September is a busy month with the start of the new school year, sports, clubs, and for many seniors—college applications! This can also be a great time to start searching and applying for scholarships. Scholarships are a great way to offset some of those college costs, but it can be daunting to start your search To help, we’ve rounded up nine scholarship opportunities with September deadlines to get you started.
9 Scholarships with September Deadlines
1. DEFENSIVE DRIVING SCHOLARSHIP
Award Amount: $1,000
Deadline: September 30
This scholarship is awarded to one senior or college student who responds to the prompt: “What drives and inspires you to succeed? This could be a person, passion, dream, or anything in your life that motivates you. How has it affected your goals in life and future career?” To apply, share your story by sharing a post on X, Instagram, or Facebook and tag @Defensivedrivingonline.
2. COLLEGE RAPTOR SCHOLARSHIP
Award Amount: $2,500
Deadline: September 30
Yes, you read correctly! College Raptor is offering $2,500 in scholarship money to one qualified individual and $1,000 to a runner up. To apply, you must register for a free College Raptor account and complete your college match profile. Then, you’ll submit an essay of up to 500 words on the topic provided, demonstrating how the scholarship will help you achieve your educational goals. No purchase necessary.
3. MONEY MATTERS NATIONAL EDUCATION DAY SCHOLARSHIP
Award Amount: $5,000
Deadline: September 30
This scholarship is available to any high school junior or senior pursuing continued education. To apply, you will study a student workbook to understand the basics of your first paycheck, and then complete a five-question quiz. If you answer all questions correctly, you will be entered to win the scholarship. You can retake the quiz as many times as needed to pass.
4. TROPHYCENTRAL SCHOLARSHIP
Award Amount: $1,000
Deadline: September 30
If you played sports in high school, this scholarship might be a good fit. To apply, you’ll need to submit your high school transcript, a written statement (max 500 words) that outlines your unique sportsmanship acts of compassion and kindness, one to two references, and the name of the college you will be attending. You must attend a public or private high school in the US and have a minimum GPA of 3.25.
5. SHOUT IT OUT SCHOLARSHIP
Award Amount: $1,500
Deadline: September 30
Got something or someone to shout out? “If you could say one thing to the entire world at once, what would it be and why?” This prompt gives you the opportunity to speak up (in 250 words or less) and cash in. Whatever you have to say, the Shout It Out scholarship committee wants to hear your thoughts.
6. “UNBOXING YOUR LIFE” VIDEO SCHOLARSHIP BY STTARK
Award Amount: $3,000
Deadline: September 30
This scholarship is for students who refuse to live boxed-in. To apply, you must be a US high school senior, undergraduate, or graduate student who is willing to open up and unbox their life in a creative 5-minute video. Your video is based on creativity, so you can film on a phone using basic editing. Visit the application’s site to learn more about the evaluation criteria.
The video prompt is: “Packaging can promote personality, but contents reveal character and tell a story. We know there’s much more to you than meets the eye, and your presentation is just a reflection of who you are. If you were a carton or box, what would your packaging say? How would you brand yourself? And, most importantly, what story would your box contain? Show us the contents of your life that make you who you truly are.”
7. “YOU CAN’T LABEL PEOPLE, BUT YOU CAN LABEL PRODUCTS” ESSAY & LABEL DESIGN SCHOLARSHIP
Award Amount: $3,000
Deadline: September 30
This is an essay contest for students who think outside of the box. You must write a 1000-word creative essay responding to how products can be labeled but people can’t—showing how you relate to this statement and why it matters. Additionally, you will design a label related to your essay topic that you would use for a product but not a person. You can use the following questions to spark your creativity, but you are not required to answer them:
- Has consumerism influenced the way we view people?
- Do people try to market themselves for acceptance?
- What effect do labels have on creativity? How might it differ between products and people?
- Is there a distinction between negative and positive labels? Is labeling yourself or another individual ever beneficial?
8. TOO COOL TO PAY FOR SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP
Award Amount: $1,000
Deadline: September 30
Paying for school can be stressful, so Access Scholarships decided to make it fast and easy. Seriously—all you have to do is enter your contact information into the form! Eligible participants must be a current high school, college, or graduate student. A winner is chosen every quarter at random.
9. ASPIRE SCHOLARSHIP
Award Amount: $1,000
Deadline: September 30
To apply for this scholarship, all you have to do is answer a prompt in five sentences or less: “Tell us what you aspire to achieve and how you believe a college degree can help you to accomplish it.” It is open to all high school and college students. The winner will be chosen at random.
As you begin searching for scholarships, check out these additional resources to help you capitalize on each opportunity:
- How To Conduct A Thorough Scholarship Search
- 10+ Scholarship Application Tips
- “Why Do You Deserve This Scholarship?” Tips and Samples
Preparing for college can feel overwhelming, especially figuring out how to pay for it. Start by applying for scholarships to help cover the costs. After all, it’s FREE money* that helps make college more affordable and reduces your need for student loans—a win-win! And if you aren’t ready to apply this September, search for thousands more scholarships with varying deadlines, with College Raptor’s Scholarship Search tool.
* While a scholarship does not have to be repaid, there may be other obligations associated with the scholarship.
| Lender | Rates (APR) | Eligibility | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
5.50%-16.12%* Variable
3.99%-15.61%* Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT CITIZENS |
|
|
5.54% - 15.70% Variable
3.99% - 15.49% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT SALLIE MAE |
 |
4.63% - 17.99% Variable
3.49% - 17.99% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT CREDIBLE |
 |
6.00% - 13.75% Variable
3.99% - 13.75% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT LENDKEY |
 |
5.66% - 14.72% Variable
3.69% - 14.56% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ASCENT |
 |
3.70% - 8.75% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ISL |
 |
5.62% - 16.85% Variable
3.69% - 16.49% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT EARNEST |
 |
5.00% - 14.22% Variable
3.69% - 14.22% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ELFI |
