Starting college is a time of new experiences and excitement for the future, but it can also be a time of anxiety when considering the financial burden. Scholarships are a great way to showcase your skills in exchange for educational funds. And there are scholarships for practically everything, including sustainable living. If you’re passionate about helping the planet, these six scholarships are perfect for you! (Updated for 2024)
1. Brower Youth Awards
The Brower Youth Awards are intended for 13–22-year-olds in North America (including Canada, Mexico, and some Caribbean islands) who are actively leading a project centered around the protection of the Earth. Applicants must submit an online application that asks you to describe your environmental work. Six recipients will each receive $3,000, a short film produced about their project, and flights and lodging for a week-long trip to the San Francisco Bay Area to participate in leadership activities, workshops, and the awards ceremony. The deadline to apply is April 8.
2. E-Waste Scholarship
The E-Waste Scholarship aims to raise awareness about digital responsibility and the impact of toxic e-waste, which can seep into the ground and ultimately get into groundwater supplies. High schoolers, homeschooled students, undergraduates, and graduate students who are US citizens or legal residents are all eligible to apply, and there’s no age limit. Applicants must submit a 140-character statement that completes this sentence: "The most important reason to care about e-waste is..." The scholarship is worth $1,000, with a deadline of April 30.
Related: 7 Personal Goals to Make a Real Environmental Impact
3. Ocean Awareness Contest
Do you have a passion for art as well as sustainability? Then you’ll love the 13th annual Ocean Awareness Contest. Artists who are 11–18 years old are invited to submit a response to the theme “Tell Your Climate Story” using any medium they choose—including visual art, poetry, creative writing, film, performing arts, and multimedia—for the chance to win cash prizes of up to $1,000. You can participate as an individual or with others in a club, class, or group of any size. Students from around the world are eligible, except for current college students. Be sure to submit your creative work before June 10 this year.
4. Vegetarian Video Scholarship
Are you a non-meat eater who’s passionate about sharing your vegetarian or vegan lifestyle with others? If so, the Vegetarian Resource Group’s Vegetarian Video Scholarship contest invites you to submit a video about what you want others to know about vegetarianism and/or veganism. There are two cash prizes of $100 and one cash prize of $200. This scholarship is open to students of all ages, and the deadline for submitting your video is July 15.
Related: The Ultimate Vegetarian and Vegan Guide to Good Eating in College
5. NSHSS Nobel Good Earth Sustainability Scholarship
Offered by the National Society of High School Scholars, the NSHSS Nobel Good Earth Sustainability Scholarship is open to high school and college members of all levels with a dedicated passion for conservation, sustainability, environmental policy, or preservation of the Earth. Applicants must submit a 500–800-word essay on practical steps that students can take to champion sustainability and protect the environment. A letter of recommendation from an educator and photos, videos, or other media of your leadership in action are also required. Five $2,000 awards are available, and the deadline is August 15.
6. Future Without Speciesism Award
Sponsored by PETA, the Future Without Speciesism Award is open to all students ages 18 and older. Applicants are asked to submit an idea for a unique alternative to an animal product. In addition to a description of this theoretical invention, you must also submit blueprints or photos that illustrate how your idea would be brought to life. You could win cash prizes from $1,000–$10,000, and there is no deadline, so feel free to work on your creative idea for as long as you need!
Related: 4 Easy Ways Students Can Help Save Endangered Species
If you’re an environmentally driven student, these scholarships could be a perfect addition to your plan to afford college. Now grab your reusable water bottle and your favorite comfy outfit and get to work!
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