College Scholarships Still Open in May & June 2026
Real scholarship deadlines still open in May and June 2026, with amounts, eligibility, and direct links. Over $100M goes unclaimed every year. Apply now.
By Jorbi TeamAn estimated $100 million in scholarship money goes unclaimed every single year in the United States. If you just committed to college on May 1 and you're staring at a funding gap, that number should make you feel less panicked and more motivated. The post-Decision Day window is actually one of the lowest-competition moments of the entire scholarship calendar, and students who start applying this week are well-positioned to pull ahead of the crowd.
Here's what's still open right now, organized by deadline so you know exactly where to start.
Why the Post-May 1 Window Is Better Than You Think
Only about 11% of college students receive any scholarship at all. That's roughly 1 in 8, which means the other 7 out of every 8 students are potential applicants who haven't locked anything in yet, including you.
The strategy shifts a little after you've committed. You're not chasing one transformative award anymore. SearchLogistics data shows that 97% of scholarship recipients receive $2,500 or less. That sounds discouraging until you realize the game is stacking: apply to many and let the wins accumulate. Students who apply to 3 to 5 scholarships per week average $21,500 in total awards, per Imagine Scholarships research. The math works when you treat it like a part-time job for the next six weeks.
One thing to do before you start: call your college's financial aid office and ask whether outside scholarships stack with your institutional aid or reduce it dollar-for-dollar. Some schools let them coexist; others claw back need-based aid when outside awards come in. TuitionHero explains this dynamic well. It doesn't mean you shouldn't apply. It means you should know what you're working with.
Scholarships Closing in May 2026
A few of these are days away. Don't read the whole article before acting on the ones that fit you.
Closing May 22–25 (Urgent)
These deadlines are either today or within 72 hours. If any of these match your situation, go apply right now and come back.
Here are the most relevant options from JLV College Counseling's May list for this window.
ScholarshipAmountDeadlineWho's EligibleLegacy Scholarship (Natl. Collegiate Cancer Foundation)$1,000May 22Ages 18–35 who lost a parent to cancerNCCF Survivor Scholarship$1,000May 22Ages 18–35; cancer survivors or current patientsKay/Moore Scholarship (Special Love)Up to $3,500May 22Young people who had cancer treatment and attended a Special Love campMarks & Harrison ScholarshipUp to $2,000May 24HS juniors/seniors and undergradsSusan H. Reid Scholarship$1,000May 24Students with a parent who had stomach cancer, or personal cancer historyUFCW International ScholarshipUp to $8,000 (4 years)May 24UFCW members or their unmarried dependents under 20TIAA Bold Futures Scholarship$1,000May 29Female students pursuing business, tech, or finance
The UFCW award is worth pausing on. If anyone in your immediate family has been a union member since January 2025, that's up to $8,000 over four years for a 15-minute application. Specialized eligibility like this means dramatically smaller applicant pools.
Closing May 30–31 (The Biggest Cluster of the Year)
May 31 is the single most important date in this article. More scholarships close on this day than any other in the spring cycle, including several high-dollar no-essay options.
Scholarships360, Fastweb, and Bold.org all have major deadlines converging here.
ScholarshipAmountEssay?DeadlineNiche $25,000 "No Essay" Scholarship$25,000NoMay 31Bold.org "Be Bold" No-Essay Scholarship$25,000NoMay 31Scholarships360 $10,000 No Essay$10,000NoMay 31Sallie $2,000 No Essay Scholarship$2,000NoMay 31ScholarshipOwl No Essay Scholarship$1,000 (4 winners/month)NoMay 30There's Space for Everyone Scholarship$3,000YesMay 31We The Future Contest$1,000–$5,000Essay/ContestMay 31CollegeXpress Monthly Scholarship$1,000–$2,500VariesMay 31Scholarships360 "College Here I Come"$1,000Short essayMay 31 (Class of 2026 only)
The four no-essay options at the top of that table take under three minutes each. Apply to all four before you go to bed tonight if you haven't already. Yes, they're lottery-style, but the upside is real and the cost is six minutes of your evening.
Scholarships with June 2026 Deadlines
If you're reading this after May 31, you haven't missed everything. June has a strong lineup, including some high-value niche awards.
June 1–10
Here is a breakdown of the confirmed open awards from Scholarships.com's June directory and other sources.
ScholarshipAmountDeadlineNotesNY Life Golden Futures ScholarshipUp to $20,000June 1Students who have lost a parentScholarshipOwl $2,026 No Essay$2,026June 1U.S. residents enrolled or enrollingALCW Scholars Support Scholarship$2,500June 1See Scholarships.com listingCure Cancer Support Scholarship$5,000June 1Cancer-affected studentsEmerald Creek Capital NYC Scholarship$10,000June 1NYC-area studentsGCSAA ScholarshipsUp to $10,000June 1Golf/turf management field of study"Comics Are LIT!" Scholarship Contest$2,000–$5,000June 6HS seniors AND college freshmen; strong fit for newly committed studentsAbbVie Immunology ScholarshipUp to $20,000June 10Students living with immune-mediated diseases
The "Comics Are LIT!" contest is one of the few awards that explicitly lists college freshmen as eligible alongside high school seniors. If you just committed and you have any creative energy, that's a $5,000 prize with a niche enough format that most students won't touch it.
June 15–30
The back half of June is lighter on volume but heavier on individual award amounts.
ScholarshipAmountDeadlineNotesHoratio Alger CTE ScholarshipUp to $2,500June 15HS seniors pursuing associate degrees or certificates; demonstrated financial need requiredCVS Health AACP Scholarship$20,000June 15PharmD students specificallySallie $2,000 No Essay (June cycle)$2,000June 30Same program as May; resets monthlyScholarships360 $10,000 No Essay (final 2026 cycle)$10,000June 30This is the final date for the 2026 cycleScholarshipOwl $10,000 No Essay$10,000June 30Monthly rollingBigFuture Scholarship (College Board)Up to $40,000June 30Rising seniors (Class of 2027) only; earn entries by completing planning stepsDigital Privacy Scholarship$1,000June 30HS freshman through grad school
A note on the Horatio Alger CTE award: this is separate from the flagship Horatio Alger Undergraduate Scholarship, which runs December through March and is already closed for this cycle. The CTE track (for certificate and associate degree programs) runs through June 15 and requires demonstrated financial need. If that's your path, go to scholars.horatioalger.org directly and confirm eligibility before the deadline passes.
High-Value Programs to Start Preparing for in Fall 2026
Some of the biggest scholarships in the country have fall or winter deadlines, not spring ones. If you're a rising senior (Class of 2027), these belong on your calendar right now.
The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation College Scholarship offers up to $55,000 per year for high-achieving students with significant unmet financial need. The application opens August 19, 2026 with a November 12 deadline. It's one of the most generous merit-plus-need awards in the country and worth the preparation time.
The Dell Scholars Program awards $20,000 plus a laptop, textbook credits, and emergency support resources for students who have overcome adversity. Applications open December 15, 2026 for the next cycle.
If you're going to bookmark one page today for fall, bookmark those two.
Where to Find More Open Scholarships Right Now
Three tools worth opening in a new tab right now:
Scholarships.com lets you filter by deadline month directly, which is exactly what you need right now. Pull up May and June and sort by award amount.
Fastweb gives you a curated list of top awards with deadlines, amounts, and eligibility requirements in one place. Their spring roundup is updated regularly.
Bold.org shows real-time open scholarships with one-click apply options, and many of their listings close in June and July. The interface is fast and the filter options are genuinely useful.
A typical high school student qualifies for 50 to 100 scholarships and simply doesn't know it. Most of them come from niche eligibility criteria: your state, your parents' employer or union, your intended major, a health condition, a community organization you belong to. Start there before you go broad.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it too late to apply for scholarships after committing to college?
No. Hundreds of scholarships have May and June deadlines, and several major no-essay programs run monthly through the end of the year. The post-commitment window is competitive for institutional aid but wide open for outside scholarships. The research from Bold.org consistently shows that students who apply more frequently win more, regardless of when they start.
What scholarships are still open in May 2026?
As of May 22, several major programs are still accepting applications, including the Niche $25,000 No Essay Scholarship, the Bold.org "Be Bold" $25,000 No Essay Scholarship, the Sallie $2,000 No Essay Scholarship, and the Scholarships360 $10,000 No Essay Scholarship, all closing May 31. Specialized awards like the UFCW International Scholarship (up to $8,000) and the TIAA Bold Futures Scholarship ($1,000) close May 24 and May 29 respectively. Always verify deadlines at the sponsor's official site before applying.
What scholarships have June 2026 deadlines?
Strong June options include the AbbVie Immunology Scholarship (up to $20,000, June 10), the Horatio Alger CTE Scholarship (up to $2,500, June 15), the CVS Health AACP Scholarship ($20,000, June 15), and the full reset of the Sallie, Scholarships360, and ScholarshipOwl monthly no-essay programs (all June 30). The Scholarships.com June directory has a comprehensive filterable list.
Will winning a scholarship reduce my financial aid package?
It depends on your school's policy. Some colleges reduce need-based aid dollar-for-dollar when an outside scholarship is added; others allow awards to stack on top of existing packages. Call your financial aid office before you accept any outside award and ask specifically whether it reduces your institutional grant.
Are no-essay scholarships worth applying to?
Yes, with realistic expectations. No-essay scholarships like the Sallie, Niche, and Bold.org programs are lottery-format sweepstakes with large prize amounts and short application windows. The odds on any single entry are low, but the time investment is also under five minutes. Applying to all of them takes less time than writing one paragraph of a scholarship essay and collectively puts tens of thousands of dollars in potential prizes in play.
What to Do This Week
Today: Apply to the Bold.org "Be Bold" $25,000 No Essay and the Sallie $2,000 No Essay before May 31. Both take under three minutes. While you're at it, do the Niche $25,000 and Scholarships360 $10,000. Four applications, roughly 12 minutes total.
By May 24: If you or a parent has UFCW union membership, go to JLV College Counseling's May list and apply for the UFCW International Scholarship (up to $8,000 over four years). That deadline will not move.
By June 10: If you have an immune-mediated condition, check your eligibility for the AbbVie Immunology Scholarship, which offers up to $20,000. Smaller applicant pool, higher win rate.
By June 15: Check the Horatio Alger CTE Scholarship if you're pursuing a certificate or associate degree. Demonstrated financial need required, but the award is up to $2,500 with a genuine mission behind it.
Right now, ongoing: Set a recurring weekly block of 30 to 60 minutes to apply to 3 to 5 scholarships. Students who maintain that pace average $21,500 in total awards. The educationdata.org scholarship database and Bold.org's browse page are your best starting points for finding new ones each week as the summer progresses.
The money is out there. Go get it before someone else does.