Want to graduate college debt-free? The secret is starting early. High school juniors in the Class of 2028 can jumpstart their college funding right now with these exclusive scholarships for high school juniors. From prestigious merit-based awards to creative video contests and quick no-essay sweepstakes, planning ahead during your 11th-grade year ensures you don't miss out on free money for school.
Don't wait until senior year to secure your college financial aid. Explore these college scholarships for juniors below and start applying today!
Award Amount: $25,000
Award Details: Build a profile at Bold.org to showcase your goals, achievements, and drive. The $25,000 "Be Bold" Scholarship is a no-essay scholarship that will be awarded to the applicant with the boldest profile. To us, boldest does not mean "best," or "most accomplished." Being bold means being: Earnest, Determined and Moving. The scholarship will be awarded to the student whose profile is the most bold, according to these characteristics.
Award Amount: $40,000 Award Details: Win up to $40,000 — no essay required! BigFuture Scholarships are open to high school students who qualify by completing college and career planning steps on their BigFuture dashboard. The earlier you complete each step, the more entries you earn for $40,000 monthly scholarship drawings. Create your free account and start earning entries now. Every step you take brings you closer to winning!
Award Amount: $2,000
Award Details: The Port to Promise Scholarship is available to high school students and recent graduates. You must come from an immigrant background, be pursuing a higher education at a 4-year university, and demonstrate academic potential, financial need, leadership qualities, and a commitment to making a positive impact in your community to be considered for this award.
Award Amount: $500
Award Details: The Be A Friend Project Scholarship is available to high school students. To be considered, you must write a two - to four-page script of a lunchroom conversation between friends that is related to bullying. You must be following at least one of the sponsor's social media handles to be eligible for this award.
Award Amount: $1,000 - $2,500
Award Details: The Leaders Save Lives Scholarship Program is open to high school and college students. You must host an American Red Cross blood drive while school is out of session and collect a minimum of 25 pints of blood to be eligible for this award.
Award Amount: $250,000
Award Details: The Breakthrough Junior Challenge is available to students between the ages of 13 and 18. To take part in the challenge, you must create a two - minute video explaining a big idea in one of the following fields: physics, mathematics, or life sciences. Additionally, you must perform a peer-to-peer review of five other student submissions. Your film entry can take any form you like: animation, talking head, documentary, dramatic reconstruction, etc. Videos will be judged on engagement, illumination, creativity, and difficulty.
Award Amount: $1,000
Award Details: The Fastweb Invite a Friend Sweepstakes is open to registered Fastweb members who are legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia, and who are at least sixteen (16) years of age. You must log into your Fastweb account to obtain your personal referral link. For each person who registers for Fastweb via your personal referral link during the Promotion Period, you and your referral will be entered as a pair into the current drawing.
Award Amount: $35,000 Award Details:The Voice of Democracy Scholarship Competition is open to high school students. To enter, you must record a three - to five - minute audio essay on the following topic: "What a Veteran Taught Me About America."
Award Amount: $20,000 - $25,000 Award Details: The American Legion National Oratorical Contest is open to junior high and high school students who are under the age of 20 and are citizens or lawful permanent residents of the United States. To be considered, you must prepare an oration on some aspect of the U.S. Constitution, with emphasis on a citizen's duties and obligations to our government. A complete list of topics is available on the Legion's website. Each state winner certified into and participating in the first round of the national contest receives a $2,000 scholarship.
The $25,000 "Be Bold" No-Essay Scholarship
Deadline: 7/1/26Award Amount: $25,000
Award Details: Build a profile at Bold.org to showcase your goals, achievements, and drive. The $25,000 "Be Bold" Scholarship is a no-essay scholarship that will be awarded to the applicant with the boldest profile. To us, boldest does not mean "best," or "most accomplished." Being bold means being: Earnest, Determined and Moving. The scholarship will be awarded to the student whose profile is the most bold, according to these characteristics.
BigFuture $40,000 Scholarship
Deadline: 7/31/26Award Amount: $40,000 Award Details: Win up to $40,000 — no essay required! BigFuture Scholarships are open to high school students who qualify by completing college and career planning steps on their BigFuture dashboard. The earlier you complete each step, the more entries you earn for $40,000 monthly scholarship drawings. Create your free account and start earning entries now. Every step you take brings you closer to winning!
Port to Promise Scholarship
Deadline: 8/1/26Award Amount: $2,000
Award Details: The Port to Promise Scholarship is available to high school students and recent graduates. You must come from an immigrant background, be pursuing a higher education at a 4-year university, and demonstrate academic potential, financial need, leadership qualities, and a commitment to making a positive impact in your community to be considered for this award.
Be A Friend Project Scholarship
Deadline: 8/31/26Award Amount: $500
Award Details: The Be A Friend Project Scholarship is available to high school students. To be considered, you must write a two - to four-page script of a lunchroom conversation between friends that is related to bullying. You must be following at least one of the sponsor's social media handles to be eligible for this award.
Leaders Save Lives Scholarship
Deadline: 9/7/26Award Amount: $1,000 - $2,500
Award Details: The Leaders Save Lives Scholarship Program is open to high school and college students. You must host an American Red Cross blood drive while school is out of session and collect a minimum of 25 pints of blood to be eligible for this award.
Breakthrough Junior Challenge
Deadline: 9/15/26Award Amount: $250,000
Award Details: The Breakthrough Junior Challenge is available to students between the ages of 13 and 18. To take part in the challenge, you must create a two - minute video explaining a big idea in one of the following fields: physics, mathematics, or life sciences. Additionally, you must perform a peer-to-peer review of five other student submissions. Your film entry can take any form you like: animation, talking head, documentary, dramatic reconstruction, etc. Videos will be judged on engagement, illumination, creativity, and difficulty.
Summer 2026 Fastweb Invite a Friend Sweepstakes
Deadline: 9/30/26Award Amount: $1,000
Award Details: The Fastweb Invite a Friend Sweepstakes is open to registered Fastweb members who are legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia, and who are at least sixteen (16) years of age. You must log into your Fastweb account to obtain your personal referral link. For each person who registers for Fastweb via your personal referral link during the Promotion Period, you and your referral will be entered as a pair into the current drawing.
Voice of Democracy Scholarship Competition
Deadline: 10/31/26Award Amount: $35,000 Award Details:The Voice of Democracy Scholarship Competition is open to high school students. To enter, you must record a three - to five - minute audio essay on the following topic: "What a Veteran Taught Me About America."
American Legion National Oratorical Contest
Deadline: VariesAward Amount: $20,000 - $25,000 Award Details: The American Legion National Oratorical Contest is open to junior high and high school students who are under the age of 20 and are citizens or lawful permanent residents of the United States. To be considered, you must prepare an oration on some aspect of the U.S. Constitution, with emphasis on a citizen's duties and obligations to our government. A complete list of topics is available on the Legion's website. Each state winner certified into and participating in the first round of the national contest receives a $2,000 scholarship.
Start Securing Your Class of 2027 College Funding Now
Finding college scholarships for high school juniors is all about consistency. While your 11th-grade year is packed with campus visits and exam prep, setting a weekly application goal will pay off massively when freshman year rolls around. Junior Year College Planning Checklist: Month-by-Month Guide Treat applying for scholarships like a part-time job—stay on top of deadlines, keep refining your essays, and remember that every scholarship dollar won is a dollar you don't have to pay back. Create your free Fastweb profile today to get matched with personalized scholarships for the Class of 2028 tailored directly to your strengths!You Might Also Like
Shawna Newman
Managing Editor, Contributing Writer
Shawna Newman covers various topics related to post-secondary education, including trade schools, the military, and college. She details strategies for paying for school, such as scholarships, financial ai...
