A new year full of new opportunities! Your teen can kick-start the new calendar year by applying for thousands of dollars worth of contests and scholarships found in this post! Deadlines are all in January, so this is a perfect winter-break activity.
This month’s scholarship site spotlight is Scholarships360. Will Geiger, Scholarships360 CEO & Co-Founder, has an introduction to the mission of Scholarship 360 where he states that “[We] started Scholarships360 in 2010 after struggling to find legitimate scholarships to pay for college. Scholarships360 helps students unpack the most complicated issues related to paying for college…it will help every student create a personalized plan to find and fund a high ROI educational opportunity…[Their] mission is to make finding and funding education simpler, faster, and more accessible for all Americans. When you sign up for Scholarships360, you’re getting a personal advisor to help you pay for a high ROI college.”
What I like about this site is that there is no hunting around for where to do a scholarship search – as soon as you open the site, there is a large scholarship search box in the center of the screen. It does not make you feel obligated to complete a log in (though it is still available to narrow the scholarship opportunities to fit your student), nor is there a fee for using the site. If you are searching for a certain category of scholarships, you can hover over the scholarships drop down menu, and search by a predetermined category such as scholarships for juniors, seniors, college, or graduate students. In addition, they vet all of their scholarship lists extensively, and do their best to make sure everything is up to date.
In addition to scholarship resources, they offer advice on navigating every step of the admissions process, as well as financial advice for college students to save money, to find housing, to take out loans, and to create a budget
Here is a peak of scholarships found on Scholarships360, some of which are exclusive to that site:
“Jump for Joy” InstaScholarship
Sponsor: Scholarships360
Amount: $500
Closing Date: January 5, 2026
Description: All grade levels may apply for this scholarships, however, you must have an Instagram account and follow Scholarship360, like the “Jump for Joy post, and make a thoughtful comment on the post about something that brings you joy. Extra consideration will be given to students who mention at least one friend in their comment!
GE-Reagan Foundation Scholarship Program
Sponsor: Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute
Amount: Up to $10,000 (Renewable)
Closing Date: January 5, 2026
Description: GE-Reagan Foundation Scholars are among America’s foremost young leaders who personify the values that President Reagan took to Washington and inspired a nation with three decades ago. Like President Reagan, candidates use the formative experiences of their youth to lead, serve and pursue a life of purpose and significance, both individually and for their communities.
Taco Bell Live Más Scholarship
Sponsor: Taco Bell
Amount: $25,000 (renewable)
Closing Date: January 6, 2026
Description: Anyone between the ages of 16 and 26 is welcome to apply to the Taco Bell Live Más Scholarship. Applicants must create a video between thirty (30) seconds and two (2) minutes in length OR submit a written essay (250 ≤ 500 words) and photo(s) that answers the following questions:
• What is your passion and how are you pursuing it?
• What impact do you hope to make with your passion or career path?
• How do you embody the spirit of Live Más in your everyday life? make a video about their passions and how they plan to use them to make positive changes in their own communities and beyond.
Jet Future Business Leaders Scholarship
Sponsor:JET Surety
Amount: $1,000
Closing Date: January 1, 2026
Description: This scholarship is designed to support and encourage young minds to pursue their dreams of becoming successful business leaders. To apply, candidates must submit a well-crafted essay of 250-500 words, addressing the business-related prompt for the year.
Elizabeth Schalk Memorial Scholarship
Sponsor: Bold.org
Amount: $2,200
Closing Date: January1, 2026
Description: The scholarship is open to high school seniors, undergraduates, and graduate students, offering an opportunity for those who have personally experienced mental illness or have witnessed its impact on their loved ones. To apply, share your unique journey and the profound effect mental illness has had on your life and relationships.
Sponsor: The Jockey Club
Amount: Varies
Closing Date: January 5, 2026
Description: Scholarships are open to any equine breed or discipline; preference will be given to candidates with the expressed desire to secure employment in the Thoroughbred industry.
**For only The Jockey Club Nancy C. Kelly Benevolence Scholarship (for Thoroughbred racing farm or backstretch workers and their families who have experienced financial hardship) applicants are not required to be pursuing a career in the equine or Thoroughbred industry.
AIAA Roger W. Kahn Scholarship
Sponsor: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)
Amount: $10,000
Closing Date: January 7, 2026
Description: The AIAA Roger W. Kahn Scholarship is a fantastic opportunity for high school seniors with a passion for aerospace. This $10,000 scholarship is designed to support students who are committed to majoring in aerospace or a related field at an accredited college or university. To be eligible, applicants must have a minimum high school GPA of 3.5, demonstrated interest in aerospace through extracurricular activities, and have an AIAA High School Membership (free to join). If you’re a high school senior passionate about aerospace, don’t miss out on this chance to take your education to new heights!
Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship
Sponsor: Jackie Robinson Foundation
Amount: $8,750
Closing Date: January 7, 2026
Description: Are you a graduating, minority high school senior who demonstrates both academic excellence and financial need? If so, consider applying for the Jackie Robinson Foundation (JRF) Scholarship! Each year, the scholarship awards winning applicants up to $35,000 over the course of four years. In addition to the monetary award, winners will be invited to JRF’s annual four-day “Mentoring and Leadership Conference” in New York City. Lastly, winners will receive four years’ worth of a comprehensive program that includes career guidance, internship and job placement, and more.
Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Awards
Sponsor: Helen Diller Family Foundation
Amount: $36,000
Closing Date: January 8, 2026
Description: Young people have the power and passion to create ripples of good and repair the world. Every year, the Helen Diller Family Foundation awards up to 15 Jewish teens with $36,000 each for their leadership efforts to change the world. From the environment to social justice to access to education and beyond, these young people are tackling big challenges in their communities and having tremendous impact. Applicants must identify as Jewish, be 13-19 years old on January 9, 2025, be a resident of the United States, currently serve in a leadership role on a project/initiative aimed at repairing the world, and volunteer without any compensation.
The following scholarships were found at jlvcollegecounseling and a general search using AI search on FireFox Internet Browser:
Amelia Earhart Memorial Scholarship for Women Pilots
Sponsor: The Ninety-Nines, Inc.
Amount: Up to $20,000
Closing Date: January 1, 2026
Description: There are five separate Amelia Earhart Memorial Scholarship applications in order to accommodate the most common types of requests. The applicant should use the application form most appropriate to her circumstances and goal. Must be a member of the Ninety-Nines.
Conflict Conqueror Scholarship
Sponsor: The Bihm Law Firm, LLC
Amount: $1,000.00
Closing Date: January 7, 2026
Description: Scholarship is open to current undergraduate students with at least a 3.5 GPA and are citizens or permanent residents of the United States. Applicant must submit an essay on the following prompt: “Describe a time in your life when you experienced conflict. Please elaborate on the steps you took to resolve the conflict and what you learned from the experience.”
Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship
Sponsor: Amazon
Amount: Up to $40,000
Closing Date: January 15, 2026
Description: A major scholarship opportunity for high school seniors intending to pursue a degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related field.
Mensa Foundation Scholarship Program
Sponsor: Mensa Foundation
Amount: Up to $7,000
Closing Date: January 15, 2026
Description: Provides various awards to students based on an essay submission.
National FFA Scholarship
Sponsor: National FFA Organization Program
Amount: Varies
Closing Date: January 15, 2026
Description: Scholarship program is open to high school seniors and current college students who are under 23 years of age. Applicant must be a current FFA member.
Aviation Scholarship
Sponsor: The Lyons Aviation Foundation
Amount: At least $1,500
Closing Date: January 15, 2026
Description: Scholarship is open to individuals between the ages of 16 and 24 years of age who are U.S. citizens or legal permanent resident who are pursuing their private pilot certificate.
Washington Crossing Foundation Scholarship
Sponsor: Washington Crossing Foundation
Amount: Up to $5,000
Closing Date: January 15, 2026
Description: Scholarship is open to high school seniors who are U.S. citizens and are planning careers of service to the United States in local, state, or federal government. An essay and recommendation are required.
Profile in Courage Essay Contest
Sponsor: John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum
Amount: Up to $10,000
Closing Date: January 17, 2026
Description: Contest is open to United States high school students in grades nine through twelve. Applicant must submit an essay on a given topic related to an act of political courage.
C-SPAN’s StudentCam Documentary Competition
Sponsor: C-SPAN
Amount: Varies
Closing Date: January 20, 2026
Description: Competition is open to students in grades 6-12. Student must create a short (5- to 6-minute) video documentary on either a historical or contemporary topic that relates to the competition theme: “America’s 250th Anniversary” Exploring the American Story through the Declaration of Independence.
Technology Addiction Awareness Scholarship
Sponsor: Digital Responsibility
Amount: $1,000.00
Closing Date: January 30, 2026
Description: Scholarship is open to current high school and college students. Applicant must submit a short statement about technology addiction.
Advocates Law Scholarship
Sponsor: The Advocates
Amount: $1,000.00
Closing Date: January 31, 2026
Description: Scholarship is open to incoming and current college students in the United States. Applicant must submit an essay on the following prompt: “What are some of the problems we face on the roads? How can you contribute to improving road safety? What laws (if any) could be changed to accomplish the goal of making streets safer for everyone?”
National Eagle Scout Association Scholarships
Sponsor: ScoutingAmerica (NESA)
Amount: Varies
Closing Date: January 31, 2026
Description: Scholarships are awarded to Eagle Scouts who have shown active participation in school, Scouting activities, and community service, and who demonstrate they understand the fundamentals of service to community, service to Scouting and their character. They should also demonstrate that, if they have a financial need, what distinguishes their financial need from others. Various scholarships are available.
