6 Scholarships You Can Apply to Right Now

Finding the right scholarships can feel like a full-time job, especially when you are already juggling classes, work, and everything else life throws at you. The good news is that there are real, open scholarships out there right now, covering everything from cosmetology school to graduate fellowships to a fully funded master’s degree abroad. We pulled together six scholarships currently accepting applications so you can spend less time searching and more time actually applying. Each one below is open to a different kind of student, so read through and see which ones fit your situation.

Great Clips Scholarship Program

This great scholarship from Great Clips, Inc. is currently accepting applications. Great Clips awards tuition scholarships of up to $5,000 to students enrolled in cosmetology or barbering programs at accredited post-secondary schools across the U.S.

Here is why this one stands out: most scholarship lists lean heavily toward four-year degree programs, which leaves trade and vocational students with far fewer options. If you are training to be a stylist or barber, the pool of applicants competing for this award is much smaller than what you would face applying for a general academic award. That is a real advantage, and it is worth taking seriously.

Cosmetology and barbering programs are also shorter than traditional degrees, which means an award of up to $5,000 can cover a meaningful chunk of your total cost rather than just a small slice. If you are enrolled at an accredited post-secondary school and working toward a license, this is one of the more practical scholarships you will come across. Check the eligibility details on the listing before you start writing.

P.E.O. Scholar Awards

This p.e.o. scholarship from P.E.O. International (Philanthropic Educational Organization) is currently accepting applications. The P.E.O. Scholar Awards are one-time, competitive, merit-based awards of $25,000 that provide partial support for study.

A $25,000 one-time award is on the higher end of what you will find anywhere, and that number alone makes this worth a serious look. P.E.O. International has a long history of supporting women’s education, and the Scholar Awards sit at the top of their program lineup. Because it is merit-based and competitive, your application materials matter a great deal here.

If you are pursuing advanced study and have a strong academic record to point to, do not talk yourself out of applying because it looks competitive. Plenty of qualified students skip the bigger awards assuming they have no shot, which is exactly what keeps the applicant pool manageable. Read the requirements carefully, give yourself enough runway to prepare a thoughtful application, and apply.

GEM Fellowship Program

This gem scholarship from The National GEM Consortium is currently accepting applications. The National GEM Consortium awards graduate fellowships to U.S. students pursuing master’s or doctoral degrees in applied science and engineering, pairing each fellow with additional support.

What makes GEM different from most scholarships is the pairing model. This is not simply a check and a handshake. The consortium connects fellows with member organizations, which means the program is built around a longer-term relationship rather than a one-time payment. For graduate students in applied science and engineering, that structure can be worth as much as the funding itself.

Graduate school in STEM fields is expensive and time-intensive, and funding that comes with an industry connection attached tends to open doors well beyond the classroom. If you are a U.S. student heading into a master’s or doctoral program in applied science or engineering, put this near the top of your list. The application process is more involved than a typical essay contest, so start early.

ABFSE National Scholarship Program

This board scholarship from American Board of Funeral Service Education is currently accepting applications. The American Board of Funeral Service Education awards scholarships to undergraduate students enrolled in ABFSE-accredited funeral service or related programs.

Funeral service education is a specialized field, and specialized fields almost always come with less competition for funding. If you are enrolled in an ABFSE-accredited program, you are already in a narrow eligibility group, which works strongly in your favor. Awards like this exist precisely because the profession wants to support students entering it.

The ABFSE is the accrediting body for funeral service education in the United States, so this comes directly from the organization that oversees these programs. That matters because it means the requirements are clear and the process is straightforward for students already enrolled at an accredited school. Confirm your program’s accreditation status, then head to the listing for the full details.

Schwarzman Scholars Program

This schwarzman scholarship from Schwarzman Scholars is currently accepting applications. A fully-funded one-year master’s degree in Global Affairs at Tsinghua University in Beijing, designed to prepare future global leaders. The scholarship covers full costs.

This is the most ambitious entry on the list. A fully funded master’s degree in Global Affairs at Tsinghua University is a genuinely rare opportunity, and the program is explicitly built to develop future global leaders. Everything about it, from the curriculum to the cohort, is designed around leadership and international perspective.

Fully funded means you are not piecing together partial awards to make the year work financially. If you have an interest in global affairs, international policy, or cross-border work of any kind, this is the sort of program that reshapes a career path. The application is demanding and the selection process is rigorous, so read the listing carefully and give yourself real time to prepare.

RealtyHop Scholarship

This realtyhop scholarship from RealtyHop is currently accepting applications. RealtyHop awards two $1,000 scholarships per year to undergraduate students and graduating high school seniors in the U.S. Applicants submit an essay under 500 words.

An essay under 500 words is about as low-effort as scholarships get, and that is exactly why this one belongs on your list. You can realistically complete a strong application in an afternoon. Two awards of $1,000 each may not cover a full semester, but that money goes straight toward books, fees, or the deposit that always shows up at the worst possible time.

The eligibility here is refreshingly broad. Undergraduate students and graduating high school seniors across the U.S. can apply, which means you do not need a specific major or program to qualify. If you are a high school senior just starting to look at funding options, this is a great first application to get under your belt.

Tips for Applying to These Scholarships

The single biggest mistake students make is applying only to the largest awards. Smaller scholarships often have far fewer applicants, and two or three modest awards can add up to more than one big one you never win. Apply broadly and treat the smaller ones as seriously as the headline awards.

Read every eligibility requirement before you write a single word. Sponsors reject a surprising number of otherwise strong applications simply because the applicant was not enrolled in a qualifying program or missed a documentation requirement. Ten minutes of careful reading saves hours of wasted effort.

Keep a reusable base essay, but tailor it every time. Reviewers can tell instantly when an essay was written for a different scholarship and lightly edited. Mention the sponsor, connect your goals to what they actually fund, and answer the prompt they asked rather than the one you wish they had asked.

Finally, never pay to apply. Legitimate scholarships do not charge application fees, and the FTC’s guide to avoiding scholarship and financial aid scams is worth reading before you hand over any personal information. If an offer guarantees you money or pressures you to act immediately, walk away.

Start Applying Today

Every one of these six scholarships is open right now, and each serves a different kind of student, from trade school to doctoral programs. The hardest part is almost always just starting, so pick the one that fits you best and get that first application submitted this week. Momentum matters more than perfection here, and each application you finish makes the next one faster. Browse the full listings at https://spotscholarships.com to find more scholarships that match your program, your field, and your timeline.