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There are multiple foundations dedicated to helping student volunteers pay for college. If you have a record of community service, you could be eligible for multiple scholarships, awards and stipends.
We chose financial awards — not necessarily scholarships — that are available to high school and college students at a national level. Only programs with high funding rates and larger scholarship amounts made our list.
The Do Something scholarship is a random draw. Simply sign up for a qualifying campaign, complete it and upload a photo as proof. Do Something will announce winners three to four weeks after the campaign closes.
You can view Do Something’s current campaigns with scholarships to find one you might be interested in. Some campaigns even allow you to enter multiple times — so the more you volunteer, the higher your chances of being selected.
AmeriCorps has a large number of volunteer positions across the country. When you complete a term of service — typically 10 months to a year — you’ll be eligible for an award that’s equal to the Federal Pell Grant for the year you served. Your award can be used to pay for tuition or your student loans if you’ve already graduated.
Having a history of service may help you get into an AmeriCorps program, but your previous volunteer time won’t count toward your award.
If you’re dedicated to community service and want to pursue it throughout college, then the Bonner Scholars or Bonner Leader Program may be a good choice. Every school has its own application process, so visit the Bonner page on your college’s website to learn more.
If you aren’t able to afford college because of financial need, the Bonner Scholars Program may be able to help. It meets fully documented need of both US and non-US citizens. In return, you’ll participate in 10 hours of volunteer work per week — 140 hours per semester — and 280 hours during the summer.
Bonner Leaders receive financial aid — either a scholarship or work-study — directly from their school. There are no set volunteer requirements, so your service will depend largely on the school you attend.
Prudential has recognized more than 130,000 student volunteers committed to public service. Students recognized at a state level receive a $1,000 scholarship and a trip to Washington, D.C. Students recognized at the national level receive an additional $5,000 scholarship as well as a $5,000 grant sent to a charity of their choice.
Winners are selected based on their initiative, effort involved and overall impact on the community.
Founded by the Zonta International Foundation in 1990, the Young Women in Public Affairs (YMPA) Award has been given to nearly 800 young women in 58 countries. If you live in a Zonta Club district and have a commitment to leadership and civic causes, then you may qualify. All applications must be given to your local Zonta Club by its self-determined deadline.
When a national-level scholarship only awards a handful of applicants each year, it may not seem worth applying. However, if you’ve been involved in community service and volunteer work, it could be beneficial to submit to these larger scholarships:
If you’re on the hunt for even more scholarship and grant opportunities, look into these options:
If you’ve spent your high school career serving your community, there are a slew of scholarship programs that can help make a dent in your school’s cost of attendance. And once you’ve fully exhausted your scholarship and grant opportunities, you can compare student loan options to round out your funding.
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