Paying for college
Scholarships
Local and national scholarships worth a look. Each link opens in a new tab.
San Antonio area
- San Antonio Area Foundation Scholarships
A great place to start: fill out one application and be considered for more than 90 local scholarships across many fields.
- NEISD Virgil T. Blossom Scholarship
For NEISD graduates who want to become teachers.
- SAEP Scholarship
For seniors at SAEP partner high schools who meet the requirements and plan to stay in San Antonio for college.
- MLK Scholarship (City of San Antonio)
Honors local students whose service and leadership reflect Dr. King's legacy.
- Cesar Chavez Legacy and Educational Foundation Scholarship
For students who give back to their community and care about social justice.
- Rotary Club of San Antonio Youth Scholarships
Several Rotary scholarships that help local students finish high school, go to college, and become leaders.
- Greater Boerne Chamber of Commerce Scholarships
The Boerne Chamber's list of scholarships for students in the Boerne area.
- San Antonio Junior Forum Scholarships
For Bexar County seniors. Apply through the Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation's Bexar County Scholarship Clearing House.
- GVTC Foundation Scholarships
Scholarships from the GVTC Foundation for local students.
- Frost Bank Scholarship
Frost Bank's scholarship program for students continuing their education.
- Blue Cares Patricia Calderon Scholarship
Recognizes students who do well in school and make service a priority.
- San Antonio Association of Hispanic Journalists Scholarship
For Hispanic students who want to study journalism.
- Aggie Park Scholarship
For San Antonio-area students headed to Texas A&M.
- Fiesta Youth LGBTQ+ Scholarship
For LGBTQ+ students and their allies going to college.
- Rey Feo Scholarship
Rewards students who lead and do well academically.
- My Gen FCU Scholarship
For college-bound members of Generations Federal Credit Union.
- Alamo Colleges Foundation Scholarships
Many scholarships for students enrolling at any of the Alamo Colleges.
- HomeSA Education Scholarships
For residents of San Antonio Housing Authority communities who are continuing their education.
School district scholarship pages
Don't see your district? Ask your high school counselor or college and career center for your school's local scholarship list.
- SAISD Foundation Scholarships
San Antonio ISD students.
- Alamo Heights High School: Local Memorial Scholarships
From the Alamo Heights High School College Center.
- Boerne ISD Scholarships
Boerne ISD students.
- Northside ISD Scholarships (Northside Education Foundation)
Northside ISD's scholarship page.
- North East ISD: Scholarships and Financial Aid
NEISD's district scholarship and financial aid page.
- North East ISD: CTE Scholarships
For NEISD students in Career and Technical Education programs.
- Harlandale Education Foundation
Harlandale ISD's education foundation.
- Fort Sam Houston ISD: Local Scholarship List
A running list of Bexar County scholarships kept by Fort Sam Houston ISD's college counseling office; useful for any local student.
National scholarships
- The Gates Scholarship
A very competitive, full-cost scholarship for top students from low-income families.
- BigFuture Scholarships (College Board)
No essay needed: students earn chances at a scholarship by completing college planning steps on BigFuture.
- QuestBridge National College Match
Matches high-achieving, low-income students with partner colleges that offer full four-year scholarships.
- Dell Scholars Program
Money plus ongoing support for students with financial need, all the way through college.
- Coca-Cola Scholars Program
A national award for seniors who stand out in leadership, service, and academics.
- Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Scholarships
Generous support for high-achieving students with financial need.
- Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF)
One of the country's largest scholarship programs for Hispanic students.
- HACU Scholarships
Scholarships from the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities for students at its member schools.
- Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship
Combines college funding with mentoring and leadership training for minority students.
- APIA Scholars
Scholarships for Asian American and Pacific Islander students.
- ACS Scholarship for Undergraduates in Chemistry
From the American Chemical Society, for students who plan to study chemistry.
- Architects Foundation: Next Generation Undergraduate Scholarship
For students who plan to study architecture.
- NAACP Scholarships
Several scholarships for students of color across many majors.
Search scholarship databases
- BigFuture Scholarship Search (College Board)
College Board's free search tool for finding scholarships that fit you.
- Scholarships.com
A big, free search site that matches you to scholarships based on your profile.
- Appily Scholarships
A simple place to search for scholarships, grants, and other aid.
- ACT Scholarship Search
ACT's free scholarship search.
- Fastweb
A free, long-standing scholarship search with matches based on your profile.
- Scholarships360
A free search site with verified scholarship listings.
- College Greenlight
Free scholarship and college matches, with a focus on first-generation and underrepresented students.
- JLV College Counseling
A carefully kept scholarship list for high school, college, and graduate students.
- Scholly
A free app and search tool for finding scholarships.
- Unigo
Scholarship matching, plus Unigo's own scholarship contests.
Tips for applying
- Check deadlines early. Many local scholarships open in the fall or winter of senior year and close in the spring.
- Reuse your work. Your resume, activities list, and college essays can often be adapted for scholarship applications.
- Ask your high school counselor. Many schools keep their own list of local awards.
- Never pay to apply. Legitimate scholarships don't charge application fees.
- Protect your information. Search sites may ask you to create an account and send emails, so consider using a separate email address just for scholarships.
These scholarships are run by outside organizations that The Prep Table doesn't own or control. I'm not affiliated with them and don't receive anything for listing them. Eligibility, amounts, and deadlines change every year, so always check each organization's website.
Need help applying?
Want help adapting your resume and essays for scholarship applications? Send me a note.