Scholarships That Will Cover Your Entire College Tuition

Sophia Mammucari
Jul 19
12 min read

Updated: Jul 22

Too many students miss out on the chance to apply for large scholarships that will not only cover their entire tuition but will also provide them with invaluable connections and resources throughout college. This oversight often stems from a lack of awareness and preparation. Below are some key points to consider regarding scholarship opportunities:

The Importance of Early Awareness

Many prestigious scholarships have specific eligibility criteria and application deadlines that require students to start their research well in advance. Being informed about these opportunities early in your high school career can significantly enhance your chances of receiving funding.

Timing is Crucial

Most large scholarships have application windows that open in the fall of your senior year. This means that students need to be proactive in gathering the necessary materials, such as recommendation letters, personal statements, and transcripts, well before the deadlines. Procrastination can lead to missed opportunities.

Building a Strong Application

To maximize your chances of success, it is essential to build a strong application. This includes:

Academic Excellence: Maintaining a high GPA and taking challenging courses can make your application stand out.
Extracurricular Involvement: Participating in clubs, sports, or community service demonstrates leadership and commitment.
Personal Statements: Crafting a compelling narrative about your goals, experiences, and aspirations can resonate with scholarship committees.
Recommendations: Securing strong letters of recommendation from teachers or mentors who know you well can significantly enhance your application.

Networking and Resources

Receiving a large scholarship often opens doors to networking opportunities with alumni and industry professionals. These connections can provide mentorship, internships, and job placements, which are invaluable as you navigate your college experience and future career. Additionally, many scholarship programs offer workshops and resources designed to help students succeed academically and professionally.

Now let's get into the list of scholarships:

QuestBridge National College Match
QuestBridge's National College Match is a combination college-scholarship application for academically distinguished high school seniors with demonstrated financial need. The maximum award is a 4-year scholarship to cover the entire cost of attending college.
- You can apply to over 55 colleges for free with QuestBridge's National College Match application.
- The application encourages students to explain their financial and academic circumstances.
- Recipients are connected to a network of QuestBridge alumni for further support.
- Application opens in late summer.
Eligibility Criteria
- U.S. citizen or permanent resident
- High school senior
- Enrolled in challenging courses and earning mostly A's
- Writing skill and academic drive to succeed
- Low-income household
Application Process
1. Create an applicant profile on QuestBridge's website
2. Fill out the application when it opens
3. Upload all required documents, including proof of financial need and supplemental essays
4. Submit the application in advance of the deadline
QuestBridge was founded in 1994. Over 17,000 QuestBridge finalists have matched with partner colleges, an honor that permits attendance with a full-tuition scholarship for all four years of college.
The Gates Scholarship
The Gates Millennium Scholarship (TGS) is a highly selective, last-dollar scholarship for outstanding, minority, high school seniors from low-income households. Each year, the scholarship is awarded to 300 of these student leaders, with the intent of helping them realize their maximum potential.

Scholarship Amount
Scholars will receive funding for the full cost of attendance* that is not already covered by other financial aid and the expected family contribution, as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), or the methodology used by a Scholar’s college or university.
*Cost of attendance includes tuition, fees, room, board, books, and transportation, and may include other personal costs.

To apply for the Gates Millennium Scholarship, students must be:
- A high school senior
- From at least one of the following ethnicities: African-American, American Indian/Alaska Native*, Asian & Pacific Islander American, and/or Hispanic American
- Pell-eligible
- A US citizen, national, or permanent resident
- In good academic standing with a minimum cumulative weighted GPA of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent)
Additionally, a student must plan to enroll full-time, in a four-year degree program, at a US-accredited, not-for-profit, private, or public college or university.

Eligibility Requirements
- Must currently be in high school
- Type of institution award is open to: four-year college
- Must be American Indian/Alaska Native
- Must be Asian/Pacific Islander
- Must be Black, African American
- Must be Hispanic, Latino/a
Application Requirements
- Application form required
- Interview required
- Financial need analysis required
5 Strong Scholarship Foundation
The 5 Strong program partners with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to provide promising student leaders with full-tuition scholarships and ongoing mentorship from matriculation to graduation. The program begins with information sessions to determine if 5 Strong is the right fit for each student. Accepted applicants are placed into teams of five scholars and participate in bimonthly College Ready Prep Sessions. 5 Strong works with participating HBCUs to secure scholarships and admission for each cohort of scholars.

Scholarship Details
- Provides full-tuition scholarships to selected students in partnership with participating HBCUs.
- Offers ongoing mentorship and support from matriculation to graduation.
- Accepted scholars join a cohort of five and attend bimonthly College Ready Prep Sessions.
Eligibility Criteria
- Must reside in the Houston, TX or Atlanta, GA metropolitan areas.
- Must be a current-year graduating high school senior.
- Must demonstrate leadership potential in the classroom and on campus.
- Must have a GPA of at least 3.0.
- Must have a minimum ACT score of 19 or a combined SAT score of 990.
Application Process
1. Submit an application for the 5 Strong program.
2. If accepted, participate in bimonthly College Ready Prep Sessions to prepare for college success.
3. Commit to attending the selected HBCU and becoming an active member of 5 Strong.
We urge you not apply for the scholarship funding alone; we’re looking for committed, engaged students excited about joining a community and eager to do the work that comes with it!
Golden Door Scholars
The Golden Door Scholarship provides undocumented students with full-ride scholarships and ongoing support as they pursue their college degrees. Preference is given to applicants interested in pursuing a bachelor's degree that is career-ready and has high earning potential, meaning applicants will not require an advanced degree to begin their careers. Software engineering, data analytics, business analytics, and digital marketing are popular career paths that meet these criteria.
- Full-ride scholarship for undocumented students
- Matching process with Golden Door partner schools
- Case-by-case support for non-partner schools if financially feasible
- Onboarding program includes Thrive orientation and Code of Conduct overview
- Ongoing support from a Student Career Coach (SCC)
- Programming includes professional development, workshops, and networking events
Eligibility Criteria
- Recipients must be graduating/have graduated high school and reside in one of our regional states: North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia
- Must not take out loans to complete their education
- Have an unweighted high school GPA of 3.2
- Must participate in Thrive and GDS programming
- Required to gain field-related career experience before senior year
Application Process
1. Apply and be selected as a Golden Door Scholar
2. Complete onboarding to understand scholarship expectations and match process
3. Apply to Golden Door partner schools to secure a match
4. If matched, enroll and register as a student following school guidelines
5. Participate in Thrive and begin working with assigned Student Career Coach
Golden Door Scholars fosters a distinctive and resilient community of scholars. On campus, our scholars can expect peer-to-peer support and enduring friendships. The Golden Door Scholarship funds a four-year bachelor's degree at a regional partner school only. Golden Door Scholars will support students at non-partner schools on a case-by-case basis. If a student is uninterested in attending a GDS regional partner school or does not accept their match, the scholarship may be revoked.

Coolidge Scholarship
The Coolidge Scholarship is a full-ride scholarship that covers a student’s tuition, room, board, and expenses for four years of undergraduate study. The Coolidge Scholarship may be used by recipients at any American university. Anyone of any background, pursuing any academic discipline of study, may apply to this non-partisan, need-blind program. ONLY current high school juniors are eligible to apply.

Eligibility Requirements
- Must currently be in high school
- Type of institution award is open to: four-year college
- Award is available to U.S. citizens
Application Requirements
- Application form required
- Transcript required
- Essay required
- Recommendations or references required

USDA 1890 National Scholars Program
The USDA/1890 National Scholars Program was established in 1992 as part of the partnership between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the 1890 Land-Grant Universities. The goal of the USDA/1890 National Scholars Program is to increase the number of minorities studying agriculture, food, natural resource sciences, and the related disciplines.
The USDA/1890 National Scholars Program will provide full tuition, employment, employee benefits, fees, books, and room and board each year for up to 4 years to selected students pursuing a bachelor’s degree at the following universities:
- Alabama A&M University
- Alcorn State University, Mississippi
- Central State University, Ohio
- Delaware State University
- Florida A&M University
- Fort Valley State University, Georgia
- Kentucky State University
- Langston University, Oklahoma
- Lincoln University, Missouri
- North Carolina A&T State University
- Prairie View A&M University, Texas
- South Carolina State University
- Southern University, Louisiana
- Tennessee State University
- Tuskegee University, Alabama
- University of Arkansas Pine Bluff
- University of Maryland Eastern Shore
- Virginia State University
- West Virginia State University
To be eligible for the USDA/1890 National Scholars Program scholarship, a student must:
- Be a U.S. citizen
- Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better (on a 4.0 scale)
- Have been accepted for admission or currently attending one of the nineteen 1890 Historically Black Land-Grant Universities.
- Study agriculture, food, natural resource sciences, or other related academic disciplines
- Demonstrate leadership and community service
- Submit an official transcript with the school seal and an authorized official’s signature
- Submit a signed application (original signature only)
The USDA/1890 National Scholars Program is available to high school seniors entering their freshman year of college and rising college sophomores and juniors.

Eligibility Requirements
- 3.0 Minimum GPA
- Award is available to U.S. citizens
Application Requirements
- Application form required
- Transcript required

Cameron Impact Scholarship
The Cameron Impact Scholarship is a four-year, full-tuition, merit-based undergraduate scholarship awarded annually to 10-15 exceptional high school students who have demonstrated excellence in academics, extracurricular activities, leadership, and community service. The Cameron Impact Scholar is unique among their high-achieving peers in their desire to make an impact on their communities and in the world at large. Our Scholar aspires to contribute to positive forces for change and plans to tailor their education to that end. The Cameron Impact Scholarship covers the full tuition, fees, and books at any accredited U.S. based college or university that the recipient chooses to attend.

As a merit-based program, the Cameron Impact Scholarship is open to all applicants who meet the GPA and citizenship requirements, regardless of race, socioeconomic status, religion, sexual orientation or any other background factors. We are looking for young leaders with demonstrated passion and commitment to any variety of positive impacts.

Applications are received and reviewed on a rolling basis. Please note that the Foundation is limiting the number of Applications they will accept to 3,000. We will make a note on the website and our social media pages if and when this limit is approaching.

The applicant must:
- Maintain a minimum, cumulative, unweighted GPA of a 3.7/4.0 scale or equivalent in their high school studies;
- Be a full citizen of the United States of America;
- Be planning to enroll in a full-time course of study towards a degree at an accredited four-year U.S. college or university for the full academic year following high school graduation;
- Show proven excellence in extracurricular activities, be motivated leaders with a strong work ethic, demonstrate active participation in community service and/or civic-minded arenas; and
Eligibility Requirements
- Must currently be in high school
- Type of institution award is open to: four-year college
- Award is available to U.S. citizens
Application Requirements
- Application form required
- Transcript required
- Essay required
- Recommendations or references required

Jack Kent Cooke College Scholarship Program
The Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship Program is an undergraduate scholarship program available to high-achieving high school seniors with financial need who seek to attend and graduate from the nation’s best four-year colleges and universities.

Each award is intended to cover a significant share of the student’s educational experience – including tuition, living expenses, books, and required fees. Awards vary by individual, based on the cost of tuition as well as other grants or scholarships they may receive. This highly competitive scholarship includes:
- Up to $55,000 per year to attend a four-year accredited undergraduate school. You do not have to attend college in the U.S., but you must attend a fully accredited four-year institution to pursue a baccalaureate degree.
- Ability to pursue any area of study.
- Personal advising about selecting a college and navigating financial aid.
- Multifaceted advising about how to transition to college and maximize the student experience.
We will consider applicants with a family income up to $95,000. Last year’s cohort of new college scholarship recipients had a median family income of approximately $35,000.
You must reside in the United States or a U.S. territory and attend high school in the United States. At this time, the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation is not providing services to students who attend high school outside of the United States.

Eligibility Requirements
- 3.5 Minimum GPA
- Must currently be in high school
- Type of institution award is open to: four-year college
Application Requirements
- Application form required
- Transcript required
- Financial need analysis required
- Essay required
- Recommendations or references required

Air Force ROTC (Type 1) Scholarship

Application Deadline: December 31
Details: Pays full (100 percent) college tuition and authorized fees at any public or private institution with an Air Force ROTC detachment.
Type 1 selectees will also receive a monthly living expense stipend and an annual book stipend.
Eligibility: Applicants must have...
1. An SAT composite of 1240 or ACT composite of 26
2. A GPA of 3.0 or higher for high school student applicants
3. Must be a current high school student.
4. For college applicants, the Air Force ROTC Commander will determine the minimum GPA and test scores, if applicable, for scholarship eligibility.

Flinn Scholars Program
The Flinn Scholars Program provides a prestigious, merit-based scholarship for Arizona high school seniors. It covers tuition, fees, housing, meals, and study abroad at one of Arizona’s public universities. Scholars also receive professional mentoring, networking opportunities, and funding for an internship or research project.

Eligibility:
- Be a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident
- Be an Arizona resident for at least two years prior to college enrollment
- Maintain a minimum unweighted GPA of 3.5
- Rank in the top 5% of their graduating class (if class rank is provided)
- Submit ACT or SAT scores (minimum test score of 26 on the ACT or 1230 on the SAT)
- Demonstrate leadership, community service, and involvement in extracurricular activities
Usual Application Deadline: October 21