Scholarships For Students 14 Years Old & Younger

Updated on June 26th, 2023

We have all heard the phrase, “The early bird gets the worm,” the same holds true for college scholarships. Did you know students don’t need to wait until their junior or senior year in high school to research, prep, apply, and secure scholarships? It’s true!

There are a number of scholarship opportunities for students that are in elementary and middle school. Although your student may not be able to use the scholarship money immediately, it’s a great start to help cover college tuition when the time comes. Remember – it’s never too early to start saving money and planning for college!

Here’s a look at why it’s best to start early, as well as 12 scholarships for students 14 years old and younger.

And if you are curious as to how we found these, check out our free training on how to uncover legitimate scholarships, “6 Steps to Quickly Secure Scholarships for College.” This training is geared towards teaching parents what they need to know about paying for college so that they can help their child avoid student loan debt.

Why Finding Scholarships Early Is Best

Many students (and parents) may wonder why searching for scholarships for middle school or elementary school students is worthwhile. After all, your student has years before they have to start thinking about the college they’ll attend or the major they’ll pursue.

In reality, the cost of college is continually rising. Even with savings options like 529 savings plans, getting enough money together to cover the cost is challenging. And it’s hard to predict what financial aid will be available by the time your student reaches college age, particularly if you want your student to avoid student loan debt.

The most significant reason students should find scholarships as early as possible is that it makes funding their education easier. Students will have money available before they even start reviewing their college options. That eliminates a significant source of stress and could make more expensive colleges an option when they wouldn’t be otherwise. Essentially, every dollar secured today through scholarships is one less dollar students need to find later.

Plus, there’s less competition for middle school scholarships and those geared toward younger children. Primarily, that’s because most students in younger grades don’t start looking for scholarship funds until they’re well into high school. By focusing on awards that welcome younger students, your student may have an easier time standing out and securing awards, making planning for the cost of college down the road easier.

In some cases, the requirements are also easier for students to navigate when the awards are geared toward younger students. For example, awarding organizations don’t expect the same level of essay as they would from high schoolers, as they know younger students are still learning. As a result, this potentially makes submitting applications less stressful, as the standards are set based on the applicant’s age and not what’s expected of soon-to-be college students.

12 SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENTS 14 YEARS OLD & YOUNGER:

 

1. VFW Voice of Democracy

https://www.vfw.org/PatriotsPen/

• Award: Up to $5,000
• Eligibility:
• Competition is open to students in grades 6-8 in the United States, its territories, and its possessions.
• GPA Requirement: No GPA Requirement
• Requires Essay

2. Maryknoll Student Essay Contests

https://maryknollsociety.org/publications/essay-contest/

• Award: Up to $1,000
• Eligibility:
• Contest is open to students enrolled in grades 6-12 for the 2018-2019 school year who are residents of one of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, or a province of Canada (except Quebec).
• GPA Requirement: No GPA Requirement
• Requires Essay

3. Education Matters Scholarship

https://www.unigo.com/scholarships/our-scholarships/education-matters-scholarship

• Award: $5,000
• Eligibility:
• Scholarship is open to students age 13 years of age or older who are legal residents of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia and are currently enrolled in an accredited post-secondary institution of higher education.
• GPA Requirement: No GPA Requirement
• Requires Essay

4. Stop Hunger Scholarships and Grants

http://us.stop-hunger.org/home/grants.html

• Award: $5,000
• Eligibility:
• Scholarship is open to students in kindergarten through college or graduate school (ages 5-25) who have demonstrated an ongoing commitment to their community by performing unpaid volunteer services impacting hunger in the United States within the last 12 months.
• GPA Requirement: No GPA Requirement
• Requires Volunteer Services

5. National Genealogical Society Rubincam Youth Writing Competition

https://www.ngsgenealogy.org/competitions/rubincam-youth-award/

• Award: $250
• Eligibility:
• Award is open to students in grades 6 through 12.
• GPA Requirement: No GPA requirement
• Requires Genealogical Project

Want to learn how to find more scholarships like these or tips on navigating the scholarship process? Join us for our next free training. This training is designed for parents and students to learn exactly what they need to know about scholarships. Families have used this process to secure over $1 million so far. Reserve your spot today at https://thescholarshipsystem.com/freewebinar!

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6. Nicodemus Wilderness Project Apprentice Ecologist Initiative

http://www.wildernessproject.org/volunteer_apprentice_ecologist.php

• Award: Varies
• Eligibility:
• Open to students between the ages of 13 and 21 who are candidates for a degree/diploma at a primary (middle school students), secondary (high school students), university or accredited post-secondary educational institution from any country around the world
• Applicant must conduct their own environmental stewardship or environmental health project.
• GPA Requirement: No GPA requirement
• Requires Environmental Stewardship Project

Want more scholarships? This book has millions of dollars worth of scholarships! 

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7. One Earth Film Festival Young Filmmakers Contest

https://www.oneearthfilmfest.org/contest-details/

• Award: Up to $1,000
• Eligibility:
• Open to school students in grades 3 through college (ages 8 and up) from the United States.
• GPA Requirement: No GPA Requirement
• Requires Creating a Film

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8. Sweet and Simple Scholarship

https://www.unigo.com/scholarships/our-scholarships/sweet-and-simple-scholarship

• Award: $1,500
• Eligibility:
• Applicant must be 14 years of age or older, be a resident of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia
• GPA Requirement: No GPA requirement
• Requires Essay

9. Superpower Scholarship

https://www.unigo.com/scholarships/our-scholarships/superpower-scholarship

• Award: $2,500
• Eligibility:
• Scholarship is open to school students 14 school years of age or older who are legal residents of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia
• GPA Requirement: No GPA requirement
• Requires Essay

10. All About Education Scholarship

https://www.unigo.com/scholarships/our-scholarships/all-about-education-scholarship

• Award: $3,000
• Eligibility:
• Scholarship is open to students 14 years of age or older who are legal residents of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia
• GPA Requirement: No GPA Requirement
• Requires Essay

11. Fifth Month Scholarship

https://www.unigo.com/scholarships/our-scholarships/fifth-month-scholarship

• Award: $1,500
• Eligibility:
• Scholarship is open to students 14 years of age or older who are legal residents of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia
• GPA Requirement: No GPA Requirement
• Requires Essay

12. Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes

https://barronprize.org/apply/

• Award: $10,000
• Eligibility:
• Be between the ages of 8 and 18
• Permanent resident (or currently residing in) the US or Canada
• Qualifying service project (either current or within the past 12 months)
• Leading service work
• GPA Requirement: None
• Requires Essay
• Requires Project Summary
• Requires a Lead Reference Letter and Recommendations

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Not sure how to write a great essay for these scholarships? No worries – we’ve got your back there too.

Download our free 3-step writing guide BELOW.

And if you’d like some help with these applications to increase the likelihood of being selected, here are a few more posts that can help.

Suggested articles:

• 5 Steps to Negotiate College Tuition & Save Thousands of Dollars
• How to Make Scholarship Essays Stand Out
• 10-Point Checklist to Help Your Child Secure Money for College
• 75 Easy Ways to Save Money in College