It’s not uncommon to feel uneasy when thinking about the impending financial investment that is college. Figuring out how to pay for college can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. You can reduce the cost easily with scholarships, which can range from $500–$50,000 or more. You can apply for and win multiple scholarships, potentially accumulating enough to cover the entire cost of college if you’re diligent and persistent. For those who are willing to invest the time, scholarship opportunities are out there—including a lot of scholarship contests that are easy to sign up for and somebody has to win! Check out these great opportunities that could lead you to some easy money for college.
1. ScholarshipPoints $10,000 Giveaway
ScholarshipPoints.com awards scholarships worth up to $2,500 through random drawings every month. Users can earn points and gain entries to each month's contests by applying for other scholarships, taking surveys, shopping online, and other tasks. Even if you win a prize, you can continue to complete activities to earn more points and potentially win again! The minimum age to win is 13 years old. Just imagine how much you might be able to save up if you start applying in middle school and continue to enter these contests throughout high school and college.
2. CollegeXpress scholarships and Refer-a-Friend contest
CollegeXpress holds a super easy scholarship contest every month that could earn you up to $2,000 (or more!) if you’re the lucky winner. Simply create a free account, then answer a question in just one word or sentence. The award amounts change each month, as do the monthly questions, which are as simple as “What’s your favorite color?”—no complicated essays required! When you apply for an easy scholarship, you'll also be entered to win CX's annual $10,000 scholarship contest, which goes to a high school senior, transfer student, or graduate student attending a featured school each fall. But that's not all—you can also gain entries for monthly $250 Refer-a-Friend contests just by sharing the website, and POC students are encouraged to apply for the quarterly Scholarship for Students of Color. All scholarship contests are open to US students ages 13 and up and only require a completed registration to enter!
3. Niche $2,000 “No-Essay” Scholarship
Niche offers very easy-to-enter “no-essay” scholarship contests. Simply create an account to be entered to win their monthly drawing for $2,000. Once you’re logged in, you’ll be shown many more scholarships you can apply for. All high school and college students are eligible as well as other prospective students who plan to attend college or graduate school within the next year, but you must have US citizenship or a valid visa/US passport.
Related: Some of the Weirdest College Scholarship Opportunities
4. Scholly $2,000 Scholarship
Both students and parents can enter this easy monthly scholarship contest from Scholly. Applicants must be legal residents of the United States, the District of Columbia, or any US territory and age 17 or older at the time of entry; you must also be a high school junior or senior; a current college student; or a parent of a senior or college student (parents and students can make referrals to increase their chances of winning!). You can enter once per month, with winners drawn randomly from all eligible entries received during an entry period.
5. Ascent Shining Stars Scholarship Giveaway
Winning the monthly Ascent Shining Stars Scholarship Giveaway is as easy as liking and commenting on an Instagram post! That's basically all you have to do: Follow @AscentFunding, like the individual contest post, and comment with an answer to their monthly question (while also using their hashtag and sometimes tagging a friend). Then complete the quick form on their website and you'll be entered to win $1,000 or more. Students must be legal residents of one of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia, age 14 or older, and enrolled in a high school, degree program, or technical skills training program. Parents can enter too!
6. $2,000 Nitro Scholarship
In less time than it takes to order a coffee, you can apply for the Nitro $2,000 Scholarship Sweepstakes, also sponsored by Sallie Mae. All you have to do is fill out a very simple form asking basic questions like your name, address, school, etc. Like the Scholly Scholarship, you can double your chances of winning by listing a parent, who can also apply for the scholarship on your behalf; a reminder email will be sent to them after you press submit. Applicants must be legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, and any US territory and age 17 or older at the time of entry.
Related: Easy No-Essay Scholarships You Need to Know About Right Now
By devoting just a few minutes to entering these scholarship contests, you could potentially accumulate quite a bit of money for school. Regardless of your athletic ability, skill set, GPA, major, or ethnicity, you can find and win any number of scholarships. But you can’t win if you don’t enter!
Looking for even more scholarship opportunities? Find awards you’re eligible for with the CollegeXpress Scholarship Search tool. Be sure to check out our Ultimate List of Easy Scholarships to Apply for Now as well!
