The idea of writing an essay can seem like an insurmountable hurdle for lots of students, so the idea of penning down those writings might instantly lead to writer’s block. In fact, you might be among the students who have crumpled lots of paper into the waste bin due to the perception that you’re not crafting the best essay for that scholarship.
Don’t worry, so many organizations understand your pain and struggle that’s why they provide lots of no essay scholarships to fasten your application. Yes, most of these scholarships only require you to register and you’ll be entered into the drawing.
But if you’re not scared of trying more essay scholarships, you can try out the Education Matters Scholarship or even the All About Education Scholarship. The bright side of most scholarships that require essays is that it reduces competition. This is also the downside of most no-essay scholarships which have enormous competition, especially for those that provide big funds.
Before we list these scholarships let’s understand what this no-essay scholarship is all about.
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What is a No-essay Scholarship?
Just like the name, these scholarships are exactly what they sound like financial assistance that doesn’t demand any lengthy essay submission. In fact, unlike the “Do-Over” Scholarship, and the GoTranscript scholarship some of these no-essay scholarships don’t even demand a GPA, you just need to register to apply.
What these organizations usually demand is some basic information like your name, school, email address, contact number, and sometimes academic achievements.
No Essay Scholarships
Let’s tell ourselves the truth, essays can be daunting! These scholarships offer an alternative path to securing financial aid.
1. Niche No Essay Scholarship
Niche offers varying amounts of no-essay scholarships, ranging from $1,000 to $50,000 which are offered to one student and can be used for tuition, housing, books, or other college expenses. The winner of the scholarship will be randomly selected and then contacted directly and announced in Niche’s email newsletter and on the Scholarship Winners page.
2. “Be Bold” No-Essay Scholarship
Based on the belief of Bold.org, they have created this scholarship to find the applicant with the boldest profile. Boldest here, doesn’t mean a student with the best academic profile or an individual that is most accomplished, it just means a student that is earnest, determined, and always moving.
The $25,000 worth of scholarship is also awarded to one student, and all students are eligible to apply regardless of location.
3. $ 2,000 Sallie Mae No Essay Scholarship
This is a sweepstake scholarship in which the winner is randomly selected, and the scholarship runs for the whole year. The scholarship is only eligible to students who are 17 years or older and are legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, and any US Territory.
4. Liberty University Sweepstake Scholarship
Liberty University’s Online Program is providing a total of $100,000 worth of no essay scholarships to twenty (20) randomly selected eligible winners. The winners will receive one (1) $5,000 tuition scholarship to study at Liberty University’s Online Program.
Because it’s a sweepstake the chances of winning depend on the number of applicants.
5. $ 50,000 ScholarshipOwl No Essay Scholarship
ScholarshipOwl randomly selects 50 students to award them $1,000 each. To be eligible you need to be 16 years or above and a resident of any of the 50 United States, District of Columbia, or US Territories except for Rhode Island and Michigan.
6. Smarter College Scholarship
This is one of the no essay scholarships provided by Smarter College to all residents of any of the 50 United States, including the District of Columbia. Applying for this scholarship is not just very easy, but you can always come back at the beginning of each month to try another luck of winning the $1,000 worth of scholarship.
7. $ 2,500 ScholarshipPoints Scholarship
ScholarshipPoints awards a monthly $2,500 to random students, all you need to do is register, and you’ll automatically be entered for their scholarship. In fact, once you’ve registered, you will also have the opportunity to apply for additional scholarships and complete activities for points that can be used for further entries into any of their 4-monthly scholarships.
8. The Cirkled In “No Sweat” Scholarship – $2,500
Just like the name, you don’t need to sweat to apply for this scholarship, all you need to do is to apply by signing up for a Cirkled In account and then complete your portfolio. Not only does it not demand an essay, but it also doesn’t demand your GPA or minimum income requirement.
Applicants just need to be 13 years or above, be enrolled in 8th – 12th grade in a school, and be a resident of the U.S. to be eligible.
9. $1,000 College Survey Scholarship
Just like the name, to participate in this scholarship you just need to take a short survey on your college. That also means that for you to participate you must be a current college student or alumni who have graduated within the last 4 years.
By the way, your response will be anonymous, so you don’t need to worry about privacy, and you won’t be writing any essays either.
10. $1,000 Local Survey Sweepstakes
This is another scholarship that doesn’t require an essay, the winner is randomly selected and applicants need to participate in a simple survey. This survey will be regarding your neighborhood or town, and you just need to be a resident of the U.S. who is over 18 years old to participate.
11. Access Missouri Financial Assistance Program
This is among the no essay scholarships but you need to be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and a Missouri resident plus other requirements to be eligible. This financial assistance is determined based on your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) as calculated through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®).
The amount you’ll receive is also determined based on your EFC and the type of school you are attending when you receive the award.
12. $2,000 No Essay CollegeVine Scholarship
CollegeVine doesn’t only help you to get to your dream school, but to help you finance part of your fees. All you need to participate is a free CollegeVine account with a completed profile.
13. CollegeXpress $10,000 Scholarship
To participate in this scholarship you just need to create a free account and complete registration on CollegeXpress.com. To be eligible, you must be attending one of their member colleges as a full-time, first-year undergraduate, transfer, or graduate student for the fall semester of the contest year.
14. CollegeXpress Refer-a-Friend $250 Monthly Scholarship
Just like the name, your chances of winning this scholarship depend on your ability to refer to lots of your friends because, for every friend who registers with CollegeXpress, you’ll get a shot at a $250 scholarship! The scholarship is only open to legal residents of the United States who are 13 years of age or older.
15. CollegeXpress Scholarship for Students of Color
This is one of the no essay scholarships offered to POC (People of Color) students who are planning to enroll in college this fall. You just need to answer the question “What is your dream career to pursue after high school?” in just one sentence then you are entered to win a $1,500 scholarship.
16. The College Mix $3,500 Christian College Scholarship Drawing
This scholarship’s winner is randomly selected and you just need to register to participate. Applicants need to have an interest in attending a Christian college, University, or Bible college, the scholarship runs each year from June 1st through May 31st.
17. $2,000 Catholic College Scholarship Drawing
This scholarship is provided by Catholic College Info to at least 13-year-old students who are or intend to enroll at any Catholic college or university. There is no essay required to participate, you just need to register to join the drawing.
18. $2,000 Protestant Faith Based College Scholarship Drawing
Faith Based College are the providers of this scholarship, and like most of the no essay scholarships we have listed, only your registration is required. Applicants also need to be at least 13 years old.
19. Scholarships360 “No Essay” $10,000 Scholarship
Scholarships360 is providing this “No Essay” scholarship to a high school student who hopes to go to college, a graduate student who’s in a master’s program, or an adult learner who wants to return to school. Applicants need to be U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents.
20. Appily Easy Money Scholarship
This scholarship just requires you to register at Appily College Search. You need to be at least 13 years old and a resident of the fifty (50) United States.
One winner will be randomly selected for a $1,000 cash prize on the first day of each month.
Are No Essay Scholarships Scam?
We don’t blame anyone who doubts the legitimacy of any scholarship that doesn’t look difficult to enter or doesn’t demand an essay. It just sounds too good to be true, you might say.
Well whether it is a scam or not totally depends on the providers, there are more legitimate “no essay” scholarships than those that are scams so you have the right to deal with them with a healthy dose of skepticism.
Tips to Spot Illegitimate Scholarships
- First of all, any scholarship that seeks a small payment to enroll is absolutely a scam because all legit scholarships don’t demand any payment from you.
- Secondly, any scholarship that guarantees everyone will win is likely a scam too. Any legitimate no-essay scholarship is very competitive and funds are not distributed to everyone, in fact, most no essay scholarships are offered to only one (1) winner.
- Any scholarship provider that has lots of grammatical errors and typos shows a sign of a red flag.
Tips to Identify Legitimate No-Essay Scholarships
- Ensure that the organization has a positive reputation in the scholarship or education world. The good news is that all the scholarships we provided here are from reputable organizations.
- Also review the scholarship details like their eligibility requirements, the amount awarded, and even their selection process.
Are No Essay Scholarships Worth it?
Thus far, you’ve enjoyed the goodies of no-essay scholarships; their convenience, ease of registering, and, of course, the free money. But, are they really worth your time?
Just like most things in life, the answer to this is “it depends.” Yes, it saves you time and allows you to apply to lots of them as long as you’re eligible, but there are also some drawbacks that you need to consider.
Most of their prizes are low amounts, especially when compared to essay-based scholarships. There is higher competition too because it is easy to apply. Some of them are not legit, so you need to be more wary about them and thoroughly do your research.
In general, you can apply for no-essay scholarships, but it shouldn’t be your only hope, you shouldn’t completely ignore essay-based scholarships. Focus more on reputable sources and organizations regardless of how small or big their amount is.
Key Takeaway
Even though building/improving your essay skills for scholarships or other necessities is a valuable skill, it shouldn’t be the sole barrier to accessing educational opportunities. You can see that these no essay scholarships offer a welcome alternative, it gives you the chance to easily register for many scholarships you’re eligible for.
Remember, even seemingly small scholarships can make a significant impact on your college journey. So, don’t underestimate the power of these opportunities.
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