The American Legion · National 1st: $25,000; 2nd: $22,500; 3rd: $20,000. Each Department (state) winner certified into the national first round: $2,000; those advancing further: an additional $2,000. More than $203,500 awarded annually.
Grade level: 9-12 (under age 20)
Eligibility: Students under age 20 on the date of the national contest, enrolled in a U.S. high school or junior high school (public, parochial, military, private, or home school); must be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents.
Deadline: 2026-2027 cycle: local contests begin fall 2026 (local deadlines from November 2026); state winners certified to the national round in spring 2027; national finals in May 2027.
Parent/guardian: Live public-speaking competition; student self-enters and competes independently. No parental co-signature noted in official rules.
Official page →
Carson Scholars Fund (founded by Dr. Ben Carson and Candy Carson) · $1,000 college scholarship.
Grade level: 4-11
Eligibility: Students in grades 4-11 enrolled at an accredited U.S. school; minimum 3.75 GPA on a 4.0 scale; must demonstrate outstanding community service beyond school requirements; may not be a previous Carson Scholar recipient. Students must be nominated by an educator at their school.
Deadline: 2026 cycle closed (nomination form available Oct 15, 2025; application & recommendation deadline Jan 11, 2026). 2026-2027 nominations expected to open ~October 2026.
Parent/guardian: Serves elementary-through-junior-year minors (as young as grade 4). An EDUCATOR must nominate; students cannot self-nominate.
Verify details Official page →
Elks National Foundation (Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks) · 500 four-year scholarships awarded annually, ranging from $1,000/year to $12,500/year. The top 20 scholars attend a Leadership Weekend in Chicago and receive $30,000 toward a four-year education; the other 480 scholars receive $4,000 each. Elks membership not required.
Grade level: 12 (high school seniors)
Eligibility: High school seniors who are U.S. citizens, enrolling full-time in a four-year undergraduate program at a U.S. college/university. Judged on scholarship (academics), leadership, and financial need.
Deadline: 2027 cycle: applications available August 1, 2026; must be submitted (to a local Elks Lodge) by November 12, 2026.
Parent/guardian: Applicant seniors may be minors; application is submitted through a local Elks Lodge. No parental co-signature noted.
Also in: Merit & General Official page →
T. A. Barron (independently endowed; no corporate sponsor) · 25 winners honored annually; top winners each receive $10,000 in support of their service work OR higher education (winner’s choice).
Grade level: Ages 8-18 (elementary through high school)
Eligibility: Applicants ages 8-18 (not yet age 19) on the April 15 deadline; must be permanent legal residents of the U.S. or Canada currently residing in the 50 U.S. states, District of Columbia, or Canada; must have made a significant positive difference to people and/or the environment.
Deadline: 2026 cycle closed (pre-application due March 15, 2026; full application due April 15, 2026). 2027 cycle: full application deadline April 15, 2027.
Parent/guardian action required. Youngest-eligible program here (age 8). Two-step gated application; parental consent required for applicants under 16, and a guardian must execute prize documents for a minor winner.
Verify details Official page →
John F. Kennedy Library Foundation · First place: $10,000; second place: $3,000; three finalists: $1,000 each; fifteen honorable mentions (cash amount UNKNOWN / not published). The first-place winner’s nominating teacher receives a $500 John F. Kennedy Public Service Grant plus paid travel/lodging to the JFK Library in Boston.
Grade level: 9-12
Eligibility: U.S. high school students in grades 9-12 attending public, private, parochial, or home schools; U.S. students under age 20 in a high school correspondence/GED program; and U.S. citizens attending schools overseas.
Deadline: 2025-2026 cycle closed January 12, 2026. 2026-2027 cycle expected to open ~September 2026 with a ~January 2027 deadline — UNCONFIRMED; verify at jfklibrary.org.
Parent/guardian: Student submits independently via the SMApply portal; no parental co-signature noted.
Verify details Official page →
Optimist International · $2,500 college scholarship awarded at the District level. Club-level winners advance to the District contest; no cash is awarded at the club level.
Grade level: Under age 19 / pre-secondary-completion (typically K-12)
Eligibility: Open to students under age 19 as of October 1 of the current contest year who have not yet completed secondary school or its equivalent (including CEGEP students in Quebec, Canada). No minimum age. Entry requires a participating local Optimist Club.
Deadline: 2025-2026 cycle closed (club deadline Feb 28, 2026; District deadline April 15, 2026). 2026-2027 cycle deadlines not yet posted — expected to return in early 2027; check optimist.org in fall 2026.
Parent/guardian: Student must engage a local Optimist Club to enter; no national portal. Club administers judging locally.
Verify details Official page →
Prudential Financial (in partnership with Ashoka) · 25 winners receive $5,000 each; one Financial Solutions Grand Prize winner receives an additional $10,000 (up to $15,000 total); one Prudential Employees’ Choice Award of an additional $5,000; two Early Entry Awards of $1,000 each. Winners also receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Prudential HQ (Newark, NJ) with a parent/guardian plus Ashoka coaching.
Grade level: High school (ages 14-18)
Eligibility: Individuals ages 14-18 when applying and not older than 18 by the end of the entry period; legal residents of the United States or Puerto Rico; project must have started on or before June 1 of the application year.
Deadline: November 2, 2026 (2026 cycle currently open and accepting applications)
Parent/guardian action required. All applicants are minors or near-minors; winning minor is accompanied by a parent/guardian on the HQ trip. Parental co-signature at application not confirmed on the official page — verify in the FAQ before any student-facing use.
Official page →
Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW) · National first place: $5,000 scholarship. Each VFW Department (state) first-place winner: minimum $500. Nearly 68,800 students compete annually for more than $1.4 million in state and national awards.
Grade level: 6-8
Eligibility: Students in grades 6-8 enrolled in a U.S. public, private, parochial, or home school.
Deadline: October 31, 2026 (essay submitted to a local VFW Post; 2026-2027 cycle)
Parent/guardian: Middle-school minors; student submits a 300-400 word written essay to a local VFW Post. No parental co-signature required.
Official page →
Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW) · National first place: $35,000 scholarship (paid to the recipient’s U.S. college/university or vocational/technical school). Other national scholarships range $1,000-$21,000; nearly 40,000 students compete for ~$2.1 million in scholarships and incentives.
Grade level: 9-12
Eligibility: Students in grades 9-12 enrolled in a U.S. public, private, parochial, home, or overseas dependent/military school. Foreign exchange students and students age 20+ are ineligible.
Deadline: October 31, 2026 (entries turned in to a local VFW Post by midnight; 2026-2027 cycle)
Parent/guardian: Student submits an audio essay in their own voice through a local VFW Post; no parental co-signature required. Recording is a minor’s voice — handle per consent rules if referenced downstream.
Official page →