Scholarship Search Engines

Now that you have explored the many scholarship opportunities available to you as Lakeside students and Washington residents, you'll want to expand your search. These resources will help you match with scholarships based on your achievements, background, and interests. The more details you share about your academics, school activities, community service, hobbies, intended major, and any unique talents, the more opportunities will come your way!

These reputable search engines will lead you to national awards. While there may be more competition for candidates, the matchmaking service can also dig up specialty scholarships that fit you perfectly!

Your first search engine stop should be theWashBoard.org, then head on over to the Common App. Just like with college applications, you'll only need to fill out your demographic information one time so that you can focus on what really matters -- your essays!

Here are a few other great scholarship search engines you might want to check out. This is the most likely way for younger students to find scholarships before senior year! And, remember, when looking for scholarships, always be aware of scams. A general rule is it should never cost money to find money.

WashBoard logo

TheWashBoard.org connects Washington students with Washington scholarship providers. Many of the awards can be used for in-state or out-of-state colleges as well as various types of schools and training.

The Common App partners with the National Scholarship Providers Association and Scholarship America to deliver targeted opportunities that match your profile. Head to the Scholarships section under the Financial Aid tab to find your matches.

College Board  logo

The College Board sponsors a BigFutures Scholarship monthly drawing for students who have registered for a free account. When you complete qualifying activities on your BigFuture dashboard, such as adding schools to your profile, you are automatically entered to win either $500 or $40,000. You can start earning entries as early as sophomore year!

There is also a BigFuture Scholarship Search section that matches students with more than 14,000 opportunities based on background, academics, interests, and future plans. Get started by completing the fields in the Matching Criteria summary on the My Information tab.​

You do not need to take a College Board assessment, such as the PSAT or SAT, to qualify for these scholarships.

Unigo  logo

Unigo grants access to over 3.6 million scholarships and grants. The website advises checking in every month to see updated personal results.

Unigo also sponsors 14 awards that require short essays of 250 words on fun topics such as surviving a zombie apocalypse, what superpower you would want, or one of your funniest life moments. Awards range from $1,500 to $10,000, and students can start applying at age 14.

Niche  logo

Niche offers thousands of scholarships, and most do not require an essay. Instead, recipients are randomly selected each month from the pool of applicants. Other awards may require a short survey. Scholarships can range from $500 to $50,000.

Scholarship America  logo

* For more than 60 years, Scholarship America has partnered with major sponsors, including Amazon, Pepsi, Wells Fargo, and Chick-fil-A, as well as local organizations. In 2024, students received over $315 million in financial aid.

Christian Connector  logo

The Christian Connector provides information on Christian colleges, a universal application to apply to over 70 participating schools, as well as a $5,000 scholarship drawing and college survival kits valued at $500. You also gain access to $150 million in scholarships that are offered by the affiliated colleges.