Scholarship Opportunities to help fund the journey after HLS

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Below is a list of local, state, and national third-party scholarships and contests available to high school students. Each scholarship listed begins with a grade designation to denote which grade level(s) are eligible to apply or participate. Occasionally other descriptions in the grade designation will be given to determine a student’s interest and clarify his or her eligibility to the scholarship or contest. Scholarships are listed in order of due-date (scholarship resources / search engines & closed scholarships are listed at the bottom of the page).

  • 12th graders: Build a Better Future Scholarship from Honors Graduation
    • Award: $10,000 to the top 5 winners and an additional $5,000 to the top winner to continue to fund their project
    • Deadlines: Strategy Plan-March 1, Final Application – April 8
    • To learn more and apply, please click here.
  • Students seeking higher education who have been diagnosed with epilepsy or has an immediate family member living with epilepsy: UCB Family Epilepsy Scholarship Program
    • Award: A one-time award of $5,000 (30 winners) or $10,000 (3 winners)
    • Deadline: extended to April 6, 2024
    • To learn more and register to apply, please click here.
  • 11th & 12th graders: B. Davis Scholarship
    • Award: $1,000
    • Deadline: May 21, 2024
    • To learn more and apply please, click here.
  • 12th graders (student athletes): BigSun Scholarship through FastWeb
    • Award: $500
    • Deadline: June 19, 2024
    • To learn more and apply please, click here.
  • 9th-12th graders: The Reagan Foundation’s Great Communicator Debates
    • Award: $50,000 Scholarship Money Awarded
    • Deadline: Various in person competitions April-May; National online competition is 5/31-6/1; National Championship July 25-28, 2024
    • To learn more, please click here.
  • 12th graders who are Roman Catholic with either Italian Descent or has a parent or grandparent who is a member of the “Italian Catholic Federation with a 3.2 GPA and higher: Italian Catholic Federation Scholarship
    • Award: first-year scholarship award of $400
    • Deadline: The 2024 scholarship is now closed check back for 2025 updates.
    • To learn more and monitor this year’s scholarship posting, please click here.
  • Students who are dependents of the United States Coast Guard enlisted or commissioned officer who are active duty, reserve, or retired: Coast Guard Foundation Scholarship
    • Awards range from $2,000-$5,000 annually
    • Deadline: The 2024 scholarship is now closed check back for 2025 updates.
    • To learn more, please click here.
  • 12th graders: Commonwealth Credit Union Scholarship
    • Award: One-time award of $2,000 (4 winners each year)
    • Deadline: The 2024 scholarship is now closed check back for 2025 updates.
    • To learn about the CCU Scholarship please click here.
  • 9th-12th graders: Create a Greeting Card Scholarship Contest from Fastweb
    • Award: $10,000
    • Deadline to apply: The 2024 scholarship is now closed check back for 2025 updates.
    • To learn more and apply, please click here.
  • 9th-12th graders:  The Rotary Club of Louisville Annual Speech Contest “Create Hope in the World”
    • Award:  $300, $200, and $100 awards for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place at club level. First place winners at club level may advance to sectionals, regionals, and finals (district); prize money increases at each level up to the district-wide level where first place wins $2,200. 
    • Deadline to register:  Student entry form to be requested from karen@gck.org and submitted by March 1, 2024.
    • Contest:  The 2024 scholarship is now closed check back for 2025 updates.
    • To learn about the Rotary Club of Louisville, please click  here.  
    • To learn about the Annual Speech Contest, please click  here. 
  • 11th grade girls interested in combining the opportunity to earn college scholarships with professional development and Life Skills training to prepare for life after high school: Distinguished Young Women DYW Scholarship Program
    • What: DYW mission-to empower young women to reach their full potential by providing scholarship opportunities for college & personal development to become confident leaders.
    • When: Information meetings take place in the fall each year, apply anytime before January; orientation occurs in January. Check back for updates in Fall 2024.
    • How: Junior girls, watch for invites emailed from your College Counselor; the program involves attending meetings / workshops for 6-7 weeks through the winter and early spring and attending a dress rehearsal and final showcase in March.
    • Learn more and apply here.
  • 12th grade athletes with a 3.0 weighted GPA or higher: Heisman High School Scholarship
    • Award: ranges from $1,000 to $10,000
    • Deadline to apply: This scholarship app is now closed until Fall 2024.
    • To learn more and apply, please click here.
  • 12th graders: GE-Reagan Foundation Scholarship
    • Award: up to $10,000 renewable (totaling worth $40,000 over 4 years)
    • Deadline to apply: The 2024 scholarship is now closed check back for 2025 updates.
    • To learn more and apply, please click here.
  • 4th-12th grade: Sons of the American Revolution Youth Contests 
    • Award: $200-$8,000 (non-finalist national contestants to runner ups and National First Place)
    • Deadline: The 2024 scholarship is now closed check back for 2025 updates.
    • To learn more about Youth Activities at the state level please click here.
    • To learn about the national level of the essay contest please click here.
    • To learn about the national level of the oration contest please click here.
    • Please email all questions to Scott Giltner, President of KY SAR at stgilt@earthlink.net
  • 11th graders (graduating Spring 2025) interested in public policy:  Coolidge Scholarship through the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation 
    • Award:  The top 100 applicants are invited to the all-expense paid Coolidge Senators Program and awarded a $1,000 scholarship. The top winner receives a full-ride, four-year, merit scholarship. 
    • Click here to view the full list of criterion to participate. Click here to view past winners.
    • Deadline: The 2024 scholarship is now closed check back for 2025 updates.
    • To learn about the Coolidge Scholarship, please click  here.
  • 12th graders:  Independence Bank Scholarship 
    • Award:  Awards range from $500 to $15,000. 
    • Deadline:  The 2024 scholarship is now closed check back for 2025 updates.
    • To learn about Independence Bank Scholarship and access the application, please click  here. 
  • 12th graders and older who plan to attend an accredited college / university in the U.S. (DAR chapter sponsorship not required): Daughters of the American Revolution Scholarships
    • Award: ranges from $1,500 – $5,000 (renewable)
    • Deadline: The 2024 scholarship is now closed check back for 2025 updates.
    • Scholarships include: merit scholarships, history/government intended major scholarships, medical and nursing intended major scholarships, music intended majors, horticulture intended major scholarship, math intended major scholarship, English intended major scholarship, and more!
    • To learn more about available scholarships and how to apply, please click here.
  • 12th graders pursuing a non-performing, visual-art-related major within 1st year of college:  Louisville Artisan Guild Art Scholarship 
    • Award: one-time award of $2,000 
    • Deadline: The 2024 scholarship is now closed check back for 2025 updates.
    • To learn about the Louisville Artisan Guild Art Scholarship, please click  here. 
  • Scholarship Resource:  Community Foundation of Louisville offers a variety of scholarships through competitive application processes. 
    • Award:  varies 
    • Deadline:  varies
    • To learn about scholarship opportunities through the Community Foundation of Louisville, please click  here. 
  • Scholarship Resource:  The Center for Scholarship Administration (CSA) offers a variety of scholarships on behalf of corporations, foundations, and individual philanthropists. Students should look for corporations or foundations that they may have a parent or grandparent employed by or participating in (respectively) on this list. 
    • Award:  varies 
    • Deadline:  varies
    • To learn about CSA please visit the website of the Center for Scholarship Administration here. 
  • Scholarship Resource: Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority KHEAA offers a range of scholarships and grants and resources to search for them here.
  • Scholarship Resource: Fastweb’s Top Scholarships for High School Seniors Class of 2024: to view click here.