2,000,000
Dollars
In Scholarships Awarded Annually
170
Countries
NSHSS Lifetime Members around the globe
23
Percent of NSHSS Members
First in their family to attend college
HELP FUND YOUR COLLEGE EXPERIENCE
Take advantage of scholarship opportunities to help you reach your full potential and pay for college, international study excursions, summer programs, and even graduate school. NSHSS and its partners offer more than $2,000,000 in scholarships annually. All students are eligible to apply for high school and college scholarships in the areas of academic excellence, entrepreneurship, leadership, literature, medicine, music, STEM, sustainability, visual arts, and more. Hear from our most recent scholarship winners and learn more about what NSHSS can do for you.
What Award Recipients Are Saying
I am incredibly grateful to receive the Aflac scholarship. After high school, there are few scholarships for students that are already in college; at least, there is little advertisement for college scholarships. However, college students like myself still need scholarships and support just as much as we did before we began college. This scholarship provides that exact support. Additionally, knowing that both NSHSS and Aflac believe in the importance of equipping current college students with financial support is encouraging.
Alexis Jackson
NSHSS Student Council, Washington University in St. Louis
I believe the National Society of High School Scholars has impacted my life by encouraging me to pursue academic excellence that will eventually culminate in an improvement in global health services. As an aspiring oncologist, I intend join the research community in their work on stem cell research. I can certainly say that the Claes Nobel Academic Scholarship is an essential contribution to this endeavor. To all potential members, the National Society of High School Scholars will provide you with an unparalleled network of opportunities for global improvement.
Daniel Garcia
Rice University, Class of 2022, Claes Nobel Academic Scholarship
The CIA STEM Camp was an amazing experience that helped me explore a new career path. Because of the camp, I am now considering becoming an engineer instead of a psychologist. Talking to the staff, especially the engineers, really inspired me! The agency members are all extremely kind and welcoming, they answered all our questions and explained their roles. I recommend applying for the Camp because you’ll meet interesting intelligence officers and network with other students. I was able to make friends from across the country and talk one-on-one with some of the CIA advisors who encouraged me to broaden my horizon. The camp was extraordinary; my thanks to NSHSS and the CIA for allowing me that opportunity.
Hadaiya W
CIA STEM Camp Participant
I hosted a forum for girls who either came out of the foster care system or girls who were struggling with self-harm or self-love, and I talked to them and mentored them along with round table discussions. I personally was found under a stairwell when I was a young child, abandoned at birth. I was bullied a lot as a young child and I wanted to talk to other young girls who went through situations like mine because at one point I was really sad about it but I wanted to show them it was OK. Not only has NSHSS helped me further my education, it has also motivated me to continue my mission.
Angel Thomas
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University class of 2022, Robert Sheppard Leadership Award
NSHSS has impacted my life by giving me unique opportunities to experience and explore career fields and work in environments that I would not have had the chance to explore otherwise. The STEM Camp was an experience that I will always remember, and is something unique that I guarantee I would not be able to do outside of NSHSS.
Blake C
CIA STEM Camp Participant
NSHSS has always provided me with opportunities to excel in an academic atmosphere, and allowed me to pursue new routes I would not have otherwise discovered. I am so honored to have received the James W. Lewis Entrepreneur Scholarship, for my cosmetic business idea. By receiving this generous scholarship, I am able to invest into my future of creating a business, and share my dreams with the world. My recommendation to all future scholarship applicants is to ensure that a full effort is put into the application, and that you are very passionate about what you are sharing with the audience.
Emily Wade
Northwest Nazarene University class of 2022, James W. Lewis Entrepreneur Scholarship
I would like to sincerely express my gratitude to NSHSS because, with your help, I am able to pursue a higher education. I will be attending University of California, Berkeley, one of the top 20 schools in the nation. I was admitted to one of their hardest and most academically rigorous majors, Biological Sciences. I look forward to pursuing a higher education to achieve my ultimate career goal as a military medical doctor. I also plan to attend the UC Berkeley School of Law to become an attorney as well to work on “pro bono” cases in order to help the overlooked or less fortunate in society. Thank you for this generous scholarship, I am proud to represent NSHSS.
Helena Coloma
University of California, Berkeley, class of 2022, NSHSS STEM Innovation in AI/Robotics Award
I am so grateful for these years of NSHSS experiences. I have been awarded a full scholarship to participate as an ambassador in the prestigious Congress-Buderstag Youth Exchange Program funded by the US State Department, and I am studying abroad in Germany now, where I am on the way to learning and mastering my 4th language - Deutsche. I am a firm believer that languages are the tool to connect human beings, to expand my world view, and to appreciate cultural diversity. I was selected as a merit scholar at the University of Notre Dame majoring in Computer Science, Fall 2019 and will stay committed to community service, which will have a lasting impact on the world.
Selina Nie
University of Notre Dame class of 2023, Claes Nobel Academic Scholarship
It is an honor to be part of an organization as prestigious as the National Society of High School Scholars, an organization that empowers its members to reach for the stars and be catalysts of change. It's encouraging to have the support of an individual as prominent as Mr. Nobel, who sternly believes in the power of youth to use their knowledge and abilities to devise creative solutions to today's conundrums and foster a brighter tomorrow for all. Life is a circuitous path with many twists and turns, ups and downs, but the most important piece of advice is to stay true to yourself and the values that your family has bestowed upon you. Although you cannot control the daily challenges, you can control your effort and thus it is important to view obstacles as opportunities for growth. So embrace the challenge with a smile, grow and succeed, but ultimately use your abilities to give back and leave the world a better place than when you had initially found it.
Yan Leyfman
Med School Student at Penn State College of Medicine and NSHSS Fellows Member
Tips for Applying for Scholarships
Get Good References
Pick references who are able to share about your extracurricular activities, college aspirations, and other activities and know you personally. Start cultivating relationships with educators who will make great references now!
Show Off On Your Resume
Your resume is your time to shine! Show off your best, most relevant experience, brag about awards and leadership positions, but be concise so nothing gets missed!
Write A Standout Essay
Make your personal essay stand out by being authentic and being yourself, show how investing in your education will impact your broader community through your own voice!
Rewarding Partner Opportunities
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
Can a college student protect our nation?
The CIA has paid student internship, co-op and scholarship opportunities in several fields of study. No matter what you do here, your contributions have great impact – and there is plenty to do. From accounting and finance, to foreign languages, economics, engineering and information technology; the CIA needs talented and intelligent professionals to continue the work that keeps our nation safe. The CIA is seeking motivated individuals with a sense of service for an exciting and rewarding yet challenging experience. Do you have that drive inside of you? The CIA offers employment for students throughout the year--summer, winter, spring and fall.
National Scholarship Providers Association
National Scholarship Providers Association (NSPA) is a nonprofit, member association that advances the collective impact of scholarship providers and the scholarships they award. It was established in 1999 by Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, Fastweb.com, Hispanic Scholarship Fund, and Scholarship America to facilitate the creation of scholarship effective practices, encourage professional development, and establish cooperative relationships among scholarship providers. As a member of NSPA, the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS) both contributes to and has access to the organization's resources and best practices to further our mission of supporting students with scholarship funding. NSPA Executive Director Jackie Bright moderated the NSHSS Scholarship Expert Panel at Scholar's Day DC in August 2019.
Scholarship America
Scholarship America works directly with students, parents, colleges, businesses and communities to help students fulfill their college dreams. Since it was founded in 1958, Scholarship America has distributed $4.2 billion to more than 2.5 million students … and counting. Scholarship America and NSHSS have partnered together to support each other's mission to promote student success. Scholarship America CEO Robert Ballard has been a keynote speaker, scholarship panel moderator, and mentor at NSHSS events.
United Planet
United Planet is a non-profit organization with a mission – to create a global community, one relationship at a time. We connect volunteers who want to make a difference with communities in 35 countries, where they learn, teach, work, engage and immerse themselves in a culture outside their comfort zone. For many, it’s the most fulfilling experience of their lives.
SMARTTRACK® College Funding
SMARTTRACK® provides our members and their families with free access to licensed College Funding Advisors who can show you how to significantly lower out-of-pocket college costs, maximize grants and scholarships, and minimize debt. You can save tens of thousands of dollars off the cost of college, reduce how much you have to borrow and expand your child’s college opportunities, but timing is critical. The financial decisions you make now will impact how much you pay for college later.
DECA
DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe. With a 70 year history, DECA has impacted the lives of more than ten million students, educators, school administrators, and business professionals since it was founded in 1946. DECA has resonated into a brand that people identify as a remarkable experience in the preparation of emerging leaders and entrepreneurs.
Columbia University
One of the oldest institutions in the country, Columbia University is a private Ivy League research university in New York, NY. Along with a yearly member event on Columbia's campus, the undergraduate admissions team and summer programs exhibit at local NSHSS events around the country. During the summer, NSHSS also visits Columbia during the Ivy League & East Coast University Tour to give members an inside look at the university's college life.
University California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley is the oldest of the 10 UC campuses across California and has been ranked as one of the top 10 best universities in the world. With a student population of over 30,000 and a student-to-teacher ratio of 17.8 to 1, students are bound to gain close relationships with their peers and personable learning from their educators. As an active partner of NSHSS, UC Berkeley has shared its extensive summer programs to our members to encourage them to strive for continued knowledge.
The Intern Group
Gain hands-on experience, grow your network, and make your resume shine with a global internship, online or abroad, with the help of our partner, The Intern Group. They provide internship programs in Europe, Asia, Australia, Latin America, USA, & Canada. Build your career from wherever you are with a global virtual internship or combine an internship with the travel adventure of a lifetime.
NSHSS Scholarship FAQs
Once a member, sign in to your NSHSS member dashboard to access all scholarship applications.
Select “Set Up Your Password” if it is your first time signing in.
Once you are in your member dashboard, select “Apply for Scholarships” > "View All Current Open Scholarships."
Start researching scholarships in advance. NSHSS scholarship opportunities are listed year-round on our Scholarships page. Select the scholarship that interests you to view the essay prompt and begin drafting your essay. A resume, transcript, educator recommendation, and a headshot are also typically required. You do not need to submit multiple transcripts, photos, and resumes. Once these are submitted, they may be used for any NSHSS scholarships you apply for. Once you submit the application online, you will be unable to edit your answers.
All NSHSS members who are eligible for a particular scholarship regularly receive email updates listing upcoming scholarships that include eligibility information and the scholarship deadline. It is best to apply as soon as possible. Scholarship applications begin opening annually in the fall and throughout the winter and spring.
Scholarships are offered to students with interests in the arts and humanities, STEM fields, leadership, and more. Consider how closely your essay aligns with the essay prompt. The number of applicants for each NSHSS scholarship varies, so the most effective way to increase your chances of winning is to be selective and apply for scholarships best suited for you and your interests.
Develop and maintain superb organizational skills. Routinely update your resume, and keep a headshot and transcript handy to plug into any scholarship when needed. You should only be creating the essay for each varying essay prompt. Do not try to fit a previously prepared college admissions essay or scholarship essay into a prompt for which it does not fit. The best essay will be one you create specifically for a particular scholarship essay prompt.
Visit our Scholarships Tips & Advice page for more scholarship tips from former NSHSS Scholarship Director Dr. Susan Thurman.