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Through your college applications process, you’re likely to come across the term “community service” many times. In fact, you may be asked to write an essay about it. This post will cover the specifics of a community service essay and how to go about writing one, including what to cover and common mistakes to avoid. 

What is a Community Service Essay?

You may encounter the community service essay as you’re writing your supplemental essays for college. These are school-specific prompts that only go to the college that requests them, unlike the personal statement , which goes to every school you apply to. Not all schools require community service essays, but several do. It’s also a common requirement for scholarship applications, especially if it’s a school-specific merit scholarship. 

The community service essay is an essay that describes the initiatives you have taken outside of the classroom to benefit your community. In a 2018 survey of 264 admissions leaders across the US, 58% said that community service is a tie-breaker between students who are otherwise equally qualified. The community service essay offers you the opportunity to shine light on the work you have done to make an impact on the world and people around you, and is an additional way to help you stand out among other applicants. 

Approaching the Community Service Essay 

Understand the essay requirements  .

As with any essay, it’s important to first understand what is expected of your essay. For a start, elements to pay attention to include: 

• Length requirements
• Focus or subject of the essay prompt 
• Organization of the essay 

Although all community service essays ultimately have the same purpose of having you describe your local service activities, they can come with different types of prompts. Below are three sample prompts. Note the differences in topic specificity, length requirements, and breadth of the prompt. 

From the CGCS – Bernard Harris Scholarship Program: 

Please describe a meaningful volunteer or community service experience, including what you learned from participating.

From the University of California Application :

What have you done to make your school or your community a better place? (350 words).

From the Equitable Excellence Scholarship:

Describe your outstanding achievement in depth and provide the specific planning, training, goals, and steps taken to make the accomplishment successful. Include details about your role and highlight leadership you provided. Your essay must be a minimum of 350 words but not more than 600 words.

Brainstorming for your community service essay 

Once you have an understanding of what is required of the specific you are to write, the next step is to brainstorm ideas for a specific topic. If you have various community-engaged service experiences under your belt, consider the following before you finalize your decision. 

The best topics:

Are substantial in length and scope. It’s better to cover a long-term commitment than a one-off afternoon at the food pantry or animal shelter. 

Are transformative or inspiring. Although community service is “others”-oriented, colleges are looking to learn more about you. The ideal community service essay topic should be an experience that changed or challenged your perspective, and was ultimately fulfilling. 

Illustrate personal qualities or passions that you want to highlight. Given the specific prompt, and taking the rest of your application into consideration, which personal interests do you want to highlight? Which activity illuminates the personal quality that you want to bring attention to? 

These are all elements to consider before you begin writing your essay. 

Tips for Writing Your Community Service Essay 

1. include anecdotes.

Anecdotes are a great way to begin your essay, not only as a way to grab your reader’s attention, but by launching right into the experience of your service activity. You can start with a line about a particularly busy afternoon at the orphanage, or a morning cleaning up the streets after a storm, or the sense of accomplishment you felt when you watched a dog under your care at the animal shelter get adopted. 

2. Show, don’t tell 

We’re sure you’ve heard this axiom of general writing before, but it applies to college essays just as much as with any other piece of writing. Opt for evocative examples over plain explaining whenever possible. Take this sentence: “There was a lot of food waste at our school cafeteria.” It’s not nearly as powerful as this description: “I peered into the tall, gray trash cans to inspect the mountain of Styrofoam trays and discarded food. There were countless pizza crusts, globs of green beans, and unopened cartons of milk.” 

Anyone could write the first sentence, and it’s not a unique experience. In the second description, we’re shown the scene of the writer’s lunchroom. We get a peek into their perspective and life, which makes the writing more vivid and relatable. Aim to bring your reader into your world as much as possible.

3. Share your responsibilities and accomplishments.

The more tangible your community service activities feel to the reader, the more powerful your essay will be. Concretize your work by stating the basic details of what kind of work you did and what your duties involved, where it was based, when you began working, and the amount of time you spent working. 

Be sure to quantify your work and accomplishments when possible; it’s better to say your fundraiser yielded 125 books than “a large number” of books. It’s important to also elaborate on why the work you did matters. Why was it important? Did the books you collected or purchased after the fundraiser expand the library of the local orphanage that they already had, or did it offer the children easy access to books that wasn’t available previously? Be specific and detailed.  

4. Highlight what you learned and how you’ll use those lessons moving forward. 

Towards the end of your essay, you’ll want to share how you benefited from the community service work you did. This is an important part of the essay, because it shows how you are able to distill your experiences to applicable lessons in your own life. 

Think of this section in two potential parts: skills you learned, and personal development. Did you gain any hard skills, such as public speaking, poster design, or funds management? Then think about how you developed as an individual. Are you more empathetic or patient now? 

Things to Avoid in Your Community Service Essay 

1. don’t list out everything that happened..

You want to keep your essay well-structured and concise. This isn’t a résumé, or a play-by-play of the entire experience. Stick to the most telling details and anecdotes from your experience. 

2. Avoid using a pretentious or privileged tone.

Humility goes a long way, and entitlement can be smelled from afar. The purpose of this essay is not to paint yourself as a savior of any kind, but rather to show what’s important to you in your non-academic life, and how you approach solving real-world and interpersonal problems. 

3. Avoid clichés.

It may be tempting to quote famous people, but doing so can easily seem like a shortcut, plus it shows little of who you are. Try also to steer clear of trite and vague life lesson lines such as “I learned that people can be happy with so little,” or “I learned the importance of giving back.” Not only do they carry a tone of privilege, they are also sweeping general conclusions and don’t convey anything specific of what you learned. 

Community service is only a part of the college application process, which can be daunting and confusing. CollegeVine will help you navigate each step of the process, from building a college list, to calculating your chances at each school using our chancing engine. Create your free account and get started now !

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Top 674 Community Service Scholarships in August 2024

Will Geiger is the co-founder of Scholarships360 and has a decade of experience in college admissions and financial aid. He is a former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at Kenyon College where he personally reviewed 10,000 admissions applications and essays. Will also managed the Kenyon College merit scholarship program and served on the financial aid appeals committee. He has also worked as an Associate Director of College Counseling at a high school in New Haven, Connecticut. Will earned his master’s in education from the University of Pennsylvania and received his undergraduate degree in history from Wake Forest University.

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Are you active in your local town, city, or neighborhood? Do you love spending your spare time volunteering with local nonprofits? If so, you may want to apply for community service scholarships that reward students who contribute to their communities. Many private organizations and colleges aim to specifically support students who are going to make a difference in the world.

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Jump ahead to…

How to win community service scholarships

Tips for getting involved in community service, frequently asked questions about community service scholarships, explore these additional scholarship categories.

Now that you’ve got a list of great community service scholarships, it’s time to get to work on your applications. Most of these scholarships receive a huge number of impressive applications, so it’s important to use your essays as an opportunity to stand out from the crowd.

To help you put together the best possible essay, we’ve created a collection of resources, including articles on how to start a scholarship essay , how to write a winning scholarship essay , and how to “Show, Not Tell” in your writing. Here are a few other resources you’ll find helpful as you work through your applications:

• How to write a 250 word essay
• How to write a 500 word essay
• Assembling a scholarship resume
• How to respond to “Why do you deserve this scholarship?” prompts

Also, remember as you write your essays to tie your past experiences into what you want to do in the future! As you’re applying to community service-oriented opportunities, it’s a good idea to emphasize how you hope to use your past experiences to continue to improve the communities you work with.

• When looking for community service opportunities try to start with your own interests! For instance, if you love history, check out your local historical society.
• Don’t be shy! Many volunteering opportunities will not be formally advertised so you may need to send out some cold emails to organizations you are interested in working with.
• If you can’t find an opportunity, create one! If you have a little bit of an entrepreneurial spirit you can start something to make a positive social impact in your community
• Remember, in today’s increasingly digital world, there’s no need to limit your volunteering to in-person experiences! Online tutoring , administrative assistance, or other remote work can help you fit volunteering into a busy schedule and open up your possibilities for who you can work with.
• For more pointers on finding volunteer opportunities, check out our articles on the t o p virtual volunteer opportunities .
• If you want to make the leap into full-time community service and volunteer work, consider an AmeriCorps program .
• Still need ideas? Check out this list of community service ideas just for high school students!

How many hours of community service do I need for community service scholarships?

There is no set number of hours of community service needed to earn these scholarships. Each scholarship has its own criteria; some may require a set number of hours, while others may be more concerned with what you’ve accomplished in your positions and how you reflect on your experiences.

So, even if you don’t have a substantial number of logged community service hours, some of these scholarships may be a good fit for you. Many students volunteer without keeping track of their hours (though it’s always a good idea to keep a log just in case) and some of these opportunities will take that into account.

Can I use virtual volunteer experience to apply for community service scholarships?

Yes! Virtual volunteer opportunities are just as valuable as in-person ones, and you should make sure to get a written record of the hours you put in so you can use them in applications later on.

I volunteered at an organization but did not obtain a record of my service. What should I do now?

The first step you should take is to find the contact information for whoever supervised your volunteer work and reach out to them to explain your situation. Chances are, they will be thankful for the work you put in and willing to help you out in determining how many hours you worked and certifying said hours.

That being said, many organizations that offer volunteer positions have a rapidly changing staff and it may be difficult to track down your supervisor. Your best bet is to continue to reach out to people at the organization until you find someone who seems willing to help out. Getting those hours in writing can be key for scholarships, college applications, job applications, and more. Even though it may be a hassle, don’t let it fall by the wayside!

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The Complete List of Community Service Scholarships

Financial Aid

Did you know that your extracurricular activities can earn you money for college?

In particular, there are a lot of scholarships available to students who have chosen to spend their free time helping out others in their communities through volunteer work.

Read on for the most complete lists of volunteer scholarships available. We've divided the scholarships by type so you can tell easily if you qualify.

Why Community Service Scholarships?

If you're the type of person who spends your free time helping others, you probably already know about some of the benefits of this type of work: you get to make a positive impact in your community while getting life experience that will help you develop as a person.

But you may not have been aware that there's another potential benefit: community service is also a great way to earn some extra cash for college. Many universities and organizations value individuals who they think will make a difference in the world, and offering scholarships to students who have dedicated their time to improving the lives of others is one way that they can contribute to those changes.

How to Find Community Service Scholarships

There are a lot of different kinds of community service scholarships, and they come from a lot of different sources, including charities, the government, religious groups, and universities themselves. Some of the scholarships offered will help fund tuition costs, while others will help you pay for charitable projects that you want to organize, or give you the opportunity to do more volunteer work.

Though you may not have seen many of these scholarships advertised, there are hundreds of them out there. If you don't see something on the list below that pertains to you, do an internet search for what you're interested in or specific to the type of work that you have done.

Other good resources are the college and financial aid counselors at your high school, who may know of local and national opportunities, as well as scholarships related to volunteer programs at your school.

Additionally, ask the organizations where you volunteer if there are any scholarships available. Quite frequently, churches, religious groups, hospitals, and other community clubs and organizations provide awards to help out students with the cost of education.

How to Apply for Community Service Scholarships

Each of the scholarships listed below has its own application procedure and eligibility requirements. Start looking into the scholarships you're interested in well in advance so that you don't miss any deadlines. You can also increase your chances of being eligible for more scholarships if you start to plan early.

You'll see that many of the scholarships below have very specific eligibility criteria. If you're looking to get involved in a community service project and don't have anything particular in mind, try choosing something that will make you eligible for one (or more) of these awards.

Also keep in mind that the community service work you do can qualify you for several different scholarships. Be sure to apply to all scholarships that you're eligible for, and don't be intimidated by the wording of the scholarship requirements—it's always worth a shot to get college money!

Key tip: Apply early, and apply often! Not all of these scholarships are limited to high school seniors and college students. If you start applying in 9 th grade (or even earlier), you'll have a head start on building up your scholarship fund.

List of Community Service Scholarships by Category

The following scholarships are grouped according to type of community service or other special requirements. You'll notice that many of these scholarships are available to students who have done any type of community service, as long as you can show significant involvement.

Some of these scholarships should fit into more than one category (such as a social activism scholarship that also requires a high GPA). In these cases, I've put them in what I consider to be the most restricting group.

The categories are:

• General volunteer scholarships
• Financial need
• Strong academics
• Specific field of study
• Environmental focus
• Special circumstances
• Special affiliation
• Certain location or college
• Social activism

Scroll down to the category you most qualify for, or just browse through all the scholarships available!

General Volunteer Scholarships

The scholarships in this list are for students who have dedicated several hours to volunteer work. There are no particular restrictions about the kind of work you can have done for these awards, but you should be able to show long-term commitment and how you've made an impact.

This service program—with a scholarship awarded at the end—is for students aged 18 and older. You must be willing to commit to a year of service at a nonprofit organization or government agency. You will receive a living stipend while you are serving. Scholarship awards given at the end of service are approximately $6,895 for full-time Vista participants. Deadline is rolling.

This scholarship is for college students with demonstrated financial need who are willing to perform 10 hours of community service per week during the school year and 280 total hours in the summer. The program meets the full documented financial need of each student. Students must be attending a school with a Bonner Scholars program and will apply through their campus.

Equitable Excellence Scholarship

This scholarship is for ambitious and determined high school seniors who show leadership, determination, and resilience. Students will have the opportunity to win one-time awards of $2,500 or renewable awards of $5,000. Scholarship opens in October and closes in mid-December.

LULAC National Scholarship Fund General Awards

This award is for entering freshmen who display motivation, sincerity, and community involvement. Multiple awards between $250 and $2,000 are given. Deadline is March 31.

Prudential Emerging Visionaries Awards

These awards are for students ages 14-18 who are taking on today’s toughest financial and societal challenges . 25 winners receive a $5,000 award and an all-expense paid trip to Prudential’s headquarters in Newark, New Jersey on April 22-25, 2023, with a parent or guardian for the Prudential Emerging Visionaries Awards Summit. Following the Summit, Grand Prize winners will receive up to an additional $10,000 in awards .

Leadership Scholarships

These scholarships are for students who have shown strong leadership skills—the ability to direct and inspire others—along with a dedication to community service.

Alliant Energy Community Service Scholarship

This essay contest awards $1,000 to 25 students aged 24 or under who have leadership roles in community service activities whose families are Alliant customers (Alliant's service area is Iowa and Wisconsin).

Elks National Foundation Most Valuable Student Competition

High school seniors who are US citizens and have shown leadership, scholarship, and financial need can apply. There are 2 awards of $50,000, 2 awards of $40,000, 2 awards of $30,000, 14 awards of $20,000, and 480 awards of $4,000. Application opens in August, and the deadline is typically in mid-November.

GE-Reagan Foundation Scholarship

This award is for students who show leadership, drive, and good citizenship. There are around 20 awards of $10,000, which are renewable each year of college for up to $40,000. Applications typically open in October and have a January deadline.

State Farm Good Neighbor Scholarship

These scholarships are for high school seniors who have taken the PSAT/NMSQT and are leaders and volunteers in their communities. There are 100 awards of $5,000 each. Deadline is typically March 31.

Financial Need Scholarships

These scholarships are aimed at students who have dedicated their time to serving their communities and who also can demonstrate financial need.

Horatio Alger Association Scholarship Program

High school students who have shown integrity, financial need, academic achievement, and community service may apply for this award. You will need a 2.0 GPA. A family income less than $55K is required. National scholarships of $25,000 are given every year, and smaller state scholarships are available as well. Deadlines for each scholarship vary.

Imagine America High School Scholarship

This award is for high school graduates who intend to enroll at a career college. They must have a high school GPA of at least 2.5, be able to demonstrate financial need, and have demonstrated community service during their senior year. Awards are $1,000.

Ronald McDonald House Charities US Scholarships

Students under 21 who can show financial need and who have academic achievement, leadership, and community service experience are eligible for these awards. Most scholarships are administered through local Ronald McDonald House Charities (like these through RMHC Greater Las Vegas ); look for the local office near you. Scholarship amounts and deadlines vary.

Strong Academics Scholarships

These scholarships are for students who have managed to balance schoolwork with volunteer work. They are aimed at students who have achieved top grades and test scores.

Coca-Cola Scholars Program Scholarship

Graduating high school students who demonstrate academic achievement and who have shown a commitment to improving their communities are eligible for this award. 150 awards of $20,000 are given every year. You can also check out our complete guide to winning a Coca Cola Scholarship. The deadline is typically at the end of October.

Field of Study Scholarships

These scholarships are for students who are planning on pursuing certain degrees while in college.

Davidson Fellowships

This award is for students 18 years old or younger who have done significant work in math, science, technology, music, literature, or philosophy, or another field that will benefit society. There are 20 total awards in amounts of $10,000, $25,000, and $50,000. The deadline is typically in mid-February.

James Beard Foundation Scholarship

This is for students who are interested in a culinary career. Applicants should have a strong academic record, leadership, and community service. Award amounts vary, and they can be scholarships, tuition waivers, work study grants, or a combination of the three. The application typically opens in April.

National Strength and Conditioning Association High School Scholarship

This scholarship is for students who have strength and conditioning experience, NSCA involvement, and a track record of community service. There are multiple $2000 awards available. The application opens on August 1 and closes on October 15 each year.

Tylenol Future Care Scholarship

This award is for college or graduate students studying healthcare, who have high GPAs and can show community involvement. Awards range from $5000-$10,000. Check out our complete guide on how to win a Tylenol scholarship. The application opens in early May and has a deadline at the end of June.

Washington Hospital Service League Volunteer Scholarship

This award is for high school seniors and college students in the Washington Hospital District who are pursuing a healthcare-related degree, with a GPA of at least 2.5, and who have volunteered for at least 100 hours in healthcare. The award is $1,000 and is renewable for all 4 years of college. Deadline is April 1.

Environmental Focus Scholarships

These scholarships are for students who have dedicated their time to helping the environment.

Brower Youth Awards

This scholarship is for students ages 13-22 who have shown leadership in environmental activism. Six awards of $3,000 are given every year, plus a professional film crew will make a short film about the winners' work. The winner will also receive a week-long trip to California to participate in media engagements and environmental conferences. Deadline is May.

Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes

This scholarship is for students aged 8-18 who have made a significant positive difference to people or the environment. There are 25 awards of $10,000. The application opens in January and has a mid-April deadline.

Special Characteristics and Circumstances Scholarships

These scholarships are for students who have faced certain challenges or who have special characteristics.

LEAGUE Foundation Scholarship

LGBT high school seniors with a GPA of 3.0 and above who are involved in community service can apply for this scholarship. Applications are typically accepted from January through April.

Live Out Loud Scholarships

This scholarship is for high school seniors who identify as LGBTQ from the tri-state area (New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut). You must demonstrate leadership, a strong academic record, and community service. Awards of up to $5,000 are given every year. Deadline is mid-March.

National Federations of the Blind Scholarship

Legally blind college students from the US and Puerto Rico may apply. The winner is chosen based on academic excellence, community service, and leadership. Awards are a minimum of $3,000. Up to 30 awards are given each year. Applications open in early November and close in late March.

Special Affiliations Scholarships

These scholarships are for students who are associated with certain groups.

Burger King Scholars Program

These awards are for Burger King employees or relatives of employees who show good citizenship and commitment to the community.

Eagle Scout Scholarship

The National Eagle Scout Association offers two kinds of awards for Eagle Scouts: academic awards and merit awards. Academic scholarships are offered in amounts up to $48,000 for four years, and merit scholarships are offered up to $4,000 per year. Academic scholarship applicants must be in their senior year of high school. Merit scholarship applicants must be high school seniors or college students not past their junior year of study. Application opens in early December.

Jesse Brown Scholarship

Students aged 21 and under who have done at least 100 hours of community service to serve veterans at a VA medical center can apply for these awards.There is one top scholarship of $30,000, and additional scholarships of $20,000, $15,000, $10,000, $7,500 (two available), and $5,000 (four available). Deadline is typically in late February.

National Honor Society Scholarship Program

These awards are for high school students who are members of NHS. Any senior member of a chapter may apply. Awards come in a variety of amounts depending on how far the student advances in the scholarship competition and range from about $3,000-$22,000. Applications open September 1 and have a deadline of November 30.

Navin Narayan College Scholarship

This award is for high school seniors who have served at least 2 years as a Red Cross volunteer. There is a one-time award of $1,000.

Certain Location or College Scholarships

These volunteer awards are only available to students who are from a certain location or are planning on attending college in certain areas.

Albert Shanker UFT College Scholarship Fund

This award is available to New York City public high school seniors with good academic standing and who can show leadership in the community. Students must also be eligible for Pell Grants and have a family income below a certain threshold. The award is for $5,000. Deadline is January 31.

Boettcher Foundation Scholarship

This scholarship is for academically gifted Colorado high school students. Applicants must also have community service and leadership experience. The award is $20,000 a year. Deadline is November 1.

Ford Scholars Program

High school seniors or community college students enrolling in a bachelor's degree in Oregon or California, who are residents of Oregon or Siskiyou County, California, can apply for this award. Students should show financial need, good character, be in good academic standing, and show concern for others through volunteer projects. Award amounts are based on need and cover up to 90% of costs not covered by other sources. Applications are due in early March.

Garrett J. Goodchild Achievement Award

This scholarship is for high school seniors from Eastlake High School or Redmond High School who plan to attend one of the 10 independent colleges of Washington. Students must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and have demonstrated leadership and community service. Awards are of $2,500. They are renewable for up to 4 years for a total of $10,000 as long as a 3.0 GPA is maintained. Application opens at the beginning of December.

Montezuma Lodge Scholarship

These scholarships are for first year college students from Santa Fe, who have good GPAs and have shown leadership in the community. Awards of $2,000 or more are awarded as long as funds are available. Deadline is May 1.

Newman Civic Fellows Award

This scholarship is for college students who have shown leadership skills and involvement in solving community problems. You must attend a Campus Compact member institution and be nominated by a college/university chancellor or president. The award amount varies. Deadline is February 1.

New York Times College Scholarship Program

This award is for New York City high school seniors who have shown a commitment to education and community service. The award is up to $15,000 per year, renewable for three years. Recipients also receive mentoring and a summer internship at the New York Times.

Stanley O. McNaughton Community Service Award

These awards are for college juniors and seniors attending one of the Independent Colleges of Washington. You must demonstrate a history of dedicated volunteer service throughout high school and college and have financial need. Awards are $2,200 per recipient.

Tyler/Grandmaison MELMAC Scholarship

This $2,000 award is for high school seniors from any high school in Maine. You must be nominated by your principal for facing obstacles in pursuit of higher education, having financial need, being a solid citizen of your school, and showing a commitment to making a difference in the community.

Minority Group Scholarships

These scholarships are for students who have affiliations with certain minority groups or a particular ethnicity.

Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Scholar-Intern Program

These scholarships are for Hispanic students with strong academics who have a history of performing public service and charitable activities in the community. Students must have financial need and strong writing skills. Students will also receive an internship placement. Award amount varies. There are several deadlines throughout the year.

Columbus Citizens Foundation College Scholarship Program

High school seniors of Italian descent (at least 25%) with household incomes less than $25,000 per person in the household can apply for this scholarship. You should also have a GPA of 3.5 or higher, and have shown commitment to community service. The award amount varies.

Hispanic Heritage Youth Awards

These awards are for Hispanic rising seniors with GPAs of at least 3.0 and above who have shown commitment to community service. Deadline is typically in early December.

Japanese American Citizens League Scholarships

These scholarships are for high school students and college students who are JACL members (you do not need to be of Japanese/Japanese heritage to be a member—anyone can join). You will have to submit a personal statement, your academic record, letters of recommendation, details about your community service, and details about your work experience. There are separate awards for entering Freshmen, and current undergraduate students. The award amounts vary, and the deadlines are in early March (freshman applicants) and early April (current undergraduates).

RHMC/HACER National Scholarship

This scholarship is for Hispanic high school seniors (at least one parent of Hispanic/Latino heritage) who show academic achievement, financial need, and community involvement. There are a small number of large national awards ($25,000 per year) and some additional local awards of at least $5,000. Deadline is typically late January or early February. You can learn more about McDonald's scholarships here.

Ron Brown Scholarships

These scholarships are for African American high school seniors who have financial need, academic excellence, leadership, and community service experience. The awards are $10,000/year, and are renewable for up to 4 years (for a total of $40,000).

AIGA Worldstudio Scholarships

This award is for minority and economically disadvantaged students who are studying art and design, and also have shown a commitment to community service. Basic scholarships are in the amount of $2,000-$3,750. There are also two additional awards of up to $5,000 and honorable mention prizes of $500 or $750. Applications open in February, with a deadline in mid-April.

Social Activism Scholarships

These scholarships are aimed at students who have been working hard to bring about changes in society.

Davis-Putter Scholarship

This scholarship is for college students who are actively involved in fighting for social justice or civil rights. Multiple awards up to $15,000 are given every year. Deadline is April 1.

Margaret McNamara Education Grants

This scholarship is for women from a country listed on the MMEG Country Eligibility List who are attending college full-time . Note that awardees must be at least 25 years of age. Grant awards are for up to $15,000. Deadline is January 15.

Princeton Prize in Race Relations

This $1,000-prize is awarded to students in grades 9–12 who have been involved in community service in the past 12 months and have encouraged positive race relations. Students will also be invited to attend a symposium at Princeton. Deadline is January 31.

Stephen J. Brady Stop Hunger Scholarship

This scholarship is for students aged 5–25 who have shown on-going commitment to an unpaid volunteer activity in the past year that involves fighting hunger. Additional consideration is given if you have been fighting childhood hunger. Winners will receive an award of $7,500 for their education plus a $5,000 grant in their name to a hunger-related charity of their choice. Deadline is typically in early December.

What's Next?

Looking for tips on how to win top scholarships? Check out our guides to the Walmart Scholarship , National Merit Scholarship , Tylenol Scholarship , and standardized test scholarships .

If you're concerned about paying for college, here's a complete guide to figuring out how much college will cost for you .

Getting into college requires a strong application, including SAT/ACT scores. How high of an SAT score or ACT score do you need to get into your top colleges?

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Mary Ann holds a BA in Classics and Russian from the University of Notre Dame, and an MA from University College London. She has years of tutoring experience and is also passionate about travel and learning languages.

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The 16 Most Popular Scholarship Essay and Application Questions

by Gabrielle McCormick | Nov 17, 2018 | Applying for Scholarships , Finding Scholarships , Scholarship Essays | 0 comments

Believe it or not, scholarship committees generally ask the same types of questions and have similar applications.

That’s right! The scholarships you find are going to fit into specific themes which you must be able to identify in order to save your family time, frustration, stress, and most importantly – money.

The 16 themes below are designed for you to use as a reference until you can spot them on your own. Also, make sure you check out our Scholarship Fast Track videos , specifically the Application Accelerators Module , that outlines these scholarship essay themes and questions even more!

The Top 16 Scholarship Essay Themes

• Committee Composition
• Competition
• Contribution
• Credentials

I’ve provided a definition as well as common scholarship question examples for each theme.

[info-box type=”success”] Real Talk: These questions are not made-up and, in fact, come from actual scholarship applications that are open to students at all levels. I hope that they serve you well in preparing for your upcoming applications. [/info-box]

Common Scholarship Questions and Essay Prompts

Scholarship essay theme: career.

The career theme is pretty self-explanatory. The committee wants to know any and everything relating to you or your student’s career goals.

Common Scholarship Questions:

• What do you want to do after you graduate from college?
• Why did you select this career?
• How will you change the field/industry?
• Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?

Scholarship Essay Theme: Catch-All

This is a student’s life summary or autobiography which usually includes information about the past, present, and future. Some committees refer to it as a personal statement or brief bio. (Warning: Not all personal statements will be looking for a life summary. Make sure you read the application carefully.)

• Please write a short autobiography including information about your family, work experience, community involvement, hobbies, spare time activities, and what you hope to do in the future.
• Please include a short summary or personal statement describing your accomplishments and goals.
• List any honors and awards you’ve received.
• List your extra-curricular activities.

Scholarship Essay Theme: Challenges

Everyone loves a good underdog story. An essay theme that focuses on Challenges asks the student to identify a time when they were down or faced conflict. The committee wants to hear how instead of giving up, you rose to the occasion or at least learned what was necessary to achieve success.

• Write a short essay that describes areas in your life where you demonstrated leadership and overcame obstacles either through your school, social, or family life.
• What’s the most difficult challenge you’ve ever faced? How did you handle it?

Scholarship Essay Theme: Champion

Why you? Out of all the available applicants, why should you or your student earn the scholarship?

• Why do you need this scholarship?
• Please list any additional comments you believe would be helpful in the committee’s decision.
• In 100 words or less, tell why you would like to receive the XYZ scholarship.

Scholarship Essay Theme: Change

This is one I’m starting to see more and more of in the scholarship world. Committees are interested in the opinions, thoughts, and ideas of applicants. With topics like legislation, population control, and the environment, committees want to see analytical and critical thinking skills.

• What do you think we should do about gun control in this country?
• How would you handle texting and driving?
• Create an innovative solution to reduce waste.

Scholarship Essay Theme: Character

As Defined by Merriam-Webster , “Character is the way someone thinks, feels, and behaves .” Essentially, it’s what makes you who you are.

• Describe a time in your life that has shaped who you are as a person.
• This is what I believe in…
• How do you define success?
• What traits do you possess that will enhance your education or future career?

Scholarship Essay Theme: Classroom

Academics, teaching methods, assignments, and anything that pertains to student learning fall under this category.

• How has technology impacted student learning?
• If you could design a college curriculum, what would it be?
• Do you believe that standardized testing has helped or hindered student learning?

Scholarship Essay Theme: College

This is one of the most common scholarship essay themes. The premise: Why do you want to go to college?

You’ll often see this theme attached to others as an additional question or a required component of the application.

• Why do you want to go to college?
• What do you expect to gain from earning a college degree?
• What are your educational goals?

Is this helping you? Are you beginning to see how this can save you a lot of time? If so, let me know in the comments below, Tweet Me @ScholarshipTalk, or just share the following message and I’ll know you see the benefits of organizing your scholarships based on themes. ?

[clickToTweet tweet=”Organizing my scholarships based on the 16 core essay themes has saved me time! #OwnYourDegree” quote=”Organizing my scholarships based on the 16 core essay themes has saved me time!”]

Scholarship Essay Theme: Committee Composition

I’m sure you’ve seen some of the eccentric scholarships out there that challenge you to write about your favorite ice cream, talk about using their product, or design a logo for their company. These scholarships tend to be unique or inspired by the sponsoring organization.

• Create a greeting card and be featured in our upcoming holiday card collection.
• Design a mascot for our company.
• Write an essay about how lights and fixtures could impact your mood.
• Develop an innovative video to end smoking.

Scholarship Essay Theme: Community

This is also a popular scholarship theme. Instead of looking at a student’s GPA, test scores, or major, the community essay theme focuses on community service, community initiatives, and community improvement.

• Describe a meaningful volunteer experience?
• Make thank-you cards for military service members.
• Share a project you developed to change your community.

Scholarship Essay Theme: Competition

A common theme for athletes, band members, dancers, or those involved in groups/organizations is the Competition scholarship essay. It highlights participation and its associated benefits.

• What does it mean to be a good student on the field, in the classroom, and in the community?
• Define what it means to be a good teammate?
• Describe a moment of sportsmanship.

Scholarship Essay Theme: Contribution

Again, this is another scholarship essay theme that you may see added to another scholarship question or application. The committee wants to know about you or your student’s contribution to society at various levels.

• How will you make a difference in our world?
• How have you made a difference in your community?
• What do you think our country should do to foster unity?

Scholarship Essay Theme: Control

Control , i.e. leadership, oftentimes stands alone as a scholarship theme because of the many questions that can be asked. From being a leader to follower and everything in between, the committee is seeking answers regarding group interaction, the organization of people, or participation within a group setting.

• What does leadership mean to you?
• Explain a family, social or school situation, in which your leadership made the difference. What was accomplished?

Scholarship Essay Theme: Creative

I’m starting to see a rise in Creativ e scholarship essays as well. You may notice some similarities with the Committee Composition theme because these scholarships are usually committee-driven and created.

The committee will provide a question, but give you freedom in depicting or representing the theme or category they’ve selected.

• Write a short story of 2,000 words or less.
• Create a video of 2-minutes or less to encourage young people to stop texting and driving.
• Submit a photograph depicting the word “family”.

Scholarship Essay Theme: Credentials

As defined by Merriam-Webster , “Credentials are a qualification, achievement, personal quality, or aspect of a person’s background, typically when used to indicate that they are suitable for something.”

These scholarships will require specific credentials to apply or may use the credential within application questions.

• To apply for this scholarship, you must be a female student majoring in a male-dominated industry. Please tell us why you selected this career?
• Applicants must be a member of the LGBTQI community. Describe a volunteering activity you conducted for your community.
• Students must be a dependent of an active military member or veteran. Why do you need this scholarship?
• Students applying for this scholarship must be undergraduate students entering their first semester. What study habits do you think are imperative to freshmen student success?

Scholarship Essay Theme: Culture

Cultures can be comprised of many different components. From college communities to hometown traditions, the Culture theme is based on the defining characteristics of a student’s environment.

• Tell the committee why you decided to attend college out-of-state?
• What does your university’s tradition and pride represent?
• Submit a piece of artwork that captures your town.

[info-box type=”alert”]Do you want a downloadable version of these themes and questions for your notes? Click here for a FREE copy . [/info-box]

Save a Ton of Time by Using These Themes

Scholarship applications may have one or several themes present. Focus on identifying your possible scholarship themes.

Labeling scholarships by themes and working on them at the same time allows the student to divide and conquer. If your family can get good at identifying themes, you’ll immediately save hours of time on applications .

As I start to see new themes emerge, I’ll be sure to add them to the list. For now, this should keep you pretty busy as you continue to find and apply for scholarships.

How can we help?

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Scholarship Essay Writing

Scholarship Essay Examples

Winning Scholarship Essay Examples for Students: Tips Included

37 min read

Published on: Mar 14, 2021

Last updated on: Jul 23, 2024

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Many students face financial barriers when it comes to pursuing higher education. The rising costs of tuition, books, and other educational expenses can be overwhelming. 

This is why the scholarships offer a lifeline by providing financial aid to students, but the competition is fierce. 

That's where CollegeEssay.org comes in. 

In this blog post, we are providing scholarship essay examples that will inspire and guide you in creating your own exceptional essay. 

These examples serve as beacons of success, offering valuable insights into the art of scholarship essay writing. 

So, without further ado, let’s get started. 

On This Page On This Page -->

Scholarship Essay Examples Financial Need

Why This Scholarship Essay Worked

This scholarship essay example effectively conveys the applicant's financial need and their determination to overcome the challenges associated with it. Here's why this essay worked:

• Personal Storytelling: The essay begins with a personal anecdote that establishes a connection between the applicant's background and financial constraints. This helps create empathy and demonstrates the genuine impact of financial challenges on their educational journey.
• Resilience and Resourcefulness: The applicant showcases their resilience and resourcefulness in navigating financial hardships. They highlight their proactive approach to seeking part-time employment and actively pursuing scholarships.
• Academic Commitment: Despite the financial strain, the applicant emphasizes their commitment to academic excellence by maintaining a high GPA. This showcases their dedication and ability to prioritize their studies amidst challenging circumstances.
• Community Involvement : The essay also highlights the applicant's involvement in community service. This demonstrates their desire to give back and make a positive impact.
• Connection to Scholarship: The applicant clearly articulates how receiving the scholarship would benefit them. This demonstrates a strong alignment between their goals and the purpose of the scholarship.

Want more examples, check out these winning scholarship essay examples.

Financial Aid Scholarship Essay

Scholarship Essay for Financial Need

Scholarship Essay Examples About Yourself

Why this Essay Worked

This scholarship essay worked for several reasons, such as:

• It effectively showcases the applicant's passion for mathematics, community engagement, and resilience.
• It compellingly conveyed the applicant's dedication, ambition, and potential for making a positive impact. This makes them a deserving candidate for the scholarship.
• Clear connection to the scholarship's goals and how it would further the applicant's educational journey and impact.

Here are some scholarship essay examples about yourself; get an idea from them, and create a successful essay.

Scholarship Essay Example About Yourself

Scholarship Essay About Yourself

Scholarship Essay Examples for Nursing

Why This Essay Worked

This essay worked due to its compelling portrayal of the applicant's genuine passion for nursing, coupled with their unwavering dedication to making a positive impact in patient care.

The essay effectively demonstrates the applicant's well-rounded preparation for a nursing career and their clear alignment with the goals and mission of the scholarship, making them a strong candidate for consideration.

Below are some more examples of scholarship essays for nursing.

Nursing Scholarship Essay

Scholarship Essay for Nursing

Scholarship Essay Examples About Career Goals

This essay worked for the following reasons:

• Clear and Specific Career Goals: The essay effectively outlines the applicant's career goal of becoming a clinical psychologist specializing in mental health support. The clarity and specificity of the goal demonstrate a well-defined path and a strong sense of purpose.
• Demonstrated Preparation and Commitment: The essay showcases the applicant's comprehensive preparation for their career goals. It also demonstrates their readiness and dedication to excel in the field.
• Alignment with Scholarship Objectives: The essay effectively highlights how the scholarship will contribute to the applicant's career aspirations. This includes attending conferences, workshops, and advanced training programs.

If you find difficulty writing the scholarship essay about career goals, get help from the below-mentioned examples, and submit a well-written essay.

Scholarship Essay Examples About Leadership

Three reasons why this essay worked are:

• Demonstrated Leadership Experience : This essay effectively highlights the applicant's practical experience in leadership roles, showcasing their ability to lead teams, organize events, and coordinate volunteers.
• Commitment to Personal Growth : The essay demonstrates the applicant's proactive approach to leadership development by seeking formal training and participating in workshops focused on honing their skills. 
• Emphasis on Collaboration and Empowerment: The essay emphasizes the applicant's belief in collaborative leadership. It promotes inclusivity and empowers team members to contribute their unique perspectives. 

Here we gather some good scholarship essay examples about leadership that help in your writing.

Leadership Scholarship Essay Example

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Scholarship Essay Examples About Community Service

Here are the reasons:

• Genuine Passion and Commitment: The essay effectively conveys the applicant's genuine passion for community service, highlighting their long-standing involvement and the transformative impact it has had on their life. 
• Integration of Service with Education: The essay demonstrates the applicant's proactive approach to integrating their passion for community service with their educational pursuits.
• Aspiration for Social Change: The essay goes beyond personal experiences and highlights the applicant's aspirations for broader social change.

Here is an excellent community service scholarship essa y that can help you write for community college.

Scholarship Essay Example about Community Service

High School Scholarship Essay Examples

• Clear and Convincing Goals: The essay effectively communicates the applicant's strong desire to pursue higher education despite financial constraints.
• Demonstrated Leadership and Well-Roundedness: The essay showcases the applicant's involvement in extracurricular activities. It highlights their ability to balance academic responsibilities with active participation in clubs, sports teams, and community service initiatives.
• Emphasis on Giving Back and Community Engagement: The essay not only focuses on the applicant's personal aspirations but also highlights their commitment to giving back to their community.

The following are the best high school scholarship essay examples, use this for your help, and write an attention-grabbing essay.

Scholarship Essay Example for High School

Scholarship Essay for High School

Scholarship Essay Examples for University

Why This Essay Works

Three reasons why this essay works are:

• Strong Personal Motivation: The essay effectively communicates the applicant's unwavering commitment and determination to pursue a university education.
• Articulation of Long-Term Goals and Social Impact: The essay goes beyond highlighting the applicant's academic achievements and financial needs. It emphasizes the applicant's desire to contribute to their community and make a positive impact on society.
• The connection between Scholarship and Applicant's Potential: The essay effectively illustrates how receiving the scholarship would directly address the financial burden. Plus, it will enable the applicant to fully embrace the university experience.

Here are some excellent scholarship essay examples for university students that help you in writing the essay.

Scholarship Essay Example for University Students

Scholarship Essay Examples for Engineering

This essay worked because of the following reasons:

• Passion and Commitment: The essay effectively conveys the applicant's deep passion for engineering. It also shows their genuine commitment to making a positive impact in this field.
• Alignment with Scholarship Objectives: It clearly establishes the connection between the scholarship and the applicant's goals in engineering.
• Future Impact and Growth: It also communicates the applicant's aspiration to contribute to the field of engineering and make a positive difference in the world.

The following is another scholarship essay example that can help you in creating the perfect essay on your own.

Scholarship Essay Examples for Masters

This essay worked for several reasons:

• Clear Purpose and Goal: The essay effectively conveys the applicant's clear purpose and goal of pursuing a master's degree. It highlights the transformative impact that a master's degree can have on personal and professional growth.
• Financial Need and Scholarship Alignment : The essay addresses the financial challenges associated with pursuing a master's degree. It demonstrates the direct alignment between the scholarship and the applicant's needs.
• Impact and Giving Back : The essay goes beyond personal aspirations and emphasizes the applicant's intention to make a broader impact on their community and society.

Here is an example that you can use as a guide and write a perfect scholarship essay.

Why Should You Receive this Scholarship Essay Examples

Three brief reasons why this essay worked are:

• Clear and Convincing Arguments : The essay presents concise and compelling arguments to support the applicant's case for receiving the scholarship.
• Personal Connection : It demonstrates how receiving the scholarship would directly impact the applicant's academic journey
• Gratitude and Future Commitment : It expresses sincere gratitude for the opportunity and emphasizes the applicant's commitment to making the most of the scholarship.

Here is an example, take help from them for your scholarship essay.

Why Should You Receive this Scholarship Essay Example

Why I Deserve This Scholarship Essay Examples

• Compelling Personal Story: The essay effectively presents the applicant's personal story and highlights their dedication and commitment to their education
• Addressing Academic Excellence and Financial Need : The essay successfully addresses both academic excellence and financial need, which are two crucial aspects considered by scholarship committees.
• Commitment to Making an Impact: The essay goes beyond the applicant's personal goals and emphasizes their dedication to making a positive impact in their community. 

Here’s another example for this scholarship essay below:

Why I Deserve This Scholarship Essay Example

Tips for Writing the Effective Scholarship Essay

When it comes to writing an effective scholarship essay, there are several key tips to keep in mind. 

By following these guidelines, you can maximize your chances of standing out and impressing scholarship selection committees. 

Here are some essential tips to help you craft a compelling scholarship essay:

• Understand the Prompt

Take the time to thoroughly understand the essay prompt or topic provided by the scholarship provider. Pay attention to any specific instructions or guidelines given.

• Research the Scholarship

Familiarize yourself with the organization or institution offering the scholarship. Understand their values, mission, and objectives. This knowledge will help you align your essay with their goals and demonstrate your fit for the scholarship.

• Tell Your Unique Story

Use the essay as an opportunity to showcase your personal experiences, like obstacles you might encounter, achievements, and aspirations. Highlight what sets you apart from other applicants. Be authentic and genuine in conveying your story, like overcoming personal failures.

• Start with a Compelling Introduction

Grab the reader's attention from the beginning with a strong and captivating introduction. Consider starting with a compelling anecdote, a thought-provoking question, or a powerful statement.

• Structure Your Essay

Organize your essay into a clear and logical structure. Start with an introduction, followed by body paragraphs that support your main points, and end with a concise and impactful conclusion.

• Be Concise and Specific

Scholarship essays often have a word or character limits, so make every word count. Be concise in your writing and avoid unnecessary fluff. Focus on providing specific examples and details that support your claims.

• Showcase Your Achievements

Highlight your academic accomplishments, extracurricular involvements, community service, leadership roles, or any other relevant achievements. Link them to the values and goals of the scholarship.

• Address the Selection Criteria

Ensure that your essay addresses the selection criteria specified by the scholarship provider. If they are looking for specific qualities or skills, tailor your essay to showcase how you possess those attributes.

In conclusion, writing an effective scholarship essay is a crucial step in securing the financial aid you need for your education. 

By following the tips outlined here, you can enhance your essay-writing skills and create a compelling narrative that captivates scholarship selection committees.

Be authentic, concise, and specific in your writing. Tailor your essay to align with the values and objectives of the scholarship provider. And above all, believe in yourself and your potential to make a difference through education.

If you're seeking further guidance and support in your scholarship essay writing journey, consider partnering with our AI essay writing tools !

We also have a team of experienced and professional essay writers who can provide personal essay writing service with valuable insights. 

Hire our college paper writing service  today and take the next step towards securing the financial aid you deserve.

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Barbara is a highly educated and qualified author with a Ph.D. in public health from an Ivy League university. She has spent a significant amount of time working in the medical field, conducting a thorough study on a variety of health issues. Her work has been published in several major publications.

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Exploring the impact of community service – a comprehensive essay sample.

Community service plays a vital role in shaping individuals and communities. Engaging in service activities not only helps those in need but also has a profound impact on the volunteers themselves. By giving back to the community, individuals can develop empathy, leadership skills, and a sense of responsibility towards society.

In this essay sample, we will explore inspiring examples of community service projects and provide tips on how you can get involved in making a difference. From volunteering at local shelters to organizing charity events, there are countless ways to contribute to your community and create a positive impact on the world around you. Let’s delve into the world of community service and discover the power of giving back!

Community Service Essay Sample

Community service is a valuable activity that allows individuals to give back to their communities. It provides an opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of others while also developing important skills and values. Here is a sample essay that highlights the benefits of community service and reflects on personal experiences.

Introduction: Community service is an essential part of being an active and engaged member of society. It not only benefits the community but also helps individuals grow and learn. Through my involvement in various community service projects, I have seen firsthand the power of giving back and the joy it brings to both the recipient and the volunteer.

Body: One example of the impact of community service is the work I did at a local soup kitchen. By volunteering at the soup kitchen, I was able to help provide meals to those in need and offer a listening ear to those who were struggling. This experience taught me the importance of empathy and compassion, and showed me how even small acts of kindness can make a big difference in someone’s life.

Another example of the benefits of community service is the time I spent tutoring children at a local elementary school. Through this experience, I was able to help students improve their academic skills and build their confidence. I also gained a greater appreciation for the value of education and the impact it can have on a child’s future.

Conclusion: In conclusion, community service is a valuable and rewarding activity that allows individuals to make a positive impact on their communities. Through my experiences with community service, I have learned important lessons about empathy, compassion, and the power of giving back. I am grateful for the opportunities I have had to volunteer and look forward to continuing to serve my community in the future.

Inspiring Examples and Tips

When it comes to community service, there are countless inspiring examples that can motivate you to get involved. Whether it’s volunteering at a local shelter, organizing a charity event, or tutoring underprivileged children, these acts of service can make a real impact on the community.

Here are a few tips to help you get started on your community service journey:

1. Find a Cause You’re Passionate About: Choose a cause that resonates with you personally. When you care deeply about the issue you’re working on, your efforts will be more meaningful and impactful.

2. Start Small: You don’t have to take on huge projects right away. Start small by volunteering for a few hours a week or helping out at a local event. Every little bit helps.

3. Collaborate with Others: Community service is often more effective when done as a team. Reach out to friends, family, or colleagues to join you in your efforts.

4. Stay Consistent: Make a commitment to regularly engage in community service. Consistency is key to making a lasting impact.

5. Reflect on Your Impact: Take the time to reflect on how your service is making a difference. Celebrate your achievements and learn from your challenges.

By following these tips and drawing inspiration from others, you can make a meaningful contribution to your community through service. Get started today and see the positive impact you can have!

Why Community Service Matters

Community service is an essential component of a well-rounded individual. It provides an opportunity to give back to society, make a positive impact on the community, and develop valuable skills and experiences. Engaging in community service helps individuals cultivate empathy, compassion, and a sense of civic responsibility. By volunteering and helping others, individuals can learn to appreciate the needs of others and work towards creating a more inclusive and supportive society.

Furthermore, community service allows individuals to build connections with others and foster a sense of community. Through collaboration and teamwork, volunteers can develop important social and communication skills that are valuable in all aspects of life. Community service also provides a way to explore new interests, gain new perspectives, and expand one’s horizons.

Moreover, community service is a way to address pressing social issues and contribute to positive change. By participating in community service projects, individuals can make a tangible difference in the lives of others and work towards creating a more just and equitable world. Community service is a powerful tool for promoting social justice, equality, and human rights.

In conclusion, community service matters because it helps individuals grow personally, develop important skills, build meaningful relationships, and contribute to a better society. Engaging in community service is a fulfilling and impactful way to make a difference in the world and leave a lasting legacy of service and compassion.

Benefits of Engaging in Community Service

Engaging in community service offers a wide range of benefits both for the individual and the community as a whole.

1. Personal Growth: Community service allows individuals to step out of their comfort zones, develop new skills, and gain valuable life experiences. It helps enhance empathy, compassion, and understanding of diverse perspectives.

2. Social Connections: By participating in community service activities, individuals can build strong relationships with like-minded individuals and expand their social network. It provides opportunities to collaborate with others and work towards common goals.

3. Skill Development: Community service offers a platform for individuals to develop and hone various skills such as leadership, communication, problem-solving, and teamwork. These skills are transferable to other aspects of life.

4. Civic Engagement: Engaging in community service promotes active citizenship and a sense of responsibility towards one’s community. It allows individuals to contribute to positive change and make a meaningful impact on society.

5. Personal Fulfillment: Giving back to the community and helping those in need can bring a sense of fulfillment and purpose to individuals. It provides a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction knowing that one has made a positive difference in the lives of others.

Overall, engaging in community service not only benefits the community by addressing various social issues but also contributes to personal growth, social connections, skill development, civic engagement, and personal fulfillment.

How to Choose the Right Community Service Project

When deciding on a community service project, it is important to consider your interests, skills, and the needs of your community. Here are some tips to help you choose the right project:

• Identify your passion: Think about what causes or issues you feel strongly about. Whether it’s helping the environment, supporting education, or assisting the elderly, choosing a project that aligns with your passions will keep you motivated and engaged.
• Evaluate your skills: Consider what skills you have to offer. Are you good at organizing events, teaching, or fundraising? Select a project that allows you to utilize your strengths and make a meaningful impact.
• Assess the community’s needs: Research and assess the needs of your community. Talk to local organizations, schools, or community leaders to identify areas where help is most needed. By addressing pressing needs, your project will have a greater impact.
• Consider the time commitment: Be realistic about the time you can dedicate to a community service project. Choose a project that fits into your schedule and allows you to make a consistent contribution over time.
• Collaborate with others: Consider teaming up with friends, classmates, or colleagues to take on a community service project together. Working as a team can help divide tasks, share responsibilities, and create a stronger impact.

By following these tips and considering your interests, skills, and community needs, you can choose the right community service project that aligns with your values and makes a positive difference in your community.

Steps to Writing an Effective Community Service Essay

If you are tasked with writing a community service essay, follow these steps to ensure it is impactful and engaging:

• Choose a meaningful community service experience: Select a service project that has had a significant impact on you or your community.
• Reflect on your experience: Take time to think about the lessons learned, challenges faced, and personal growth from the service project.
• Outline your essay: Create a clear outline that includes an introduction, body paragraphs detailing your experiences, and a conclusion that ties everything together.
• Show, don’t tell: Use descriptive language and vivid examples to bring your community service experience to life for the reader.
• Highlight your personal growth: Discuss how the community service experience has shaped your values, beliefs, and future goals.
• Connect your experience to the broader community: Share how your service has impacted those around you and the community as a whole.
• Revise and edit your essay: Review your essay for clarity, coherence, and grammar errors. Make revisions as needed to strengthen your message.
• Seek feedback: Ask someone you trust to read your essay and provide constructive feedback for improvement.
• Finalize your essay: Make any final adjustments and ensure your essay is polished and reflects your authentic voice.

Community Service Essay Structure

When writing a community service essay, it is important to follow a structured approach to ensure that your message is clear and impactful. Here is a recommended structure to help you organize your thoughts and create a compelling essay:

• Introduction: Start with a strong opening sentence that grabs the reader’s attention. Introduce the topic of community service and provide some context for your personal experience.
• Background Information: Briefly explain what community service means to you and why you chose to engage in it. Provide background information on the organization or cause you volunteered for.
• Personal Experience: Share specific examples of your community service activities. Describe the impact you made, challenges you faced, and lessons you learned. Highlight any skills or qualities that you developed through your volunteer work.
• Reflection: Reflect on how your community service experience has influenced your personal growth and perspective on the world. Discuss any changes in your attitudes or values as a result of your volunteer work.
• Impact: Describe the positive impact your community service has had on others. Share stories of individuals or communities that benefitted from your efforts.
• Conclusion: Summarize the key points of your essay and reiterate the importance of community service. End with a powerful closing statement that leaves a lasting impression on the reader.

By following this structure, you can effectively communicate the value of community service and inspire others to make a difference in their communities. Remember to be sincere, reflective, and passionate in your writing to convey the true essence of your volunteer experience.

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How to Write a Scholarship Essay (with Examples)

September 27, 2023

While applying to college, many students are faced with an additional, daunting task: how to write a scholarship essay. Financial need, already a sensitive subject, can become a stressful factor in the process alongside other existential unknowns. Luckily, scholarship essays will not require you to go tiptoeing around the taboo topic of money. Furthermore, most scholarship essay prompts more or less resemble standard supplemental essay questions. The trick then is to make your scholarship essay stand out. The following article and scholarship essay example will offer up pointers for anyone striving to win a college scholarship.

Organizing Scholarship Essays by Prompt

You may feel like melting into a lump of despair when facing a browser full of tabbed scholarships. The best way to avoid getting overwhelmed is to organize and analyze a list of prompts. Why? Because your first goal is not simply to figure out how to write a scholarship essay. Rather, you’ll want to know how to save time while writing complex and relevant scholarship essays.

As you look over the various prompts, you’ll notice that some sound fairly open-ended, while others ask for something quite specific. In response, you should annotate each prompt with thematic keywords. This will help you figure out when you can use the same essay for several prompts.

Your annotated list may look something like the following…

Sample Scholarship Essay Prompts

1) “Explain something that made a big impact in your life.”

• Keywords: event , personal development, growth, background

2) “We’re committed to diversifying education abroad by providing funding to students who are typically under-represented in study abroad. Please describe how you and/or your plans for study abroad could be viewed as under-represented.”

• Keywords: minority, diversity, identity, study abroad

3) “Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.”

• Keywords: background, identity, interest, talent

Sample Scholarship Essay Prompts, Continued

4) “Please explain a personal hardship or catastrophic life event that you have experienced. How did you manage to overcome this obstacle? What did you learn and how did you grow from it?”

• Keywords: event, personal development, growth, challenge, background

5) Describe a change you would like to make in the world. Tell us about how you would plan to make that change, and what obstacles you might encounter along the way.

• Keywords: world development, challenge, future

6) “Tell us three things that are important to you. How did you arrive at this list? Will these things be important to you in ten years? Why?”

• Keywords: background, values, interest, development, identity, future

Scholarship Essay Prompts ( Continued)

7) “What does it mean to you to be part of a minority community? What challenges has it brought and how have you overcome them? What are the benefits?”

• Keywords: minority, community, challenge, growth

8) “Please explain how your experience volunteering and participating in community service has shaped your perspective on humanity. Elaborate on how these experiences have influenced your future ambitions and career choice.”

• Keywords: community service, humanity, community, background, future, values, career

9) “Discuss in your essay any challenges or obstacles you have dealt with and overcome in life and how this will help you succeed in college and beyond. Describe how volunteer, community service or extra-curricular activities have shaped who you are today and what it has taught you. May also include future educational plans and career goals.”

• Keywords: challenge, future, community service, interests, value, personal growth, career

How to Write a Scholarship Essay through Prompt Analysis

Let’s compare some prompts by keywords. You’ll notice that some prompts have a lot of overlap, such as prompts 1 and 4. Both have event, personal development, growth, and background as keywords . Prompt 4 includes the additional keyword challenge . This prompt explicitly asks you to explain how you have “overcome” a “personal hardship or catastrophic life event.” While prompt 1 is not so specific, it would be easy, even natural, to include this narrative arc in your response. This means depicting how you faced the thing that “made a big impact in your life.” In other words, these two essay prompts, though worded differently, allow you to tell the same story.

Other prompts provide potential overlap. In this case, it’s up to you to find and interpret these moments. You may consider the values, strengths, interests, and experiences you wish to relate. For example, prompts 7, 8, and 9 all mention community through different approaches. While prompt 7 focuses on one’s past involvement in a minority community, prompts 8 and 9 are more future-facing, and don’t mention minorities.

Scholarship Essay Examples (Continued)

Here, your best strategy involves answering prompts 8 and 9 together in a single scholarship essay. To do so, the essay would need to detail “a challenge or obstacle you have dealt with” (9) which has thus “shaped your perspective on humanity” (8). This narrative arc will thus inform your “future” educational and career plans (8 and 9). Note that prompt 9 allows you to mention extra-curriculars. However, I wouldn’t recommend it, since this would make your essay less relevant to prompt 8. After your essay is written, adapt it to align with prompt 7. Consider condensing the part about the future into one final sentence and focusing more on minority aspects of your community.

How to Scholarship Essay Avoid Burnout

The above tactic will allow you to avoid burnout by strategizing your essay approach ahead of time. In turn, you’ll be able to maximize your efforts from the get-go. You’ll also likely find that your essays become more complex and nuanced when you consider several prompts at once.

The next step involves editing. Refer back to the prompt, once you have a draft written. Ask yourself, did I answer the question fully? Do I need to edit this essay further to emphasize a particular point? Do I need to cut the essay down to fit a new word count? Contrarily do I need to bulk it up? If so, are there other essays in my portfolio from which I can borrow material? Strategic editing will allow you to respond to a large number of essays during peak essay-writing season.

Finally, you’ll notice that most essays require a word count between 250 to 600 words. It’s often easier to write a longer essay first. This will allow you to go into greater detail without censoring your ideas. You may find yourself including dialogue, scenery, emotions, and all sorts of other specifics that make an essay personal. As you whittle down this essay to comply with a similar prompt, you’ll want to identify which pieces of the essay do the most work to get your message across. Don’t simply condense everything by eliminating details, for details are often the most memorable aspects of an essay. More on this next.

How to Write a Scholarship Essay Using the Three Fs

The three Fs can be applied to any college essay, though they are particularily useful in scholarship essays. Why? Because the three Fs will enable you to impress readers and beat out other applicants. Ultimately, they’ll help you win financial support. Think of the three Fs as a checklist to go over, once you’ve completed an essay draft. Ask yourself, is my essay fabulous? Flawless? Fearless?

How to Write a Scholarship Essay (Continued)

If your essay is fabulous , it glitters with personality. It is detailed, unique, and does its best to highlight your impressive journey. If your essay lacks a little fab, ask yourself, how can I make this essay more enjoyable and memorable to read? If your essay is flawless , it lacks all spelling, syntactic and grammatical errors. It answers every aspect of the essay prompt, and leaves no room for vagueness or misunderstandings. To avoid flaws, give your essay to several people to proofread. Finally, if your essay is fearless , it is not afraid to get a little vulnerable. This may sound contradictory to the first F. On the contrary, this fearlessness refers to the confidence to tell your own story. A fearless story isn’t afraid to go deep, add complexity, or get emotional. It is unafraid to show why its author deserves a financial boost.

Scholarship Essay Example

Now that we’ve established how to approach the scholarship essay, let’s dive into a scholarship essay example. The scholarship essay below stems from a prompt we saw above: Describe a change you would like to make in the world. Tell us about how you would plan to make that change, and what obstacles you might encounter along the way (500 words).

My generation is growing up in a time of increased global turmoil. We’ve witnessed Brexit, the Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. elections, a series of refugee crises, and the invasion of Ukraine. It’s easy to liken this moment to Europe in the 1930s, which saw a spike in fascism and propaganda (their version of fake news). Only now, my generation must also contend with the hottest summers on record, raging forest fires, and the beginning of the 6 th extinction. It’s no wonder we deal with it all through increased skepticism and existential dread.

While I don’t have a simple solution, I believe most problems stem from ignorance. Xenophobia and racism, offshoots of ignorance, can be overcome by exposing isolated groups of people to greater diversity. This begins in the classroom. While dictators are hard to dispose of, education provides critical thinking skills, which allow citizens to make informed decisions when electing officials. Finally, developing a willingness to learn at an early age creates an instinct to continue learning throughout life. We desperately need intellectual flexibility if we are going to adapt to the planet’s needs as a world population and put a stop to industry-led fossil fuel burning.

Scholarship Essay Example (Continued)

The change I’d like to make is free, enhanced education for everyone, at every level, from elementary school to post-doctorate research institutes. To do so, I suggest defunding national militaries and channeling this spending into schools. Imagine if 80% of the 877 billion dollars the U.S. military spends annually went into learning. Combating fascism and climate change would look more feasible. And yet, no leader would agree to making their country more vulnerable by relinquishing arms and armies. Change must come from the people.

As the planet continues to heats up, and conflict over land increases, we must work together. The first step towards increased education is communicating this need for education: through journalism, on social media, in the streets. Next, I suggest lobbying politicians for incremental change. Finally, I believe a global grassroots movement to implement future-focused education, led by activists, educators, and philanthropists, would make this theoretical idea a tangible reality.

Last year, my mother, who never received a college education, decided to offer free gardening courses in our backyard. I quickly joined in. While teaching a handful of neighbors how to provide year-round food for pollinators may seem trivial, I’ve already seen positive repercussions. One conservative neighbor has set up an organization that collects and redistributes leftover produce from the markets to refugees. Another neighbor is now teaching middle schoolers how to cook and compost. These efforts have brought unusual strangers together and given visibility to our movement, #futurefocusededucation. I’ve seen it firsthand. The more we educate, the sooner we can combine our knowledge to create solutions.

Scholarship Essay Example Dissected

This scholarship essay succeeds at answering all parts of the prompt. It includes the change the author wants to make, and inevitable obstacles she’d face at the governmental and international level. These obstacles may sound insurmountable. Yet the essay shows that individuals are not powerless to enact change when they work together towards a common goal. The author provides various thoughtful steps we might take in order to prioritize education and peaceful collaboration.

Finally, the author portrays herself as someone personally invested in the political, humanitarian, and environmental state of the world. She proves that she’s already begun to make the changes she wants to see at the microscopic level. Overall, readers of this scholarship essay can see that this student is invested in bettering the world. This student would make for a proactive participant in her academic environment.

What’s Next?

Now that you have some inkling of how to write a scholarship essay and have reviewed of our scholarship essay examples, you may want to delve into more aid-related articles on the College Transitions Dataverse. You can read up on Need-Based Financial Aid Grants , and learn about Selective Colleges with Generous Scholarships . Furthermore, you may want to create your own Scholarship Timeline , in order to stay on top of the various deadlines. Good luck!

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Kaylen Baker

With a BA in Literary Studies from Middlebury College, an MFA in Fiction from Columbia University, and a Master’s in Translation from Université Paris 8 Vincennes-Saint-Denis, Kaylen has been working with students on their writing for over five years. Previously, Kaylen taught a fiction course for high school students as part of Columbia Artists/Teachers, and served as an English Language Assistant for the French National Department of Education. Kaylen is an experienced writer/translator whose work has been featured in Los Angeles Review, Hybrid, San Francisco Bay Guardian, France Today, and Honolulu Weekly, among others.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, examples of community service scholarship essays.

Does anyone have any examples of successful community service scholarship essays? I'm looking for inspiration and want to get a sense of what helped other students win scholarships based on their service experiences.

Hey there! While I unfortunately don't have any examples on hand, I can definitely provide you with some general tips on how to make your community service scholarship essay stand out:

1. Choose a unique experience: Pick a community service project that is meaningful to you and had a significant impact on others. Your passion and dedication to serving your community shine through in your essay.

2. Focus on personal growth: Reflect on how your community service experiences have shaped your values, taught you important lessons, or influenced your personal growth. You want the broader relevance of this story to your growth and personality to be clear.

3. Use vivid anecdotes: Sharing specific examples and stories to illustrate your points will bring your essay to life and make it more engaging.

4. Demonstrate leadership: If you took on a leadership role during your community service projects, definitely mention that in your essay. Show how you led a team or initiated a project, and how that leadership contributed to the project's success.

5. Quantify your impact: If possible, include some numbers or statistics to illustrate the positive effect your service had on the community. This concrete evidence emphasizes your commitment and accomplishments.

6. Take advantage of CollegeVine's resources: While there aren't any examples included, CollegeVine's blog does have a general breakdown of how to approach this kind of essay: https://blog.collegevine.com/community-service-essay/. And they also offer both a free peer essay review service and paid reviews by expert college admissions advisors - sometimes, an objective look at your essay from someone who doesn't know you, or anything about your community involvement, is the best way of figuring out whether your impact is coming across.

Overall, be genuine and authentic, and focus on painting a vivid picture of your community service journey. By doing so, you'll be able to showcase your dedication and impact, which could help you stand out in the scholarship application process. Good luck!

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

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#YouAreWelcomeHere Scholarship

#youarewelcomehere scholarship application.

The University of Idaho is proud to offer two annual, renewable scholarships for up to four years of study that are worth 50% tuition at the time of initial matriculation. The scholarships are open to first-year international students admitted for undergraduate degree-seeking study at the University of Idaho and may not be combined with Invitation to Idaho scholarships. Successful applicants will be dedicated to furthering the #YouAreWelcomeHere message by bridging intercultural divides. Applicants will submit a 500-1000 word written essay or a two to five minute video about their leadership skills and ideas for utilizing those skills to advance intercultural learning and understanding at the University of Idaho.

Eligibility Criteria

• Be a first-year international applicant to University of Idaho.
• Attend (or have graduated from) a secondary school outside of the United States.
• Demonstrate interest and personal initiative in activities involving intercultural learning and exchange.
• Complete a scholarship application  containing a 500-1000 word essay or a two-to-five minute video describing your aspirations to conduct projects, research, employment, or other experiences that will advance intercultural learning. (Note: You will have to be admitted to access the application and use the same email address and password used on your University of Idaho application.)

How to Apply

• Apply for admission to U of I before the admission application deadline .
• Submit the #YouAreWelcomeHere application before the scholarship application deadline. (Tip: use the same email address and password from your University of Idaho application.)

Scholarship Application Deadline

• Spring 2025 Deadline: Oct. 20, 2024
• Fall 2025 Deadline: April 13, 2025

Scholarship Maintenance

• Scholarship can be renewed for up to four years (Fall and Spring semesters only).
• Participate in a minimum of 10 hours per semester of cultural sharing and engagement with the local community through an internship with the International Programs Office.
• Maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0.
• Enroll and successfully complete a minimum of 12 credits (exception may be granted) for Fall and Spring semesters.