Everything You Need to Know About No Essay Scholarships  (2024)

Everything You Need to Know About No Essay Scholarships (1)

October 20, 2020

We’re gonna go out on a limb here and say that writing essays for college scholarships isn’t your idea of a good time. In terms of fun, it probably ranks somewhere between doing the dishes and slogging your way through Pre-Calc homework.

The good news? Not all scholarships require you to write an essay that describes your life story in painstaking detail. By applying for “no essay” scholarships, you can skip the essay portion altogether and enter to win hundreds — maybe even thousands — of dollars in scholarship dough to help you pay for school.

So, how do no essay scholarships work? Are these awards legit? Below, we’ll explain everything you need to know about no-essay scholarships.

Related: How Do Scholarships Work?

What Is a No Essay Scholarship?

Filling out scholarship applications can be tedious AF. Many scholarship awards want students to meet certain college GPA requirements, submit letters of recommendation, and write a thoughtful essay. Needless to say, jumping through all these hoops to earn scholarship dough gets old fast.

Enter: No essay scholarships, an “easy scholarship” that doesn’t require students to write a mind-numbingly boring essay. You just fill in your basic information and boom — you’re done in like five minutes.

How Do No Essay Scholarships Work?

Unlike merit-based and need-based scholarships, no-essay scholarships usually aren’t awarded based on achievements or financial need. Instead, they often come in the form of a sweepstakes — you fill in your information, cross your fingers, and hope that the scholarship gods (aka, sheer luck) are on your side.

For some no-essay scholarships, there may be an additional step to take for entry into a monthly scholarship drawing. For example, scholarships offered by Niche and Tallo often ask students to create a free account or profile for the chance to win thousands of dollars in scholarship dough. In our (admittedly biased) opinion, that’s a pretty good deal — especially considering that you can use your Tallo profile to find more easy scholarships.

Related: Is Niche Legit?

APPLY TO TALLO’S NO ESSAY SCHOLARSHIPS

So, What’s the Catch?

This all sounds too easy. There has to be more to the story, right? And the answer is: potentially.

To be entered into a no-essay scholarship, students must usually provide basic information about themselves. Scholarship websites may then turn around and sell this information to colleges and marketing companies.

Shortly after, you might start hearing from randos out of the blue. Put another way: R.I.P. your email inbox and voicemail.

Everything You Need to Know About No Essay Scholarships (2)

Other no-essay scholarships are straight-up scams. That’s why it’s important to know the signs of scholarship scams and report them to the Federal Trade Commission. For the record, you should NEVER pay to apply for scholarships — period.

Should I Apply for No Essay Scholarships?

That’s totally up to you. Many students find no essay scholarships to be one of the easiest ways to land free money for school. And yes, students do actually win them.

But no essay scholarships shouldn’t be the only type of scholarship you apply for. Why? Because as you can probably imagine, no essay scholarships are extremely popular due to their low barrier of entry. Therefore, your chances of winning a no-essay scholarship are lower.

Bottom line? You should apply for a variety of scholarships and use no essay scholarships as a way to give yourself a much-needed break from essay writing. That way, you’ll maximize your chances of winning free money!

How to Apply for No Essay Scholarships

First, you’ll want to create an email solely for scholarship applications. This will keep your main inbox from getting loaded with spam. Make sure that your email address is professional-sounding.

Everything You Need to Know About No Essay Scholarships (3)

Next, register for a free account on reputable scholarship sites like Tallo and Niche that make it super easy to find no essay scholarships. After that, it’s just a matter of knowing when to apply for scholarships and keeping track of important deadlines.

Get Free Money for School

Scholarships are, hands down, one of the best ways to pay for school. Unlike student loans, scholarships are gifts that don’t need to be paid back. But to maximize your chances of winning, you need to diversify your scholarship search. That means filling out the occasional essay in addition to applying for no essay scholarships. If you’re lucky, you might just win enough financial aid to cover the entire cost of college tuition.

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Everything You Need to Know About No Essay Scholarships  (2024)

FAQs

Has anyone actually won a no essay scholarship? ›

Yes, no essay scholarships are a real thing! Some might ask you to volunteer or fill out a survey or make a short video -- others may just ask for your name. The important thing is that you don't have to push out a million different essays to qualify for financial aid.

What are the requirements for a no essay scholarship? ›

Many no-essay scholarships have broad eligibility requirements, such as being open to all students, regardless of your field of study. Other scholarships are open to all high school students or all college students, so you should be able to find plenty of scholarships that you're eligible for.

What are the odds of winning a no essay scholarship? ›

Your odds of winning are about 1 in 140,000—not too bad considering there is no essay required and sign up is quick.

Is the $10 000 no essay scholarship legit? ›

Niche is giving one student $10,000 to help pay for tuition, housing, books and other college expenses — no essay required! Apply below for your chance to win so you can focus on your education, not your finances. The winner will be selected by random drawing by April 15, 2024.

Should I trust no essay scholarships? ›

Certain language might also be a red flag. If a scholarship claims to be a "no essay scholarship," asks applicants to "enter to win" or mentions a drawing, it's likely just a sweepstakes that's meant to attract a high amount of entries, making the chances of winning slim to none, experts say.

Is it worth it to apply to no essay scholarships? ›

As no-essay scholarships do not require applicants to write essays, they are often easier and quicker to apply for. This means that students can apply for a larger number of scholarships in a shorter period, increasing their chances of receiving financial aid for their education.

What is the easiest full scholarship to get? ›

The Student-View Scholarship is open to all high school seniors regardless of test scores, GPA, financial need, and literally requires no essay. All you have to do is complete an online survey about local colleges.

What do scholarship essays look for? ›

A typical scholarship essay topic will likely ask students about their career goals and their plan to achieve those goals, Matthews says. Other essay prompts might ask students what they've done to make their community a better place or to describe a personal achievement and how they overcame challenges to reach it.

Is it OK to use I in a scholarship essay? ›

Use personal pronouns and maybe even contractions.

I wrote all of my college and scholarship essays in the third person. That was embarrassing. Since most college and scholarship essays are also dubbed “Personal Statements”, the first-person voice is appropriate. Use “I”, but don't forget to capitalize it.

How to win essay scholarships? ›

Scholarship Application Essay Tips
  1. Plan ahead. Don't procrastinate! ...
  2. Talk about your accomplishments. Be clear and to the point. ...
  3. State your need. What is your financial situation? ...
  4. Keep it simple. Don't use unnecessary words (i.e., don't use three words when one will do) ...
  5. Make it easy on your reader.

Who is most likely to win a scholarship? ›

Who is most likely to receive a scholarship in the U.S.? GPA (grade point average) can play a big role in the likelihood of getting a scholarship. But it's not as big a deal as you think. 30% of all scholarships in the United States are awarded to students with a GPA between 3.0 to 3.4.

How many scholarships should I apply too? ›

How many scholarships should you apply for? The short answer is that you should apply to as many as you can, as early as you can. This means that you need to be looking early, and finding out when deadlines are. But remember, you don't want to make a career out of scholarship searching and application.

How rare is it to win a scholarship? ›

Over 1.7 million scholarships are awarded annually; however, only 7% of college students will receive a scholarship. On average, first-time undergraduates who receive government grants and scholarships at a 4-year college receive about $14,890 annually.

Is Niche $50,000 no essay scholarship legit? ›

The $50,000 “No Essay” Scholarship is an easy scholarship with no essay required! Only one entry allowed per person. The winner will be determined by random drawing and then contacted directly and announced in Niche's e-newsletter and on the Scholarship Winners page.

What is the niche $25,000 no essay scholarship? ›

DEADLINE: February 29, 2024

Niche is giving one student $25,000 to help pay for tuition, housing, books and other college expenses — no essay required! Apply below for your chance to win so you can focus on your education, not your finances. Good luck! The winner will be selected by random drawing by March 15, 2024.

What is $2000 no essay college scholarship? ›

The $2,000 No Essay Scholarship is an easy scholarship with no essay required! The scholarship can be used to cover tuition, housing, books, or any education-related expenses.

Is the no sweat scholarship legit? ›

Cirkled In's “No Sweat Scholarship” awards a generous $2,500 award to one 8th – 12th grader per year who is a legal resident of the United States or the District of Columbia.

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