High School Academics

Scholarships

Scholarships are awarded to students based on the criteria in the application. Most scholarships look for students who have a good academic record, extracurricular activities, work experience, goals and objectives for the future, or have overcome a difficult life situation. You don’t need to meet all these qualifications, but you will need to meet some. Applying for scholarships and meeting their requirements takes time and effort, but the payoff can be well worth it in the extra money you receive for college.

General Directions

Criteria: Review the criteria for a scholarship to determine if you meet the requirements. Don’t waste your time by applying for a scholarship when you don’t meet their basic requirements. Focus on scholarships that you qualify for.

Deadlines: Make sure you pay attention to deadlines. Late and/or incomplete application packets are almost always thrown out! If you begin working on a scholarship several weeks before the due date, it will give you time to pull together letters of recommendation, transcripts, and do a better job writing essays. Sloppy, last minute applications are rarely given much consideration. Show that you really want and deserve the scholarship by putting together a high-quality packet.

Transcripts: If an “official” transcript is required for an application, request your transcripts as soon as possible.

Letters of Recommendation: Letters of recommendation are extremely important. Make sure to give teachers, counselors, coaches, etc. at least two weeks to write a recommendation. To help your endorser, present them with a résumé of your accomplishments and a description of the scholarship’s requirements. This will ensure that your endorser mentions your most relevant qualities.

CAUTION: Beware of scholarship SCAMS! Never pay money for a scholarship application or information. When in doubt, wait and see your counselor regarding certain websites and scholarships.

Scholarship Information from Your Local School District

Select the city nearest you to visit your local school district’s website for area scholarship information:

Check Out These Scholarships

Blue Pay STEM Scholarship

Annual scholarship created for students majoring in a STEM field of study. To qualify, undergraduate or graduate students must be majoring in a STEM field of study and attending an accredited college or university. The application includes an essay answering one of three questions in a minimum of 500 and a maximum of 1,000 words. Application month is August.

Beta SIGMA PSI National Lutheran Fraternity Scholarships

Applicants for these scholarships should be male, confirmed members of a Lutheran congregation.  Well-qualified individuals will be honored with these Christian Leadership Awards. Scholarships range between $1,500 and $2,000.  Deadlines vary.  (Check individual applications for exact due date.)

Discover Accounting Scholarship

Free educational resource for people looking to learn about careers and education in Accounting.

Gateway to College

Madison College’s Gateway to College program helps students between the ages of 16 and 23 who dropped out of high school or are behind in graduation requirements. Through this program, you can obtain your high school diploma and earn college credits at the same time. Many graduates go on to finish associate degrees and transfer to four-year colleges.

HelpTeaching.com Scholarship

HelpTeaching.com, a platform focused on providing high-quality resources for teachers, tutors, homeschool parents, and others who work in the field of education, offers an annual scholarship for students in high school and college.

Prizes Awarded: $1,000 USD
Deadline: June 1 (every year)

Indian Student Assistant Grant

The Higher Educational Aids Board provides grants to Wisconsin students who are at least 25 percent Native American. Recipients must be attending or planning to attend an eligible college or university as an undergraduate or graduate student. The grants are based on financial need and vary in amount from $250 to $1,100. They are renewable for up to ten semesters.

Italian Workmen’s Club Scholarship

Each year the Italian Workmen’s Club of Madison, Wisconsin presents $5000 in scholarships to seniors who are graduating from a Dane County high school. Seniors intending to go to a four-year program of higher education are eligible for awards as high as $2000. Seniors who intend to pursue a two-year degree in a technical or vocational program are eligible for awards as high as $100. Email Mrs. Campbell at scampbell@wivcs.org for an application.

MATC Promise Program

Low-income Milwaukee-area high school students who meet specific financial criteria and performance benchmarks in their senior year of high school are eligible to earn free tuition for up to five semesters––plus hands-on support to help students graduate job-ready. It ensures that students access all financial aid for which they are already eligible and then fills the gap with a scholarship for tuition and fees.

National Farmers Organization Scholarship

Farm Kids for College Scholarship Basics: The competition is open to high school seniors who plan to pursue agriculture-related degrees. Students must pursue degrees from accredited colleges or universities. National Farmers announces three national scholarship winners in the spring of each year. All three winners receive $1,000 each. The award is disbursed directly to the college or university. This is a non-renewable, freshman scholarship. Applicants write two brief essays, submit two letters of reference, official transcripts, GPA and ACT or SAT scores.

SAE Engineering Scholarships

Discover several scholarships available with various deadline dates.

Professional Insurance Agents of Wisconsin Young Professionals Club

The Professional Insurance Agents of Wisconsin (PIAW) Young Professionals Club, based in Madison, Wisconsin, is awarding $25,000 in scholarships to high school and college students who are pursuing careers in insurance or a related field of study such as risk management. In addition to filling out the application form and providing the required attachments, applicants need a PIAW sponsor. They can go to PIAW’s website and find the agent in their hometown to request a sponsorship, if needed. No insurance has to be purchased to qualify for the scholarships.

Wisconsin Women In Government

Wisconsin Women in Government provides scholarships up to $3,000 to female residents of Wisconsin who are enrolled as an undergraduate at a University of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Technical College, or a private institution. Applicants should have an interest in public service or government and have a minimum GPA of a C. To apply, students must submit their transcript, two letters of recommendation, and a letter from their school’s financial aid office confirming their financial need.

More Scholarships

Many more scholarships can be found on these websites: