No-Essay Scholarships
135 scholarships · Updated November 2026
Every scholarship on this page lets you apply without writing an essay. Some ask for a short answer, a video, a project or a form with your grades and activities, but none require a traditional personal essay.
Fewer requirements draw more applicants, so treat these as a supplement to essay-based awards rather than a replacement. We only list programs run by the sponsor itself with published award amounts. Random drawings that exist to collect email addresses don't make the cut. For a wider search, start with our tips on how to find college scholarships.
Miguel A. Loya Scholarship (UTEP)
Offered by The University of Texas at El Paso, Miguel A. Loya College of Engineering
SFM Foundation Scholarship (Kids' Chance of Minnesota and Iowa)
Offered by SFM Foundation
NESA Eagle Scout Scholarships Opening Soon
Offered by National Eagle Scout Association (Scouting America)
Rochester Area Community Foundation Scholarships Opening Soon
Offered by Rochester Area Community Foundation
Christian Missionary Scholarship Foundation Scholarship
Offered by Christian Missionary Scholarship Foundation
Distinguished Young Women Scholarship Program
Offered by Distinguished Young Women (America's Junior Miss)
FIRST Scholarship Program
Offered by FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology)
William C. Doherty Scholarship Fund
Offered by National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC)
WREC Educational Foundation Scholarship
Offered by Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative
California-Hawaii Elks Undergraduate Scholarship Program for Students with Disabilities Opening Soon
Offered by California-Hawaii Elks Major Project, Inc.
FNSNA Undergraduate Scholarship Program
Offered by Foundation of the National Student Nurses' Association
PCCA Scholarship Program Opening Soon
Offered by PCCA Education & Research Foundation (Power & Communication Contractors Association)
Create-A-Greeting-Card Scholarship Contest
Offered by The Gallery Collection (Prudent Publishing Co.)
ASHRAE Undergraduate Engineering Scholarships
Offered by ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers)
Bering Straits Foundation Scholarship
Offered by Bering Straits Foundation (Bering Straits Native Corporation)
The Aleut Foundation (Ulakaia Center) General Scholarship
Offered by The Aleut Foundation / Ulakaia Center
UNICO Foundation Undergraduate Awards (Gentile, Miele, Davini, Mazza) Opening Soon
Offered by UNICO Foundation (UNICO National)
Kids' Chance of Louisiana Scholarship Opening Soon
Offered by Kids' Chance of Louisiana (Louisiana Bar Foundation)
IISE Undergraduate & Graduate Scholarships Last Chance
Offered by Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers
First Tech Federal Credit Union STEM Scholarship Opening Soon
Offered by First Technology Federal Credit Union
Tri-County Electric Cooperative Scholarship Program (Texas)
Offered by Tri-County Electric Cooperative (Texas)
Community Foundation Santa Cruz County Scholarships
Offered by Community Foundation Santa Cruz County
BECU Foundation Scholarship Opening Soon
Offered by BECU Foundation (administered by College Success Foundation)
Community Foundation of West Texas Scholarships Opening Soon
Offered by Community Foundation of West Texas
National Catholic Committee on Scouting (NCCS) Scholarships
Offered by Catholic Scouting America – National Catholic Committee on Scouting
UNICO Dr. Benjamin Cottone Memorial Scholarship Opening Soon
Offered by UNICO Foundation (UNICO National)
CTCPA Accounting Scholarship Foundation Scholarships
Offered by Connecticut Society of CPAs Accounting Scholarship Foundation
NFMC Michael R. Edwards Graduating Senior Performance Award
Offered by National Federation of Music Clubs
Community Foundation of Northern Illinois Scholarships
Offered by Community Foundation of Northern Illinois
CollegeCounts Scholarship Opening Soon
Offered by Office of the Alabama State Treasurer (CollegeCounts 529)
1891 Financial Life College Scholarship
Offered by 1891 Financial Life (formerly National Catholic Society of Foresters)
MTNA Young Artist Performance Competitions (Brass and Voice)
Offered by Music Teachers National Association
UNICO Sergeant John Basilone Memorial Graduate Scholarship Opening Soon
Offered by UNICO Foundation (UNICO National)
NATA Dan L. Meisinger Sr. Memorial Learn to Fly Scholarship
Offered by National Air Transportation Association
Georgia Thespians Scholarships
Offered by Georgia Thespians (Georgia Chapter, Educational Theatre Association)
Nebraska Bankers Association Foundation Scholarship
Offered by Nebraska Bankers Association Foundation
Berks County Community Foundation Scholarships Opening Soon
Offered by Berks County Community Foundation
Truman Heartland Community Foundation Scholarship Program Opening Soon
Offered by Truman Heartland Community Foundation
UNICO Maria and Paolo Alessio Southern Italy Scholarship Opening Soon
Offered by UNICO Foundation (UNICO National)
MTNA Senior Performance Competitions (Brass and Voice)
Offered by Music Teachers National Association
NLBRA Wrangler Academic & Performance Scholarships
Offered by National Little Britches Rodeo Association
GFWC of Massachusetts Woman Returning to School Scholarship
Offered by General Federation of Women's Clubs of Massachusetts
Wisconsin Laborers' District Council Scholarship Fund Last Chance
Offered by Wisconsin Laborers' District Council (LIUNA)
AGC of Missouri Trade Apprenticeship and Technical Education Scholarship
Offered by AGC of Missouri Education Foundation
OAB Education Foundation Scholarships
Offered by Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation
GFWC of Massachusetts Memorial Education Fellowship
Offered by General Federation of Women's Clubs of Massachusetts
No-Essay Scholarships By The Numbers
- Emory University Scholar Programs
Based on the 135 listings above. Typical award is the median top amount each sponsor publishes.
What Counts As A No-Essay Scholarship?
A no-essay scholarship lets you apply without writing a personal essay. That doesn't mean no application. Most still ask for a form, a transcript, a short answer, a video or proof of membership, and every award on this page comes from a sponsor that picks winners on stated criteria.
Are No-Essay Scholarship Drawings Legit?
Scholarship platforms like Niche, Bold.org and ScholarshipOwl run recurring no-essay drawings, including well-known $2,000 prizes. These are real awards with published winners. They work like sweepstakes, though: entry is free, the platform collects your profile, and your odds depend on how many students enter that month.
We leave those drawings out and list only sponsor-run scholarships with published amounts and set deadlines. If you enter drawings anyway, use a separate email address and set a monthly reminder. Our Bold.org review explains how one of the larger platforms works.
How To Spot A Scholarship Scam
Real scholarships never charge a fee to apply or ask for a bank account number to enter. Check that the sponsor is a named organization with a working website, and look for published past winners. If an offer guarantees money or says you won an award you never applied for, walk away.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are No-Essay Scholarships Legit?
The ones listed here are. Each comes from the sponsoring organization's own site, publishes its award amount and charges no fee to apply. Walk away from any award that asks for payment or a bank account number.
Are No-Essay Scholarships Easier To Win?
They are easier to apply for, which brings in more applicants and lowers your odds on any single award. Apply to several, and keep writing essays for awards where fewer students compete.
Can You Actually Win A No-Essay Scholarship?
Yes. Sponsor-run awards like the ones on this page pick winners on set criteria, so your grades, membership or activities still matter. Sweepstakes-style drawings are winnable too, but the odds are long because so many students enter.
Are There No-Essay Scholarships For Specific Groups?
Yes, though there are fewer of them. Use the search box above with a field or group, or browse our category pages for women, military families and other groups and look for listings marked no essay.
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Why Trust The College Investor
The College Investor has helped millions of readers navigate paying for college and student loans since 2009. Every scholarship in our database is individually reviewed by our team before it goes live, and re-checked regularly so deadlines and links stay current.
Our Scholarship Standards
A listing here means our team checked that the award is real, currently active, and actually pays out. We won't list a scholarship that:
- Charges any kind of fee to apply
- Makes you join a paid membership, or sign up for an app or service, just to be eligible
- Has a privacy policy that would let the sponsor sell or misuse your information
- Collects essays, ideas, or contact details mainly to feed the sponsor's marketing
- Can't show a winner from the past 12 months, or offers no way to reach the sponsor
One nuance: established companies and nonprofits that run applications through their own systems may still be listed, even though creating an account there is part of applying.
Spot a listing that doesn't meet this bar? Email [email protected] and we'll review it. You can also read our editorial guidelines.