38 Weird Scholarships for College Students in 2025 & 2026

Comments 33

1. 

   Lana February 14, 2019 at 3:09 pm MST

   Four out of five our kids went to college on full tuition scholarships. The way to get them is work, work, work and do community service and prep for that SAT! Apply to private universities because they are the ones that have scholarships to give away but do it by early Dec in your junior year. By February all the scholarship money has been awarded and it often for the full four years.

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  Mary (Stellar Sidekick) February 14, 2019 at 3:18 pm MST

  Great tips! Thanks Lana!

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  A February 14, 2019 at 3:54 pm MST

  Smart kids who worked hard. Congratulations!!
  Can you please guide a little bit more what kind of community service & which universities?
  Trying to collect info before my kiddo gets there.

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  Lana February 14, 2019 at 7:41 pm MST

  Private colleges, especially smaller ones are easiest. Any service that gets you teen out in the community and serving others is good. Our youngest three were in Civil Air Patrol all through high school.

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  A February 14, 2019 at 10:04 pm MST

  Thanks!!

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2. 

   Kristi S. February 14, 2019 at 3:45 pm MST

   Check to see if your library or local university subscribe to the Foundation Center. https://gtionline.foundationcenter.org/ (there is a “locations” link at the bottom) They have a search engine for individual grants and scholarships. Some you might never have known existed!

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   Mara February 14, 2019 at 5:13 pm MST

   The most amazing scholarship out there is
   The Evans scholarship. Full tuition and quarterly stipend.

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4. 

   Heather February 14, 2019 at 5:24 pm MST

   This is an amazing resource! Thank you HIP2SAVE!

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  Collin (Mrs. Hip) February 15, 2019 at 8:50 am MST

  You’re very welcome, Heather!

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5. 

   sara February 14, 2019 at 7:40 pm MST

   I was very fortunate in undergrad at USC. I received academic and need based scholarships. Being a 1st generation college student also gave me the diversity edge for admission and scholarships. Grad school, on the other hand, is when I became all too familiar with the plight of student loans.

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6. 

   Cindy February 14, 2019 at 7:58 pm MST

   Totally agree!

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7. 

   Luv🌺 February 14, 2019 at 11:03 pm MST

   Thank you Hip2Save for the information, I’ve passed it on to my niece in college.

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  Collin (Mrs. Hip) February 15, 2019 at 8:50 am MST

  Oh good! You’re SO welcome!

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8. 

   Nat C February 19, 2019 at 4:48 am MST

   Thanks for posting. I am a non traditional student. I am trying to return to school to finish my BA after being gone for 10 years… eek. I am at that point where I need it in order to move up at work.

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9. 

   Linda February 19, 2019 at 7:50 am MST

   Some people don’t realize that the pre-SAT test that everyone takes is also a scholarship opportunity (called National Merit). You get a little stipend for being a semi finalist and a bigger stipend for being a finalist. Also, some major private colleges will pick from the finalist pool students to give extra money to (you have to be applying to that school, obviously). My neighbors kids were both finalists. One ended up with a full ride to Vanderbilt. The other ended up with a half tuition scholarship to Villanova. I believe they each applied for a got several other scholarships. Early prep helped my neighbor’s kids get a college degree without going into debt!
   I say this because I took the PSAT 20 years ago without any prep and didn’t realize there was any money attached to it. I ended up being a semi finalist and got a stipend for $500 x 4 years ($2000 total). I don’t know if the numbers changed over the last 2 decades, but that certainly paid for all my books and lab fees for the year. I remember distinctly regretting that I didn’t study or prepare for the PSAT. I shared this with my neighbor as her kids were starting high school

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10. 

    Gina February 19, 2019 at 10:35 pm MST

    If you have a learning disability or a physical disability, check with your state’s rehabilitation department for scholarship money. I know several people who have gotten 4 year full tuition and books paid this way.

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11. 

    Anne February 20, 2019 at 10:14 am MST

    These are awesome! Also, if you have student loan debt, check out the Givling trivia app. Here’s a link to a CNBC article about them. https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/14/ways-to-reduce-your-student-debt-without-using-your-paycheck.html?fbclid=IwAR1xTxWkJXKwmfl6YtrZ8tWlmvCRU1qE0D3gt5U0yb6RrEeYf6cNJKrembw

    They crowd fund, but you can play and be eligible without spending a penny. They have weekly trivia with nice cash prize, they have two random $10000 drawings, while also crowdfunding $50,000 for a student loan or mortgage (if you don’t have either, you can put the money into an approved investment fund). If you sign up, I’d love it if you use my invite code, RB798402.

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12. 

    Marina Keaton February 11, 2021 at 4:56 am MST

    In 2019, I applied for the first time for an unusual scholarship: https://www.collegexpress.com/scholarships/annual-video-contest-scholarship-for-students/2037264/ I didn’t get it, and I was a little disappointed. But I found out that there are a lot of such programs and you can try your hand at it every year. There really are plenty of scholarship opportunities for students, no matter what anyone says.

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13. 

    Becca April 12, 2022 at 6:13 am MST

    My daughter is completing her sophomore year of college, here are a few tips that worked for us:

    1. Start thinking about college the summer after freshman year. Have the discussions about what type of school your student wants to attend (small vs large; distance from home, etc)
    2. We started visiting colleges after Sophomore year and my daughter found the school that she fell in love with (we did too) after visiting 6 schools.
    3. Junior Year – set up a meeting with the school (s) your student has narrowed down their list to.
    4. Work on finding scholarships to apply to – some you can apply to even junior year of high school. Two Facebook groups I have found extremely helpful are: Wendy Roever Nelson and Merit Scholarship Deep Dive. Wendy publishes a monthly list of scholarships due at the end of the month – it is a great list with basic information so you know if it is a scholarship your student should apply to.
    5. Have your student go in and start asking questions and get to know the college and career person(s) at their high school. They will publish a list of local scholarships. Local scholarships are easier to get because there are less applicants.
    6. Have your student write an essay about them selves and what they are pursuing. My daughter’s speech teacher made them do that at the start of senior year – and then present it. It was wonderful because it got her to really focus on who she was, what she wanted scholarship givers to know about herself. This really was an important assignment because it helped her so much with all of the scholarships she applied for. She would tweak the essay based on the scholarship type and requirements. Once she had the speech written she also showed it to the college and career center person who reviewed it. Any essays she had to write for scholarships at the beginning of applying she would set up a time and go in and have the woman review.
    7. When you search for scholarships – search for ones for your students intended major but then also search for ones based on attributes of your student: there are scholarships for kindness, for siblings with a sibling with a disability, etc. Also remember, the company you work for might provide scholarships too.
    8. Be organized. Use a spreadsheet to track the scholarships applied for, upcoming due dates, what the scholarship application requires. Have your student obtain a few copies of their transcript because some require it.
    9. Identify people to write references when requested by the scholarship. This is where it really is important that your student has built relationships with teachers, coaches, organizations in the community so the reference ends up being very personal. Keep in mind senior year a lot of students are asking for reference letters. Tell your student to be proactive and ask early – not last minute.
    10. Talk to people – you would be surprised how many great ideas you will get from others about scholarships their students got.
    11. Make sure you fill out the FAFSA form early when the application period opens. It now opens Oct 1st – much earlier than it used to. Even if you do not think you will qualify for aid – it is still often required that you fill it out for some scholarships from the college and overall.
    12. If you do not qualify for any assistance with FAFSA – if you have any unique circumstance, contact the financial aid office to discuss. They do have exception forms and will often help you. For us – we have very high medical bills each year due to me having a chronic illness that requires many specialized scans and hospitalizations a year and so my daughter’s college had me send in an itemized list of our medical bills for the year and they have given her a $2000 donor scholarship and also let her work a work study job on campus. We really appreciated that.
    13. It is a lot of work but definitely worth it to pursue scholarships.
    14. Private colleges/universities do tend to give much more generous scholarships so if at first the price tag scares you – my daughter’s did look further and you will typically find that your student will be awarded a very nice scholarship for the 4 years. My daughter’s scholarship from her private university resulted in us paying less than we would have at our state school. And she wanted to go private. So that price tag of $45000 suddenly became much more doable after she received her scholarship. Also – have your student apply to the school(s) as soon as they can. My daughter was able to apply in the summer before senior year and was accepted. The pressure of applying and getting accepted was off and she focused her year on finding scholarships. We were lucky because we looked early and she found the school she wanted. Many of her friends didn’t even start to look until senior year and some then chose schools they had not even visited yet. And these were very good students. I was surprised but I think many people wait thinking you do this all senior year when in fact you can be visiting colleges throughout high school.

    I hope the information I shared is helpful. Sorry if it is a bit long. Good luck to all your students.

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  Amber (Hip Sidekick) April 12, 2022 at 7:05 am MST

  Thanks a bunch for taking the time to share this helpful list! ❤️❤️We have just started talking more seriously with our kids about what college or type of further education would be best for each of them.

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  Sara April 12, 2022 at 10:08 am MST

  Thanks for sharing all this, and taking the time to write it all out. I love how you laid everything out too. I’m sending what you wrote to a few friends now. Thanks again.

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14. 

    Shannon April 12, 2022 at 7:51 am MST

    If your local high school offers a concurrent community college degree program I highly recommend enrolling your student to save money. It cuts 2 years off a bachelors degree. They start in their junior year. My state paid some of the tuition and the school district provided transportation. My kid is graduating high school with the college degree in a few weeks. He will entering into year 3 in the fall of a bachelors degree. Keep in mind you’ll probably need to stay in your state for maximum credit transfer.

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15. 

    Sara April 12, 2022 at 10:05 am MST

    I don’t have any kids going to college, nor am I, but I love reading about these unexpected scholarships. I didn’t even know scholarships like this existed.

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16. 

    3boys April 12, 2022 at 10:46 am MST

    Tips from a Been There, Done That parent:
    (One child had a perfect ACT score, 17 AP tests, and got a full scholarship to our state university; second child went to a private college and we paid about half of the “sticker price”, they applied during early application and was awarded several school scholarships).

    Colleges: they are a business – “Recruiting Future Graduates”.
    Don’t focus on college’s “sticker price”.

    Demonstrate Leadership!!!
    Create a “Brag Binder” – show to college admissions, easier way for student to talk about themselves.

    Scholarships make up only 5% of all aid. Spend time studying for ACT/SAT (for better score) instead of applying for scholarships.
    College endowments are awarded on first come, first served; are usually rewarded for top 25% applicants. (Apply early!)

    Improve academic skills: reading, test-taking class, take ACT/SAT test-prep class.
    College selection: Career (general career path) -> Major -> College (keeping college values in mind)

    Visit colleges Spring of Junior year.
    Rank colleges before visiting (so that non-academic amenities get in the way of education choice)

    Pick at least 6 colleges to apply to.
    Check college graduation rates.
    Financial aid will be given to those that have other choices (why? To “woo” student).
    Financial aid is a “first come, first served” process.

    After receiving offers from colleges, you can use the lower offers to share with a preferred school to see if they can better their offer.
    College Awards Appeal:
    MUST come from student
    Be respectful, ask directly, make it easy for them to say yes.
    Never say “negotiate” (colleges hate that term)
    If possible be specific (example: “College X has awarded me $10K, can you match that?”)

    Brag Binder:
    Newspaper clippings Honor Roll notices Announcements
    Thank-you letters Examples of leadership Training certificates
    Scout photos Volunteer records Degrees / Diplomas
    Certifications of achievement Charitable activities Membership certificates/IDs
    Sports officiating credentials Junior Achievement projects Business cards
    Newsletter mentions Articles you have written Special commendations
    Letters of appreciation Performance reviews/bonuses

    (Some of the above info is personal knowledge learned from other parents before me; other info is from a Thrivent Financial College Planning seminar I went to)

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17. 

    Cari April 12, 2022 at 4:55 pm MST

    One million percent in favor of community colleges. Colleges are businesses. Many schools have programs where you can get four year degrees while never leaving the campus of the community college, HUGE money saver. If your kids work, have them ask their employers about scholarships too. My son worked at a grocery store and applied for scholarships every year. Over the 4 years he was awarded over $10,000 which was sooooo helpful.

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18. 

    riss August 18, 2022 at 2:14 pm MST

    Take AP courses in HS. That would lessen your kids’ college tuition and work load in college, and probably graduate a semester or two early.
    Don’t forget if your spouse was/in the military, free tuition to state schools and universities. Our kids went to UC schools and the VA paid for the tuition. They got some scholarships so it helped a little for dorms and food. But planning ahead is the key. We opened 529 plans when they were young, and we used the funds for the dorm/apartment, food, books. That and they worked through college for their personal expenses. We still gave them allowances, but when they started working part time and paid internships, they said they didn’t need their full allowance 😀. Both graduated in 4 years, which is hard in University of California system due to impacted classes, etc. And they graduated without student loans and enough money in the bank to start on their own ( with roommates) without our help 🙂

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  Nicole (Hip Sidekick) August 18, 2022 at 2:17 pm MST

  Thanks for that helpful info, riss! I’m sure other readers will find it to be very helpful.

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  Mimi August 21, 2022 at 11:06 pm MST

  Could you please tell me where I can find the information about VA tuition help? Is this for all states or just State school in California?

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19. 

    Csandst1 August 18, 2022 at 3:20 pm MST

    Just apply and hope for the best. Your child will get in somewhere. Where they go to school doesn’t govern who they become. Very few jobs need a top school listed on the resume, especially the 4 year college. What matters is where the MBA is from.

    During lockdown we lived in NJ. Our son was a senior at the time. He took the SAT once because testing centers kept closing due to Covid. Our son had no extracurricular activities, barely any community service had an average SAT score but did graduate high school with honors. He applied to 4 colleges and was accepted to all and received scholarship money at all the colleges.

    When you apply, you automatically are considered for college sponsored scholarships. We didn’t know this. One private school gave $60,000 scholarship.

    I wouldn’t go sweaty with the notebooks and meetings and charts. It’s too stressful and too much work.

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20. 

    Kerri February 15, 2023 at 4:01 pm MST

    Thank you for this post. I will have two kids in college next fall and we can use every penny we can find. This is so helpful!

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  Jessica (Hip Sidekick) February 15, 2023 at 4:07 pm MST

  YAY! SO happy to hear you found this post helpful, Kerri! You’re welcome! Good luck on all of the scholarship opportunities your kids apply for! 🤞❤️

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21. 

    Amy December 16, 2024 at 9:32 am MST

    It varies. Some smaller local scholarships will sometimes pay the student directly. Larger scholarships will usually get held and sent directly to the school of your choice after enrollment.

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22. 

    Michele July 19, 2025 at 7:38 am MST

    Many of us have needed and appreciated scholarships/grants to obtain our college degrees, and there are some really good suggestions in your post-thank you! One caveat that may not have been mentioned- many high schools offer dual-credit courses that you pay a lower rate for and then the student receives credit for both high school and a local community college. That can be great, as is going to community college for a couple of years to save money. But you can run into trouble with these if/when you transfer to a 4 year university. For example, a calculous class that a student takes as dual credit in high school may transfer to his chosen 4 yr university as a college-level class that fulfills a university math requirement, or it may just transfer as a general credit (not specifically meeting the math requirement). That might be ok, but it might also leave you with more general credits than you need (for which you have had to pay) and still having to pay again to take those specific required classes at university. This can be tricky, expensive, and really disappointing. If you are considering the dual-credit classes and want to attend a 4 year university, it’s a good idea to check with the admissions offices of the universities you are considering and see how these classes will be credited at their college. It’s not nearly as much fun as winning/earning big scholarships, but it can help you to save quite a bit of money

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