Horatio Alger National Scholarship
Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans
Opens later
$25,000 (105 National Scholarships) for high school juniors facing adversity and financial need
- How much
- $25,000 (105 scholarships at $25,000 each)
- Who qualifies
- Full-time US high school junior; committed to a bachelor's degree at an accredited non-profit US college right after high school (may start at a 2-year college and transfer); financial need with adjusted gross family income of $100,000 or lower; co-curricular and community service involvement; integrity and perseverance in overcoming adversity.
- US citizen
- Need-based: your FAFSA decides how much you get.
- When to apply
- Opens later annual; high school junior application period Dec 1 - Mar 1 (year not printed on page; next window expected Dec 1, 2026 - Mar 1, 2027)
- How to apply
- One online application during the junior application period (Dec 1 - Mar 1): short adversity/American Dream essay responses
- Counselor completes a Counselor Certification Form
- An unrelated adult over 21 confirms the adversity section as Support Form Provider
- Upload a high school transcript (with fall grades) and income verification (usually parents' tax form)
- What you'll need
- essay + transcript
- Last checked
- October 5, 2026, against the official page (horatioalger.org) and page 2
The details
105 National Scholarships of $25,000 each. One application (for high school juniors) considers the student for every Horatio Alger scholarship they qualify for, including specialized state/university-funded programs (e.g. Denny Sanford university scholarships). Separate application periods exist for seniors/college students (Dec 1 - Feb 15), career & technical scholarships (Mar 15 - Jun 15) and graduate scholarships (Jul 1 - Aug 31).
More federal and national aid
- QuestBridge National College Matchfull four-year scholarship to a partner college (worth $360,000+; tuition, room/board, no loans)
- Jack Kent Cooke College Scholarship Programup to $55,000/yr for up to 4 years (last-dollar after institutional aid)
- Davidson Fellows Scholarship$100,000, $50,000, or $25,000 (one-time)
- Burger King Scholars Program$1,000 to $60,000 (most general-track awards $1,000 or $5,000; up to three $60,000 James W. McLamore WHOPPER Scholarships)
- NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)$37,000/yr stipend + $16,000/yr cost-of-education allowance to the school, for 3 years
Keep looking
We list programs; we don't decide who gets them. Always check the official page before you apply. Spot something wrong? Tell us.