34 Best Scholarships for Middle School Students – 2025
December 14, 2024
Whether students are preparing for college or trying to navigate their own financial needs, scholarships are an excellent way to attain long lasting support. There are numerous scholarships for middle school students available across the country, and the organizations sponsoring them are always looking for young leaders who want to make a difference.
In the list compiled below you鈥檒l find middle school scholarships for students passionate about the arts, environment, education, STEM or simply serving their own communities. Beyond the monetary award, earning any of these scholarships can help strengthen a student鈥檚 profile for high school and college. But ultimately, we hope that students are encouraged to go after unique opportunities that help cultivate their interests.
Here are some of the best scholarships for middle school students:
34 Best Scholarships for Middle School Students – 2025
1) – Scholarship Amount: $1,000
Sponsored by: DoSomething
Deadline: December 31, 2024
Talking Trash is a creative scholarship for middle school students interested in recycling and protecting the environment. Eager to make a difference for the planet? Take an online quiz (30 minutes – 1 hour) to test your 鈥渞ecycling IQ鈥 and learn how to reduce waste in your community. Once you begin sharing the results with your friends, you have the opportunity to earn a $1,000 scholarship.
2) – Scholarship Amount: $1,000
Sponsored by: DoSomething
Deadline: December 31, 2024
73% of households in the United States are able to recycle, and yet only 43% of those households actually do. DoSomething offers another middle school scholarship for students wanting to get involved right away with recycling initiatives. If you collect and recycle at least 50 plastic bottles, which amounts to roughly 1 pound of plastic, you have the chance to earn a $1,000 scholarship and volunteer credits. The estimated time to complete this project is 3 – 6 hours.
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3) – Scholarship Amount: $1,000
Sponsored by: Appily
Deadline: November 30, 2024
The Appily scholarship is a great scholarship for middle students, as well as for students at least 13 years old, who plan to eventually attend college. Once students create an Appily profile and provide more information about their volunteer, leadership and extracurricular activities, then they鈥檒l have access to search for Appily scholarships. There is no requirement for an essay submission or a minimum GPA to win.
4) – Scholarship Amount: Up to $5,000
Sponsored by: Fleet Reserve Association (FRA)
Deadline: December 1, 2024
The Americanism Essay Contest by the Fleet Reserve Association offers up to $5,000 and is open to students from 7th to 12th grade. This scholarship for middle school students is for those already sponsored by a unit of the Ladies Auxiliary or a branch of the Fleet Reserve Association. All applicants are required to submit an essay that addresses the theme, 鈥淲hat would Service to Our Country Mean to Me.鈥
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5) – Scholarship Amount: Varies
Sponsored by: ASCAP
Deadline: December 2, 2024
For middle school students who are young composers, this scholarship is for you. The Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Awards offers a monetary award that is decided by the Foundation and Judges. All applicants are required to submit a score/chart of one published or unpublished original work of jazz. They are also expected to submit an mp3 recording or electronic realization of their work.
6) – Scholarship Amount: $10,000
Sponsored by: Operation Homefront
Deadline: December 2, 2024
This middle school scholarship is open to any child, from ages 13 to 18, of someone who is or was in the military. Offering $10,000, the Military Child of the Year Award seeks to award those who have made a significant impact on their military families, schools and communities.
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7) – Scholarship Amount: $500
Sponsored by: National Genealogical Society
Deadline: December 15, 2024
The Rubincam Youth Award offers $500 in scholarship money to middle school students. Given through the National Genealogical Society, the award requires students to submit a genealogical project and is open to students from 7th to 12th grade.
8) – Scholarship Amount: $1,000
Sponsored by: Carson Scholars Fund
Deadline: December 18, 2024
The Carson Scholars Fund is offering a scholarship of $1,000 available to students from 4th to 11th grade. Middle school students who excel in their academics and serve their communities are encouraged to apply, and school officials must request for the applications. Each applicant should have a minimum 3.75 GPA.
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9) – Scholarship Amount: $1,000
Sponsored by: National Science Teachers Association
Deadline: December 19, 2024
The Angela Award is a great scholarship opportunity for middle school students who are passionate about all things STEM. Female students in 5th to 8th grade are eligible for the award. All applicants must be residents of the United States, US Territories, or Canada.
10) – Scholarship Amount: Varies
Sponsored by: Nicodemus Wilderness Project
Deadline: December 31, 2024
Middle school students invested in protecting the environment should apply to the Apprentice Ecologist Initiative Youth Scholarship Program. The scholarship is open to students ages 13 to 21 enrolled in middle school, high school or an accredited post-secondary educational institution from any country. All applicants are required to complete an environmental stewardship project.
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11) – Scholarship Amount: $2,500
Sponsored by: Cirkled In
Deadline: December 31, 2024
The No Sweat Scholarship sponsored by Cirkled In helps students fund any of their educational pursuits, such as summer camp or books. This is a creative scholarship for middle school students, as they can put together their online portfolio based on a point system to win. Students must be at least 13 years old and be legal residents of the United States or the District of Columbia. Homeschooled students are welcome to apply.
12) – Scholarship Amount: $1,500
Sponsored by: CollegExpress
Deadline: December 31, 2024
This scholarship offered by CollegExpress gives middle school students of color a unique opportunity to win $1,500 just by answering one question. 鈥淲hat is your dream career to pursue after high school?鈥 Applicants should be 13 years old or older by the time they apply, and they must answer the question in one sentence.
13) – Scholarship Amount: $500
Sponsored by: Sandra Day O鈥機onnor Institute for American Democracy
Deadline: January 10, 2025
The Civics Challenge Scholarship offers middle school and high school students in the U.S. the chance to earn $500 through submitting an original work. Applicants are required to submit a written essay, original song, or video. The original work must be about: 1. Justice Sandra Day O鈥機onnor; 2. Checks & Balances; 3. Legislative Branch; 4. Executive Branch; 5. Judicial Branch; or 6. Citizenship; Rights & Responsibilities.
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14) – Scholarship Amount: Varies
Sponsored by: C-SPAN StudentCam
Deadline: January 20, 2025
Brought to you by C-SPAN, the StudentCam Scholarship is open to middle and high school students who can create a documentary addressing a particular theme. The documentary should be 5-6 minutes long.
15) – Scholarship Amount: $1,000
Sponsored by: SBO Magazine
Deadline: January 31, 2024
The SBO Scholarship Essay Contest is open to students from kindergarten to 12th grade who are enrolled in school music programs. Offered through SBO Magazine, the scholarship offers $1,000 and is a great opportunity for middle school students.
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16) – Scholarship Amount: Up to $500
Sponsored by: EngineerGirl
Deadline: February 1, 2025
This year鈥檚 theme for the EngineerGirl Writing Contest centers on describing a common object you would make 鈥渟mart.鈥 Middle school students grades 6-8 are encouraged to apply and are required to answer four questions in one essay. The essay submission must not be longer than 1,000 words.
17) – Scholarship Amount: Varies
Sponsored by: Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
Deadline: April 30, 2025
The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation offers a scholarship for high-performing seventh-grade students who plan to attend college and demonstrate financial need. Applications for the Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholars Program open on February 6, 2025.
18) – Scholarship Amount: $500
Sponsored by: Action For Nature
Deadline: February 28, 2025
The Eco-Hero Awards scholarship is ideal for middle school students eager to get involved in environmental action. Applicants should be 8 to 16 years old and are required to complete an individual environmental project of their own.
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19) – Scholarship Amount: Up to $250,000
Sponsored by: Breakthrough Junior Challenge
Deadline: June 25
Opening on April 1, 2025, the Breakthrough Junior Challenge is another unique STEM scholarship for middle school students. Students must create a creative STEM video project that communicates the chosen topic and be at least 13 years old to apply.
20) – Scholarship Amount: Varies
Sponsored by: Francisco Gella Dance Works
Deadline: Summer Program Deadlines: February 15, April 30; Fall Program Deadlines: September 10, October 15
The Joan Myers Brown Equity Scholarship is open to Black dancers between the ages of 7 and 22 who intend to enroll in college. Scholarship decisions are determined on financial need and demonstrated potential to succeed as a professional dancer.
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21) – Scholarship Amount: Up to $5,000
Sponsored by: Veterans of Foreign Wars
Deadline: October 31
The Veterans of Foreign Wars Patriot鈥檚 Pen offers a scholarship of up to $5,000 to middle school students, grades 6-8, who can submit an essay that examines America鈥檚 history. There is no GPA requirement. The upcoming 2024-2025 theme is 鈥淢y Voice in America鈥檚 Democracy?鈥
22) – Scholarship Amount: Multiple awards worth up to $100,000
Sponsored by: Project Paradigm
Deadline: May 1
The Paradigm Challenge offered through Project Paradigm offers several scholarship opportunities to students from ages 4 to 18. These are unique scholarships for middle school students who demonstrate practicing kindness, creativity, and collaboration to make a difference in their community.
23)
Sponsored by: Constituting America
Deadline: May 31, 2025
The We The Future Contest offered through Constituting America offers a variety of scholarships to elementary school students, middle school students, high school students and all age brackets. This is a great opportunity for history-loving middle school students interested in applying their knowledge of the U.S. Constitution.
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24) – Scholarship Amount: Up to $1,500
Sponsored by: Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programs
Deadline: June 9, 2025
Know a creative middle schooler passionate about addressing climate change? Take the time to check out the Ocean Awareness Art Contest by Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programs. They鈥檙e offering scholarships up to $1,500 for middle and high school students who can submit an art or think piece on the subject matter.
25) – Scholarship Amount: Up to $5,000
Sponsored by: ConnectHER Film Festival
Deadline: October 14
Middle school students who are aspiring (if not already) filmmakers are encouraged to apply to the ConnectHER Film Festival. The scholarship offers up to $5,000 to filmmakers who are 13 to 25 years old. All applicants are required to submit films that are 3-6 minutes long and focused on critical women鈥檚 issues.
Scholarships for Middle School Students (Continued)
26) – Scholarship Amount: Up to $1,000
Sponsored by: The Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers
Deadline: November 18
Requirement: Essay submission
27) – Scholarship Amount: $5,000
Sponsored by: Unigo
Deadline: November 30
Requirement: Essay submission
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28) – Scholarship Amount: $5,000
Sponsored by: Sodexo Foundation
Deadline: November 5
Requirement: Demonstration of ongoing commitment to community through unpaid volunteer services around addressing hunger in the United States.
29) – Scholarship Amount: Up to $1,000
Sponsored by: One Earth Film Festival
Deadline: May 25, 2025
Requirement: Film submission
30) – Scholarship Amount: Up to $1,500
Sponsored by: Unigo
Deadline: February 28, 2025
Requirement: Essay submission; Applicants must be at least 14 years old
Scholarships for Middle School Students (Continued)
31) – Scholarship Amount: $2,500
Sponsored by: Unigo
Deadline: March 31, 2025
Requirement: Essay submission; Applicants must be at least 14 years old
32) – Scholarship Amount: $3,000
Sponsored by: Unigo
Deadline: April 30, 2025
Requirement: Essay submission; Applicants must be at least 14 years old
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33) – Scholarship Amount: $1,500
Sponsored by: Unigo
Deadline: May 31, 2025
Requirement: Essay submission; Applicants must be at least 14 years old
34) – Scholarship Amount: $10,000
Sponsored by: The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes
Deadline: April 15
Requirement: Essay and project summary submission; Qualifying service project; Leading service work; Reference letter and recommendations
Middle School Scholarships Worth Applying to
If there鈥檚 one thing these scholarships for middle school students have in common, it鈥檚 their search for the curious young individual who鈥檚 not afraid to take chances. Although, for some, middle school might seem like too early of a time to apply to scholarships, these opportunities are a great way for students to receive financial support and motivating recognition for their efforts.
And if you happen to find yourself doubting your chances of getting selected but are still interested in what they offer, why not apply anyway? You never know what kind of support you might receive, what lessons you鈥檒l learn from the experience. It could prepare you for future scholarship applications further down the line, and at least you went for it.
Looking for college scholarships for older students?
