29 Marvelous May Scholarships for High School Seniors

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List of scholarships for high school seniors due in May

Mark your calendars, cause it’s GONNA BE MAY.

pair of high school girls looking at laptop screen with smiles on their faces

As April wraps up, so does the school year.

May brings the beginning of high school graduation season, and so much more. High school students have a lot going on during this month!

In the flurry of end of year preparations and celebrations it’s important to not neglect securing finical aid for college. Scholarships can be a great way for high school seniors to get the money they need for college.

There are many scholarships that students can apply for. But, it’s key to know what kind of scholarships you are eligible for before you begin applying.

So:

In this post, I’ve gathered a list of May scholarships for high school seniors to help save you some time.

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May Scholarships for High School Seniors


CollegeXpress $10,000 Scholarship

  • Award: $10,000
  • Deadline: May 1

Eligibility: Must be 13+ and a legal resident of the 50 U.S. or D.C.

Submit: Short online form (no essay).

School Spirit Scholarship

  • Award: $1,500
  • Deadline: May 1

Eligibility: Open to all high school seniors in the United States who will be attending college in 2023 (community college or a 4-year university).

Submit: Online application and 300 – 500 word essay.

Eleven Scholarship

  • Award: $5,000
  • Deadline: May 1

Eligibility: Any BIPOC high school senior or undergraduate student pursuing a STEM degree may apply for this scholarship. First-generation students are preferred.

Submit: 400 – 600 word essay about a time when you faced a challenge, how it affected you, and what the experience taught you.

Ivey Engineering Bi-annual Scholarship Essay Contest

  • Award: $1,000
  • Deadline: May 1

Eligibility: Must be a current high school senior; or be transitioning from high school to a college or university; or be already enrolled as an undergraduate in a college or university inside the United States or Canada.

Submit: 800 – 100 word essay and a headshot photo of yourself

Evan James Vaillancourt Memorial Scholarship

  • Award: $1,200
  • Deadline: May 1

Eligibility: Any high school senior who has at least a 3.0 GPA and is pursuing a degree in nursing may apply if they have community service or volunteering experience. Applicants who have a connection to the military are encouraged to apply.

Submit: 400 – 600 word essay.

Renaissance Scholars Program

  • Award: up to $16,000
  • Deadline: May 1

Eligibility: U.S. citizenship is not required. All applicants must plan to earn a bachelor’s from a 4-year college; be the first in their family to attend a 4-year college; and have 3.0 GPA or higher.

High school applicants must be one of the following: a high school senior in OR or IL – OR – a high school senior in any location, planning to attend one of the partner HBCUs (Elizabeth City State University, Stillman College, and North Carolina Central University).

Submit: Online application, (2) essays of 500-1000 words each, most recent transcripts, and (2) letters of recommendation.

“Be Bold” No-Essay Scholarship

  • Award: $25,000
  • Deadline: May 1

Eligibility: Open to students at any education level. Students at any education level, school, and field of study will be considered. No GPA requirement.

Submit: This no-essay scholarship that will be awarded to the applicant with the boldest profile.

Brower Youth Awards

  • Award: $3,000
  • Deadline: May 1

Eligibility: Open to youth environmental change leaders ages 13 to 22 (as of May 14, 2023) living in North America (including Mexico, Canada, some Caribbean Islands) and US “Territories”.

Submit: An online application and a photograph of yourself.

Advantech Intelligent Planet Scholarship

  • Award: $2,500
  • Deadline: May 1

Eligibility: Any high school senior in California, Ohio, Kentucky or Indiana who will be pursuing a two or four-year degree after graduation may apply for this scholarship.

Submit: 450 – 550 word essay on what an intelligent planet means to you and how you would work to make your vision a reality.

James A Cook Memorial Scholarship

  • Award: $10,525
  • Deadline: May 1

Eligibility: Any high school senior in Michigan may apply for this scholarship.

Submit: 400 – 600 word essay on how you practice servant leadership in your daily interactions with family, school and/or extracurricular activities and how you believe these actions positively impact those around you.

Jose Montanez Memorial Scholarship

  • Award: $1,000
  • Deadline: May 1

Eligibility: This scholarship is specifically for high school seniors who are graduating in 2023 and will go on to pursue undergraduate degree or trade school certification. Preference will be given to candidates who spent time in the foster care system and/or are earning a degree in music or the arts.

Submit: 400 – 600 word essay on how you will use your college degree or trade certification to make a positive impact in your community.

Sunni E. Fagan Memorial Music Scholarship

  • Award: $1,000
  • Deadline: May 8

Eligibility: Any high school senior or undergraduate student who is an underrepresented minority pursuing music or music education may apply for this scholarship.

Submit: 400 – 600 word essay on why you’re passionate about music and how you plan to give back to the youth through your career.

Kyle Rairdan Memorial Aviation Scholarship

  • Award: $2,000
  • Deadline: May 10

Eligibility: Any high school senior, undergraduate, or graduate student who is pursuing aviation and is involved in their community is encouraged to apply.

Submit: 400 – 600 word essay on why you’re interested in aviation, including what you plan to do with your degree, what inspired you to pursue aviation, and how you’re involved in your community.

All-Star College Scholarship

  • Award: $5,000 per semester, for up to 4 years
  • Deadline: May 12

Eligibility: Applicants must have been adopted or exited foster care to permanent guardianship at or after the age of thirteen (13) and be incoming college freshmen under the age of twenty 21. Must have a 2.5 GPA or higher.

Submit: Completed application that includes four short answer/essays, 3 letters of recommendation, copy of your Student Aid Report (FAFSA), copy of your adoption or legal guardianship paperwork, most recent high school transcript and a copy of first semester’s grades.

Jake Thomas Williams Memorial Scholarship

  • Award: $2,000
  • Deadline: May 12

Eligibility: Any high school senior interested in studying social work, therapy, or psychology and hoping to work in mental health or suicide prevention may apply for this scholarship.

Submit: 400 – 600 word essay about your experience with loss, your inspiration for pursuing mental health, your career goals, and how you think you’ll make a difference in suicide prevention.

AGL Over the Rainbow Scholarship

  • Award: $1,000
  • Deadline: May 15

Eligibility: Open to graduating high school seniors who will entering college to study Fine & Performing Arts.

Submit: Short video (3 minutes) or sample of your highlighted performances or artwork, resume of your musical, theatre, art, or chorus background, up to 3 letters of reference, and a copy of the acceptance letter from the college you will be attending in the fall.

Kenyada Me’Chon Thomas Legacy Program

  • Award: $1,000
  • Deadline: May 15

Eligibility: Open to BIPOC students who are in their senior year of high school who have a 2.5 GPA or higher.

Submit: 400 – 600 word essay on how you would influence a major social issue if given the chance.

OptimizeMyFirm Legal Marketing Scholarship

  • Award: $500
  • Deadline: May 15

Eligibility: Open to high school seniors who have a 3.0 GPA or higher. Must be planning on attending an accredited United States college or university in 2023.

Submit: 250 word essay.

Debt.com Scholarship For Aggressive Scholarship Applicants

  • Award: $500
  • Deadline: May 15

Eligibility: Open to all students who apply for scholarships.

Submit: Proof that you have applied for other scholarships and a short letter about yourself.

Chris Ford Scholarship

  • Award: $2,500
  • Deadline: May 18

Eligibility: Any Black high school senior with a general interest in business and a GPA of 3.0 or higher may apply for this scholarship, but students in Ohio or Indiana are preferred.

Submit: 400 – 600 word essay about yourself and how you’ll help the world through your future career.

Stephan L. Daniels Lift As We Climb Scholarship

  • Award: $5,000
  • Deadline: May 19

Eligibility: Any African American high school senior or undergraduate student who is pursuing a degree in STEM may apply for this scholarship.

Submit: 400 – 600 word essay on why you want to pursue STEM and how you hope to help your community with your degree.

Innovation in Education Scholarship

  • Award: $500
  • Deadline: May 20

Eligibility: Open to any high school or college student within the U.S. or Canada with a cumulative GPA of 3.0+.

Submit: Online application, letter of recommendation, self-photo, and an essay describing the goal of the particular project and provide supporting documentation (no min or max word/page count).

Young Women in STEM Scholarship

  • Award: $5,000
  • Deadline: May 23

Eligibility: Female high school seniors and undergraduate students that are from a low-income household and are pursuing a degree in STEM can apply.

Submit: Answer a series of short essay (250 words each) questions about yourself and your goals for the future.

CBSMF Scholarship

  • Award: $2,500
  • Deadline: May 27

Eligibility: Open to graduating high school seniors who have at least 2 years experience as a swim coach. GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Submit: Completed application, 2 reference letters (1 swimming related), copy of SAT/ACT scores, official high school transcript, and proof of acceptance to college.

MyMozaic Monthly Scholarship Contest

  • Award: $1,000
  • Deadline: May 29

Eligibility: Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or are lawfully living in the United States and at least 13 years of age on the date of their entry.

Submit: Your email address. Selection is based on the quality of students’ MyMozaic profile.

Joieful Connections Scholarship

  • Award: $5,000
  • Deadline: May 30

Eligibility: Any high school senior who has a diagnosis of developmental or intellectual disability may apply for this scholarship, but students in Oregon will be preferred.

Submit: 400 – 600 word essay on how you plan to further your education, what fields of study you plan to explore, and what you hope to accomplish after pursuing higher education.

Book Recommendation Scholarship

  • Award: $1,300
  • Deadline: May 31

Eligibility: Must be 13+ and a legal resident of the 50 U.S. or D.C.

Submit: Quick online form and a good book you’d recommend to a friend. 

Against the Grain Scholarship

  • Award: $1,000
  • Deadline: May 31

Eligibility: Must be of at least 25% Asian and/or Pacific Islander ethnicity; a citizen, national or legal permanent resident of the U.S.; either a high school senior or a college student currently enrolled full-time at college; and have a 3.0 GPA or higher.

Submit: Online application, transcript, resume, letter of recommendation, 500 word essay, and your artistic portfolio (audio/visual recording demo, pictures, sketches).

AEL Collegiate Essay Contest

  • Award: $1,000 – $2,500
  • Deadline: May 31

Eligibility: Must be a current undergraduate college or university student in an accredited four-year U.S. college or university. Incoming first-year students (i.e., high school seniors) and college students who graduate the year of the competition are eligible to apply. Must be a U.S. citizen.

Submit: Online application and 1,500 – 2,000 word essay in MLA or Chicago formatting.


smiling young woman working on laptop at desk

Final thoughts on scholarships for high school seniors deadline May 2023

So that concludes this list of May scholarships for senior year high school students.

Please leave a comment below if you know of any other good scholarships that should be included in this list!


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infographic list of high school senior scholarships with deadlines May

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2 Comments

  1. I heard that Studybay launched its annual essay contest. I think that some school seniors will be interested to participate in it.

    1. Thanks for the tip, Carol! I found the Studybay Annual Essay Contest – the deadline is in July, so I’ll include it when we do our roundup for July scholarships. 😄