This page has resources for students to compare schools in Montana, organize scholarship applications, find help with the FAFSA, look up scholarships, and more.
If you have any questions about the scholarship application process, please reach out to Ms. Rausch. She can be reached at 406 324 2225, or you can email her at arausch@helenaschools.org.
Scholarships marked with *** are newly added. Scholarships are sorted by deadline, month by month. The last section is scholarships that do not have a set deadline, accept applications on a rolling basis year round, or are monthly opportunities.
Do you need a letter of recommendation for your scholarship or college admissions applications?
If so, you can fill out this document and give it to your letter writers to help them include information they may not already know about you.
Try using this checklist or create a similar one for your own use.
You can download the FAFSA checklist to make sure you have all the materials to complete the FAFSA quickly — download that here.
Use these search engines to find other scholarship opportunities!
Going to a 4-year school in-state? Check out these websites!
Going to a 2 – year school in-state? Check out these websites!
Campuses offer many scholarships to incoming freshmen, transfer students, and students in specific programs of study. Check out your institution’s website or get in touch with the financial aid office. Apply early for scholarships offered by the college you plan to attend.
Here are just a few of the scholarships available through the Montana University System Colleges and Universities:
Check out all the Scholarships and Tuition Waivers the Montana University System has to offer.
Deadline: April 15, 2022
Award: $1000
Details: The Last Chance Audubon Society (LCAS) is pleased to announce that up to two awards of $1000 each will be made to graduating seniors from high schools in the Helena School District. The purpose of the scholarships is to provide financial support to help selected students with their freshman-year college expenses. You can view the selection process and schedule here.
Qualifications: Students may apply who anticipate being accepted to a college or university of their choice and who have agreed to attend that institution. Students who apply must have an interest in college/university studies related to habitat protection, conservation, and/or restoration of value to avian and other wildlife species.
The application must be provided as a word (doc) document and submitted as instructed below. Please insure that all sections are completed. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Essay: Please attach a one-to-two page description of the area(s) of study in which you are interested, related to conservation of avian and wildlife species and their habitats, such as the sciences, environmental studies, natural resources, public policy, geography, journalism/communications or another area of study.
More specifically, describe how you see your proposed area of study addresses the LCAS and/or national Audubon missions. The LCAS mission statement is: “Last Chance Audubon promotes understanding, respect and enjoyment of birds and the natural world through education, habitat protection and environmental advocacy.”
In your submission, Please address the following questions:
You can view the LCAS website here.
Deadline: March 15, 2022 (applications must be received by this date, not postmarked — keep this in mind!)
Details: This scholarship is to be awarded to a graduating senior who has been involved with golf. This involvement may include participation on a high school team or in a junior program and need not be presently participating. This scholarship is NOT based on golf skill. Students and parents should read the entire document thoroughly and be sure to complete all areas of the application. If the space provided on the application for responses is inadequate, please feel free to use additional paper. Please title the paper to correspond with the response. Please note: Your application will not be considered unless you have completed all the requirements listed below. More than one scholarship is usually awarded.
REQUIREMENTS:
The student must:
1) Since the MSGA awards these scholarships, only applicants with an established MSGA Handicap Index will be considered (aka MSGA Membership). This Handicap Index is free to all Junior players.
2) Be entering their Freshman year of College/University.
3) Be a resident of Montana.
4) Submit an official copy of their High School Transcript. Include official transcript of high school grades. Class Ranking, GPA, ACT &/or SAT test score questions must be answered and verified by school official.
5) Submit a recent photo of yourself.
6) Enclose two (2) sealed appraisal forms. See Scholarship Applicant Appraisal on pages 10 & 11. The Appraiser should not be your relative; however we realize that some will be related to the Golf appraiser. Please no letters of recommendations. All Appraisals must be received in an unbroken sealed envelope with the Appraiser’s signature across the seal.
Deadline: April 29, 2022
Award: $750
Details: This scholarship is judged primarily on need basis, but does not exclude achievement standards. The scholarship must be submitted, in full, by April 29, 2022. LATE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.
Applications for scholarship can be submitted by any high school senior or college freshman from the state of Montana.
Application Materials & Eligibility Requirements:
*** For Juniors!
Deadline: January 26, 2022
Award: Winners of the Hamilton Award receive two $500 cash awards to pay for college expenses at their entrance and exit from the Empowerment Program. Furthermore, prior to beginning university, Scholars receive a laptop to assist in their college studies.
Details: The Hamilton Award recognizes young people for their academic, personal, service and entrepreneurial accomplishments; forty students across the nation are selected annually as winners of the Hamilton Award and subsequently enrolled in AHS’ five-year Empowerment Program. After accepting the Hamilton Award, students enter the Empowerment Program alongside fellow cohort members and receive a comprehensive network of support and practical guidance to assist their transition from high school to college, and from college to future professional or academic paths.
All applicants should:
be juniors in high school
be high-achieving and service-focused
possess grit and perseverance
have demonstrated need
live in the United States (though you don’t have to be a resident!)
be college-bound to a US-based institution
be committed to participating in our rigorous five-year curriculum
be able to attend New York Leader Week July 9-14, 2022
Deadline: entries due by December 31, 2021
Award: One $10,000 first prize, one $5,000 second prize, three $1,000 third place prizes and four $500 prizes will be awarded.
Details: Students must submit an essay between 700 and 900 words on the prompt “In a persuasive letter or essay, convince your peers that free speech is a better idea than censorship.”
Deadline: Friday, March 11, 2022 at 5 PM PST
Award: $2500 for college students (numbers of awards varies per year)
Purpose: The Truman D. Picard Scholarship Program is dedicated to the support of Native American students pursuing a higher education in Natural Resources.
Applicants must submit a letter of application, resume, three letters of recommendation and evidence of validated enrollment in a federally recognized tribe or Alaska Native Corporation, as established by the U.S. government (i.e. a photocopy of an enrollment card, front and back, or Certificate of Indian Blood) (CIB). Applicants must complete the FAFSA and demonstrate financial need.
Required Materials:
The Education Selection Committee will review and rank only those applicants who completely address each area. Please be specific. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Inquiries and applications should be directed to the Intertribal Timber Council office:
ATTN: EDUCATION COMMITTEE
INTERTRIBAL TIMBER COUNCIL
1112 N.E. 21st Avenue, Suite 4
Portland, Oregon 97232‐2114
(503) 282‐4296 phone
Students can win one of six $500 scholarships by posting a picture of one of the Reach Higher student-designed stickers to Instagram or Facebook! All the stickers are designed by students who participated in the Reach Higher Design a Sticker Scholarship contest.
Deadline: November 30, 2021
To enter, students need to:
Reach Higher sent HHS a packet with a lot of stickers, which are being distributed to teachers and staff throughout the school. Look for the stickers in the next few weeks!
For more information, visit reachhighermontana.org/scholarships.
DEADLINE: December 3, 2021
AWARD: Using Fall 2019/Spring 2020 tuition costs, the four-year value of a Presidential Scholarship exceeds $45,000 for Montana residents and $119,000 for non-residents. The Provost Scholarship exceeds $33,000 for Montana residents and $107,000 for non-residents. Both scholarships cover tuition, but not fees. The Presidential Scholarship includes a $4,000 stipend, which is first applied to fees, including room and board. Any remaining amount after such fees have been deducted will be returned to the student as a cash award. The Provost Scholarship includes a $1,000 stipend, which is first applied to fees, including room and board. Any remaining amount after such fees have been deducted will be returned to the student as a cash award. Please note that MSU has a freshman housing requirement.
Presidential Scholarships are Montana State University’s most distinguished academic awards, recognizing scholastic achievement, demonstrated leadership and unique personal qualities. Scholarship recipients receive annual tuition waivers, a generous stipend and other unique incentives for each of four years. Recent Presidential Scholars have gone on to receive such renowned awards as the Goldwater, Truman, Rhodes, Marshall and Mitchell scholarships. As Ambassadors of the university, they reflect its highest ideals through demonstrated leadership and public service, and are in the process of leaving a unique fingerprint on their world. Applying for the MSU Presidential Scholarship also serves as an application to the Honors College at MSU.
You must first apply and be admitted to MSU. You will need your Student I.D. number to proceed with the Presidential Scholarship application process.
DEADLINE: December 15, 2021
AWARD: College scholarships are awarded at the state level ($500 last year) and millions in college-granted scholarships are available ($1 billion nationally). And one representative will advance to the national program in Mobile, Alabama where they give away over $130,000 in cash tuition scholarships.
About the program: Distinguished Young Women is a unique program that combines the chance to win college scholarships with a program that offers Life Skills training to prepare young women for the world after high school. Each year we make over $1 billion dollars in scholarships available and it costs nothing to enter!
The program takes place in all 50 states and Washington DC with some states having local programs as well. Young women participate in either their junior or senior year of high school, so check the web page of your state or local program to make sure you don’t miss out. Apply now to find out!
Each Distinguished Young Women program evaluates participants in the following categories: Scholastics (25%), Interview (25%), Talent (20%), Fitness (15%), and Self-Expression (15%). Local program winners, in states where locals are available, advance to the state level. All state winners participate in the National Finals which is held in Mobile, Alabama the June after you graduate from high school.
In addition, through our Life Skills program, which includes workshops and online resources, participants can learn skills like:
Before you apply, be aware that in order to qualify for or win any of the scholarships offered by Distinguished Young Women, you must participate in a program for your area. This could include attending a rehearsal(s) and being a part of an on-stage performance (dependent on Covid-19 guidelines in your area). After you apply, the program you would participate in first, which is determined by where you live, will be in touch with the details of participation for their program. Read the “What is Distinguished Young Women?” page to learn more before you apply.
This application is mutually shared between two scholarship programs, one run by GSBA and one by Pride Foundation. They cooperate so that with this one application, you’ll be applying to all the scholarships you qualify for at both organizations.
All applications are due by 4:00pm AKST / 5:00pm PST / 6:00pm MST on Friday, January 7, 2022.
Getting Started:
Required Materials:
Optional Materials:
In fairness to all applicants, we do not accept late applications under any circumstances. When you have submitted your application, you will immediately receive an email confirmation. That email will share more details about the review timeline.
If you have questions, or if you experience any access issues with the application – if you need language translation, if your access software doesn’t work easily with this application format, or other challenges, please email scholarships@pridefoundation.org or call (800) 735-7287 or (206) 323-3318.
Deadline: January 14, 2022
Award: $1000
Details: Each year (April) $1,000 grants will be awarded to graduating high school seniors in the United States, who plan to continue their education at accredited post-secondary colleges, universities or vocational schools. The number of grants awarded annually will be at the discretion of the United States JCI Senate Foundation. The monies must be used for educational expenses in the first year of full-time study. Checks awarded will be made out in the name of the recipient and the educational institution of their choice.
The application must be submitted as a hard-copy with all elements of the application package present. Download the checklist here, so you don’t miss anything. Dowload the application itself here.
Email Janet Prescott at fedupred@hotmail.com with any questions.
Point Foundation is the nation’s largest higher education scholarship-granting organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) students. Point’s multifaceted support of its scholarship recipients (“scholars”) extends far beyond direct financial contribution toward the cost of their education. Each scholar is paired with a mentor and participates in leadership development programs and events.
Deadline: January 18, 2022 @ 9:00 AM
The scholar selection process begins with a thorough review of all applications by a trained team. The selection process concludes with in-person interviews of finalists by Point board members and staff. Point announces its new scholar class in June for LGBTQ Pride Month.
Point Foundation considers many factors when assessing scholarship applicants, including:
Eligible applicants also:
Award: $1200
Deadline: January 31, 2022
In partnership with Reach Higher Montana and Montana Campus Compact, ServeMontana are pleased to offer the Youth ServeMontana Scholarship opportunity. Up to 83 high school seniors will be selected to receive a $1,200 scholarship for their volunteer service in their respective communities. Qualifying Students will have completed 50 hours or more of volunteer service within the last 12 months. Applications will open November 2021 and close January 31st, 2022. We are delighted to offer this scholarship opportunity to provide financial assistance for Montana students who will be attending a Montana Campus Compact Institution next fall.
Some details about this scholarship:
Applications will first be evaluated for meeting the minimum requirements. These include:
• A completed and legible scholarship application form
• Proof of acceptance to one of Montana’s Campus Compact member institutions
• Current senior status at the time of application
• The student will use the scholarship funds for the 2022-2023 academic year
Applications will then be evaluated based on secondary criteria. These include:
• Geographic diversity
• Depth and breadth of service activities; and
• Student’s personal and long-term commitment to service.
• COVID-19 related service efforts.
Your high school GPA is not included in the selection criteria.
You must be planning on attending a college that is a member of the Montana Campus Compact. These are: Blackfeet Community College, Carroll College, Miles Community College, Dawson Community College, Salish Kootenai College, Great Falls College, MSU-Northern, UM-Western, MSU-Billings, Flathead Valley Community College, Aaniih Nakoda College, Fort Peck Community College, Montana Tech, MSU, Little Big Horn College, Helena College, and UM.
The button below will take you to the ServeMontana website. There you will find links to the Youth ServeMontana Scholarship FAQ page, and the application portal. Be sure to look at the FAQ page to see all of the requirements for the scholarship.
Award: two $2000 awards
Deadline: January 31, 2022
Open to graduating high school senior girls in the tri-county area (Lewis & Clark, Jefferson and Broadwater). In order to qualify, applicants must plan on attending a non-traditional career program, or two year degree program.
This award is open to a senior high school woman who:
1. Resides in the tri-county area of Lewis & Clark, Broadwater, and Jefferson counties
2. Is enrolled or has been accepted to a vocational/skills training program or similar non-traditional career
program, or 2-year degree program
3. Is motivated to achieve your education and career goals
4. Has NOT previously been the recipient of a Soroptimist International of Helena award
5. Is not a Soroptimist member or immediate family member
Mail your application and two references to the address listed below postmarked by January 31, 2022. Incomplete applications, applications received without references, and applications received after the deadline will not be considered.
SI of Helena
Attn: New Adventures Educational Scholarship
PO Box 1216
Helena, MT 59624
You can fill out the application through the fillable PDF form by selecting the button below.
Deadline: Application is required to be submitted to the Counseling Center on or before Friday, February 18, 2022.
Amount: $1,000.00
This scholarship is being offered in memory of Joseph Michael “Joey” McKeon who graduated from Helena High School in June 2009 and who died as a result of an automobile accident Sunday, November 22, 2009. Joey was an avid swimmer, swimming competitively for the Helena Lions Swim Team and the Helena High Bengals from 1995 through his senior year 2009. Joey was dedicated to his sport of swimming and compassionate and helpful to all his fellow swimmers. Joey established a legacy in the Helena swimming community and was a leader throughout his four years on the Helena High Bengals swim team.
It is with this same spirit of giving, that his family offers this scholarship to a deserving Helena High School or Capital High School student athlete and graduate who swam competitively for at least two years for the Helena High Bengals or Capital High Bruins.
Application Requirements: The scholarship is offered to a graduating senior who has swam competitively, for at least two years, for the Helena High Bengals or Capital High Bruins swim teams and has a minimum of a 2.5 cumulative grade point average. Applicant may not have been awarded a full athletic or academic scholarship to a university, college, or technical school.
Letter of Reference: Two letters of reference are required, one of which must be from a teacher or coach.
Essay: Please attach a typed essay no longer than two pages describing your school activities and your leadership skills in school, as a member of the swim team, and in the community, along with your educational and career plans. Include in this essay the name and address of the university, college, or technical school you are planning to attend.
Transcript: Please attach a current transcript of your high school record. This does not have to be an official transcript.
Method of Payment: The monetary award of $1,000.00 will be sent to the school the student plans to attend in the fall of 2022 and will be split equally between two semesters.
You can download the application below, or you can stop by the Counseling Center to pick up a hard copy. Please make sure to return the completed application to Ms. Rausch in the Counseling Center by February 18.
DEADLINE: The 4-year undergraduate application is available annually from December 1 and closes March 15.
AWARD: 50 awards at $10,000 each
The program specifically assists high school students who have faced and overcome great obstacles in their young lives. The scholarships are funded by Horatio Alger Members who, like the Scholars, have experienced challenges but ultimately overcame them to become successful business and civic leaders. This scholarship is available for high school seniors who have achieved a minimum GPA of 2.0 and are planning to pursue a degree at one of the following institutions:
All submissions must be emailed or postmarked on or before April 15, 2022.
Two Scholarships will be awarded in the amount of $1000.00 each. Scholarship payment will be made directly to the school that the applicant will be attending.
Black Mountain Software is offering scholarships to Montana students. All interested 2022 graduating Montana high school seniors who will be attending an accredited institution of higher education, regardless of their field of study, are eligible. These accredited institutions include trade schools, technical schools, colleges or universities.
Applications and essays may be submitted electronically or mailed to Black Mountain Software. If mailed, send to:
Black Mountain Software
ATTN: Scholarship Application Committee
110 Main Street, Suite 3
Polson, MT 59860
Or, submit via email to: scholarship@blackmountainsoftware.com
Copies of the application and instructions can be accessed here:
Black Mountain Software looks forward to honoring Montana high school graduates by helping to defray some of the costs of continuing their education.
Award: $400
College Peas Student Standout College Scholarship is for the student who has something special that makes them different from their peers. We recommend engaging in a special kind of activity ~ Non-Teenager Activity. An NTA is, quite simply, any activity that other teenagers don’t typically do. By choosing an NTA you will differentiate yourself in a way that will have a very positive impact on your chances of getting into college.
Eligibility:
The application deadline has not been set for this round and, therefore, no award date is currently set. You may still apply, however.
Online Application
This is a $500 scholarship that is awarded monthly. We at LA Tutors are passionate about sparking the creative genius in students and would love to commend those outstanding students who have a made a difference in the lives of others in some innovative or technological fashion.
Applicants must upload an essay, letter of recommendation, and photo of yourself all at once before submitting the application. All of the following documents must be included:
Eligibility:
DEADLINES VARY BY MONTH
ELIGIBILITY: