Pursuing a college education in the United States can be a huge investment, but it can also be a valuable stepping stone to a bright future. As a college freshman, you are likely eager to start this new chapter of your academic journey. However, the cost of tuition, fees, and living expenses can be overwhelming. Fortunately, there are many scholarship opportunities available to help deserving students like you achieve their academic goals. In this article, we will explore the various scholarships available to college freshmen in the USA, providing you with the resources and information you need to fund your education and achieve success.
Top 11 Scholarships for College Freshmen in the USA
-
Delaware Career Based Scholarship
Application Deadline: 15th June, 2024.
Eligible Grade: College Freshman – Undergraduate
Funded by – Delaware Department of Education
Award – $5000
The Delaware Career Based Scholarship is an annual scholarship provided by the Delaware Department of Education for full-time students pursuing undergraduate degrees in public or private universities in preparation for sought-after professions. The Delaware Higher Education Office and the Delaware Department of Labour analyze employment patterns every five years to identify the scholarship’s focus areas. At the moment, the scholarship is available to students who have chosen the following fields: accounting, finance, human resources, market research, nursing, and software development. The scholarship gives out $5,000 annually for one student to fund his or her education in these important areas that are vital to the progress of Delaware. Although the scholarship is non-renewable, one can apply for renewal each year. Applicants are required to provide their financial details, enrollment documentation, and grade transcripts together with their application.
-
Palmetto Fellows Scholarship
Application Deadline: 30th June, 2024.
Eligible Grade: College Freshman
Funded by – University of South Carolina
Award – $6,700–$7,500
Every year the State of South Carolina provides scholarships under the Palmetto Fellows Scholarships to residents of the state. Students graduating from high school and possessing excellent academic performance can apply for this scholarship, which provides a minimum of $3,000 for the Dean’s Scholars awards or any other similar amount.
Scholarships must be used in the students’ fall and spring semesters. However, permission may be requested to apply for the scholarship in the summer term. The scholarship includes the costs for eight consecutive seminar undergraduate education or four years if the student does not study in the summer at USC Columbia. It has to be used in the subsequent fall semester after its award and cannot be used in the summer after high school completion.
Thus, if a recipient cannot enrol for a semester after beginning an award, a General University Award Deferment/Leave of Absence must be completed and filed along with the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships before the semester commencing to prevent the scholarship from expiring for future terms. The South Carolina General Assembly determines the academic scholarship amount each year; the freshmen get $6,700, while the sophomores, juniors, and seniors get $7,500.
-
William A. Crawford Minority Teacher Scholarship
Application Deadline: 31st August, 2024.
Eligible Grade: College Freshman
Funded by – Indiana Commission for Higher Education
Award – $1,000–$4,000
The Indiana Commission for Higher Education provides the William A. Crawford Minority Teacher Scholarship intended to offer need-based scholarships to minority students with preferences for black and Hispanic students intending to teach in accredited schools in Indiana after their college education. This scholarship was developed by the Indiana General Assembly and is available for public, independent, as well as proprietary colleges. Every academic year, winners studying in college may be granted up to $4,000 down payment toward tuition fees, books, meals, shelter, transport, and other needs. Scholars not requesting loans receive $1, 000. The qualified students will find the employment placement and job openings guaranteed for them once they pass out and they also get the chance to teach within the state of Indiana.
-
Hawaii Promise Scholarship
Application Deadline: 30th June, 2024.
Eligible Grade: College Freshman – Undergraduate
Funded by – University of Hawaii Community Colleges
Award – $1,000–$2,000
Hawaii Promise Scholarship is the program that covers in-state tuition fees for needy students attending the University of Hawaii Community Colleges. It covered all direct costs of education, including tuition fees and a book allowance. Hawaii Promise is ‘’last dollar’’ funding that complements federal grants and funding from the University of Hawaii, businesses, private, and other sources, among others. It was initiated through state funds during the 2017 legislature and is supported yearly by the University of Hawaii and the State of Hawaii.
Before 2021, about 1800 beneficiaries from seven of UH’s Community Colleges started enjoying the Hawaii Promise scholarships of about $3 million. The scholarships range from $1,000 to $2,000 and are part of the gift aid that students receive through their colleges in accordance with their enrollment status, needs, and other resources.
READ ALSO:
- Top 10 Best Universities in the USA For MS in Computer Science
- Best Grants For College Students in the USA in 2024
-
Shumaker Diversity Scholarships
Application Deadline: 15th August, 2024.
Eligible Grade: College Freshman – Undergraduate
Funded by – Shumaker Advisors
Award – $7,500
Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP is committed to ensuring that its attorneys and other staff members are diverse because a diverse staff leads to better quality service delivery and work productivity. In that regard, the firm provides the Shumaker Diversity Scholarship to ensure diversity in the recruitment, retention, and development of attorneys. The scholarship currently awards one or two law students up to $7,500 based on merit. Participating students must be studying in an ABA-accredited law school and have worked at the firm as summer associates. There are requirements for leadership skills and community engagement from the applicants. It is given after completion of the summer associate program.
-
El Cafe Del Futuro Scholarship
Application Deadline: 30th June, 2024.
Eligible Grade: College Freshman – Graduate
Funded by – Cafe Bustelo
Award – $5,000
El Cafe Del Futuro Scholarship is an annual scholarship provided to students of Hispanic origin in the United States for undergraduate or graduate degree programs in any of the HACU member institutions across the United States of America. Every year, 25 students receive $5,000 each for educational purposes. This scholarship is offered by Café Bustelo, the best Latin coffee for espresso style since 1928, which aims at supporting Latin students in need of scholarships in the U.S.
Candidates for the Program must be of Hispanic descent, studying in a HACU member university/college, and should have attended at least one semester in a Graduate program. Specifically, the following criteria are applied: Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 2.0 out of 4.0 grade and write an essay on the given topic.
-
Kentucky Nursing Incentive Scholarship Fund
Application Deadline: 8th June, 2024.
Eligible Grade: College Freshman – Graduate
Funded by – Kentucky Board of Nursing
Award – $3,000
The Nursing Incentive Scholarship Fund (NISF) provides scholarships to students who are residents of Kentucky attending the prelicensure nursing programs for registered nurse or practical nurse, or attending a graduate nursing program. LPN & RN as well as BSN completion program students are required to register for a minimum of 15 credit hours of program coursework each academic year whereas graduate nursing students are expected to register for nine credit hours every year. Usually, about 130-150 scholarships are granted per year, and each of them is up to 3,000 USD. Living costs can be covered with the money given by the NISF scholarship since the grant does not need to be used primarily for tuition fees or books. The scholarship funds are provided to the students and not to their nursing programs. Should licensure be required after the completion of the recipient’s programs, he or she is expected to practice as a nurse full time in Kentucky for one year for every year of the funding provided or the nearest fraction of a year.
-
Global Atlantic Scholarship Program
Application Deadline: 13th June, 2024.
Eligible Grade: College Freshman
Funded by – Global Atlantic Financial Group
Award – $5,000
GASP aims to provide scholars with undergraduate scholarships in line with the emphasis on students from disadvantaged backgrounds. This one seeks to offer scholarships for tuition fees to help poor students overcome monetary challenges that negatively impact their studies. Thus, by funding the education of such students, Global Atlantic underlines its approach to social equity and equal rights in the sphere of higher education.
In order to participate in this program, the applicant has to be a full-time student at any four-year college or university in the United States and be a sophomore in the following year. Furthermore, applicants must have a cumulative GPA of 3. 0 or higher. They must also have an interest in the insurance and/or financial services industries.
-
AMS Father James B. Macelwane Award
Application Deadline: 14th June, 2024.
Eligible Grade: College Freshman
Funded by – American Meteorological Society (AMS)
Award – $1,000
The AMS Father James B. Macelwane Award is designed to encourage college students to submit original papers that pertain to the atmospheric sciences with the intent of motivating the students to go into meteorology. For a student to qualify, the paper must be written while the student is an undergraduate and no more than two papers from any one institution may be entered in any one contest. You must be a U. S. citizen or permanent resident to apply.
To be considered for the Macelwane Award, submissions must include An electronic copy saved as a PDF; an abstract of up to 250 words; a letter of application from the author containing the author’s mailing address, email address, title of the paper, and the name of the university at which the paper was written; a letter from the department head or a faculty member certifying that the author was an undergraduate when he or she wrote the paper and listing the author’s original work on the paper and other necessary information.
-
ISSAEF Shon Harris WIS (Women in Security) Memorial Scholarship
Application Deadline: 15th June, 2024.
Eligible Grade: College Freshman – Graduate
Funded by – The ISSA Education Foundation (ISSAEF)
Award – $2,000
Currently, the ISSA Education Foundation focuses on supporting the development of the next generation of women in the cybersecurity field. For this mission, the Foundation provides scholarships to women who aspire to be students in cybersecurity by considering factors such as their academic performance, working experience, volunteer experiences, essays that contain their goals and objectives, and letters of recommendation. These scholarships are available for juniors and seniors in undergraduate programs and for graduate students as well. The awarded funds are paid directly to the recipient’s institution of study. Criteria for participation consist of being a full-time female undergraduate or graduate student pursuing coursework in information security. Applicants are required to provide a Resume and Unofficial Transcript. To apply, collect all the requirements and make a clean and comprehensive application. Some of these beneficiaries will have funds remitted directly to their preferred learning institution. The ISSA Education Foundation, aware of the need for diversity in the field of cybersecurity, is committed to empowering women in this area.
-
ISSAEF George “Chip” Meadows Memorial Scholarship
Application Deadline: 15th June, 2024.
Eligible Grade: College Freshman
Funded by – The ISSA Education Foundation (ISSAEF)
Award – $1,500
The Alamo ISSA Chapter offers scholarships to students in San Antonio, Texas, through the ISSA Education Foundation, science, technology, cybersecurity, or information security. One of these scholarships is the George “Chip” Meadows Memorial Scholarship. The financial awards are intended for students studying in two-year and four-year colleges and universities in San Antonio. The George “Chip” Meadows Memorial Scholarship provides $1,500 for a student attending a four-year college or university and two scholarships of $1,000 each for any woman or any minority attending a four year college or university. Further, there is an opportunity to receive $500 for a student of a two-year college. To qualify, an applicant must be a student at a San Antonio college or university and concentrate on cybersecurity or information security studies. The Alamo Women’s and Minority Scholarships are designed to help more women and minorities enter the profession. This includes selecting a college or university of choice from the list of eligible institutions, completing an application as per the guidelines provided in the Alamo ISSA Chapter, and providing any essays or documents that may be useful to support the application.
Conclusion
Scholarships play an important role in the lives of college freshmen in the USA, as they provide funding to cover costs and increase access to higher education. As for scholarship opportunities, there are quite many offers aimed to help freshmen cover their tuition fees. It is also important to note the types of scholarships, the requirements for application and eligibility for the scholarships in order to increase one’s chances of being awarded the scholarships. Please remember that scholarships are not only financial aid but also appreciation for achievements and future capabilities. If you have been on the lookout for scholarships as a freshman in the US, then we hope this article has been of help to you.
