Can you feel that crisp, autumn air? We can’t believe how fast summer went, but we’re looking forward to it cooling down as we get out our scarves and sweaters.  While you are watching the leaves change and baking your pumpkin pies, why not take a look at a few of these scholarships with deadlines in October?  As the school year starts, scholarship season is also upon us, so get those essays and recommendations ready!

Raymond Davis Scholarship

Deadline: Oct 1     Award: $1,000

This scholarship is for undergraduate students who have completed two academic years of study and for graduate-level students.

George J. Mitchell Scholarship

Deadline: Oct 1     Award: Full Tuition

This scholarship is for students between the ages of 18 and 29 who hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.

Students with Heart Scholarship

Deadline: Oct 1      Award: $6,000

This scholarship is for students who have cardiac disease or a cardiac deformity.

Cochlear Americas Graeme Clark Scholarship

Deadline: Oct 1     Award: $2,000

This scholarship is for graduating high school seniors to mature aged students who have been accepted to a university, and current undergraduate and graduate university students.

George Bartol Memorial Scholarship Fund

Deadline: Oct 1     Award: $3,000

This scholarship is for students who have a parent battling a primary brain tumor or who have a parent who has passed away as a result of a primary brain tumor.

Marshall Scholarship

Deadline: Oct 3     Award: $1,000

This scholarship is awarded to American students to enable them to study in the United Kingdom.

Two Year/Community College BEA Award

Deadline: Oct 4     Award: $1,500

This scholarship is for full-time college freshmen and sophomores who are communications majors studying an area of broadcasting at a BEA Member two-year college.

Richard Eaton Foundation Award

Deadline: Oct 14     Award: $1,500

This scholarship is for full-time college graduate students who are communications majors studying an area of broadcasting at a BEA Member college.

American Concrete Institute Foundation

Deadline: Oct 15     Award: $3,000

This scholarship is for students enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program from an accredited institution of higher education.

Future Engineers Scholarship Program

Deadline: Oct 15     Award: $5,000

This scholarship is for full-time undergraduate students who will hold sophomore or junior status during the 2015 calendar year.

Hal Leonard Collegiate Scholarship

Deadline: Oct 15     Award: $1,000

This scholarship is for deserving university students entering or continuing their collegiate jazz studies.

HotelsCheap General Scholarship for Higher Learning

Deadline: Oct 15     Award: $1,500

This scholarship is for legal residents of the United States who are at least 16 years of age.

Ruth Abernathy Presidential Scholarship

Deadline: Oct 15     Award: $1,500

This scholarship is for undergraduate and graduate student members of SHAPE America.

Mutual of Omaha Actuarial Scholarship for Minority Students

Deadline: Oct 20     Award: $5,000

This scholarship is for minorities who are enrolled as full-time college undergraduate students.

Ludo Frevel Crystallography Scholarship

Deadline: Oct 21     Award: $2,500

This scholarship is for graduate students enrolled in a graduate program during the 2016 calendar year with major interest in crystallography.

Williams-Mystic/Joseph Conrad Essay Contest

Deadline: Oct 24     Award: $500

This essay contest is for high school seniors and college undergraduates of any major who are attending an accredited college or university.

HACU IES Abroad Diversity Scholarship

Deadline: Oct 25     Award: $5,000

This scholarship is for students attending Hispanic-Serving institutions that are members of Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU).

Alexander Scholarship Fund

Deadline: Oct 30     Award: $2,500

This scholarship is for YMCA-oriented college students seeking an undergraduate degree and a YMCA career.

Upsilon Pi Epsilon Student Award for Academic Excellence

Deadline: Oct 31     Award: $500

This scholarship is for active members of the IEEE Computer Society.

Are you interested in a career involving Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (frequently referred to as a STEM job)? Then you’re not only in good company, but you’ve positioned yourself for success after graduation. Candidates in the STEM fields are some of the most sought after by employers, and college graduates with a degree in Engineering, Technology, Science, or Mathematics are most likely to find work that pays well with opportunity for advancement.

If you’re planning on studying these subjects in college then this scholarship list is for you! We’ve compiled 12 great scholarships for STEM students, and included many great opportunities for underrepresented students. We’ve also separated the list between scholarships with upcoming deadlines and scholarships whose deadlines have passed, but are good for STEM students to take note of and apply to next year. Make sure to click on the links for additional qualifying information, and make sure to build a free student profile on College Greenlight for access to millions of dollars in additional scholarships. 

Starting with the 2017-18 award year, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will be based on prior-prior year (PPY) income and tax information instead of prior-year (PY) income and tax information. For example, the 2017-18 FAFSA will be based on 2015 federal income tax returns instead of 2016 federal income tax returns.

The switch to PPY enables two key benefits for all students:

• Students will be able to start filing the FAFSA three months sooner, on October 1 instead of January 1. This will align the start of the financial aid application season with the start of the college admissions application season.
• Students and their families will be able to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to pre-fill the FAFSA, making it easier to complete the form. Most taxpayers will have already filed their federal income tax returns. Even taxpayers who use the automatic 6-month filing extension must have filed their federal income tax returns by October 15, near the start of the FAFSA application season.

The switch to PPY may be especially beneficial for low-income students:

• Generally, low-income students are more likely to be selected for verification because they are more likely to qualify for the Federal Pell Grant. But, low-income students are also more likely to face challenges in completing verification, causing them to lose the financial aid they need to pay for college. However, with the use of the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, any data element that is transferred unmodified from the IRS onto the FAFSA will not be subject to verification. This will significantly reduce the number of FAFSAs selected for verification, helping more low-income students to qualify for need-based financial aid.
• Low-income students tend to file the FAFSA later than middle- and high-income students. Students who file the FAFSA earlier tend to qualify for more grants than students who file the FAFSA later, because some aid is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis and some states and colleges have very early FAFSA deadlines for their financial aid funds. The earlier start date may encourage low-income students to file the FAFSA sooner, helping them meet more state and college deadlines. Nine states will still award state grants on a first-come, first-served basis, but the 12 or so states with February and March deadlines have not yet moved up those deadlines.

Note that if there is a significant drop in income from the prior-prior year to the prior year, applicants cannot substitute prior-year income for prior-prior year income, even if it is available. The prior-year income, and now the prior-prior year income, are proxies for income during the academic year. However, families experiencing a decrease in income can and should appeal to the college financial aid administrator for a professional judgment review, arguing that their prior-prior year income is not reflective of ability to pay during the award year. The financial aid administrator can choose to substitute an estimate of income (and income taxes) during the award year for the prior-prior year income and taxes, when the student and/or family have experienced a sustained decrease in income. If the family normally has volatile income from one year to the next, as is common among small business owners, the financial aid administrator can choose to substitute an average of income during the last 3-5 years.

To help low-income students take advantage of the switch to prior-prior year, counselors and colleges must encourage them to file the FAFSA, to file the FAFSA sooner and to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to simplify the application process. This will help more low-income students qualify for grants, which will help more of them enroll in and graduate from college.

College financial aid administrators should also consider distributing financial aid award letters and notifications earlier. Even a few weeks earlier, in early March, will students and their families with more time to choose a college before the May 1 National Candidates Reply Date. It will also allow more time for families to prepare for college costs and for financial aid administrators to counsel students and parents.

For many undocumented students, finding accurate and reliable scholarship information is exceptionally difficult. The vast majority of scholarship providers require applicants to have a social security number or proof of citizenship, limiting the number of good opportunities available to undocumented Americans.

To try and help these hardworking students, we’ve combed our scholarship database to find awards for undocumented, international, and immigrant students. In addition, we’ve listed many great scholarships that our partners and friends have created specifically for undocumented students. This list features these scholarships for undocumented students in chronological order, starting with the scholarship with the deadline that is coming up the soonest, as well as a separate list of scholarships for undocumented students with specific areas of interest.

Please note that many of these scholarships have not yet been updated with 2015 application deadlines, so they may list as “expired” in our database. Additionally, this list features scholarships that may not accept applications or have a deadline until next year. If you are interested in a scholarship with a deadline that has passed, make sure to take note and apply when it reopens which, for some may be later in 2015! 

If you know of any scholarships that are not on this list, please send an email with a link to the scholarship to our content manager. 

 Golden Door Scholars

Deadline: October 3rd, 2016

This scholarship is for DACA and TPS (Temporary Protected Status) the wish to attend one of their partner schools.  The scholarship provides four-year tuition and room and board.

Platt Family Scholarship Prize Essay Contest

Deadline: July, 31, 2016

This scholarship is for undergraduate students attending American colleges and universities. American citizenship is not required.

A Voice for Animals Contest

Deadline: May 25th 2016 (11:59pm PDT)

This contest is for high school students who have participated in projects that promote the humane treatment of animals. Students are eligible regardless of nationality, citizenship, or country of residence.

La Unidad Latina Foundation Scholarship

Deadline: You can apply starting September 1st, 2015 for the October 15th, 2015 deadline

This scholarship is for Hispanic students enrolled in an eligible bachelor’s or master’s degree program. Applicants must reside in the United States. Undocumented students and non-US citizens are eligible to apply.

Ayn Rand Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest

Deadline: October 23rd, 2016

This essay contest is for 12^th graders, college undergraduates, and graduate students worldwide; there are no citizenship requirements. To apply, applicants must submit an essay on the book, Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand.

Point Foundation Scholarship Program

Deadline: Jan 19, 2016

This scholarship is for students who are involved in the LGBTQ community. Non-US citizens are eligible to apply.

Foster Care to Success Scholarships

Deadlines: March 31, 2016

This scholarship is for orphans and/or students who have been in foster care while living in the United States. Non-US citizens are eligible to apply.

Ayn Rand Anthem Essay Contest

Deadline: March 25, 2016

This essay contest is for 8^th, 9^th, and 10^th graders worldwide; there are no citizenship requirements. To apply, applicants must submit an essay on the book, Anthem by Ayn Rand.

TheDream.US Scholarship Program

Deadline: February 15th, 2016

This scholarship is for undocumented students who are DACA eligible and have applied for or received DACA approval. Applicants must attend a partner college.

Davis-Putter Scholarship

Deadline: April 1st, 2016

This scholarship is for students who are active in movements for social and/or economic justice. US citizenship is not required.

Ayn Rand The Fountainhead Essay Contest

Deadline: April 29th, 2016

This essay contest is for 11^th and 12^th graders worldwide; there are no citizenship requirements. To apply, applicants must submit an essay on the book, The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand.

Momeni Foundation Financial Assistance Scholarship

Deadline: June 30th, 2016

This scholarship is for students of Iranian descent. Scholarships are available regardless of citizenship or country of residency.

National Peace Essay Contest for High School Students

Deadline: March 15th, 2016

This essay contest is for high school students in the United States and its territories. Students attending high school in the United States are eligible regardless of citizenship.

Los Hermanos de Stanford Scholarship

Deadline: May 5th, 2016

This scholarship is for graduating high school seniors of Latino/Latina descent who are attending any two- or four-year institution of higher learning. Non-US citizens are eligible to apply.

Elie Wiesel Prize in Ethics Essay Contest

Deadline: This deadline passed in December 2015.

This essay contest is for full-time college juniors and seniors attending colleges or universities in the United States. Non-US citizens are eligible to apply.

Scholarships for Specific Fields of Study

Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers Foundation Scholarship

Deadline: May 1st, 2016

This scholarship is for Hispanic students who are majoring in science, technology, engineering, math, or a related field, and are members of SHPE. Non-US citizens are eligible to apply.

Earl Warren Scholarships

Deadline: April 30th, 2016

This scholarship is for college graduates who are planning to attend an accredited US law school. Non-US citizens are eligible to apply.

Great Minds in STEM / HENAAC Scholars Program

Deadline: April 30th, yearly

This scholarship is for Hispanic students who are majoring in science, technology, engineering, or math. Non-US citizens are encouraged to apply.

Charles & Lucille King Family Foundation Scholarship

Deadline: Applications are available between September 1 and March 15, yearly

This scholarship is for rising college juniors and seniors who are studying television and film production. Non-US citizens are eligible to apply.

Women in Aerospace Foundation Scholarship

Deadline: Applications Due March 25th, 2016

This scholarship is for women of any citizenship or nationality who are interested in pursuing a career in the aerospace field.

American Nuclear Society John and Muriel Landis Scholarship

Deadline: February 1st, 2016

This scholarship is for students pursuing a degree in nuclear science, nuclear engineering, or a nuclear-related field. Non-US citizens are eligible to apply.

National Sculpture Society Scholarship

Deadline: May 30th, 2016

This scholarship is for students studying sculpture art. Non-US citizens are eligible to apply.

Summer is coming to a close, and that means school starts, the leaves change, and the deadlines for these scholarships are quickly approaching!

As you dig around in your closets for those autumn sweaters, take some time to apply to a few of these scholarships.  A few of these September scholarships  are perfect for Greenlight students, other scholarships are for students planning on studying certain fields, and others are for a variety of different kinds of students.  Make sure to check out any scholarship that might be a great match for you and get applying–time is running out!

American Academy of Chefs College Scholarships

Deadline: September 1

These scholarships are for exemplary students who are either currently enrolled as culinary arts majors or pastry arts majors at in an accredited college, or who are ACFEF registered apprentices. To qualify for these scholarships, applicants must have completed at least one college grading or marking period (trimester, semester, or quarter), have a 2.5 GPA, and have the career goal of becoming a chef or pastry chef.

National Amateur Baseball Federation Scholarship

Deadline: September 1     Award: $1,000

This scholarship is for current participants in a league properly sanctioned and sponsored by a National Amateur Baseball Federation member association. To qualify, applicants must be enrolled in an accredited college or university and be in good standing. Self-nominated candidates are not eligible.

John S.W. Fargher Scholarship

Deadline: September 1      Award: $1,000

This scholarship is for active members of IIE who are pursuing a graduate degree in industrial engineering or engineering management. To qualify, applicants must have a full year of school remaining and have a minimum 3.0 GPA. Selection for this scholarship is based on GPA, IIE student chapter involvement, and nomination letter. Applicants must be nominated by a faculty advisor or department head.

NAPABA Law Foundation Scholarships

Deadline: September 1      Award: $2,000 – $7,500

These scholarships are for law students who are pursuing a Juris Doctor (non LL.M) degree in an accredited law school in the United States at least half-time.

ABFSE Post-Graduate Scholarship

Deadline: September 1

This scholarship is for active faculty of funeral service and mortuary science programs to assist them in furthering their professional education. To qualify for this scholarship, applicants must be teaching a program that is accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education and be US citizens.

AFPPA Student Scholarship

Deadline: September 1     Award: $5,000

This scholarship is for first and second year physician assistant students. To qualify for this scholarship, applicants must demonstrate a special interest in primary care medicine and be in good academic standing.

NACIS Student Map and Poster Competition

Deadline: September 12     Award: $500

This competition is for students who have completed a map, research poster, or other cartography-related piece of work. The work must have been completed during the 2013-2014 academic year and meet the submission requirements.

NEWH Icon of Industry Scholarship Award

Deadline: September 15     Award: $7,500

This scholarship is for college students who have completed half the requirements for a degree that will lead to a career in the hospitality industry, such as interior design, asset management, architecture, textile design, or hotel/restaurant management.

Hispanic Heritage Youth Awards

Deadline: September 15     Award: $1,000

This scholarship is for current high school juniors (rising seniors) who are of Hispanic/Latino descent (at least one parent). To qualify for this scholarship, applicants must be graduating in the spring of 2014 and be planning to enroll in college in 2015-2016.

Nathan L. Anderson Memorial Scholarship

Deadline: September 15

This scholarship is for students who are pursuing undergraduate training in one of four disciplines: Computer Science, Aviation, Nursing, or Music.

Siemens Competition in Math, Science & Technology Scholarship

Deadline: September 20     Award: $100,000

To apply for this scholarship competition, applicants must undertake an individual or team research project related to math, science, and/or technology. Students submitting individual projects must be high school seniors; team projects may have two or three members and they do not need to be seniors.

QuestBridge National College Match Scholarships

Deadline: September 27     Award: $100,000

This scholarship program is for high school seniors who have shown outstanding academic ability despite facing economic challenges. Most College Match scholarship recipients come from households earning less than $60,000 annually (for a typical family of four) and have experienced long-term economic hardship. Applicants must plan to graduate from high school during or before the spring/summer of 2015 and enroll as freshmen in college in the fall of 2015. Non-US citizens, undocumented, and international students are eligible. Recipients are granted admission to one of QuestBridge’s partner colleges with a full scholarship. All scholarships are full four-year scholarships with no loans. See website for more details.

Xerox Technical Minority Scholarship

Deadline: September 30     Award: $10,000

This scholarship is for minority students who are enrolled in a technical degree program at the bachelor’s level or above. Technical fields include chemistry, information management, computing & software systems, material science, printing management science, laser optics, physics, and engineering (chemical, computer, electrical, imaging, manufacturing, mechanical optical, or software). To qualify for this scholarship, applicants must be full-time undergraduate or graduate students with a minimum 3.0 GPA. Applicants must be US citizens or visa-holding permanent residents and be of African American, Asian, Pacific Islander, American Indian, Alaska Native, or Hispanic descent. Spouses and children of Xerox employees are not eligible for this scholarship.

“Launch Your Dreams” Scholarship Competition

Deadline: September 30     Award: $2,500

This scholarship is for US veterans and their spouses and children. To qualify, applicants must plan to enroll in continuing education and be legal residents of the United States. The qualifying veteran must have been honorably discharged. To apply, applicants must submit an essay on how receiving a scholarship would help them accomplish their dreams.

Jerome Lohez Scholarship

Deadline: September 30

This scholarship is for American students who are pursuing a degree and wish to study in France as part of their degree program or to receive the degree from a French institution.

Don’t Text and Drive Scholarship

Deadline: September 30     Award: $1,500

This scholarship is for high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors, and for students currently enrolled in college or graduate school. Home schooled students are also eligible. Applicants must be US citizens or legal residents. To apply, applicants must submit an application form including an 140-character message about texting while driving. The top 10 applications will be selected as finalists and asked to write a full length 500- to 1,000-word essay about texting while driving.