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Scholarships
Top Washington scholarships for you
Find Washington scholarships that can help you pay for college.
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What are Washington scholarships?
Washington scholarships are financial aid for college created specifically for students living in Washington or looking to go to school in Washington. Washington 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 Washington scholarships
Before you apply for Washington scholarships, make sure you check the eligibility requirements. To qualify for Washington 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 Washington 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 Washington scholarships with smaller award amounts ($). There’s typically less competition for them—and they add up!
How do I find Washington scholarships?
There are many resources to help you find Washington 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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Hot tip! Smaller scholarships may have less competition, increasing your odds of winning.
Scholarships for Washington
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The Scholarships360 $10,000 "No Essay" Scholarship
Due: 6/30/2025
No Essays
$10,000
Washington College Grant
Due: Varies
No Essays
No min. GPA Required
No Recommendations Required
No Transcripts Required
Amount Varies
The Washington College Grant (WA Grant) gives eligible people more money for more types of education like certificate programs, job training, apprenticeships, or college. WA Grant is one of the most generous financial aid programs in the country. The amount you receive depends on family size, income, and the cost of your school or program. WA Grant is available to recent high school graduates or working-age adults; and low- to middle-income families and individuals.
Edmund F. Maxwell Foundation Scholarship
Due: 5/9/2025
No min. GPA Required
No Recommendations Required
No Transcripts Required
$5,000
The Edmund F. Maxwell Foundation Scholarship was established to assist high school seniors from Western Washington in obtaining a higher education. Applicants must have attended the last two years of high school (or homeschool) and lived in a location west of the Cascade Mountains. This award has the potential to be renewed for up to an additional three years of undergraduate education based on reasonable progress toward graduation. A simple renewal application is required each year. Applicants must be pursuing post-secondary education at a private college or university. Applicants must submit their transcript on May 23, 2025. It is optional for 2025 but highly recommended for students to also provide their Standardized Test Scores with their transcript. Scholarships will generally be limited to entering freshmen, with combined math and reading or writing SAT scores of 1200 or higher (or ACT composite scores of over 26). The Trustees of the Foundation, at their discretion, may consider students with lower scores. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information.
George & Susan Carter Scholarship
Due: 4/8/2025
$1,000
The George & Susan Carter Scholarship was established in 2017 as an endowed fund in honor of Washington State University researcher and winemaker George Carter and his wife, Susan. The scholarship is awarded to one student for up to four years. This scholarship was established to assist students of limited means to attain associates, bachelors, and graduate-level degrees in viticulture and enology. Students not yet enrolled in college may apply, but students in a Certificate Program are not allowed to apply. Overall high school GPA of freshman applicants must be 3.40; and overall college GPA of other applicants must be 3.0. Applicants must also be a Washington resident for at least 1 year. Preference will be given to applicants with financial need. Preference will also be given to students who demonstrate participation in extracurricular activities related to their field of study and have work or volunteer experience in their field of study. Two letters of recommendation are required. The letters should provide the Scholarship Committee with insight into the applicant's character, values, and unique attributes. If applicable, please provide a letter of acceptance into a wine or grape industry related degree program from the department director and a letter from the applicant's parent's employer. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information.
Cathay Bank Foundation Scholarship Program
Due: 4/21/2025
No Essays
$2,500
Cathay Bank Foundation is committed to supporting youth residing in its business service territories to fulfill their dreams of obtaining a higher education. The Cathay Bank Foundation Scholarship will be awarded to high school seniors planning to attend a US-accredited institution in the Fall of 2025. If selected, students must provide a college acceptance letter for verification. Applicants must also have a household income at or below the Low Income Level. If selected, students must provide their tax return for verification. This scholarship is open to all majors. Employees of Cathay Bank and their immediate family members are not eligible. A recommendation from a previous or current teacher or guidance counselor is required. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Asian Pacific Community Fund for more information.
CCD Law Spokane Community Scholarship
Due: 5/1/2025
No Recommendations Required
No Transcripts Required
$500
The CCD Law Spokane Community Scholarship is available to high school seniors who will be attending college in the fall. Whether you are homeschooled or attend a Washington school such as Spokane Valley High School, you are welcome to apply for the scholarship. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information.
Washington Wine Industry Foundation Fund Scholarship
Due: 4/8/2025
$10,000
The Washington Wine Industry Foundation Fund was established to provide scholarships for students studying viticulture, enology, wine business management at CWU or WSU, and V&E Graduate Degree in food sciences. Enrollment in Washington state college or university is not required if the applicant is graduating from Washington state high school. Students not yet enrolled in college may apply. Students in a Certificate Program are not allowed to apply. Overall high school GPA for freshman applicants must be 3.40; and the overall college GPA of other applicants must be 3.0. Applicants must also be a Washington resident for at least 1 year. Preference will be given to students with financial need. Preference will also be given to students who demonstrate participation in extracurricular activities related to their field of study and have work or volunteer experience in their field of study. Two letters of recommendation are required. The letters should provide the Scholarship Committee with insight into the applicant's character, values, and unique attributes. If applicable, please provide a letter of acceptance into a wine or grape industry related degree program from the department director and a letter from the applicant's parent's employer. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information.
Ken and Dean Kirn Scholarship
Due: 4/15/2025
No min. GPA Required
No Recommendations Required
$5,000
The Ken and Dean Kirn Scholarship is available to residents of southwest Washington pursuing technical, vocational, or career degrees, with particular emphasis on degrees at local southwest Washington and Portland metropolitan community colleges. The Scholarship is also open to any students meeting one or more of the following criteria: dependents of employees of Columbia Cascade Company; or graduates of the Inpatient or Outpatient Programs at Daybreak Youth Services; or graduate residents of the Open House Ministries Family shelter or resident's child. Applicants must write a book review. They must provide the title and author of a nonfiction book they have read during the last 12 months and describe the personal value they received from it. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Community Foundation for Southwest Washington for more information.
Hazel Baird Lease Scholarship
Due: Varies
No Essays
No min. GPA Required
No Transcripts Required
$1,050
The Hazel Baird Lease Scholarship shall be awarded to a sophomore, junior, or senior collegian member of the Fraternity who will pursue an undergraduate degree in speech therapy or speech communication during the academic year for which the scholarship is awarded or a senior collegian or alumna member of the Fraternity who will pursue a graduate degree in speech therapy or speech communication during the academic year for which the scholarship is awarded. Should no applicants meet the first criteria, the scholarship shall be awarded to a collegian or alumna member of the Fraternity with a permanent address in the greater Seattle, Washington area who will pursue an undergraduate or graduate degree during the academic year for which the scholarship is awarded. Should no applicants meet the first and second criteria, the scholarship shall be awarded to a collegian or alumna member of the Fraternity who will pursue an undergraduate or graduate degree during the academic year for which the scholarship is awarded. Applicants must be initiated members, college and alumni, of Kappa Alpha Theta in good standing with the Fraternity. New members may apply but should be initiated by the application deadline. A recommendation from a member of Kappa Alpha Theta and a recommendation from an academic or professional reference are required. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Kappa Alpha Theta Foundation for more information.
Jane Brokaw Gallup Scholarship
Due: Varies
No Essays
No min. GPA Required
No Transcripts Required
$1,100
The Jane Brokaw Gallup Scholarship shall be awarded to a senior collegian or alumna member of the Fraternity with a permanent address in the greater Seattle, Washington area who will pursue an undergraduate or graduate degree during the academic year for which the scholarship is awarded. Should no applicants meet the first criteria, the scholarship shall be awarded to a senior collegian or an alumna member of the Fraternity who will pursue an undergraduate or graduate degree during the academic year for which the scholarship is awarded. A recommendation from a member of Kappa Alpha Theta and a recommendation from an academic or professional reference are required. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Kappa Alpha Theta Foundation 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 Washington 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.
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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.
*No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. Odds of winning depend on number of entries received. Ends 12/31/2025.
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