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Scholarships
- Scholarships Find out how to get scholarship money for college that you don’t need to pay back.
- $2,000 No Essay Scholarship Enter to win our no-essay $2,000 college scholarship in 2 minutes or less.
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- Scholarship Resources Explore our scholarship resources, articles, and guides.
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Scholarships
Top Colorado scholarships for you
Find Colorado scholarships that can help you pay for college.
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What are Colorado scholarships?
Colorado scholarships are financial aid for college created specifically for students living in Colorado or looking to go to school in Colorado. Colorado scholarships can help students attain higher education opportunities that otherwise may be out of reach due to financial reasons. All scholarships are free money for college that you don’t have to pay back.
Eligibility requirements for Colorado scholarships
Before you apply for Colorado scholarships, make sure you check the eligibility requirements. To qualify for Colorado scholarships, you’ll most likely need to prove you’re a resident or you’re attending school in that state. Some other common eligibility requirements may include your GPA, community service, citizenship, plan to attend an accredited program, leadership potential, and submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®). Scholarship eligibility requirements vary, so don’t assume you won’t qualify. Check them out!
Are Colorado scholarships worth my time?
Some scholarships are quick and easy to apply for. Others require time and effort. Typically, fewer students apply to scholarships that require work which means you could have better odds of winning.
Pro tip: Don’t skip over Colorado scholarships with smaller award amounts ($). There’s typically less competition for them—and they add up!
How do I find Colorado scholarships?
There are many resources to help you find Colorado scholarships.
Scholarship resources
- The financial aid office at a college or career school
- Organizations (such as professional associations) related to your field of interest
- Federal agencies
- Free scholarship search tools like Scholly Scholarships
- Local libraries, businesses, or associations
Your high school guidance office is a great place to start when looking for local scholarships. You could also try doing a search for your city’s name and “community foundation,” or the county you live in and “foundation.”
Scholly Scholarships
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Easily search through thousands of college scholarships based on your background, major, state you live in, and more.
Hot tip! Smaller scholarships may have less competition, increasing your odds of winning.
Scholarships for Colorado
Sachs Foundation Undergraduate Scholarship
Due: 3/16/2025
No min. GPA Required
$50,000
The Sachs Foundation Undergraduate Scholarship application is available to Colorado High School seniors planning to pursue their undergraduate degree beginning in the autumn of 2024. Sachs Foundation Undergraduate Scholarship grants are typically awarded in the amount of $10,000 to $12,500 per year for four years of study ($40,000 to $50,000 total award) and can be applied to any accredited institution. Applicants must have been a full-time Colorado resident for a minimum of three years. Residence due to military orders to Colorado may be accepted on a case-by-case basis. Two letters of recommendation from persons not related to the applicant are required. A one-page personal statement and an additional essay response must also be submitted. An additional educational, artistic, or professional file personal to the applicant is also optional. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Sachs Foundation for more information.
WRGP Scholarship Program
Due: Varies
No Essays
No min. GPA Required
No Recommendations Required
No Transcripts Required
Amount Varies
The WICHE's Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) is open to students who are residents of WICHE-region state or territory, applying to a participating public university in another Western state. Students must apply directly to the University's graduate school. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information about the application and eligible programs and institutions.
WICHE's Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE)
Due: Varies
No Essays
No min. GPA Required
No Recommendations Required
No Transcripts Required
Amount Varies
The WICHE's Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) is an agreement among WICHE's 16 members, through which 160 and more participating public colleges and universities provide steep nonresident tuition savings for Western students. It is open to students who are residents of WICHE-region state or territory, applying to a participating college or university in another of WICHE's 16 states and territories. Students must apply directly to the schools and indicate their interest in seeking WUE in the application. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information about the application and eligible programs and institutions.
American Legion Auxiliary Department of Colorado Department
Due: 3/15/2025
No min. GPA Required
$1,000
Candidates for this award shall be a Junior member of the American Legion Auxiliary. The Junior member must have held membership in the American Legion Auxiliary for the past three years and must hold a Junior membership card for the current year. Applicants must be in their senior year of an accredited high school. Participation in this scholarship program shall be on a voluntary basis in all Units. No Unit may enter more than one candidate in the Department competition.
Latin American Educational Foundation Scholarships
Due: 3/15/2025
Amount Varies
The Latin American Educational Foundation Scholarships will be awarded to students who are of Hispanic or Latinx origin or are actively involved in the Hispanic or Latinx community. Applicants must be Colorado residents, regardless of U.S. permanent legal residency status or U.S. citizenship. All students must have at least one letter of recommendation from a teacher, counselor, or community member. Undergraduate students and high school seniors may apply. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information.
Greenhouse Scholars Program
Due: Varies
Amount Varies
Eligible students must be a graduating high school senior planning to attend a four-year accredited academic institution and demonstrate financial need, with an annual household income no greater than $80,000. They must possess excellent leadership skills, an ability to persevere through difficult circumstances, and a strong interest in and commitment to their community. The first round of the application process consists of collecting eligibility and demographic information, as well as a short answer response. Submission deadline is on November 21, 2023. The second round requires applicants to submit their transcript, test scores (with exception), additional demographic information, two letters of recommendation, their FAFSA Student Aid Report, short answer responses, and an essay response. This opens on September 8, 2023 and closes on December 1, 2023. For the third round, semi-finalists will be invited to create and submit a short video response. Submission starts on January 10, 2024, with the deadline of January 24, 2024. For the fourth round, finalists will be invited to submit updated transcripts, test scores (optional), a headshot, college acceptance status, other scholarship awards statuses, and to schedule an interview. This opens early March 2024, with a deadline of April 4, 2024. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information.
The Alexander Foundation Scholarships
Due: 3/31/2025
No min. GPA Required
No Transcripts Required
$3,000
Scholarships awarded from The Alexander Foundation provide financial assistance to those seeking a higher education degree from an accredited institution in the State of Colorado. Selection for awards are based on merit, need, and service to the LGBTQ+ community. Applicants must be pursuing a higher education degree within Colorado. However, exceptions may be made in certain instances. If you would like to apply for an exception, please elaborate in your personal essay. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information.
Colorado Council Volunteerism/Community Service Scholarship
Due: 3/15/2025
$1,500
To encourage and reward college-bound youth who likewise are committed to volunteerism and community service, the Colorado Council on High School/College Relations awards scholarships to deserving Colorado high school seniors or continuing college students each year to assist with defraying the cost of tuition and fees at one of the Member Institutions. Applicants must demonstrate significant experience in volunteerism/community service. Applicants will be selected according to the following considerations: volunteerism/community service, extracurricular activities and dedication to others. Two recommendation forms are required, one to be completed by a high school/college official and the other by someone who knows you through your involvement in community service. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information and the complete list of eligible institutions.
CESDA Diversity Scholarship
Due: 2/15/2025
$1,000
CESDA will be awarding one time, non-renewable scholarships. Applicants may be a spring 2022 Colorado high school graduating senior, and meet one of the following requirements: identify as a student of color, be the first generation to attend college, and/or be a student with financial need. Applicants may also be a graduate of a Colorado High School. They must enroll for the fall of 2022 and take a minimum of 6 credit hours. Applicants will be selected by, but not limited to, the following criteria: academic performance, awards and accomplishments, community and school involvement, community service (particularly within underrepresented communities), and financial need. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact CESDA for more information.
What types of scholarships are available for students?
Need-based scholarships
These are scholarships for students who have demonstrated a financial need. There’s no universal number or set income level that tells you if you qualify. How each scholarship defines what financial need means varies. The federal government as well as specific organizations, corporations, and colleges/universities/schools offer need-based scholarships.
Merit scholarships
Merit scholarships are for students who have shown high academic, athletic, or extracurricular achievement over their high school careers. Not all schools/colleges offer merit-aid—highly selective schools typically don’t. The process for applying for merit scholarships varies. For merit scholarships offered through colleges and universities, you generally don’t have to do anything other than complete the application to the school itself. For some schools, you need to submit the FAFSA® to be eligible.
Career-specific grants or scholarships
These are awarded to students who know they want a career in a specific industry. Maybe they know they want to be a teacher, a nurse, or an engineer. To be eligible for grants, students must submit the FAFSA®. To find career-specific scholarships, try searching for your major and “association.”
Community or nonprofit scholarships
Nonprofit and community organizations often receive funding from donors to create scholarship programs for students who need them.
Tips for successful scholarship applications
- Pull together everything you need for the application including transcripts, so you can submit a complete scholarship application.
- You may need a recommendation letter or letters for a scholarship. Ask a teacher, employer, or someone else who knows you to write one for you—and be sure to give them enough time to do it.
- If you’re writing a scholarship essay, follow the prompt, answer the essay question completely, and write from your experience. A few well-written essays that you can reuse for different scholarship applications can really pay off.
- Highlight your strengths and achievements in your application.
- Talk about your financial need and what you would use the scholarship money for if you won. How would it help?
- Have to interview for a scholarship? Dress to impress in a professional outfit. And do your research! Look into how/why the scholarship was created. Try to bring up why it’s meaningful to you. Also, don’t forget to send a thank-you note afterwards.
- Keep track of all the deadlines for the scholarships you’re applying to. If you miss one, they may not extend the due date.
- Apply for scholarships year after year, all through college. As you continue your studies, gain more experience, and try new extracurricular activities in college, you might be eligible for more scholarships you weren’t originally qualified for.
Here are more tips that can help you understand all there is to know about scholarships and up your chances of winning.
Frequently asked questions
These tips can help as you get ready to apply for Colorado scholarships.
When are scholarship application deadlines?
There’s no standard deadline for scholarship applications. Each scholarship has its own deadline, so be sure to keep track of dates and make sure you don’t miss any deadlines of scholarships that you want to apply to.
Do you need to know which college you’re attending?
You don’t need to know which college you’re going to attend before applying for most scholarships. However, once you’re awarded scholarships, some of them may ask for eligibility verification—which can include proof of college enrollment.
Is there a limit on how many scholarships you can apply for?
Absolutely not, so apply for as many as you can to increase your chances of winning free money. Want to find more types of scholarships? There are so many, check them out!
Pro tip: Apply for scholarships each year you’re in college.
Does every scholarship application require an essay?
Not every scholarship will ask you to submit an essay—different scholarships have different requirements. If you’re applying for a scholarship with an essay and need help writing yours, get tips for writing scholarship essays.
Need more money for college?
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More resources to explore
Tips for writing scholarship essays
Get tips for writing scholarship essays. Learn what makes a good scholarship essay.
Find scholarship resources
Explore our scholarship resources, articles, and guide to get all the tips and tricks to help pay for college.
Fill out the FAFSA®
Learn when and how to apply for the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) to maximize your chances of getting federal student financial aid. Get tips now.
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