Prestige scholarships set competitive standards for applicants and offer high reward amounts. Many of the most prestigious scholarships offer $10,000 or more toward a degree. This guide introduces prestige scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students, including application requirements, scholarship amounts, and how to win competitive scholarships.
Prestige Scholarships for Undergraduate Students
Prestige Scholarships for Graduate Students
Other Prestigious Financial Aid Programs
Featured Online Programs
Find a program that meets your affordability, flexibility, and education needs through an accredited, online school.
Snapshot: The Top Prestige Scholarships in Practice
Winning certain national fellowships or prestigious scholarships means students will spend a year or more of their lives studying abroad at one particular university. Others offer students a choice of institutions. Here are a few accounts of what life is like after winning a scholarship to select universities.
Is a Prestige Scholarship the Best Way to Pay for School?
What do you say to students considering applying for a Prestige Scholarship?
I would say that many students who apply for prestigious scholarships lack the qualifications. Whether or not a student should apply depends largely on how active they have been in volunteering, extracurricular activities, or with internships. Also, for students who can clearly articulate their future plans, it makes sense to apply.
What type of students should pursue these highly prized and competitive scholarships?
Students whose activities resulted in academic, professional, and personal growth have the best chance of winning prestigious scholarships. It's not the activity itself that is noteworthy; it's how it transformed a student's life. What lessons were learned, and how will a student use these lessons going forward? Students who can communicate that transformative growth the best (both in written format and during scholarship interviews) stand the best chance.
What do you think winning one of these scholarships can mean to a students academic career?
Winning a prestigious scholarship primarily funds a student's education, but the scholarship award also can be mentioned when applying to internships. Being awarded a large amount of money adds credibility and is impressive. Therefore, winning a prestigious scholarship can help students get noticed and improve their odds of being selected.
Genevieve Carlton
Genevieve Carlton holds a Ph.D. in history from Northwestern University and earned tenure as a history professor at the University of Louisville. An award-winning historian and writer, Genevieve has published multiple scholarly articles and a book with the University of Chicago Press. She currently works as a freelance writer and consultant.
