Middle school students may not know where they want to go to college or what they want to study, but thinking about paying for college can be intimidating for their parents. Below are scholarships and contests for students in middle school.

Create Real Impact Contest
Sponsor: Impact Teen Drivers
Amount: Up to $1,500
Closing Date: See site for info 
Description: Contest is open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia between the ages of 14 and 22 years. Applicants must create an original work showcasing their idea for a solution or strategy to fix the very real problem of reckless and distracted driving.

Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award
Sponsor: From the Top
Amount: Up to $10,000
Closing Date: See site for info 
Description: Award is open to classical instrumentalists, vocalists, and composers between the ages of 8 and 18. 

Research & Education Division (RED) Video Contest
Sponsor: American Road & Transportation Builders Association
Amount: $500
Closing Date: See site for info 
Description: The contest is open to students in elementary school through graduate school. Contestants must submit a video on transportation infrastructure.

George Montgomery/NRA Youth Wildlife Art Contest
Sponsor: National Rifle Association of America (NRA)
Amount: Up to $1,000
Closing Date: See site for info 
Description: The contest is open to students in grades 1-12, including home-schooled students. Students must submit a piece of art on a given topic related to North American game birds or animals that may be legally hunted or trapped.

Patriot’s Pen Competition
Sponsor: Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States
Amount: Up to $5,000
Closing Date: See site for info 
Description: Competition is open to students in grades 6-8 in the United States, its territories, and its possessions. Applicants must submit an essay on the following theme: What Makes America Great.”

Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship
Sponsor: Unigo
Amount: $2,000
Closing Date: See site for info 
Description: Scholarship is open to students 13 years of age or older who are legal residents of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia who are currently enrolled (or will enroll no later than the fall of 2025) in an accredited post-secondary institution of higher education. Applicants will need to submit a short response to a given prompt.

OpiEnd Youth Challenge
Sponsor: BKFK
Amount: Up to $5,000
Closing Date: See site for info 
Description: Challenge is open to legal residents of the United States who are at least 9 years old and not older than 14 years old at the time of entry. Contestants are challenged to learn about opioids and the dangers they can cause and then enter the online cost with a post to bring awareness to other students about this epidemic.

Prudential Spirit of Community Award
Sponsor: Prudential Financial, Inc.
Amount: Up to $5,000
Closing Date: See site for info 
Description: Award is open to all young people in grades 5-12 who live in the 50 United States and Washington, D.C., and have conducted a volunteer service activity within the past year.

Maryknoll Student Essay Contest
Sponsor: Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers
Amount: Up to $1,000
Closing Date: See site for info 
Description: The contest is open to students enrolled in grades 6-12 for the 2019-2020 school year who are residents of one of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, or a province of Canada (except Quebec). Applicants must submit an essay explaining how and with whom they share the Good News of God’s love.

Education Matters Scholarship
Sponsor: Unigo
Amount: $5,000
Closing Date: See site for info 
Description: Scholarship is open to students 13 years of age or older who are legal residents of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia and are currently enrolled (or will enroll no later than the fall of 2025) in an accredited post-secondary institution of higher education. Applicants will need to submit a short response to a given prompt.

Apprentice Ecologist Initiative Youth Scholarship Program
Sponsor: Nicodemus Wilderness Project
Amount: Varies
Closing Date: See site for info 
Description: Scholarships are open to students between the ages of 13 and 21 who are candidates for a degree/diploma at a primary (middle school), secondary (high school), or accredited post-secondary educational institution from any country around the world.

NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund Essay Contest
Sponsor: NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund
Amount: Up to $1,000
Closing Date: See site for info 
Description: The contest is open to all students enrolled, or who will be enrolled, in an elementary, junior high, or high school, including homeschooled students in an equivalent grade level. Applicant must submit an essay on the theme, “What Does the Second Amendment Mean to You?”

Poetry Card Contest
Sponsor: Blue Mountain Arts
Amount: Up to $350
Closing Date: See site for info 
Description: The contestant must submit an original poem.

Young Filmmakers Contest
Sponsor: One Earth Film Festival
Amount: Up to $1,000
Closing Date: See site for info 
Description: The contest is open to students in grades 3 through college (ages 8 and up) from the United States. Students must create a film on one of many given topics related to the Earth.

Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award
Sponsor: From the Top
Amount: Up to $10,000
Closing Date: See site for info 
Description: Award is open to classical instrumentalists, vocalists, and composers between the ages of 8 and 18 who have not yet entered college. This is the second deadline. 

Sweet and Simple Scholarship
Sponsor: Unigo
Amount: $1,500
Closing Date: See site for info 
Description: Applicant must be 13 years of age or older, be a resident of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia, and be currently enrolled (or enroll no later than the fall of 2026) in an accredited post-secondary institution of higher education. Applicants must submit a short written response about a gift they received.

Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award
Sponsor: From the Top
Amount: Up to $10,000
Closing Date: See site for info 
Description: Award is open to classical instrumentalists, vocalists, and composers between the ages of 8 and 18 who have not yet entered college.

Superpower Scholarships
Sponsor: Unigo
Amount: $2,500
Closing Date: See site for info 
Description: Scholarship is open to students 13 years of age or older who are legal residents of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia and who are currently enrolled (or will enroll no later than the fall of 2026) in an accredited post-secondary institution of higher education. In a short written response, students must explain which superhero or villain they would want to change places with for a day and why.

Susan Howard Community Service Award
Sponsor: British American Foundation of Texas
Amount: $5,000
Closing Date: See site for info 
Description: Scholarship is open to residents of Texas or Great Britain who are enrolled in full-time education and are aged between 11 and 21 years of age. Applicants must be currently working on an inspiring community service project or have done so within the past 12 months.

Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest
Sponsor: Winning Writers
Amount: Up to $1,000
Closing Date: See site for info 
Description: The contest is open to poets of all ages and from all nations. Contestants must submit one English poem, with a maximum of 250 lines.

All About Education Scholarship
Sponsor: Unigo
Amount: $3,000
Closing Date: See site for info 
Description: Scholarship is open to students 13 years of age or older who are legal residents of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia and are currently enrolled (or will enroll no later than the fall of 2026) in an accredited post-secondary institution of higher education. Applicants will need to submit a short response to a given prompt.

Fifth Month Scholarship
Sponsor: Unigo
Amount: $1,500
Closing Date: See site for info 
Description: Scholarship is open to students 13 years of age or older who are legal residents of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia who are currently enrolled (or will enroll no later than the fall of 2026) in an accredited post-secondary institution of higher education. Applicant must “write a letter to the number five explaining why five is important.”

Do-Over Scholarship
Sponsor: Unigo
Amount: $1,500
Closing Date: See site for info 
Description: Scholarship is open to students 13 years of age or older who are legal residents of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia and are currently enrolled (or will enroll no later than the fall of 2026) in an accredited post-secondary institution of higher education. Applicants must share what they would do “if they could turn back time.”

Poetry Card Contest
Sponsor: Blue Mountain Arts
Amount: Up to $350
Closing Date: See site for info 
Description: The contestant must submit an original poem.

Flavor of the Month Scholarship
Sponsor: Unigo
Amount: $1,500
Closing Date: See site for info 
Description: Scholarship is open to students 13 years of age or older who are legal residents of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia who are currently enrolled (or will enroll no later than the fall of 2026) in an accredited post-secondary institution of higher education. Applicants will need to submit a short response to a given prompt.

Make Me Laugh Scholarship
Sponsor: Unigo
Amount: $1,500
Closing Date: See site for info 
Description: Scholarship is open to students 13 years of age or older who are legal residents of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia and who are currently enrolled (or will enroll no later than the fall of 2026) in an accredited post-secondary institution of higher education. Applicants must share an incident in their life, funny or embarrassing (fact or fiction) that will make them laugh.

Free tuition and fees for foster and adopted youth in Texas

Tuition and fee exemptions for those who are blind and deaf

Dallas county's promise to earn a free certificate, associate's, or bachelor's degree

Bobcat Promise 

UTSA Bold Promise