“Education is freedom.”
Scholarships: Where to Look and When to Apply
Most financial aid comes from colleges themselves (institutional or merit aid). Outside scholarships add to it, and most are modest, from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. "97% of students that are awarded (non-institutional) scholarships receive $2,500 or less." Source
About the deadlines on this page: each entry shows the program's usual yearly pattern, not an exact date. Programs shift by a few days each year, so always confirm on the official site before you apply. Last reviewed: September 2026.
How to approach it
Plan, research and apply early. This is a good task to share: parents or family research, and the student checks details and writes the essays.
Ask your high school counselor, who often knows local scholarships best.
Look locally: state programs, religious organizations, service clubs (Lions, Rotary, Chamber of Commerce), activity groups like Scouts, and parents' or grandparents' employers.
College alumni often fund scholarships for one specific college. Look on that college's website.
Read the rules carefully. Residency is common, but eligibility can be based on almost anything.
Be prepared
Keep a current activities list or resume.
Check whether SAT or ACT scores are required. Several of the larger scholarships still require them.
Track every application in a spreadsheet: due dates, essays, recommendations.
Scholarship search websites often sell your contact information. Consider a separate email address just for them.
Warning signs of a scholarship scam
A fee is required.
"Guaranteed" winners.
Requests for sensitive information, such as bank or Social Security numbers.
Unexpected congratulations, especially for something you never applied to.
Pressure language like "Act now!" or "Time-limited offer!"
Poor grammar or spelling.
How this page is organized: national scholarships grouped by when you apply (click any name for details), then Colorado programs, then scholarships at specific Colorado colleges.
At a glance
Listed in the order you would apply. Click any name further down the page for details. Deadlines are usual patterns; confirm on each official site.
| Scholarship | Usual deadline | Award | Need-based? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Merit | PSAT, October of junior year | $2,500 and up | No | Top test scorers |
| Coolidge | Early December, junior year | Full ride | No | Juniors |
| Horatio Alger | March 1 (juniors), Feb 15 (seniors) | Up to $25,000 | Yes | Overcoming adversity |
| Cameron Impact | Feb 1 to May 1, junior year | Full tuition, fees, books | No | Leaders with 3.7+ GPA |
| QuestBridge College Prep | Late March, junior year | Program, not money | Yes | Low-income high achievers |
| Gates | Mid-September | Full cost of attendance | Yes (Pell) | Pell-eligible leaders |
| Coca-Cola Scholars | Sept 30 | $20,000 | No | Service leaders |
| QuestBridge Match | Oct 1 | Full four-year scholarship | Yes | Low-income high achievers |
| Daniels Fund (CO) | Oct 15 | Up to full cost | Yes | CO students, AGI up to $100K |
| Boettcher (CO) | Nov 1 | $20,000/yr plus college match | No | Top Colorado seniors |
| Chick-fil-A Community Scholars | Late Oct to early Nov | $25,000 | Yes | Community service |
| Regeneron STS | Early November | $2,000 to $250,000 | No | Original research |
| Jack Kent Cooke | Mid-November | Up to $55,000/yr | Yes | 3.75+ GPA, AGI up to $95K |
| Elks Most Valuable Student | Mid-November | $4,000 to $30,000 | Considered | Well-rounded seniors |
| Stamps | Oct to Jan, by college | Up to full cost | No | Specific partner colleges |
| Ron Brown | Dec 1 | $40,000 | Yes | Black students |
| SMART (Defense Dept.) | Early December | Full tuition plus stipend | No | STEM, government service |
| Burger King Scholars | Dec 15 or 30,000 apps | $1,000 to $60,000 | Partly | Working students |
| Equitable Excellence | Mid-December | $20,000 | Yes | Public high school, 2.5+ GPA |
| Taco Bell Live Más | Early January | $5,000 to $25,000 | Considered | Passion, no GPA minimum |
| GE-Reagan | Early January | $40,000 | Partly | Civic leaders |
| Jackie Robinson | Mid-January | Up to $35,000 | Yes | Leaders with need |
| Amazon Future Engineer | Mid-to-late January | $40,000 plus internship | Yes | Computer science |
| McDonald's HACER | February | Share of $1M | Yes | Latino community service |
| Puksta (CO) | March 1 to 15, after admission | $6,500 to $7,500/yr | Yes | Civic engagement |
| Sachs (CO) | March 15 | $10,000 to $12,500/yr | Yes | Black Colorado students |
“You’re off to great places. Today is your first day! Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way!”
Start in junior year
These programs are decided by what you do, or apply for, before senior year. Click a name for details.
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Award: About 6,700 scholarships a year: one-time $2,500 awards plus corporate- and college-sponsored awards, some renewable.
Who: Juniors who take the PSAT/NMSQT. U.S. citizens or permanent residents. No separate application to enter.
Usual timing: PSAT in October of junior year. Semifinalists are named in September of senior year and submit an application in early-to-mid October (your school counselor has the exact date).
Official site: nationalmerit.org
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Award: Full tuition, room, board and expenses for four years at any accredited U.S. college.
Who: High school juniors only. U.S. citizens or permanent residents. You must start college the fall after graduating.
Usual timing: Opens in the fall of junior year; due in early December.
Official site: coolidgescholars.org
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Award: Up to $25,000 for the national award (105 recipients in the most recent class), plus other specialty programs.
Who: Students who have overcome significant adversity. U.S. citizens, 2.0+ GPA, family income (AGI) of $100,000 or less, attending a four-year college.
Usual timing: Opens Dec 1. Juniors apply by March 1 (national award); seniors by Feb 15.
Official site: horatioalger.org/scholarships
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Award: Full tuition, fees and books at any accredited U.S. college. 15 awards a year.
Who: Juniors with a 3.7+ unweighted GPA. U.S. citizens. Leadership, service and activities count heavily. Not need-based.
Usual timing: Opens Feb 1 of junior year; closes May 1 or when 3,000 applications arrive. Apply early.
Official site: bryancameroneducationfoundation.org
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Award: Not a scholarship itself. College prep support and a head start on the senior-year National College Match.
Who: High-achieving juniors from low-income families.
Usual timing: Due in late March of junior year.
Official site: questbridge.org
Senior year: summer to October 1
These close early. Start them over the summer before senior year.
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Award: Covers the full cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, housing, food) after other aid.
Who: Pell-eligible seniors. U.S. citizens or permanent residents. 3.3+ weighted GPA. Full-time at a four-year nonprofit college.
Usual timing: Opens mid-July; due mid-September.
Official site: thegatesscholarship.org
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Award: $20,000, one time. 150 scholars a year, plus a lifelong scholars network.
Who: Seniors with a 3.0+ GPA. U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Leadership and service count most. Not need-based.
Usual timing: Opens early August; due Sept 30.
Official site: coca-colascholarsfoundation.org
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Award: A full four-year scholarship at one of 55 partner colleges, including Colorado College. The match is binding.
Who: High-achieving seniors, typically from families earning under $65,000 (family of four) with few assets.
Usual timing: Due Oct 1. Match results in early December.
Official site: questbridge.org
Senior year: October to early December
The busiest stretch. Colorado's Daniels Fund (Oct 15) and Boettcher (Nov 1) also fall here; see Colorado programs below.
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Award: $25,000 each for up to 13 students, plus a year of mentoring.
Who: 3.0+ GPA, 18 by mid-July of the award year, and substantial community service in the past 12 months. Financial need considered. U.S. citizenship not required (U.S., Puerto Rico or Canada residents).
Usual timing: Opens late August; due late October or early November.
Official site: chick-fil-a.com/community-scholars
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Award: Top 300 scholars get $2,000 each (plus $2,000 to their school). 40 finalists get $25,000 to $250,000.
Who: Seniors with an original, independent research project. Team projects are not allowed.
Usual timing: Opens early June; due early November.
Official site: societyforscience.org
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Award: Up to $55,000 a year after college aid, plus advising. About 60 new scholars a year.
Who: 3.75+ unweighted GPA, family income (AGI) up to $95,000, and at least one SAT, ACT, AP or IB score (no minimum). Four years of high school in the U.S.
Usual timing: Opens mid-to-late August; due mid-November. Apply through the Common App.
Official site: jkcf.org
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Award: 500 four-year awards. Top 20 receive $30,000; the rest receive $4,000.
Who: U.S. citizens (permanent residents not eligible). No Elks connection needed. Judged on academics, leadership and financial need. No test scores required.
Usual timing: Due mid-November.
Official site: elks.org
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Award: $20,000 to $98,000 a year depending on the college, plus enrichment funds for study abroad and research.
Who: Apply through one of about 40 partner colleges, not the foundation. No Colorado partner is open to high school seniors.
Usual timing: Set by each college, mostly October to November, some in January. Often tied to early action.
Official site: stampsscholars.org
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Award: $10,000 a year for four years, 20 scholars, plus mentoring and a lifelong network.
Who: Black/African American seniors. U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Academics, leadership, service and financial need.
Usual timing: Opens in September; due Dec 1.
Official site: ronbrown.org
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Award: Full tuition, a yearly stipend ($30,000 and up), and paid summer internships.
Who: STEM students with a 3.0+ GPA. After graduating, you work one year as a civilian at a defense facility for each year funded. High school seniors apply through the Dellums SMART track (confirm on the site).
Usual timing: Opens in August; due in early December.
Official site: smartscholarship.org
Senior year: mid-December to January
Many of these open in mid-October, so you can finish them before winter break.
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Award: Most awards are $1,000 (about 4,500 students in 2025). Three top WHOPPER scholarships of $60,000 each.
Who: Seniors with a 2.0+ GPA (3.5+ for WHOPPER). Work experience, activities, community service and financial need all count.
Usual timing: Opens Oct 15; closes Dec 15 or when 30,000 applications arrive, whichever comes first. Apply in October.
Official site: burgerkingfoundation.org
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Award: $5,000 a year for four years, up to 100 students, plus workshops during college.
Who: Public high school seniors (not private or homeschool) with a 2.5+ GPA and financial need.
Usual timing: Opens in October; due mid-December.
Official site: scholarshipamerica.org
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Award: $5,000, $10,000 or $25,000 (about 550 new awards a year).
Who: Ages 16 to 26. No GPA or test score requirement. Trade, technical and two-year programs count. Apply with a short video or an essay about your passion.
Usual timing: Opens mid-October; due early January.
Official site: tacobellfoundation.org
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Award: $10,000 a year, renewable for four years. About 10 a year.
Who: U.S. citizens with a 3.0+ GPA attending a four-year college. Judged on leadership, drive, integrity and citizenship. A separate Workforce Readiness Scholarship covers trade and two-year programs, with a spring window.
Usual timing: Opens mid-October; due early January.
Official site: reaganfoundation.org
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Award: Up to $35,000 over four years, with extensive mentoring. About 60 a year.
Who: U.S. citizen seniors with financial need (CSS Profile required) and strong academics and leadership. SAT or ACT scores required.
Usual timing: Opens early September; due mid-January.
Official site: jackierobinson.org/apply
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Award: Up to $10,000 a year for four years, plus a paid Amazon internship. 400 a year.
Who: Seniors planning a computer science or related degree. 2.3+ GPA, financial need, and a CS course (or Amazon's assessment).
Usual timing: Opens late fall; due mid-to-late January.
Official site: amazonfutureengineer.com
Senior year: February and later
Later deadlines include Horatio Alger for seniors (Feb 15, above), Colorado's Sachs and Puksta programs (below), and most college-specific scholarships.
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Award: $1 million shared among up to 100 students.
Who: Seniors under 21 with a 2.8+ GPA and a meaningful commitment to the Latino community. U.S. citizens, legal residents or DACA recipients. Two-year, four-year and vocational schools all count. Financial need and an interview are part of selection.
Usual timing: Opens around January; due mid-to-late February.
Official site: mcdonalds.com/hacer
Colorado programs
These are open only to Colorado students (Daniels also covers NM, UT and WY).
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Award: Full cost of attendance at 15 Colorado partner colleges. Up to $25,000 a year at colleges outside the four states; up to $7,500 a year at non-partner colleges inside them.
Who: Residents of CO, NM, UT or WY. U.S. citizens or permanent residents. 3.0+ unweighted GPA. Family income (AGI) of $100,000 or less, plus $10,000 per additional dependent. ACT (18+ in each section) or SAT (490+ in each section) required. Strong emphasis on character.
Usual timing: Opens Sept 1; due Oct 15.
Official site: danielsfund.org
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Award: $20,000 a year for four years at a Colorado college, with the college covering the rest of tuition or full cost. About 50 winners a year.
Who: Seniors graduating from a Colorado high school who lived in Colorado for junior and senior year. Citizens, permanent residents and lawfully present students (including DACA). Highly competitive; judged on scholarship, leadership, service and character. Not need-based.
Usual timing: Opens Sept 1; due Nov 1.
Official site: boettcherfoundation.org
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Award: Usually $10,000 to $12,500 a year, renewable up to four years, at any accredited college.
Who: Seniors who identify as Black and have lived in Colorado at least three years. FAFSA required. No stated GPA minimum. Finalists attend a required program in Colorado Springs in June.
Usual timing: Opens Jan 1; due March 15.
Official site: sachsfoundation.org
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Award: $6,500 to $7,500 a year depending on campus, renewable four years, plus project funding and training.
Who: Students with financial need and a commitment to civic engagement, admitted to DU, CU Boulder, CU Denver, CSU or MSU Denver. Several campuses require Denver residency or a Denver high school; DU requires Colorado residency and Pell eligibility.
Usual timing: Apply after admission, roughly January to mid-March. Each campus sets its own date.
Official site: pukstafoundation.org
Scholarships at specific Colorado colleges
These are awarded by one college, sometimes funded by an outside donor or trust. Most need a separate application after you apply for admission, and deadlines usually fall between early January and March 1.
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Apply through the Mines scholarship portal, which opens in mid-December after admission. Feb 1 for the named awards below; March 1 priority date for others. Mines scholarships
Grewcock Presidential Scholarship: Tuition and mandatory fees for eight semesters, plus extracurricular funding. 10 a year. Essays and an interview. Due Feb 1.
Harvey Scholarship: Full tuition and fees for up to eight semesters, plus a $7,000 enrichment grant. 12 a year. Requires a 3.80+ unweighted GPA to apply, plus service interest and monthly donor luncheons. Due Feb 1.
E-Days Scholarship: Full resident tuition for eight semesters. Colorado seniors at Colorado high schools. 900 to 1,200 word creative essay.
Starzer Service Scholarship: $5,000 to $10,000 a year. Financial need and commitment to service; Colorado residents preferred. Due March 1.
Bliss First-Generation Scholarship: $5,000 to $6,000 a year for students who will be first in their family to earn a bachelor's degree. FAFSA or CASFA required. Due March 1.
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CSU scholarships for Colorado first-year students
Monfort Scholarship: The student's share of tuition and fees, plus a room and board stipend and a book allowance, for eight semesters. Colorado residents in the top 5% of their class (or #1 or #2 in a class under 40). Apply for admission and complete the CSU Scholarship Application (opens Oct 1) with one extra recommendation, all by Feb 1.
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The general scholarship application opens Dec 1. CU Boulder scholarships
Presidents Leadership Class (PLC): A four-year leadership program; its application deadline is Feb 15. Two scholarships are for students selected into PLC. PLC scholarships
Ruyle Family Scholarship (PLC): $10,000 a year for four years. For first-generation students from rural Colorado, tribal members from the Rocky Mountain region, or underrepresented Colorado students. 3.25+ GPA.
FirstBank PLC Scholars: $4,000 a year for four years. Three a year, for Colorado residents.
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The scholarship application opens Dec 1. UCCS scholarships
Kane Scholarship: Tuition, fees and required books for up to four years (about $60,000). Colorado residents with a 3.5+ GPA; top 10% of class preferred. Due Feb 1; interviews in March.
Chancellor's Leadership Class: $4,000, for seniors with a 3.5+ GPA and leadership and service experience. Three short essays. Due Feb 1; interviews in March.
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CC is also a QuestBridge partner (see above). CC scholarships
Barnes Scholarships: Full tuition for students majoring in chemistry, biochemistry, the biological sciences, environmental science, geology, physics, psychology, neuroscience, or math and computer science. Funded by trusts set up by Otis A. and Margaret T. Barnes and awarded by CC. U.S. citizens; need is considered. Interest form, a 600 to 800 word essay and a science or math recommendation. Due in early January. Barnes details
El Pomar Scholarship: Full tuition, housing, meals and fees. Colorado residents who qualify for need-based aid and have an interest in public policy or nonprofits, or significant community service. Due mid-January. El Pomar details
Woman's Educational Society (WES) Scholarship: Up to 37% of tuition (or $5,000 a year if need-based aid already covers tuition). About 20 scholars. U.S. citizens of any gender with financial need. 500 to 700 word essay on gender equity. Due mid-January. WES details
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Cheyenne and Arapaho Tuition Scholarship: Full tuition for enrolled members of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma, the Northern Cheyenne or the Northern Arapaho. Automatic when you list your tribal enrollment number on the Common App.
Puksta Scholars: See Colorado programs above.
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
Once you are in college
High school seniors cannot apply for these yet. They are worth knowing about when you compare STEM programs, since colleges nominate their own students.
Barry Goldwater Scholarship: Up to $7,500 a year for college sophomores and juniors planning research careers in science, math or engineering. Your college nominates you; the national deadline is late January. goldwaterscholarship.gov
Astronaut Scholarship: Up to $15,000 for STEM sophomores and juniors (not pre-med) who are U.S. citizens. Faculty nominate students at partner schools, including CSU, Mines and CU Boulder. astronautscholarship.org
ARCS Foundation, Colorado Chapter: Awards for top STEM students, mostly graduate students plus a few undergraduates, at Mines, CSU, CU Boulder, CU Denver, CU Anschutz and UCCS. Selected through each university. colorado.arcsfoundation.org
Niche scholarships
Thousands of smaller scholarships target a specific activity, heritage, employer, hobby, major or hometown. Search on the details that make you unusual. Two examples of the range:
Evans Scholars (golf caddies): Full tuition and housing for students who have caddied at least two years, with strong grades and financial need. CU Boulder is a partner, and 15 Colorado caddies won in 2026. wgaesf.org
Doodle for Google (K-12 artists): A yearly art contest; the national winner receives a college scholarship. doodles.google.com/d4g
Where to search
CareerOneStop Scholarship Finder (U.S. Department of Labor): Over 9,500 awards, free, with no sign-up. Filter by where you live, where you will study, level of study and required affiliation. careeronestop.org
BigFuture Scholarship Search (College Board): Over 40,000 listings, searchable without an account. bigfuture.collegeboard.org
Tip: search your own details, such as parents' employers, heritage, religion, clubs, intended major and county.
Programs that have ended or changed
Some websites still list these.
Dell Scholars: Now limited to Texas high school students attending Texas public universities.
Buick Achievers: Inactive since about 2017.
Heisman High School Scholarship: Discontinued in 2024.
Schuler Scholar Program (Chicago area): Closed in 2024.
More resources
Immigrants Rising: A searchable list of scholarships that do not require U.S. citizenship.