awarded: varies
Eligibility requirements: varies
Application requirements:
- Must be at least a half-time student at Arizona State University
Other scholarship resources online students should know about
Unfortunately, we did not include every scholarship available. There are literally hundreds of them. There are several specialist scholarship sites you should be aware of if you want to uncover even more options.
27. Scholarship America
Scholarship America, through Dollars for Scholars, DreamkeepersSM, and Scholarship Management Services, links students to billions of dollars in scholarship opportunities around the country. They provide an up-to-date list of available scholarships with broad applications.
28. Christian scholarships
This Christian Connector Inc. is a clearinghouse for Christian college scholarship possibilities. Christian Connection allows you to create highly specific criteria for the sort of scholarships you’re looking for after a quick survey about your history and the types of institutions you’re interested in. Then it searches a database of scholarships to help you locate exactly what you’re looking for.
29. International distance learning scholarships
It is difficult to locate scholarships to US universities that are available to non-US nationals. Scholarships for Development updated its international distance learning scholarships page on a regular basis to offer you with chances that are only available to online foreign students.
30. Scholarships for members of the military
The Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association offers a variety of scholarships to service members, including STEM scholarships, veterans awards, diversity scholarships, and others.
Tips for applying for scholarships
The majority of scholarships are quite competitive. Especially those that may be found online. The more wide the qualifying conditions and the easier the application procedures, the more difficult it will be to win. However, having a high GPA and a plethora of extracurricular activities will not guarantee you a scholarship. I earned a 3.8 GPA with probably five AP classes, was a state finalist athlete, and volunteered a lot. I only received a few of scholarships after applying to dozens of them.
I’m not saying this to discourage you, but applying for scholarships may be a full-time job. There are several things you should do to save time and effort if you don’t want to be irritated. You’ll have the best odds with “niche” scholarships for certain sorts of degree programs, schools, or persons. Local scholarships are likely to have the least competition, so talk to whoever handles “career services” (or something similar) at your school.
Here are my three most important suggestions when applying for scholarships:
1. Use a spreadsheet to stay organized
If you have to sift through online lists like these every time you want to spend a couple hours applying for scholarships, it will quickly become daunting. Begin by searching through listings like this one to find any scholarships you’re eligible for and putting them all in a spreadsheet with links to the applications.
When you finish applications, check them off on your spreadsheet so you know how many scholarships you’ve applied to. Even if crossing items off lists isn’t intrinsically fulfilling for you, it will provide you with something to point to when your parents, instructors, or anyone question you about your application progress.
Furthermore, some scholarship applications will have several independent sections (for example, multiple questions requiring several hundred words each), so you can divide each scholarship into bite-sized portions on your spreadsheet.
Also, you will be inputting a lot of information repeatedly. Some of it is information you should have memorized (such as your contact information and address), some of it is information you should have memorized (such as your social security number), and some of it is information no one should ever bother memorizing, such as an application number. A spreadsheet allows you to retain all of this information in one place, ensuring that it is never lost.
2. Take the time to write a really good essay
Scholarship foundations are always reviewing applications. They are observed by real individuals. Consider yourself to be that person for a moment. There are certain obvious elements that can propel you to the top of a need-based or merit-based scholarship. By the time you get around to applying for scholarships, you don’t have much influence over these.
A well-written essay, on the other hand, might easily put you ahead of similarly qualified candidates, and depending on the scholarship, may even put you ahead of others who are far more qualified.
Also, if you take the time to compose a full, thoughtful response to some of the more generic questions, such as “What does this scholarship mean to you?” or “What are your life goals?” you may reuse it for additional applications. Honestly, don’t feel bad about doing that.
Not sure where to begin? Many people find it difficult to talk about themselves, but practice makes perfect. Make a brief list of items that you don’t believe will ever come up on an application when you reflect on what you’ve done in high school or gained from your experience thus far. Maybe it’s something completely unrelated to school.
Your list may contain some excellent responses to broad inquiries about “who you are” that will help your application stand out. Don’t push them to match the prompts, but if you can find ways to include them, that’s fantastic.
You are not required to be amusing. Being humorous may assist, but it all relies on who happens to read your essay. If you’re excellent at funny though, do funny. Yet, if you believe you’re more amusing than you actually are, it might backfire.
Most individuals will strive much too hard to appear intelligent. This frequently takes the shape of too stiff language, which reduces the reader’s capacity to care.
At all. Write as though you were a genuine person. Preferably, write as you speak. Perhaps a little more formal than that, but just a little. Being able to show personality and be delightfully readable will have a lot higher impact than being the smartest-sounding but most boring person.
3. Don’t put all your eggs in one scholarship
It’s quite simple to become emotionally and psychologically engaged in a particular scholarship. When you search, you’re going to come across scholarships that sound exactly like you. I know because I did it. Don’t become emotionally or psychologically engaged in a scholarship. Do all you can to locate and acquire the ones you’re most likely to receive, but do yourself a great favor and become a scholarship application robot. Someone who creates excellent writings.
FAQs on Best Scholarships for Online Students
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