35 Great Scholarships for Online Students

Finding all the best scholarships for online students is not an easy task, but we’ve made great strides in making it a lot easier for our readers. Putting 40 of the top picks all in one place, we’ve done a lot of the work already, and all you have to do now is read along and apply. So onward, and we wish you the best in your online scholarship pursuit.

Related resource: The 30 Most Affordable Bachelor’s Degrees Online

1. Sachs Foundation Morris A. Esmiol, Jr. Scholarship in Engineering

Eligibility

– Be a black or African American student in Colorado.

– Gain admission to the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.

The Sachs Foundation of Colorado supports many, great educational endeavors including those of online African American students in particular. Students fitting this bill that attend the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs can gain valuable tuition support from the organization. More than 200 students are supported by this scholarship at any given time.

Scholarship Website

2. Cal Grant

Eligibility

– Show financial need.

– Attend a qualifying California college.

– Be enrolled or plan to enroll in a program leading to an undergraduate degree or certificate.

– Be a US citizen and have lived in California for at least one year.

The California Student Aid Commission facilitates this great opportunity for students attending California colleges and universities. “Cal Grants” are the names of these scholarships, and there are three types – A, B, and C. Applications are automatically directed toward the most applicable of the three, while March 2nd is annual the deadline to apply.

Scholarship Website

3. Re-entry Woman Scholarship

Eligibility

– Be a female high school graduate or GED holder without a bachelor’s degree enrolled or accepted in a degree program at a community college, four-year college, or university.

– Be currently taking courses toward the stated goal and engaged in a leadership activity.

– Live in or attend school in North San Diego County or San Diego.

The Poway Peñasquitos Branch of the American Association of University Women is the gracious sponsor of this opportunity, with three $2,000 awards being offered every year. Applicants must be San Diego residents for this award. March 1st is the final deadline to apply.

Scholarship Website

4. Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholarship

Eligibility

– Open to Phi Theta Kappa members only.

– Applicants must have a minimum 3.5 GPA, have completed 12-36 semester hours, and be currently enrolled in an associate’s degree program.

The Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholarship is one of a number of great scholarship opportunities orchestrated by the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. With this particular opportunity, winners receive $1,000 in funding. $207,000 in total awards go out via this scholarship every year with 200 reserved specifically for military member applicants.

Scholarship Website

5. Post Secondary College Scholarship

Eligibility

– Be a US citizen or permanent resident.

– Have a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or better.

– Be enrolled in business administration, education, finance, accounting, information technology, insurance studies, marketing, or mathematics.

– Be enrolled in a minimum of 12 credit hours at an accredited post-secondary school or be employed full-time and enrolled in a minimum of six credit hours at an accredited post-secondary school.

Courtesy of the Sila Foundation, students have a chance at the very helpful Post Secondary College Scholarship. This opportunity offers $2,500 in funding assistance to winning applicants. Each year, 10 students are chosen for the award. May 31st is the application deadline.

Scholarship Website

6. Green House Scholars Scholarship

Eligibility

– Be a graduating high school senior planning to attend a four-year accredited academic institution.

– Be a US citizen or permanent resident and a legal resident of Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, or North Carolina.

– Have a cumulative, unweighted GPA of 3.5 or above.

– Demonstrate financial need (annual household income no greater than $70,000).

– Possess excellent leadership skills, and the ability to persevere through difficult circumstances, and a strong interest in and commitment to the community.

The Green House Scholars Scholarship is brought to you by Greenhouse Scholars, a non-profit focused on raising leaders from low-income communities. Award amounts vary each year, but the application submission deadline holds firm at November 22nd. Winners are then announced on April 20th for each state.

Scholarship Website

7. AWF Legacy Scholarship

Eligibility

– Applicant must be a woman who has served or is serving honorably in the US Army, US Army Reserve, Army National Guard, or the child of a woman who served honorably in the US Army, US Army Reserve, or Army National Guard.

For today’s female service members and their children, the Army Women’s Foundation extends the AWF Legacy Scholarship. This funding opportunity can take the shape of up to $2,500 depending on the type of Legacy Award the winner receives. Whether it’s a university program or simply a certificate program of some sort, this scholarship will cover it.

Scholarship Website

8. The Ludo Frevel Crystallography Scholarship

Eligibility

– The applicant should be a graduate student enrolled in a graduate degree program during the 2020 calendar year, with a major interest in crystallography, crystal morphology, modulated structures, correlation of atomic structure with physical properties, systematic classification of crystal structures, phase identification, or materials characterization.

The Ludo Frevel Crystallography Scholarship is an homage to the late Ludo Frevel who was a pioneering scientist and researcher. It is offered by the International Center of Diffraction Data which has awarded 207 such scholarships since 1991. Award amounts have increased over the years, with $2,500 and one, possible renewal composing the most recent award.

Scholarship Website

9. Outstanding Service Award

Eligibility

– Applicants must be higher education students currently enrolled for a minimum of 6 credits at a Washington Campus Compact member institution.

Students Serving Washington Awards, an organization dedicated to encouraging greatness in students from Washington State, offers the Outstanding Service Award. This one requires students to submit a project in exchange for a chance to win one of the numerous scholarship awards. The deadline for application does change, so you are recommended to contact the organization directly for more info.

Scholarship Website

10. Educators Rising Scholarship

Eligibility

– High school seniors who are paid, active-level members of Educators Rising and pursuing a career in education may apply for a scholarship.

The Educators Rising Scholarship seeks to promote the hopes of high school seniors wishing to work in the education industry. Depending on the exact award issued, winners can receive up to $5,000 in renewable and non-renewable funds. Typically, 30 scholarships are given out each year by Educators Rising.

Scholarship Website

See also: 30 Great Education Scholarships

11. Arizona BPW Scholarship

Eligibility

– Scholarships are awarded to women 21 years or older who are returning to school at a community college to acquire better job opportunities or advance their current careers.

– All scholarship recipients are required to attend one Arizona BPW Foundation event per year.

The Arizona Business and Professional Women’s Foundation began in 1989 and is all about supporting women in seeking out careers in education. In the effort of satisfying that mission, the group offers several women a scholarship award annually. Foundation Board members and community volunteers are responsible for making selections which then divert funds directly to the winning students’ school accounts.

Scholarship Website

12. Full-Ride Scholarship

Eligibility

– Must be an incoming freshman at a Colorado public college or university.

The Colorado Garden Foundation, as its name suggests, represents the interests of the gardening world all across Colorado. The organization also provides numerous, excellent scholarship opportunities to students and residents of Colorado. The Full-Ride Scholarship is one of these, offering four years of schooling with all expenses paid.

Scholarship Website

13. Undergraduate Scholarship

Eligibility

– Be enrolled in a recognized accredited college in Colorado.

– Have completed at least 3 semesters with a G.P.A. of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale.

– Have successfully completed at least one course in Botany or Horticulture, and two courses in the fields of soil science, turf culture, floriculture, greenhouse management, arboriculture, or other plant sciences.

The Colorado Garden Foundation’s Undergraduate Scholarship is the next tier down from the above-mentioned Full-Ride Scholarship. In this particular opportunity, winners receive a gracious award of tuition, books, and fees all paid for an entire year. Be studying in an undergraduate program related to plant sciences and have a 3.0 GPA or better, and you’ve got a chance to win.

Scholarship Website

14. Graduate Scholarship

Eligibility

– Enrolled in the master’s or doctorate program to further their undergraduate degree at a recognized accredited college in Colorado.

– Graduated from an accredited undergraduate program with a GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale.

– Have successfully completed at least one course in botany or horticulture, and two courses in the fields of soil science, turf culture, floriculture, greenhouse management, arboriculture, or other plant sciences.

The Colorado Garden Foundation’s Graduate Scholarship is its last offering in its scholarship lineup. This one is similar to the above-mentioned Undergraduate Scholarship, offering a year of all educational expenses paid, but in this case, for graduate students only. Again, present with a 3.0 or better and be studying in a plant sciences field of study, and you’ve got a chance to win.

Scholarship Website

15. CFSC General Scholarship

Eligibility

– Be a resident of Shelby County, Ohio.

– Be a graduating high school senior in financial need.

The Community Foundation of Shelby County is built around bolstering its community in all shapes and forms. The organization’s CFSC General Scholarship is designed to help do just that by helping students with tuition funding as they exit high school and enter college. February 13th marks the annual deadline for application to this one.

Scholarship Website

16. KKGF Scholarship

Eligibility

– Be a graduate or undergraduate Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation member.

The Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation awards multiple KKGF Scholarships each year. Each award can vary in the exact amount, but most come to the tune of $3,000. You must be a graduate or undergraduate Kappa member and apply by the February 3rd deadline for a chance at this great opportunity.

Scholarship Website

17. The RBPA Scholarship

Eligibility

– ​Applicants with residency within the New England area (Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut) are eligible for this scholarship.

– Applicants must be entering an accredited institution of higher learning no later than the following fall semester from the award year.

The RBPA Scholarship is an initiative of the Rainbow Business Professionals Association, an organization built around supporting the advancement of LGBTQ professionals in the New England area. Award amounts have continually grown and vary each year. Apply by the third Friday of March to gain consideration.

Scholarship Website

18. Margate-Coconut Creek Firefighters Benevolent Scholarship

Eligibility

– Be a resident of Broward County.

– Be a high school graduate or possess a GED.

– Be accepted to an institution offering programs in firefighting, EMT, or paramedic studies.

The Margate-Coconut Creek Firefighters Benevolent Scholarship is sponsored by the Margate-Coconut Creek Firefighter’s Benevolent Association, an organization dedicated to community improvement efforts of all types in the Margate, Florida region. If you are on the hunt to become a firefighter, EMT, or paramedic and are a resident of Broward County, you’ve got a shot at winning. Two recipients are awarded each year, with December 1st and June 1st serving as the fall and spring application deadlines.

Scholarship Website

19. ASCPA High School Scholarship

Eligibility

– Must be enrolled in an Arizona college by fall as a full-time student.

– Must be a declared accounting major.

– Must be an Arizona resident and US citizen.

In its ongoing efforts to promote talent in the accounting industry, the Arizona Society of CPAs offers the annual ASCPA High School Scholarship. This one gives two winners a $1,000 award each. To win, the organization must see you as the most likely to contribute significantly to the field of accounting among the other applicants.

Scholarship Website

20. Cancer for College Scholarship

Eligibility

– Be in good standing at an accredited college or university.

– Be able to provide a doctor diagnosis letter.

Cancer for College was set up to support achieving cancer survivors in their efforts to gain further education and achieve higher career goals. To that effort, the organization awards its annual $5,000 Cancer for College Scholarship to many student survivors. January 31st is the application deadline with winners’ announcements coming on July 1st.

Scholarship Website

21. College JumpStart Scholarship

Eligibility

– Must be a current student (high school 10th-12th or college) or be planning to enter college within the next 12 months.

– Must be a US citizen or legal resident.

The College JumpStart Scholarship is a fairly broad opportunity nearly anyone can apply to. Simply be a US citizen and in school or planning to return, and you have a chance to win an award of up to $1,000. Financial need, grades, nor test scores are even considered here. Apply by April 15th for your chance to win.

Scholarship Website

22. SSF Scholarship

Eligibility

– Be a student at Flagler at TCC, Florida A&M, Florida Gulf Coast University, Florida State University, Santa Fe College, Tallahassee Community College, or the University of Florida.

– Demonstrate excellent academic merit and exemplify good character.

– Demonstrate financial need.

As its name suggests, the Southern Scholarship Foundation is an organization primarily focused on the advancement of southern students, specifically Florida students, through scholarships and other means. Most notably, the key function of the organization’s scholarship offer is to provide rent-free housing to students as they progress through their degree programs. 60 years and thousands of students later, this one continues to help many in a vital way that many scholarships do not.

Scholarship Website

23. Bright Futures Scholarship

Eligibility

– Be a student in early childhood or a related field of study.

The Bright Futures Scholarship is offered each year by the Bright Horizons organization, a group dedicated to bridging the often difficult gaps and hurdles represented between home life and work life in workers all across the US. In that effort, the group has sustained relationships with 1,100 companies for over 20 years. Award amounts vary but always go to students in early childhood and related fields of study.

Scholarship Website

24. Phi Theta Kappa Transfer Scholarship

Eligibility

– Be a Phi Theta Kappa member or alumni attending an SNHU online degree program.

This and the next, six scholarship listings come courtesy of the generosity of Southern New Hampshire University. The first we will cover is the university’s Phi Theta Kappa Transfer Scholarship. This opportunity affords winners a 10 percent reduction in tuition for their SNHU online courses. Simply identify as a Phi Theta Kappa member or alumni to qualify.

Scholarship Website

25. Finlay Family Scholarship

Eligibility

– Show financial need.

– Be a graduate or undergraduate School of Business major.

– Show an entrepreneurial spirit.

The Finlay Family Scholarship is an offering of SNHU’s School of Business. With this opportunity, students in a graduate or undergraduate School of Business major who display an entrepreneurial spirit are the intended awardees. This one is financial needs-based.

Scholarship Website

26. Hassa Jadvani Memorial Scholarship

Eligibility

– Be a Sikh or Hindu student of Indian descent.

– Be enrolled in the International Business or Finance curriculum using standard need and academic criteria.

The Hassa Jadvani Memorial Scholarship is an SNHU School of Business offering specifically arranged to support Sikh and Hindu students of Indian descent. Award amounts vary each year. Applicants must be enrolled in the school’s School of Business to gain consideration.

Scholarship Website

27. School of Business Scholarship Fund

Eligibility

– Demonstrate financial need and academic excellence.

– Be an SNHU School of Business undergraduate or graduate student.

SNHU’s School of Business Scholarship Fund is yet another funding opportunity sponsored by the college’s School of Business. This one is a fairly broad option that nearly any student can qualify for. Simply demonstrate financial need and academic excellence, and you’ve got a shot at winning the award.

Scholarship Website

28. Alumni Leadership Scholarship

Eligibility

– Complete at least two terms with a minimum GPA of 3.0 at SNHU.

– Demonstrate leadership skills in the SNHU community and be actively engaged in student life.

The Alumni Leadership Scholarship is a broad SNHU scholarship opportunity designed to simply encourage and award good grades and leadership. Leadership skills and an actively engaged student life help to gain a win here, while the 3.0 GPA requirement is mandatory. This one was created by and is a duty of the university’s Alumni Board of Directors.

Scholarship Website

29. The Continuing Education Scholarship

Eligibility

– Have a 3.0 GPA or better.

– Be an SNHU online or matriculated SNHU Continuing Education student.

– Be the sole supporter of your own college-related expenses.

Another of SNHU’s general scholarships is The Continuing Education Scholarship. This one provides valuable tuition funding to students who are the sole supporters of their own college expenses. All SNHU online and matriculated SNHU Continuing Education students are welcome and encouraged to apply.

Scholarship Website

30. Martha Van Hyland Scholarship

Eligibility

– Be a Belknap County resident.

– Be enrolled in SNHU’s Continuing Education program or online bachelor’s degree program with a continued GPA of 3.0 or higher.

The Martha Van Hyland Scholarship is an SNHU scholarship opportunity for the college’s students who have financial need but also demonstrate a regular GPA of 3.0 or better. It was created in memory of Southern New Hampshire University alumna, Martha Van Hyland. Belknap County residents are the specific, intended targets of this great gift.

Scholarship Website

31. Senior Project Scholarship

Eligibility

– Be a current Ashford senior or alumni with a 3.2 GPA or better.

– Must have completed the school’s Forbes School of Business & Technology Capstone Course within the last 12 months.

Ashford University is the gracious provider of this and the last, four scholarship opportunities on our list. This particular offer, the Senior Project Scholarship, is facilitated by the university’s Business School and helps students out if they submit a great capstone project. Amounts awarded vary per year and per placement among the competing winners.

Scholarship Website

32. Entrepreneurship Scholarship

Eligibility

– Be a prospective student, currently enrolled student, returning student, or university alumni.

The Entrepreneurship Scholarship is Ashford University’s very helpful nod to the entrepreneurial student. To get in on a chance at this opportunity, students must submit a business plan for a current or future business idea. Prospective Ashford University students are even eligible to apply.

Scholarship Website

33. NEU Teacher Scholarship

Eligibility

– Be active in the NEU Network of Ashford University.

– Be a teacher.

– Be enrolled in an Ashford education-related graduate degree.

Ashford University also promotes a unique, NEU line of scholarships. “NEU” here stands for No Excuses University, an initiative promoting excellence in the school’s students. This particular NEU scholarship goes out to teachers who are active in the NEU Network of the school.

Scholarship Website

34. NEU Parent Scholarship

Eligibility

– Be active in the NEU Network of Ashford University.

– Be a parent or guardian of a current student in the NEU Network.

– Be enrolled in any undergraduate degree program offered by Ashford University.

The other NEU-based scholarship opportunity offered by Ashford University is the school’s NEU Parent Scholarship. This one promotes family continuance in educational endeavors at the school by offering tuition assistance to parents and guardians of current students. Awarded funds are then applied to the tuition and technology fees for any undergraduate degree offered by Ashford University.

Scholarship Website

35. Homefront Heroes Scholarship

Eligibility

– Be a military spouse who is enrolled in any undergraduate online program at Ashford University.

Finally, Ashford University’s line of San Diego Community Scholarships offers direct attention to the military family. The Homefront Heroes Scholarship is one of the school’s avenues for doing so and providing value tuition assistance where needed most. Apply by the final day in November and be a military spouse for a chance to win this last scholarship opportunity in our list of the best scholarships for online students right now.

Scholarship Website

More where that came from: see our other excellent scholarships here.

Scholarships Today: Common FAQs

To help answer some of those more common questions that come up about scholarships today, we’ve provided a great FAQ section. Read along if you have any general questions. You asked, and here we answer some of your most common questions.

What are the usual deadlines for scholarships?

Scholarship deadlines can really vary greatly from one source to another. In nearly all cases, the deadline has been set to a time period appropriate for the provider’s processes as well as timed with typical school schedules. The prime season for scholarship deadlines and submissions, however, lasts from January to April.

How are scholarship funds typically distributed?

In most cases, scholarship funds are set to disburse directly to the student’s education-related billers. This can be that student’s school or even a vendor that the student must purchase school supplies from. In less frequent cases, students or other entities can receive scholarship funds directly.

Can scholarship awards be canceled or withdrawn by the provider?

Rumors circulate every so often that once awarded a scholarship, the recipient can never lose it. This is simply false information. When there are lingering funds or other incomplete duties associated with a scholarship, that scholarship can almost always be subject to termination. For this action to take place, the student must be found to be in some sort of serious violation.

How do scholarships awards affect financial aid?

When anyone receiving financial aid wins a scholarship, they are required to report that scholarship to their school’s financial aid office. This then may lead to some adjustments to the aid package that student was previously entitled to. The scholarship itself, however, does not become affected.

What if I’ve been offered a scholarship by a company that just requires a small fee first?

Scholarships and school funding matters offer scammers one more area to work in the hopes of scoring big, and as a result, scholarship scams are on the rise. Scholarships should never come with a financial price tag, and if you are offered one like this, run the other way. No legitimate scholarship asks for money from the recipient at any time in the process.

Is it worth pursuing lesser-known scholarships over better-known options?

Any scholarship you are eligible for is one that you should apply to. It’s great to have a big name behind your intended scholarship, but that is also where the majority of other candidates will apply. Lesser-known scholarship providers are a great way to hunt scholarships, and they tend to receive far fewer applicants which is great for you.

Where can the Hope Scholarship be found?

The Hope Scholarship is not an actual scholarship. This funding consideration is actually a government-provided tax credit. Another, similar option, is the US government’s Lifetime Learning Credit. These two credits must be used in separate tax years, for those interested, but are not actual scholarships.

What’s the best way to find scholarships specific to my community?

There is no definitive, catch-all way to find all scholarships offered to a specific area or group of people. For those seeking help from within their specific community, however, one of the best approaches is to simply get out and canvas the area. Local colleges, churches, professional organizations, and even government bodies often get involved in providing scholarly help to members of their surrounding communities.

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