Paying for college is a big financial commitment, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Scholarships can help reduce the cost significantly, with awards ranging from $100–$50,000 or more. Among the easiest opportunities to explore are monthly scholarship contests, sweepstakes, and giveaways—they're quick and simple to enter, and somebody is guaranteed to win!
With a little effort, you could apply for multiple contests and potentially accumulate enough to make a big (or small) dent in your college expenses. Check out these great opportunities for your chance to score some easy money for school!
Are scholarship sweepstakes and contests legit?
It’s natural to question whether easy scholarship sweepstakes and contests are legitimate, especially when they seem too good to be true. The good news is that many opportunities you'll find online—like the ones listed below—are entirely legitimate and award real money to real students! These contests are hosted by reputable organizations dedicated to supporting your educational goals. However, it’s essential to do your research. Legit contests will never ask you to pay to enter, require sensitive information like your Social Security number, or make overly aggressive promises.
By entering these contests, you may be contacted by the hosting companies or their sponsors about other educational opportunities, services, or promotions. While this is standard practice, you can usually opt out of further communications if you’re not interested. Just stick to trusted sources and you’ll find plenty of legitimate sweepstakes that could help fund your education. Somebody has to win these contests, and you can’t win if you don’t enter, so don't be afraid to give it a shot!
CollegeXpress scholarship contests
CollegeXpress holds a super-easy scholarship contest every month that could earn you up to $2,000 (sometimes more!) if you’re the lucky winner. Simply create a free account, then answer a question in just a few words (or most of the time, just one word!). The award amounts change each month, as do the monthly questions, which are as simple as “What’s your favorite color?”—no complicated essays required!
But that's not all—eligible students are also encouraged to apply for CollegeXpress's quarterly Scholarship for Students of Color and Scholarship for First-Generation Students. All scholarship contests are open to US students ages 13 and up and only require a completed CX profile to enter!
Related: Organize all your contest entries with our free Scholarship Search Spreadsheet Template
Edvisors scholarship contests
An online resource for student financial aid tools and information, Edvisors offers various scholarship sweepstakes and monthly contests that students can enter quickly and easily. Currently, these include the Edvisors $1,000 Monthly Scholarship, a $2,500 Monthly Scholarship, and a $2,500 Student Loan Payment Relief contest.
All contests are open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia. You have to be at least 17 years old to enter the monthly scholarship contests, while the student loan payment contest requires applicants to be at least 18 years old and have at least $2,500 in US federal or private student loan debt as of the date of entry.
Niche $2,000 No Essay Scholarship contest
Niche offers an easy no-essay scholarship contest every month. Simply create an account to be entered to win their drawing for $2,000. Once you’re logged in, you’ll be shown many more scholarships you can apply for. All high school and college students are eligible as well as other prospective students who plan to attend college or graduate school within the next year, but you must have US citizenship or a valid visa/US passport.
Related: Some of the Weirdest College Scholarship Opportunities
Sallie $2,000 No Essay Scholarship contest
Both students and parents can enter Sallie Mae's monthly $2,000 No Essay Scholarship contest. Applicants must be legal residents of the United States, the District of Columbia, or any US territory and age 16 or older at the time of entry. You must also be a high school junior or senior who intends to enroll at a US institution within a year of graduating; a current college student at a US institution; or a parent of a current junior, senior, or college student (parents and students can make referrals to increase their chances of winning!). You can enter once per month, with winners drawn randomly from all eligible entries received during an entry period.
Ascent Funding Scholarship Giveaways
Winning one of Ascent Funding's Scholarship Giveaways is as easy as making an Instagram post! That's basically all you have to do for all their sweepstake opportunities: Complete the quick form on their website and you'll be entered to win up to $1,000. If you win, you'll be required to post an Instagram Story, tag @AscentFunding, and use their designated hashtags. Students must be legal residents of one of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia, age 14 or older, and enrolled in a high school, degree program, or technical skills training program. Parents can enter too!
Related: Easy No-Essay Scholarships You Need to Know About Right Now
By devoting just a few minutes to entering these scholarship contests, you could potentially accumulate quite a bit of money for school. Regardless of your athletic ability, skill set, GPA, major, or ethnicity, you can find and win any number of scholarships. But you can’t win if you don’t enter!
Looking for even more opportunities for easy money? Check out our Ultimate List of Easy Scholarships to Apply for Now!
