Key Takeaways
- As the name suggests, ‘no essay’ scholarships do not require an essay, meaning they are generally easier and faster to apply for.
- No essay scholarships can be competitive, so it’s important that you meet all requirements, maintain a high GPA, participate in extracurriculars, and complete your FAFSA form before applying for scholarships.
Scholarships have plenty of requirements for eligibility—some might ask for a certain GPA, while others might go as far as to ask that your natural hair color be red. The possible requirements are endless! One common requirement for many scholarships is an essay. However, writing these essays can take a lot of time, especially if you’re applying for multiple scholarships. Thankfully, there are plenty of no essay scholarships out there. Here’s a quick review of what they are, what you need to know about them, and 10 of the best no essay scholarships you can apply to today!
What Is a No Essay Scholarship?
A no essay scholarship is an award that does not require you to submit an essay in order to apply. These scholarships may ask for your contact details, goals during college or after graduation, GPA, or extracurriculars. No essay scholarships are usually quicker and easier to complete, taking only a few minutes to fill out. However, because they are simpler to apply for, they tend to be more competitive.
Thankfully, there are ways to increase your chances of winning. Here are a few helpful tips:
- Meet all the qualifications. If you don’t meet the qualifications for the award, don’t apply! You’ll be ruled out before you even have a chance.
- Maintain a high GPA. Many of these awards require a minimum GPA during high school or college. Maintaining a higher GPA could increase your chances of winning a merit-based scholarship.
- Be active outside of school. Joining extracurriculars, being active in clubs, or volunteering can also increase your chances of winning a scholarship. These things can give you an edge over other students that are applying for the same scholarship. For some awards, outside involvement may be required.
- Complete your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Some scholarships consider the information you provide on your FAFSA. Need-based scholarships often look at your financial details to choose a winner, especially those awarded by colleges. The sooner you complete your FAFSA, the better–even if you didn’t win last year, don’t ignore your FAFSA the following year. You never know what you’ll be eligible for or what requirements will change from year to year!
20 No Essay Scholarships to Apply to
- Deadlines range from October 2024 to April 2025, with award amounts between $500 and $25,000.
1. KEEP GOING FORWARD NO ESSAY SCHOLARSHIP
Amount Awarded: $1,500
Deadline: October 30, 2024
The Keep Going Forward No Essay Scholarship is for anyone, student or non-student, who is moving somewhere or going somewhere new in life! Whether that’s going to a new school or just a new chapter in your life, you’re eligible.
2. $1,000 TOO COOL TO PAY FOR SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP
Amount Awarded: $1,000
Deadline: March 31; June 30; September 30; December 31
Awarded quarterly in March, June, September, and December, this scholarship is super easy and fast to enter. And we mean fast—you simply enter your demographic information into the form and cross your fingers. The winner of the scholarship will be determined by a random drawing and then contacted directly. This scholarship is open to all current high school, college, and graduate students. You may apply once per quarter. For an extra entry, follow Access Scholarships on Instagram!
3. THE CITIZENS SCHOLARSHIP
Amount Awarded: $2,500 Awarded Monthly; One $15,000 Grand Prize
Deadline: Monthly
If you are 16 years or older and plan to pursue a college education, fill out this quick form for a chance to win money to help pay for school expenses. The best part? Although this scholarship is awarded each month, you just need to submit the form one time. However, if you want to increase your chances, you have the option to fill it out every month. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited.*
4. NICHE $2,000 NO ESSAY SCHOLARSHIP
Amount Awarded: $2,000
Deadline: The end of every month
Focus on your education, not your finances! This scholarship is open to all high school students, current college students, and those going to graduate school. The winner is selected through a monthly drawing, and you are more than welcome to apply each month. Keep an eye on your emails to see if you won!
5. SALLIE MAE SCHOLARSHIP
Amount Awarded: $2,000
Deadline: The end of every month
Double your chances of winning! Not only can you apply for this $2,000 scholarship, but so can a parent or guardian. Just enter their email and they’ll be invited to apply for the scholarship on your behalf. The remaining 2024 deadlines are October 31st, November 30th, and December 31st.
6. ATTEND YOUR DREAM SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP
Amount Awarded: $1,000
Deadline: Monthly
Credit unions can offer affordable solutions for funding your education. This scholarship is designed for students interested in learning how credit unions can support their financial goals. Once entered for this scholarship, applicants will also get personalized recommendations on how credit union funding can help pay for college.
7. PUMPKIN SPICE FAN NO ESSAY SCHOLARSHIP
Amount Awarded: $500
Deadline: December 15
As the name suggests, this scholarship is all about your love for pumpkin spice! The only requirement needed to apply for this scholarship is to share your enthusiasm for pumpkin spice–whether it be your go-to coffee order, a recipe you love, or just something that makes your autumn complete.
8. APPILY® EASY MONEY SCHOLARSHIP
Amount Awarded: $1,000
Deadline: Monthly
This no essay scholarship is open to US residents who are 13 years or older and planning to attend a college, university, or trade school within the next four years. To apply, just fill out the form on Appily’s website. A winner is chosen through a random drawing each month.
9. “A DARING PATH” NO ESSAY SCHOLARSHIP
Amount Awarded: $1,000
Deadline: December 31
Are you bold, daring, and passionate? This scholarship exists to support a bold person who wants to get the most out of this world. It is open to all students and non-students from any field of study–as long as you’re ready to create a life that other people dream of living.
10. TACO BELL LIVE MÁS SCHOLARSHIP
Amount Awarded: $25,000
Deadline: January 3
There is no essay required here, but you will need to submit a video! The Taco Bell Foundation’s goal is to empower your passion by helping it illuminate the world around you to create lasting, positive change. Here’s how to apply:
Create a video, 2 minutes or less, addressing these key points:
- Your passion and how you are currently or planning to pursue it.
- Your plans for using your passion to positively impact your community, country, or the world.
- Your educational plan (including program, college, or certificate/degree) and how it will aid in pursuing your passion and creating a positive impact.
- Follow the instructions to enter your information and upload your video.
11. DOODLE FOR GOOGLE SCHOLARSHIP
Amount Awarded: $5,000
Deadline: March 21
This year’s theme for Doodle for Google is “My Wish for the Next 25 Years”. Wondering how to enter? You’ll doodle! Artists are given freedom over their choice of materials.
To apply:
- Get the entry form.
- Create your Doodle. Doodles can be in any medium, including crayons, clay, found objects, digital art, video, etc.
- Reflect on your creation with an artist’s statement and articulate how it encapsulates your aspirations for the next 25 years. Also, make sure to complete the rest of the entry form.
- Submit your doodle. Entries are accepted online or by mail. Online, you can submit in .jpg or .png format. If you mail your entry, take a high-resolution digital photo or scan of the entry in good lighting and submit it with the entry form. If your submission includes a video, follow the detailed instructions for adding it to Google Drive.
12. STUDENT LIFE PHOTOGRAPHY SCHOLARSHIP
Amount Awarded: $500
Deadline: April 1
The Student Life Photography Scholarship was created to recognize the powerful impact of photography. It’s looking for photographs that encapsulate the essence of being a student—something that tells a story about your academic environment or experiences. To apply, please submit an original horizontal-oriented photograph. It can be taken from your phone!
13. “BE BOLD” NO-ESSAY SCHOLARSHIP
Award Amount: $25,124
Deadline: Monthly
This no-essay scholarship is awarded to the applicant with the boldest profile. But what does “bold” mean? According to Bold.org, it’s about being earnest, determined, and driven—not necessarily the “best” or “most accomplished.” To apply, you just have to be a student at any education level, in any field of study, and with any GPA. It’s important to note that Bold.org generally favors students who apply early.
14. THE ‘NO SWEAT’ SCHOLARSHIP
Amount Awarded: $2,500
Deadline: December 31
Is a scholarship application with only two steps too good to be true? You’re not dreaming—all you have to do is create a free account and complete your portfolio. It’s actually so quick you won’t even break a sweat! Here’s just a few things to know before applying:
- You must be a US resident.
- You must be currently enrolled in 8th-12th grade.
- You earn points by completing your portfolio—the more points you earn, the higher the chance of winning.
15. AROUND THE CORNER FROM COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP
Amount Awarded: $1,000
Deadline: December 31
Preparing for college can be stressful, especially for a first-time student. This scholarship helps you get started by asking you to create a simple, personalized checklist (up to 10 items) to plan for your college future. To apply, you must be a US high school student—just fill out the quick form and submit your checklist!
16. TECHNOLOGY ADDICTION AWARENESS SCHOLARSHIP
Amount Awarded: $1,000
Deadline: January 1
Did you know that 41% of teenagers have an average screen time of eight hours per day? While there is a lot of good that comes from using technology, too much consumption can have negative effects on both our mental and physical states. Sponsored by Digital Responsibility, this scholarship focuses on technology addiction awareness and the importance of understanding its impact on our lives. To apply, you must be a high school or college student and complete the following sentence with 140 characters: Instead of spending time with technology, I’d rather…
17. GOSKILLS SCHOLARSHIP
Amount Awarded: $2,000
Deadline: March 15
Despite research showing that female founders often outperform their male counterparts, only 18% of startups are owned by women. In an effort to increase this statistic, GoSkills created this scholarship exclusively for women who want to start their own businesses. To apply, you’ll need to submit the online application and share a link to your business plan.
18. DIGITAL PRIVACY SCHOLARSHIP
Amount Awarded: $1,000
Deadline: June 30
There’s a saying that “once you post something online, it never goes away.” A Kaplan Test Prep study found that 12% of college admissions officers chose not to admit a student due to their Facebook profile, while an even higher 43% of employers decided against hiring someone based on their social media presence. This information should make you extremely cautious of what you decide to post, and this scholarship exists to help understand the importance of digital privacy. To apply, you must be a high school or college student and complete the following sentence with 140 characters: I’m taking responsibility for my digital profile by…
19. $10,000 ‘NO ESSAY’ SCHOLARSHIP
Amount Awarded: $10,000
Deadline: June 30
Yes, you could really win $10,000 just by filling out a no essay application. You just need two things:
- To be a US student—this includes all high school, college, community college, graduate, technical, and vocational students.
- A Scholarship360 account. Note: Though it is not required, you may be considered a strong applicant based on how many scholarships you complete through the Scholarships360 platform.
20. BMTX – ANNUAL FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT SCHOLARSHIP
Amount Awarded: $1,500
Deadline: July 11
If you believe in the goal of financial freedom and actively seek ways to inspire others to achieve that goal, then this scholarship may be for you! All you have to do is submit a 30-60-second creative video talking about why financial empowerment is so important to you. Additionally, you’ll need to fill out the online form and submit your unofficial transcripts with a GPA of at least 3.0.
When you’re busy applying to colleges, packing for school, finishing up your senior year of high school, and dealing with everything else that’s on your plate, scholarship essays can feel like another mountain you have to climb. While you should still apply to scholarships that require essays, applying to no essay scholarships increases your chances of winning money with minimal effort.
Want to find other no essay scholarships? They’re easy to find when you have a scholarship database that helps you weed through the thousands of awards out there! Our Scholarship Search Tool allows you to input your information to discover the scholarships you qualify for. Ready to get started? Sign up for free right here to begin your search and submit applications!
*No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. The Citizens Scholarship Sweepstakes is open to legal residents of the 50 United States, D.C., and U.S. Territories, who are 16 years of age or older, are students, or prospective students, or parents or legal guardians of students intending to enroll or enrolled at least half-time in an accredited undergraduate/graduate post-secondary institution. To be eligible for a chance to win the Citizens Building the Workforce of the Future Scholarship entrants must be from an underrepresented or a low-income community as described in the Official Rules. Sweepstakes begins at 12:00 AM ET on 7/1/24 and ends at 11:59 PM ET on 3/31/25. Sponsored by Citizens. See Official Rules for details.
| 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 |
