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Top 64 No Essay Scholarships in May 2024

Will Geiger is the co-founder of Scholarships360 and has a decade of experience in college admissions and financial aid. He is a former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at Kenyon College where he personally reviewed 10,000 admissions applications and essays. Will also managed the Kenyon College merit scholarship program and served on the financial aid appeals committee. He has also worked as an Associate Director of College Counseling at a high school in New Haven, Connecticut. Will earned his master’s in education from the University of Pennsylvania and received his undergraduate degree in history from Wake Forest University.

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One of the biggest misconceptions about scholarships is that they all require an essay. This is not true. In fact, there are many great scholarships that don’t require an essay at all. These no essay scholarships can range from quick scholarships that you can apply to in a few minutes to other scholarships that are focused on students with a specific talent.

Some no essay scholarships focus on art or other creative achievements. Still other no essay scholarships focus on students with a talent in more specific areas, such as filmmaking, physics achievement, or even duck tape prom creations! Whether you are a prospective high school, college, or graduate student, there are sure to be some “no essay” scholarships that are right up your alley!

Why choose Scholarships360

We helped over 4 million students find scholarships in 2023

We've spent over 4,000 hours reviewing 3,000 scholarship programs

13+ years of experience helping students make smart education decisions

The Scholarships360 Research Team reviews all scholarships individually and strives to exclude any scholarship where any of the below applies:

• The scholarship requires a fee to apply
• The scholarship provider’s privacy policy allows for the misuse of student data
• The scholarship requires paid membership in an organization (with certain exceptions for reputable trade organizations and others)
• Student are required to sign up for a site or service to apply*
• The scholarship seems primarily used for lead generation** or idea harvesting purposes***
• The scholarship website has many grammatical errors and/or advertisements
• The scholarship or scholarship providing organization seem untrustworthy
• There is no evidence the scholarship was previously awarded
• The scholarship has not been awarded in the past 12 months
• There is no available contact information

If you believe a scholarship has been published in error, please reach out to [email protected] and we’ll take a look!

* There are certain exceptions to this, for example if the sponsoring organization is a major corporation or nonprofit with its own scholarship application system. ** Lead generation scholarships will require students to sign up for an app or website and require minimal (if any) application requirements. ***Idea harvesting scholarships will require students to submit blog posts or other materials that companies may use for marketing purposes.

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$10,000 “No Essay” Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by Scholarships360

The Scholarships360 $10,000 “No Essay” Scholarship is open to all students who want some extra help paying for their education. Whether you are a high… Show More

The Scholarships360 $10,000 “No Essay” Scholarship is open to all students who want some extra help paying for their education. Whether you are a high school student who hopes to go to college, a graduate student who’s in a master’s program, or an adult learner who wants to return to school, you are eligible for our no essay scholarship. This scholarship will be awarded to students who get the most out of Scholarships360 scholarships and content. You will be a strong applicant if you apply to scholarships with the Scholarships360 platform. Finalists for this scholarship will be interviewed about their process for funding their education. Show Less

$2,000 Sallie Mae Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by Sallie Mae

Sallie Mae will award $2,000 each month to eligible entrants. No essay or account sign-ups, just a simple scholarship for those seeking help paying for…

Sallie Mae will award $2,000 each month to eligible entrants. No essay or account sign-ups, just a simple scholarship for those seeking help paying for school.

$40,000 Build a College List Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by The College Board

Create a college list with six schools you're considering - no minimum GPA or essay required!

Niche $25,000 “No Essay” Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by Niche

Easy scholarship open to all high school and college students, as well as anyone looking to attend college or graduate school in the next year!

$25k “Be Bold” No-Essay Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by Bold.org

Open to high school students, college students, community college students, and graduate students.

$10,000 CollegeXpress Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by CollegeXpress

Annual $10k scholarship from CollegeXpress open to all high school freshmen, sophomores, and juniors.

$1,000 Appily Easy College Money Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by Appily

This easy scholarship from Appily is open to U.S. high school students (Class of 2025, 2026, 2027) and college transfer students. One scholarship will be… Show More

This easy scholarship from Appily is open to U.S. high school students (Class of 2025, 2026, 2027) and college transfer students. One scholarship will be awarded each month. Show Less

$5,000 Christian Connector Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by Christian Connector

Students applying to the $5,000 Christian Connector Scholarship must be current high school students (Class of 2025, 2026, or 2027) interested in attending a Christian…

Students applying to the $5,000 Christian Connector Scholarship must be current high school students (Class of 2025, 2026, or 2027) interested in attending a Christian university or college.

$2,000 No Essay CollegeVine Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by CollegeVine

Easy scholarship open to current high school students and college applicants. A free CollegeVine account with a completed chancing profile required to enter.

$2,000 Niche “No Essay” College Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Easy scholarship from Niche open to all high school, college, and graduate students.

ScholarshipOwl $50,000 No Essay Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by ScholarshipOwl

Easy scholarship open to all US-based high school, college, and graduate students. Each month, 4 winners will be selected to earn $1,000 each. In December… Show More

Easy scholarship open to all US-based high school, college, and graduate students. Each month, 4 winners will be selected to earn $1,000 each. In December 2023, there will be 2 additional winners earning $1,000 each. Applicant must be a resident of any of the 50 United States, District of Columbia or US Territories except for Rhode Island and Michigan. Applicant also must be 16 years of age or older and either be enrolled now, or will be enrolled within three months of registration in the Scholarship Sweepstakes, in a qualified high school, college or university within the United States. Show Less

$2,500 ScholarshipPoints Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by ScholarshipPoints

Easy $2,500 scholarship from ScholarshipPoints open to all students.

Unigo $10,000 Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by Unigo

This easy scholarship is open to all high school students who are at least 14 years of age. To apply, students must respond to the… Show More

This easy scholarship is open to all high school students who are at least 14 years of age. To apply, students must respond to the following essay prompt in 250 words (or less): "Would you rather be smart, funny or rich? Why?" On or about March 31, 2025, a qualified panel of judges will select one (1) potential winner based on the criteria of writing ability (25%), creativity (25%), originality (25%), and overall excellence (25%). Show Less

Stuck at Prom Scholarship Contest

Offered by Duck Tape

Are you a high school student with a love for innovative fashion design? If so, we may have the perfect opportunity for you: the Stuck… Show More

Are you a high school student with a love for innovative fashion design? If so, we may have the perfect opportunity for you: the Stuck at Prom Scholarship Contest! Each year, the contest awards between $1,000 and $15,000 to the ten applicants who submit the most impressive prom dresses and tuxedo designs, made entirely from duct tape. The contest is offered by Duck Brand Duct Tape, a company with a long history of selling top-notch duct tape for a variety of purposes, now including making formal attire! If you’re a high school student wanting to put your fashion and creativity skills to the test, we encourage you to apply to the Stuck at Prom Scholarship Contest. Don’t duck out! Show Less

Ocean Awareness Art Contest This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programs

Are you an 11–18 year old passionate about the creative arts and/or the environment? Consider applying for Bow Seat's Ocean Awareness Contest! The 2024 Ocean… Show More

Are you an 11–18 year old passionate about the creative arts and/or the environment? Consider applying for Bow Seat's Ocean Awareness Contest! The 2024 Ocean Awareness Contest – Tell Your Climate Story – encourages students to become climate witnesses and creatively share their personal experiences about our changing climate reality. Submit works of visual art, creative writing, poetry, spoken word, music, dance, film, and more for a chance to win cash awards of up to $1,000 and to join the world’s largest environmental youth community for the creative arts! Show Less

US Bank Student Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by U.S. Bank

The US Bank Student Scholarship is a no-essay scholarship opportunity for U.S. residents aged 17 or older who have been accepted to or are enrolled… Show More

The US Bank Student Scholarship is a no-essay scholarship opportunity for U.S. residents aged 17 or older who have been accepted to or are enrolled in a post-secondary institution to receive help funding their education. Each year, the scholarship awards up to $20,000 to multiple incoming and current undergraduate students who complete some of the U.S. Bank's "financial education lesson" modules. Each module takes approximately 1-2 minutes to complete, and the more that students complete, the more money they become eligible to earn. Applicants who complete 25+, 50+, 100+, and 200+ modules are eligible to receive $2500, $5000, $10,000, and $20,000, respectively. If this scholarship sounds like a fit for you, keep on reading for more application details. Show Less

$2,000 Annual Catholic College Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by The Christian Connector

Are you a current high school student interested in attending a Catholic college or university? If so, consider applying for the Annual Catholic College Scholarship!… Show More

Are you a current high school student interested in attending a Catholic college or university? If so, consider applying for the Annual Catholic College Scholarship! In order to apply, you simply need to fill out a form with some simple information about yourself, your high school, and your college plans. You will then be entered into a scholarship drawing with the opportunity to win up to $2,000. The scholarship is offered by The Christian Connector, a "one-stop-shop” for receiving free information from Catholic/Christian colleges and Bible colleges.   If you’re a high school student with plans of attending a Catholic college, we encourage you to apply to the Annual Catholic College Scholarship! Show Less

$2,000 Annual Protestant Faith Based College Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Are you a current high school student interested in attending a Protestant, faith-based college or university? If so, consider applying for the Annual Protestant Faith… Show More

Are you a current high school student interested in attending a Protestant, faith-based college or university? If so, consider applying for the Annual Protestant Faith Based College Scholarship! In order to apply, you simply need to fill out a form with some simple information about yourself, your high school, and your college plans. You will then be entered in a scholarship drawing with the opportunity to win up to $2,000. The scholarship is offered by The Christian Connector, a "one-stop-shop” for receiving free information from Catholic/Christian colleges and Bible colleges.   If you’re a high school student with plans of attending a Protestant, faith-based college, we encourage you to apply to the Annual Protestant Faith Based College Scholarship! Show Less

$2,000 CampusReel Virtual Tour Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by CampusReel

Easy scholarship program open to all students who watch a student-led virtual college tour

CollegeXpress Breakfast Battle Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

The CollegeXpress Breakfast Battle Scholarship is an easy scholarship from CollegeXpress open to students who are 13+ and a legal resident of the 50 U.S.… Show More

The CollegeXpress Breakfast Battle Scholarship is an easy scholarship from CollegeXpress open to students who are 13+ and a legal resident of the 50 U.S. or D.C. A winner will be randomly chosen from among the applicants. If you're eligible, we encourage you to apply! To enter, simply apply on CollegeXpress and answer the following question: Which do you prefer, pancakes or waffles? Show Less

Top 5 no essay scholarships

Our editors hand-picked the following 10 no essay scholarships with an eye for large awards, prestigious organizations, and scholarships that are open to a wide variety of students. Apply with confidence to the following no essay scholarships:

• Coca Cola Scholarship – $20,000 scholarship for college-bound high school seniors
• Dell Scholars Program  – For Pell Grant-eligible high school seniors who participated in a college readiness program. Worth $20,000 with 500 scholarships awarded every year. Recipients also receive a free laptop, textbooks, and more
• Taco Bell Live Mas Scholarship  – Video scholarship for students between 16 and 26 with a passion for the field they are pursuing. Worth up to $25,000
• Burger King Scholars – Scholarship for high school seniors worth up to $50,000
• Doodle for Google Scholarship – Scholarship for K-12 students who submit a Doodle to be featured on Google’s homepage. Worth up to $55,000

Tips for students applying to no essay scholarships

Look for competitions rather than randomized drawings.

No essay scholarships are alluring because they do away with the pressure that comes with writing an essay for your application. Between your other academic responsibilities, extracurriculars, and other commitments, these essays can present a big roadblock for applicants.

However, you should bear in mind that you are not the only student with this idea. Many applicants are attracted to opportunities that are easy to apply to, and since many no essay scholarships are essentially scholarship sweepstakes, that means you have a very low chance of actually winning.

This is not to say that you should not apply to these opportunities, but that you should seek out scholarship opportunities that assess some materials submitted by applicants. Whether this is a video submission, a portfolio, or a photograph you took, it can help your chances greatly.

Be wary of scholarship scams

No essay scholarships are very popular with students because they typically don’t take much time to apply to. Unfortunately, this makes them all the more popular with scammers. 

Before applying to any scholarship, and especially no essay scholarships, ensure that you are not giving away any personal information that could be used to steal your identity. Additionally, you should never pay a fee to enter a scholarship competition. For more information on how to avoid scholarship scams, check out our article on how to spot them .

If at first you don’t succeed…

Many no essay scholarships, especially the random drawings, select a winner each month and then reopen. To maximize your chances of winning, make sure to check back each month to throw your hat back in the ring.

Check out similar scholarship categories

If you are looking to apply for scholarships without putting too much time into essays, check out our lists of video scholarships and easy scholarships . While some of these may include short essays, they are generally much less of a commitment than typical scholarship applications.

Don’t over-rely on no essay scholarships

No essay scholarships can be a great no-effort way of applying for educational funding, but make sure that your overall scholarship strategy makes use of all potential funding sources. Make sure especially to seek out local scholarships through community organizations and your high school counselor.

Don’t forget financial aid

If you have demonstrable financial need, there is one source of free funds for your higher education that is even easier to get than no essay scholarships. This is federal financial aid, including the Pell Grant . Make sure to fill out the FAFSA on-time and send your results to your school in order to gain eligibility for federal, state, and institutional financial aid.

Apply to affordable schools

In addition to scholarships, it’s a good idea to ensure that you apply to some colleges that are known for offering an affordable education to their students. In-state public schools offer steep tuition discounts to their students, and tuition reciprocity agreements extend these benefits to some neighboring states as well. We also have a list of the best schools in the country for affordability . These schools are known for charging low tuition, offering generous financial aid, and offering a good value to their students.

Frequently asked questions about no essay scholarships

Are “no essay” scholarships legit, how can i increase my chances of winning a no essay scholarship.

• For scholarships with a creative or artistic element, make sure that you put all of your effort into your project! Remember, your application will be completely assessed on your creative project as there is no essay required.
• For scholarships that have minimal requirements, you should apply to them as often as possible to increase your odds. However, these types of scholarships should not be the only part of your application strategy.

Who can apply for no essay scholarships?

What qualifies as a no essay scholarship, are there gpa requirements for no essay scholarships.

Also see: How to write a scholarship resume

Explore these other scholarship categories:

• Top easy scholarships
• Scholarships for high school seniors
• Top scholarships for college students
• Top STEM scholarships
• Scholarships for women

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Everything You Need to Know About No Essay Scholarships

We’re gonna go out on a limb here and say that writing essays for college scholarships isn’t your idea of a good time. In terms of fun, it probably ranks somewhere between doing the dishes and slogging your way through Pre-Calc homework.

The good news? Not all scholarships require you to write an essay that describes your life story in painstaking detail. By applying for “no essay” scholarships, you can skip the essay portion altogether and enter to win hundreds — maybe even thousands — of dollars in scholarship dough to help you pay for school.

So, how do no essay scholarships work? Are these awards legit? Below, we’ll explain everything you need to know about no-essay scholarships.

Related: How Do Scholarships Work?

What Is a No Essay Scholarship?

Filling out scholarship applications can be tedious AF. Many scholarship awards want students to meet certain college GPA requirements , submit letters of recommendation, and write a thoughtful essay. Needless to say, jumping through all these hoops to earn scholarship dough gets old fast . 

Enter: No essay scholarships, an “easy scholarship” that doesn’t require students to write a mind-numbingly boring essay. You just fill in your basic information and boom — you’re done in like five minutes.

How Do No Essay Scholarships Work?

Unlike merit-based and need-based scholarships , no-essay scholarships usually aren’t awarded based on achievements or financial need. Instead, they often come in the form of a sweepstakes — you fill in your information, cross your fingers, and hope that the scholarship gods (aka, sheer luck) are on your side.

For some no-essay scholarships, there may be an additional step to take for entry into a monthly scholarship drawing. For example, scholarships offered by Niche and Tallo often ask students to create a free account or profile for the chance to win thousands of dollars in scholarship dough. In our (admittedly biased) opinion, that’s a pretty good deal — especially considering that you can use your Tallo profile to find more easy scholarships .

Related: Is Niche Legit?

APPLY TO TALLO’S NO ESSAY SCHOLARSHIPS

So, What’s the Catch?

This all sounds too easy. There has to be more to the story, right? And the answer is: potentially.

To be entered into a no-essay scholarship, students must usually provide basic information about themselves. Scholarship websites may then turn around and sell this information to colleges and marketing companies.

Shortly after, you might start hearing from randos out of the blue. Put another way: R.I.P. your email inbox and voicemail. 

Other no-essay scholarships are straight-up scams. That’s why it’s important to know the signs of scholarship scams and report them to the Federal Trade Commission . For the record, you should NEVER pay to apply for scholarships — period.

Should I Apply for No Essay Scholarships?

That’s totally up to you. Many students find no essay scholarships to be one of the easiest ways to land free money for school. And yes, students do actually win them .

But no essay scholarships shouldn’t be the only type of scholarship you apply for. Why? Because as you can probably imagine, no essay scholarships are extremely popular due to their low barrier of entry. Therefore, your chances of winning a no-essay scholarship are lower.

Bottom line? You should apply for a variety of scholarships and use no essay scholarships as a way to give yourself a much-needed break from essay writing. That way, you’ll maximize your chances of winning free money!

How to Apply for No Essay Scholarships

First, you’ll want to create an email solely for scholarship applications. This will keep your main inbox from getting loaded with spam. Make sure that your email address is professional-sounding.

Next, register for a free account on reputable scholarship sites like Tallo and Niche that make it super easy to find no essay scholarships. After that, it’s just a matter of knowing when to apply for scholarships and keeping track of important deadlines.

Get Free Money for School

Scholarships are, hands down, one of the best ways to pay for school. Unlike student loans, scholarships are gifts that don’t need to be paid back. But to maximize your chances of winning, you need to diversify your scholarship search. That means filling out the occasional essay in addition to applying for no essay scholarships. If you’re lucky, you might just win enough financial aid to cover the entire cost of college tuition.

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What’s Covered:

Are “no-essay” scholarships worth it, where to focus your scholarship search.

• 34 No-Essay Scholarships  

Scholarships play a large role in many students’ plans for how to pay for college, but completing the applications for some scholarships is time-consuming—especially for students who are busy taking challenging courses and involved with extracurricular activities. Luckily, some scholarships are easier to apply for than others, like the no-essay scholarships listed below. 

No-essay scholarships are easier to apply for than other, more involved scholarships, so it doesn’t cost you much in time or effort to apply. However, because they’re easy to apply for, they receive a lot of applications, which means more competition and lower odds of winning. It is also less clear how no-essay scholarship recipients are selected without an essay to set your application apart.  

If you choose to apply for no-essay scholarships, just know that they are just a part of a strategy for winning awards to college and are best-suited as a supplement to local and more niche scholarships. If you don’t like the idea of writing an essay, look for a scholarship with an equivalent task, like making a video or creating a piece of art instead. 

Outside scholarships garner a lot of attention, but colleges and universities are actually the best place to look for scholarships—schools themselves grant $175 billion in scholarship money annually! It’s also worth noting that college awards are often larger than outside awards; 80% of external scholarships are less than $2,000, which looks great on paper but will only put a small dent in the cost of most colleges. 

You have the best chance of winning a merit-based scholarship from a college or university. While super-selective schools with applicants fighting for admission often don’t offer merit-based scholarships—for example, none of the Ivy League colleges do—less selective colleges are often anxious to attract strong applicants. This makes applying to a college where your profile is particularly strong a smart strategy for getting a merit scholarship .

34 No-Essay Scholarships 

1. “be bold” no-essay scholarship.

Amount: $25,000

Deadline: December 31 

Eligibility: Students of any education level, school, field of study, and GPA considered

This scholarship is for bold students who are determined to change the world one step at a time. No essay is required to win this eye-popping award. Instead, create a bold profile highlighting your earnestness, determination, and how you’re moving toward your goals for a chance to win.

2. Scholarships360 No-Essay Scholarship

Amount: $1,000

Deadline: September 30 

Eligibility: All students—including high school students, community college students, undergraduates, and graduate students

No essay is required to win this generous award. Simply sign up for Scholarship360—a scholarship newsletter—for your chance at $1,000 for college. 

3. $2,000 “No-Essay” College Scholarship

Amount: $2,000

Deadline: Monthly  

Eligibility: All high school and college students

The name says it all: no essay is required to receive this $2,000 college scholarship. Simply create an account for a chance to win this substantial award. A winner is chosen monthly and the money can be used to cover tuition, housing, books, or any other education-related expenses.

4. $2,000 Nitro Scholarship

Deadline: Monthly 

Eligibility: 

• Age 17 or older
• A parent with a child enrolled in an accredited college or university in the U.S. 
• A student enrolled in an accredited college or university in the U.S. 
• A parent with a high school senior in the U.S.
• A high school senior located with the U.S. 
• A student or a parent who has graduated from an accredited undergraduate school and is paying back debt from educational expenses

No essay is needed to win a $2,000 Nitro Scholarship. Applicants only need to complete a short application for this chance to win this award and to take a step to control the cost of college. 

5. The Student Loan Hero Smart Money Giveaway

Eligibility: Legal U.S. residents in the contiguous U.S. and Washington, D.C., 18 years of age and older

This scholarship wants you to take control of your college finances so you can focus on your future. Entry is easy—just fill out a short online application. 

6. College Board “Complete Your FAFSA” Scholarships

Amount:   $500

Deadline: October through February 

Eligibility: Current high school seniors in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and U.S. territories

The College Board—the organization that administers the SAT—provides scholarships to students for simply filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The College Board will give out 500 awards every month from October through December and 100 awards in both January and February.

7. College Board “Complete Your Journey” Scholarships

Amount: $40,000

Deadline: February 

Complete the College Board’s six steps of college planning for your chance at one of 25 $40,000 scholarship opportunities. The program is open to students from all financial backgrounds, however, at least half of the scholarships will go to students from families who earn less than $60,000 annually. 

8. ScholarshipPoints Scholarship Program

Amount: $10,000

Deadline: Quarterly 

Eligibility:   

• Age 13 or older
• U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident 
• Attending or planning to attend college in the U.S.

No GPA, no essay, and no hassle! To enter for an opportunity to win one of these impressive awards, simply fill out an online application. In addition to the quarterly $10,000 scholarships, ScholarshipPoints also draws three $1,000 scholarships monthly.

9. Christian Connector Scholarship

Amount: $2,500

Deadline: May 31

Eligibility:  

• Age 13 or older 
• Must enroll for the first time as a full-time student at a Christ-centered Christian college, university, or Bible college

Sign up to receive information about Christian colleges—and for a chance at winning this handsome scholarship award for college. The scholarship is only open to students planning to attend a Christ-centered Christian college, university, or Bible college. The funds are sent directly to the winner’s school of choice. 

10. No Essay ‘You Deserve It’ Scholarship

Amount: $2,222

Deadline: December 29

• Age 16 or older 
• Legal resident of the U.S. or its territories (Rhode Island and Michigan applicants are ineligible)
• Enrolled in a qualified high school, college, or university in the U.S.

Sign up for ScholarshipOwl (a scholarship service) and you’re simultaneously registered for a chance to win a $2,222 award. Your odds of winning are about 1 in 140,000—not too bad considering there is no essay required and sign up is quick. 

11. CollegeXpress $10,000 Scholarship Contest

• Legal U.S. resident 
• Must enter a CollegeXpress member college as a full-time freshman, transfer, or graduate student for the fall term 

Just create a CollegeXpress profile for a chance at $10,000 to use at a CollegeXpress member college . Winners of this no-essay scholarship are selected at random. 

12. Annual Catholic College Scholarship

Amount: $1,500

• Must enroll for the first time as a full-time student at a Catholic college

Sign up to receive information about Catholic colleges—and for a chance at winning this handsome scholarship award for college. The scholarship is only open to students planning to attend a Catholic college, university, or Bible college. The funds are sent directly to the winner’s school of choice. 

13. Discover Student Loans Scholarship Award 

Amount: $5,000

• Resident of the U.S. or its territories
• High school seniors, college students, students who’ve earned a General Education Development (GED), or parent/guardian of an aforementioned person

Sign up to receive emails that provide helpful college tips and useful resources and get entered to win one of 12 annual $5,000 awards. Complete a survey after registering for emails for an additional entry for the scholarship. 

Discover your chances at hundreds of schools

Our free chancing engine takes into account your history, background, test scores, and extracurricular activities to show you your real chances of admission—and how to improve them.

14. Lounge Lizard Web Design Scholarship  

Deadline: Semi-annually (spring and fall)

Eligibility: Attending an accredited school in the U.S. or accepted to an accredited school and set to begin within six months of application

Show off your creativity for a chance to win this no-essay scholarship. To enter, fill out a short application and either submit a web design or attach a link to a webpage. In addition to a scholarship, winners also receive a critique session with Lounge Lizard’s founder and CCO. 

15. Create-a-Greeting-Card Scholarship

Deadline: March 3

• Age 14 or older 
• Legal U.S. resident or international student with a student visa 
• High school, college, or university student 

While you don’t need an essay to win this generous scholarship, you are required to submit an original photo, artwork, or computer graphic for use on the front of a greeting card. Entries are limited to one per person, so send in your best work! 

16. Frame My Future Scholarship Contest 

Amount: $6,000

Deadline: April 1

• Legal U.S.resident
• Planning to enroll at a U.S. college or university in the fall

Show how you frame your future through photography, illustration, painting, or mixed media art for a chance at this ample award. Although no essay is required, applicants are asked to submit a brief overview of their piece (no more than 500 characters). 

17. Annual Faith-Based College Scholarship

• Must enroll for the first time as a full-time student at a faith-based college

Sign up to receive information about faith-based colleges and for a chance at winning this handsome scholarship award for college. The scholarship is only open to students planning to attend a faith-based college, university, or Bible college. The funds are sent directly to the winner’s school of choice. 

18. Sallie Mae $5,432 Sweepstakes

Amount: $5,432

Deadline: December 31

Entering for this scholarship is easy, all you need to do is complete an online registration for your chance at this $5,432 award. 

19. Ascent Scholarships 

Amount: Varies 

• Age 18 or older 
• Legal U.S. resident or DACA student
• Enrolled at least half-time in a degree program or technical skills training program 

Ascent Scholarship giveaways are designed to help students cover school-related expenses such as tuition, books, rent, groceries, parking, and transportation. No essay is required, all you need to do is register for a chance to win one of these awards. 

20. The “No Sweat” Scholarship

• Between 8th and 12th grade 

Create an account and complete a portfolio for your chance at this super scholarship which you can use for any educational purpose—from books to summer camp. The more complete your profile is, the better your odds of winning are. 

21. Too Cool to Pay for School Scholarship

• U.S. residents, DACA and undocumented students, and international students currently studying in the U.S.
• Current high school, college, and graduate students

Paying for school is stressful which is why this scholarship is intentionally low pressure. Complete the online registration to enter. Follow Access Scholarships on Instagram for an extra entry. You can use the scholarship for any educational expense—including tuition, textbooks, housing, and technology. 

22. Cappex Easy Money Scholarship

Eligibility: Current high school or college student 

No need to stress about your GPA or an essay when entering this scholarship contest. Simply answer a few simple questions for your chance at one of these awards. 

23. Scholarships4Moms 

Deadline: December 15

• Age 18 or older
• U.S. legal resident
• Mother or expectant mother 
• Enrolled in a college or university in the U.S. or will enroll in one within three months 

The Scholarships4Moms award is designed to help mothers meet their educational goals. Founded by a group of moms, who understand how busy moms are, signing up is quick and easy. All you need to do is complete a short entry form. 

24. College Survey Scholarship

Eligibility: College undergraduate or graduate student and undergraduate or graduate alumni who graduated within the last four years

All it takes to enter this running for this scholarship is to fill out a college survey on Niche, a ranking, and review website. Your responses are anonymous and are displayed on Niche to help other students to find the right college for them. 

25. Easy Scholarships

• Age 25 years or younger
• Living in the U.S. or Canada (or a citizen of either country but living abroad)

No GPA requirements or essays are required to participate in this scholarship contest. For a chance to win, you simply must sign up for a campaign, complete it, and take a photo to document your participation. Campaigns are quick and completed in under five minutes!  

26. SuperCollege Scholarship

Eligibility: High school, college, or graduate student, or adult planning to go back to school

Just fill out the application and answer a few simple questions about your college plans for the opportunity to win this award. You can use the scholarship to pay for any education-related expenses. For example, tuition, books, computers, or room and board.

27. Debt.com Scholarship For Aggressive Scholarship Applicants

Amount: $500

Deadline: Every other month 

Eligibility: Actively applying for scholarships

This scholarship rewards students with the drive to earn scholarships and the willingness to fight for financial independence. In order to win, you need to send confirmations from all of the scholarships you’ve applied to. Also, while there is no essay, you are required to submit a short biographical letter.

28. MyMozaic Monthly Scholarship Contest

Deadline: Every month 

Eligibility:

• U.S. citizen or legal resident
• Enrolled in high school or college in the U.S.

Simply create a profile at MyMozaic.com and answer a few simple questions—like your graduation year, your GPA, and the major(s) you’re interested in—for the opportunity to win one of these monthly, no-essay scholarships. 

29. WayUp Dream Job No-Essay Scholarship

Deadline: Jun 1 

Eligibility: Current college student

Create a profile at WayUp—a jobsite for college students and recent college graduates—for a  chance of winning a $1,000 scholarship. The stronger your profile and the more internships and jobs you apply for, the better your odds are to receive an award.  

30. College Ave Scholarship Monthly Sweepstakes

• U.S. citizen or permanent resident 
• Enrolled in high school or a post-secondary educational institution or are the parent or legal guardian of a person enrolled in a high school or a post-secondary educational institution 

Earning this $1,000 simply requires filling out a very short entry and a little luck. Winners are chosen monthly!  

31. Give Me Liberty Easy Scholarship

• U.S. citizen 
• High school senior or enrolled in an accredited institution in the U.S.

The intention of this scholarship is to provide every student with an equal opportunity to experience freedom from the burden of tuition and loans. Recipients are selected through a lottery which gives every applicant the same chance of winning—regardless of their academic performance, extracurricular achievements, and essay writing skills. 

32. Because College is Expensive Scholarship

Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors, along with current college students and anyone else looking to attend college or graduate school

If you’re planning to attend college you’ll want to look into this scholarship—all it takes is completing a short application to enter for a chance to win. Only one entry per quarter is allowed. 

33. Return 2 College Scholarship Program

Deadline: January 31

• U.S. citizen or legal resident 
• Starting a program of higher education—either undergraduate or graduate—within the next 12 months or are currently full or part-time students 

While this scholarship doesn’t require an essay it does ask you to compose three sentences answering the question why are you getting your degree? Have a lot to say? Perfect, more than one entry is allowed, but more than a dozen are discouraged. 

34. Project Yellow Light Create a Billboard Scholarship   

Deadline: March 1

• Legal U.S. residents 
• High school juniors and seniors, along with undergraduate and graduate students 

Design a billboard to promote safe driving to a broad audience and draw attention to this important topic. In addition to a scholarship, winners may see their design grace a billboard or used on the web and other digital platforms. 

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

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The 10 Best No Essay Scholarships

So many students have been there before. 

They filled out their application to the best of their abilities, they applied to every internal scholarship imaginable at their hopeful college, and they calculated their odds of winning certain awards ad nauseum. 

And then the acceptance letter comes in, and it’s cause for such a wonderful celebration. Getting into university is incredibly difficult, and you’ve done it. 

But then there’s the second letter—the financial aid award letter. And for so many students, that award just isn’t enough to keep a student from navigating debt for many years to come. 

Even for those students who can utilize internal, university-wide funding to mitigate their tuition costs, having external funding sources will always make a big difference in one’s attempts to finance their education. 

But there are a lot of scholarships out there. And many of them will provide wonderful opportunities, but in order to make the most of one’s scholarship hunt to ensure they will receive enough external aid to impact their tuition costs, they’ll need to apply for a lot of scholarships. 

School, work, and attempts to make the most of one’s teenage/early 20s can make the prospect of writing dozens of scholarship essays and answering a plethora of scholarship questions daunting. 

But there are scholarships out there that provide actual money, which one can apply to in mere minutes. And although the odds of winning such scholarships can be slim, it never hurts to cast as wide of a net as possible. 

And no-essay scholarships are a simple addition to one’s list of scholarship applications that increase one’s chances of receiving funding without increasing the number of hours one spends on the scholarship hunt. 

As such, this article will break down 10 of the best no-essay scholarships out there. 

In making this list, attention was given to the legitimacy of the scholarship organization, the amount of funding each scholarship provided, and the range of students who would be eligible to apply for the scholarship. 

In no particular order, here are the ten best no-essay scholarships that will make easy additions to your scholarship list. 

Big Future’s $40,000 Scholarship

Big Future is an organization that helps students with the step-by-step process of applying for college. 

Big Future is a service offered by the larger College Board website, a non-profit organization that seeks to aid students in their quest to both attend college and succeed while there. 

In order to apply for the $40,000 scholarship , students must make an account on the Big Future section of the College Board website and subsequently begin steps to plan for college. 

Completing steps to prepare for college on Big Future include making a list of potential colleges, preparing for a standardized test, applying for colleges, and more. 

Each year, roughly 25 winners are selected to receive the $40,000 scholarship. Winners’ profiles can be found here . 

“Be Bold” No-Essay Scholarship

Bold.org is a scholarship website that hosts a wide array of no-essay scholarships. Many of the no-essay scholarships on Bold.org are not available elsewhere and are centered around various themes (i.e. international travel, the arts, etc.). 

One of the largest of Bold.org’s many exclusive no-essay scholarships is their Be Bold , $25,050 scholarship. 

This scholarship is awarded annually to a Bold.org user, and previous winners can be found at the bottom of the scholarship’s page. 

In order to increase one’s likelihood of winning this scholarship, students attain “bold points,” which can be gained by watching advertisements, providing feedback to the website, or otherwise. 

Niche No-Essay Scholarship

Niche is a trusted source for all things college.

They provide rankings for the world’s best universities in a wide array of subject matter, they collect data on acceptance rates, and they are a hub of information for anything a student may need to know regarding their school of choice. 

And alongside this, they also aid students on their scholarship hunt. 

As part of this, they provide a $2,000 no-essay scholarship which is given to students on a monthly basis. 

In order to apply, students need only create an account on Niche.com via the scholarship application. 

Previous winners of the no-essay scholarship can be found on Niche’s website . 

Nitro College No-Essay Scholarship

Nitro has a remarkably easy no-essay scholarship.

In order to apply, students do not even need to make an account on Nitro’s website, but instead merely have to provide the school they hope to attend and their contact information, and they are set to apply. 

Each month, Nitro selects a winner of the $2,000 no-essay scholarship. Previous scholarship winners can be found at the bottom of the scholarship application page. 

Nitro is a website dedicated to helping students understand all things financial regarding the college experience. This includes information on scholarships, loans, and tools to help calculate one’s cost of college. 

CollegeXpress $10,000 No-Essay Scholarship

CollegeXpress hosts an annual no-essay scholarship competition , where one winner will receive a generous scholarship worth $10,000. 

By making an account on the CollegeXpress website via the no-essay scholarship portal, students are automatically enrolled for the chance to win the $10,000 scholarship. 

CollegeXpress is another organization that does not merely offer one no-essay scholarship but several. 

For example, after applying for the $10,000 no-essay scholarship, students can apply for the $2,000, “Favorite Color” scholarshi p—where students only need to answer what their favorite color is in order to apply. 

College Covered $5,000 No-Essay Scholarship

College Covered is an organization owned by Discover that seeks to aid students in financing their education while simultaneously promoting Discover’s student loans. 

Because College Covered seeks to aid students in all things financial, it is no wonder that they also host a variety of scholarship competitions. 

One of the largest of these scholarship competitions is the $5,000 no-essay Discover student loans no-essay scholarship. 

In order to apply, all a student needs to do is provide their basic contact information. 

$1,000 Dorm Survey Scholarship

ULoop is a hub for all odds and ends associated with college preparation. 

Whether it be finding a roommate, a tutor, or finding a place to live, ULoop strives to be a marketplace for all of one’s miscellaneous college needs. 

To best achieve this goal, ULoop naturally needs to harvest a fair amount of data regarding a wide array of colleges to provide accurate and up-to-date information. 

This is where the $1,000 Dorm Survey Scholarship comes in. 

To apply for this scholarship, students fill out a brief questionnaire regarding their experiences living in dorms at their particular university. 

Alongside the dorm survey, students can also enter the off-campus apartment survey scholarship contest, which has an award of $1,000. 

Winners of both scholarships are announced annually, and previous winners can be found on ULoop’s website . 

Tallo $1,000 Scholarship

Tallo is an app where students can update schools, scholarship competitions, and employers regarding their various academic or professional achievements. 

Through this platform, professionals and students connect to develop meaningful relationships. 

By joining the Tallo app, students join a network of over 1 million students and professionals and have access to a scholarship database that includes over $20 billion in scholarships.

When a student joins Tallo, they are automatically enrolled in the $1,000, no-essay scholarship contest. 

Joining Tallo and completing a profile is considered the application for this scholarship. 

Scholarship Owl $7,000 Scholarship

Scholarship Owl is a scholarship database that both seeks to connect students with scholarship opportunities and to provide education to students regarding how scholarships work during the process. 

Their $7,000 scholarship does not require an essay and merely requires that students create a profile on the Scholarship Owl website. 

Although only 1 in 140,000 students win, approximately every applicant is considered equal during the scholarship drawing. 

As such, no one student has a significantly greater chance of winning the no-essay scholarship compared to another. 

ScholarshipPoints $10,000 Scholarship

ScholarshipPoints hosts a variety of no-essay scholarship contests, with the largest of these having a $10,000 value .

ScholarshipPoints operates by having students gain “scholarship points” by doing things like surveys, watching ads, or engaging with website sponsors. 

Then, students spend these points to enter scholarship sweepstakes. 

One point spent is the equivalent of 1 entry in the random drawing of scholarship winners. 

The more points one spends in entering a scholarship, the more likely it is that a student will win the said scholarship. 

As such, not only do Scholarship points offer the large, $10,000 no-essay scholarship, but several no-essay scholarships in which spending scholarship points takes the place of writing a formal scholarship application. 

Even if the chances of winning can be slim for some of these scholarships, it is real money that real winners have received in the past.

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The Best No-Essay Scholarships to Apply for in 2024

Sallie Mae No-Essay Scholarship

By: Sallie Mae

"Be Bold" No-Essay Scholarship

Powering The Future - Whiddon Memorial Scholarship

Eligibility criteria:.

• Field of Study : STEM
• Education Level : High school, undergraduate, or graduate student
• Background : Financial need

Anthony McPherson Memorial Automotive Scholarship

• Field of Interest : Automotive
• Education Level : High school or undergraduate student

Betty and Louie Dicks SCSU Scholarship

• Education Level : Undergraduate student
• School : South Carolina State University
• Gender : Male
• GPA : 2.75 or higher

St.Hilaire Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship

• Education Level : High school senior
• State : New Jersey
• Background : Community service or volunteering experience
• Involvement : Student-athlete

Onward and Upward Scholarship

Pool Family LGBT+ Scholarship

• Education Level : Undergraduate
• Identity : LGBTQ+

"A Daring Path" No-Essay Scholarship

Courtney M. Weatherspoon Memorial Scholarship

• Education Level : High school, trade school, or community college student
• State : Tennessee
• Race : Black/African American
• Financial Status : Low-income

200 Bold Points No-Essay Scholarship

Bold.org x Checkmate No-Essay Scholarship

Great Games No-Essay Scholarship

Catholic Colleges No-Essay Scholarship

GIST College Sports Scholarship

Christian Colleges No-Essay Scholarship

Appily No-Essay Scholarship

CampusReel No-Essay Scholarship

ScholarshipOwl No-Essay Scholarship

Best Faith-Based Colleges No-Essay Scholarship

Best Catholic Colleges No-Essay Scholarship

Niche College No-Essay Scholarship

Finance Your Education No-Essay Scholarship

The GIST Women’s Sports Business Scholarship

WayUp Dream Job No-Essay Scholarship

• Graduation Year : Between 2020 and 2026

Nielsen Rewards No-Essay Scholarship

Survey Junkie Brand Influencer No-Essay Scholarship

CapCut Meme Master Scholarship

CollegeXpress No-Essay Scholarship

CollegeVine Dream School Scholarship

• Education Level : Must be a high school student

Due to the ease of no-essay scholarships, they can seem too good to be true and you may worry about scholarship scams. Luckily, no-essay scholarships on Bold.org are all legit! Just make your free account and start funding your college tuition.

Although no-essay scholarships can be some of the easiest scholarships to apply for, it can feel impossible to make yourself stand out from the other students. To increase your chance of winning more scholarships, try applying for scholarships with limited eligibility, such as scholarships for high school juniors or scholarships with minimum GPA requirements.

There is no limit to the number of scholarships you can win on Bold.org. Since no-essay scholarships typically take just a few minutes to apply for, you can apply for many so you can win as much money as possible.

FREE TRAINING: How I Secured 6-Figures in Scholarships & Graduated Debt-Free

The Scholarship System

Paying for college begins here

What You Need To Know About No Essay Scholarships

Scholarships & Financial Aid

Updated on June 12th, 2023

Scholarships are a preferred way to pay for college after high school; they provide free money that students don’t have to pay back after college or graduate school (as long as they adhere to the rules). But so many students find application processes cumbersome, especially essays, leaving many wondering, “Is there such a thing as no essay scholarships?” I can relate. When I started the scholarship process, I was looking for these myself!

If your student is trying to avoid debt, scholarships are a great option. They can cover a range of college costs and don’t have to be paid back. If you and your student want to learn about scholarships,  sign up for our free college scholarship webinar ! Take a quick trip over to  http://thescholarshipsystem.com/freewebinar  to reserve a spot today.

The truth is if you search for “no essay scholarships,” you will find some more scholarships and awards advertised as such. But many no-essay scholarships aren’t really what they seem to be on the surface.

Here’s what you need to know and what to do when you come across scholarships that do not require an essay.

What Are No Essay Scholarships?

When it comes down to it, most no essay scholarships  are actually more like sweepstakes than scholarships.

High school students and graduate students have to provide personal information in exchange for getting a chance to win the money. But, the recipient is selected at a random drawing, and your student could be in for a rude awakening when it comes to how their information is used.

In some cases, to fund no essay scholarships, the company providing the scholarship money, will use your child’s information for marketing purposes, and may even sell it to other businesses or schools so they can do the same. This helps the awarding scholarship provider to profit off of the scholarship, often allowing them to earn more than the amount of funds awarded to the winner.

This practice is common in sweepstakes or contests run by retailers and manufacturers, but not necessarily in traditional scholarships. Sometimes, there are “opt-in” or “opt-out” options, but that may be buried in fine print or not easily noticed.

Related Video:

• Niche Scholarship: Yay or Nay?

Believe it or not, my email used for sweepstake scholarships now has over 20,000 unread emails – mostly from these scholarship sites! I ended up creating an entirely new email address because any efforts to unsubscribe proved ineffective.

Odds of Winning Easy Scholarships

Your high school senior or graduate student’s odds of winning can be incredibly slim, depending on the number of people who apply for the particular no essay required scholarship sweepstakes. And the number of people who apply can be quite large, as few other requirements are customarily included which could limit the number of applications.

For example, no essay scholarships likely won’t require a minimum GPA, that your student is pursuing a degree in a particular field, or that they belong to a specific demographic (beyond being a current or incoming college student). According to the  National Center for Education Statistics , over 16 million people were enrolled in college in 2019 (the latest statistics available through the agency), meaning your child has a substantially better chance of being struck by lightning than their chances of winning one of these sweepstakes if everyone who is eligible applies.

Are Any No Essay Scholarships Safe?

Now, it is true that these sweepstakes may be offered by reputable companies, but calling them a no essay scholarship really feels like a misnomer. Additionally, scams are more likely to masquerade as no essay scholarships than those that require an essay, which means your child could be putting themselves at risk, depending on where they apply.

Generally, if certain easy scholarships sound too good to be true, they probably are and are best avoided.

For more information about spotting scams that target college students for financial aid , including no-essay scholarships that might not be legitimate, check out these articles:

• How to Tell if a Scholarship is a Scam or Not
• 6 College Scams to Watch for and How to Avoid Them

Even if some of the no-essay scholarships are legitimate, they usually aren’t worth the effort. Aside from the potentially horrible odds of winning top no essay scholarships, your child may be opening themselves up to a deluge of marketing attempts as well as the spread of their personal information as it is repeatedly bought and sold by other businesses.

While the idea of an easy scholarship application is enticing, the risks are often too great and the resulting headaches if they can’t opt-out of having their information sold can follow them for years.

Learn from my mistakes. Skip the sweepstake “no essay” scholarships  unless there is a different requirement that makes up for the essay (I’ll give you a few of those in just a minute). If you would like to  learn more about how to avoid these no-essay scholarships, sign up for my  free college scholarship webinar  It’s a great way to learn about the process and how to identify legitimate scholarship opportunities that can help your student avoid debt while pursuing their education. I even share more detail about my own experience with these no essay scholarship scams.

Legitimate Scholarship Essay Alternatives

So, what do you do if you find a scholarship that does not require an essay?

The answer is to assess whether or not there is an equivalent requirement that makes it legitimate. Typically, the presence of an essay is one of the biggest indicators that a scholarship is genuine, along with it being offered by a reputable organization. But, a written piece isn’t the only option your student may come across.

There are a few essay format alternatives that are rising in popularity that can be entirely legitimate. For example, some organizations request a video essay instead of a written one. Others will allow or require, a creative presentation instead of a traditional written essay. Portfolios of past work related to a particular field could also be a sign that a scholarship is legitimate.

In the end, these alternatives serve the same function as a regular essay, making them a suitable replacement in the scholarship application process. In fact, they can be quite common eligibility requirements, especially if your child is planning to pursue a degree in a creative field and is applying for a scholarship from an industry organization affiliated with the industry.

How Can We Spot “Easy Scholarships” or “No-Essay Scholarships” for What They Are?

Generally, legitimate scholarship opportunities are going to take effort as the organizations often have goals they want to see high school students meet when they offer an award. Whether they are hoping to support the higher education of a student who is likely to shine in a particular field or want to make a college education more accessible to a lower-income household, they have a mission behind their scholarship offering.

No essay scholarships are generally not associated with any greater mission (aside from receiving a tax write-off for giving the money away and gaining access to the personal information of thousands, if not millions, or applicants), so they amount to no more than sweepstakes with a cash prize.

Before your child applies for any scholarship, it is important to research the award and the organization providing the funds to ensure that it isn’t a scam or simple sweepstakes pretending to be a true scholarship for high school seniors. That way, they can focus their efforts on real opportunities that can help them pay for school without having to take on any unnecessary risk or battle terrible odds of actually being awarded the money.

For more information about scholarship essays and how to navigate the scholarship essay process, here are some helpful articles on the topic:

• How to Win Scholarships with the Right Scholarship Essay Format
• Make Scholarship Essays Stand Out by Avoiding These 4 Clichés

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All You Need to Know About No-Essay Scholarships

Let’s face it. Like most students, you’re more likely to enjoy watching paint dry than writing an essay. That’s what often makes applying for scholarships tedious. In most cases, scholarships need you to submit well-written essays. No-Essay Scholarships, in contrast, seem like an appealing option, especially for students who aren’t super-confident with their writing.  

But what are these no-essay scholarships? And how do they even work?

Most collect your personal information for marketing purposes: You enter your information and stand a chance to win scholarship money. Does that mean you should ignore them completely? Or is there a way to leverage them?

In this article, we’ll explore scholarships without essays, their legitimacy, and whether they’re worth spending time on.

What are No-Essay Scholarships?

No-essay scholarships are college scholarships that don’t require you to submit an essay to apply. Unlike traditional merit-based and need-based financial aid , no-essay scholarships are usually not awarded based on achievements or financial need. Instead, they’re often awarded through sweepstakes. These usually require you to fill in some information and then pray you’re lucky enough to win. 

Here’s what these scholarships usually require:

• Contact information (usually an email address)
• Some form of official identification
• A copy of your most recent high school or college transcript 

Besides these, some no-essay scholarships also require additional steps, such as the submission of a project, resume, or CV, answering a quiz, creating an account or profile on the scholarship site, etc. 

Types of No-Essay Scholarships

No-essay scholarships are usually intended for high school students aiming for college, though some are awarded to students already enrolled in higher education. They may have very different eligibility criteria, even if an essay isn’t a requirement. Based on how they’re awarded, there are certain distinct types of no-essay scholarships. 

Sweepstakes / Monthly No-Essay Scholarships 

Probably the most common form of no-essay scholarships, awards in the form of sweepstakes are often quite similar to raffles or lottery rolls. They are usually offered by private organizations, non-profits, or third-party sites. It’s important to understand how the organization offering the award is able to do so for free—and be wary of potential scams. In most cases, they collect information, like your email address, for marketing purposes. 

In some cases, scholarships may be offered monthly, prompting you to create a profile to take part in monthly scholarship drawings. Among the most popular is the “Be Bold” No-Essay Scholarship . “Be Bold” requires students to create a profile on Bold.org to apply, where they can showcase their goals and achievements. The scholarships are awarded to students whose profiles are deemed “most bold”, each month. Some scholarships offered by Tallo are also awarded monthly.

These companies earn by sharing your information with their partners for marketing and related services. It’s important to read the fine print before applying so that you know how your information will be used. Here’s a short summary of Be Bold’s Privacy Policy and how they use your data. They may sell to or share your information with scholarship providers, applicable academic institutions, and other third parties in which you have expressed interest while using their platform. You can opt out of this at any time by notifying them that you wish to withdraw your information.  

Usually, sweepstakes tend to be small scholarships that offer a few thousand dollars, but if you’ve verified that they’re legit, they may be worth applying for. 

Related: Financial Aid Resources at CollegEnroll

Competitions and Creative Projects

Some no-essay scholarships involve competitions to decide the winners. These scholarships usually have specific criteria and are either judged by a panel or through polls. The Stuck At Prom Scholarships are a fun example of this, requiring applicants to create and model prom attire primarily made from Duck® Brand Duct Tape.

Some scholarships focus on students with artistic or creative talents, such as filmmaking, photography, or graphic design. These awards encourage students to submit creative projects, which are then judged based on various criteria. 

Doodle for Google is a no-essay scholarship in the form of an annual art contest open to students in grades K-12. Students are invited to create their own Google Doodle for the chance to win some great scholarships and have their doodles featured on Google.com as well. 

Internships

Some scholarships may be awarded as part-time internships, in which financial aid is provided to eligible students, who must complete an internship to maintain their eligibility. 

For example: The CIA’s Undergraduate Scholarship Program . The scholarship recipients of this program attend an accredited college/university on a full-time basis and work during summer breaks at the Agency. 

Community Service Scholarships

Just being a genuinely good person can sometimes help you win scholarships. If you love volunteering and helping your community, it’s worth exploring no-essay scholarships for community service. 

Easy Scholarships from DoSomething.org include several awards for deserving students for specific community service contributions.

No-Essay Scholarships with Specific Eligibility Requirements

Certain no-essay awards are offered to students who meet specific criteria, based on age, gender, chosen major, financial need, location, or belonging to certain minority communities. In some cases, this kind of scholarship may be offered by colleges or universities to students who meet specific criteria. 

Though there’s no essay requirement, these scholarships aren’t always “easy scholarships.” They may have varying criteria, sometimes requiring a short statement or video message, in addition to the requirements mentioned earlier. 

What are Your Odds of Winning No-Essay Scholarships?

Realistically, they can be quite slim, especially if there are no additional requirements.

The fact that there’s no essay makes it easy to apply for such scholarships. But this can prove to be both a blessing and a curse. The blessing is that it usually doesn’t take too much extra effort to apply. The curse is that your chances of winning may be slim to none, especially for scholarships offered through sweepstakes. The easy nature of these scholarships usually means there’ll be tons of applicants, lowering your odds. 

Still, if they do not require too much undue effort, and if they are offered through legitimate sources, applying may be worth a shot. But you need to remember that most of these scholarships may use your personal information for marketing, so you may get unwanted emails that clutter your inbox.

Things to Consider When Applying for No-Essay Scholarships

The first thing to do before applying for any no-essay scholarship is to ensure that the scholarship is genuine, and not a scam. Here are two questions you should ask before starting the application process for any no-essay scholarships:

Who is offering them?

Most non-essay or easy scholarships are offered by private organizations, companies, non-profits, colleges and universities, local communities, and sometimes government bodies. 

It is important to know where the funds come from. Ensure that you do not have to pay any fees to apply. The only costs you might incur will be on postage stamps, since you may have to mail documents as part of the process. Knowing and verifying who is offering the awards is an important step you should take before applying. It’s safest to focus on awards that are offered by recognized organizations, or that provide clear, verifiable information about their sources. 

What information do they need instead of the essay?

For no-essay scholarships, it’s important to see what is expected of you instead of an essay. Here’s a list of potential requirements that you may need to provide for no-essay scholarships:

• Email Address (or similar contact information)
• Transcripts
• Proof of Enrollment or Acceptance
• Proof of Citizenship or Residency
• CV or Resume
• Letters of Recommendation
• Portfolio or Showcase of Skills
• Personal Statement or Short Answers
• Submissions (for contests or project-based awards)

Of these, an email address is basic, usually required so that you receive timely updates (but note that they may use it for marketing purposes). But when asked for letters of recommendation, portfolios, personal statements, or short answers, you should think a bit about the return on investment. If the award is small, with only a slim chance of winning, it may not be worth it to create an entire portfolio or creative project specifically for the award. But if it’s a $10,000 no-essay scholarship that only requires you to provide transcripts and a recommendation letter, it may be worth a shot.

Gauge how long it will take to provide the requirements and compare it with your chances of winning. And as with everything else in the world of college financial aid, be cautious!

You should report any potential scholarship scams to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at reportfraud.ftc.gov , or the National Fraud Information Center (NFIC) , and file a complaint with your state attorney general.

Tips on Applying for No-Essay Scholarships

Once you’ve verified that the no-essay scholarship is legitimate, there are really just 2 steps you need to ensure an efficient application process:

• Create a Separate Inbox

Setting up a dedicated email inbox, just for your scholarship applications is the best way to stay organized. This ensures that important updates and notifications related to your no-essay scholarship applications don’t get lost in the shuffle of your regular emails. You could even go a step further and create a temporary inbox so that your personal contact information remains safe. Just ensure that the inbox doesn’t expire before the scholarships are awarded. 

• Use a Tracking Sheet

If you’ve decided to apply for multiple scholarships, you should create a tracking sheet. This will help you stay on top of deadlines and announcement dates. Create a document or sheet that lists each no-essay scholarship you’re applying for, along with its specific deadlines and when winners are expected to be announced. This visual aid ensures you never miss a crucial date and allows you to manage your applications efficiently.

Here’s a super-simple example:

Applying for no-essay scholarships can be an easy way to potentially obtain some extra money for college. While the amount awarded may be smaller compared to traditional scholarships, the time and effort required for the application process are minimal. It all depends on your personal circumstances and the potential ‘return on investment.’ If you have the time and the eligibility, applying for these scholarships could be worth it.

Many no-essay scholarships are legitimate and easy to apply for. But the odds of winning, and the possibility of scams mean that you should be cautious while applying. 

If you’ve identified a couple of legitimate no-essay scholarships, it may be a good idea to apply for a couple of them to improve your chances. But focus more on awards that require you to showcase your skills and achievements. Or those that are awarded for financial need, if you’re likely eligible for them. Play to your strengths and ensure you’re investing your time where it matters most.

By balancing enthusiasm with caution, you can take advantage of no-essay scholarships for a smoother journey toward financial aid. So, explore with care, apply smartly, and pave the way for a brighter academic future.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Are no essay scholarships legit.

Often, yes. While there may be potential scams, there are a good number of legitimate no-essay scholarships or easy scholarships that can be worth applying for. Ensure that you research each scholarship thoroughly before applying. 

Are there any red flags to watch out for with no-essay scholarships?

Be cautious of scholarships that require upfront fees, promise guaranteed wins, or lack clear eligibility criteria. Legitimate scholarships should be transparent and free to apply for.

How can I increase my chances of winning a no-essay scholarship?

Ensure your application aligns with the scholarship’s criteria, provide accurate (and compelling) information, and submit all required documents by the deadline.

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, the 10 easiest scholarships to apply for.

Financial Aid

Scholarships are awesome resources if you're checking out different ways to pay for college. It's free money after all—what's not to love?

As it turns out, most scholarship programs have application processes that aren't exactly lovable. Students generally have to submit a lot of information about themselves: transcripts, GPAs, test scores, resumes, community service activities, and so on. There might even be a few essays and grade requirements thrown in as well. You don't want to complain—because, again, free money—but these applications sure are tedious when you're working on college apps, high school courses, and financial aid applications all at the same time.

The following easy scholarships have application processes that are a bit more manageable. Some ask you to write short essays, while others don't require any essays at all! The awards might not be as large as some other scholarships out there, but when the application process is so easy, you really don't have much to lose. I'll start off with some words of warning before getting into the good stuff: essay and no-essay scholarships that are so easy to apply for, you might end up applying to all of them!

Caveat: If a Scholarship Seems Too Good to Be True ...

Unfortunately, there aren't too many legitimate "easy" scholarships out there. If a scholarship application sounds too good to be true, be cautious—you don't want to fall victim to a scholarship scam!

Here are some things to look out for:

• A scholarship application that asks for personal information that isn't relevant to the award: Many top scholarship programs ask for personal information (transcripts, SAT/ACT scores, and even financial information for need-based scholarships); however, this info is all relevant to candidate evaluation. If you're ever uncomfortable providing personal info for a scholarship program, dig deeper. Can you verify that the program is legitimate? Does it have its own website, or can you only find info about it through a third party? Try Googling "[award name] scam" to see whether anything suspicious pops up.
• A scholarship that asks you to make payments to enter or win: Scholarship programs are in the business of giving money to students, not taking it. A scholarship program is likely just a scam if the application asks you to make a payment—especially if it asks you to enter credit card information.

Now that we've got that out of the way, it's time to get to the good stuff: all the best easy essay and non-essay scholarships and how to win them!

Essay Scholarships

The scholarships in this section ask students to submit short essays with their applications. Even though you'll have to write an essay, the rest of the application (and the essay itself) should be easy and manageable for all these awards. In fact, most of these applications shouldn't take more than one to two hours to complete.

Bachus & Schanker, LLC Scholarship

This scholarship program is a bit different from most of the other awards included in this post—it's funded by a private law firm in Colorado. Students compete for a $2,000 award by writing an essay (at least 800 words) about the 7th Amendment and how it affects their lives. Scholarships are awarded twice a year, to be paid toward tuition for the upcoming semester.

• Eligibility: High school seniors who have been accepted to a four-year university and university students with a minimum 3.0 GPA
• Deadline:  July 30 (to win a scholarship for the fall semester) and November 30 (to win a scholarship for the spring semester)

Courage to Grow Scholarship

This $500 award is given out to one lucky student every month. To compete for the award, applicants must explain in 250 words why they think they deserve the scholarship, intended to support students who found “courage to forge ahead when sometimes it would be easier to give up.” Past recipients’ essays have discussed overcoming obstacles from bullying to breast cancer.

• Eligibility: US high school juniors and seniors and college students with a minimum 2.5 GPA
• Deadline: Last day of every month 

Odenza Marketing Group Scholarship

Odenza Marketing Group gives away two $500 scholarships each year, once in the spring and again in the fall. To compete for this award, applicants must like the Odenza Facebook page and write two short essays of about 500 words each. Each scholarship must have a clear thesis statement, offer supporting evidence in paragraph format, and be grammatically correct. In other words, these essays should follow the argumentative essay format you've learned in English class.

• Eligibility: Current high school students (US or Canadian citizens) aged 16-25 or students who have at least one year of college remaining. Applicants must also have a minimum 2.5 GPA.
• Deadline March 30 for spring, November 15 for fall

Some of these applications won't take you longer than a few minutes.

No-Essay Scholarships

When it comes to easy applications, you can't get much easier than the following scholarship programs. You'll still have to submit some information about yourself (and, in some instances, complete some brief activities or tasks), but you won't have to write any essays to qualify.

AFSA High School Scholarship

For this scholarship, all you need to do is complete an entry form and answer an eight-question quiz. Five $1 ,000 awards are given out each year. Winners are randomly selected by a computer-generated drawing. Your odds of winning are based on the total number of entries received. Essentially, it’s a scholarship raffle, and you get one ticket per “draw.”

• Eligibility: Current high school seniors (US citizens or legal residents)
• Deadline: June 30, 2023

Too Cool to Pay for School Scholarship

This scholarship has one of the easiest applications out there: just fill out a few questions, and you're done! A $1,000 scholarship is awarded every three months. Winners are selected randomly.

• Eligibility: Current high school, college, and graduate students studying in the US
• Deadline: The last day of every March, June, September, and December

The Annual Haiku Society of America Haiku Award in honor of Harold G. Henderson

This scholarship program gives out three prizes of $200, $150, and $100 , but the application process is fun and easy. Students qualify by simply writing and submitting up to five original haikus. If you win, your haiku also gets published in an anthology and on the HSA website! Note: There is a small fee to apply, but the site is indeed reputable.

• Eligibility: All students in grades 7-12
• Deadline: Open June 1 - July 31

"No Essay" College Scholarship

This $2,000 award is given out monthly. To apply for this scholarship, submit an application that includes basic identifying information, your GPA, and your SAT/ACT scores. Winners are randomly selected, and you can submit a new application every month.

• Eligibility: High school students, adults heading back to school, current college students, and anyone else looking to attend college or graduate school within the next year

Stuck at Prom Scholarship Contest

Do you have a creative side and an eye for fashion? Students can compete for the grand prize of $10,000 (one each for the dress and tux categories) by designing and wearing prom outfits made out of duct tape. Check out the website for fun pictures of past winners!

Eight $500 prizes are given to runners-up (four for dresses and four for tuxes).  Applicants can enter as individuals or as part of a couple. Submissions that get the most votes win prizes, so be sure to recruit your friends to vote for you!

• Eligibility: High school students in the US and Canada (excluding certain states and territories—refer to the official rules for details)
• Deadline: The submission window is generally open from March through June, and winners are announced in July. Check the website for exact dates. 

U.S. Bank Student Union Scholarship

Multiple awards are available through this scholarship. To qualify, you'll need to create an account and complete learning modules about financial education. The more modules you complete, the more money you're eligible to earn. 

One first prize winner and one second prize winner are randomly selected during each of two entry periods. Winners can receive up to $20,000 , depending on how many learning modules they complete 

• Eligibility: Current US undergraduate students
• Deadline: Spring and fall of each year. Check website for more details.

Because College is Expensive Scholarship

This $500 scholarship is awarded to one student four times a year (March, June, September, and December) .If you want to enter, all you have to do is fill out the form on the Cedar Lending website.

• Eligibility : High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors; current college students; anyone else looking to attend college or grad school
• Deadline : March 31st, June 30th, September 30th, and December 31st. One winner is selected by the 15th of each month. 

3 Tips for Winning Easy Scholarships

Just because a scholarship is easy to apply for, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s easy to win. Since these scholarship applications are so simple to complete, you'll probably have a lot of competition. Here are some strategies to help you submit your best applications possible:

#1: If you have to write an essay, you'll have a better shot at success if your views align with those of the organization awarding the scholarship. To prepare, do some research about the company or charity's mission statement. For instance, don't write an essay about how much you love fossil fuels if the scholarship is offered by an environmental organization! 

#2: Make sure your application is polished. You won't have the opportunity to make more than a first impression (remember, these apps are short and sweet!), so double-check for any grammar, spelling, or punctuation errors.

#3: Last but not least, be sure that your application is complete and on time!

What's Next?

These scholarships are excellent options if you want to churn out as many applications as possible. As you might've noticed, though, the award amounts are a bit underwhelming (though keep in mind that several smaller awards can be just as helpful as one big award!). Larger scholarships and grants are often available through colleges directly and applying for financial aid using the FAFSA .

You'll have to spend more time on your applications if you're gunning for a top scholarship, but the payoff can be more than worth it. To learn more about some of the best scholarships out there, check out our guides to the top scholarships for high school juniors and seniors .

Francesca graduated magna cum laude from Harvard and scored in the 99th percentile on the SATs. She's worked with many students on SAT prep and college counseling, and loves helping students capitalize on their strengths.

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Niche $25,000 No Essay Scholarship

Help cover the cost of college without writing a single essay!

Niche is giving one student $25,000 to help pay for tuition, housing, books, and other educational expenses. 

Apply below for your chance to win so you can focus on what really matters instead of worrying about finances. Good luck!

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All high school and college students, as well as anyone looking to attend college or graduate school in the next year. Please note: Not everyone is eligible for this scholarship. Niche sponsored scholarships and sweepstakes are for people with US citizenship or a valid Visa/US passport only. Read the scholarship rules. Questions? Visit our Scholarship FAQs .

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