Numerous scholarships are available for various purposes, as evident from our website. Some are even more unique. Thus, some scholarships are highly specialized and may remain unclaimed due to limited qualifiers, and this highlights that scholarships are granted for reasons beyond academic performance and test scores. Some are, for example, given only to vegetarians, some only for very tall people, and so on. If you happen to fit the criteria of a very specific scholarship, you might discover a valuable opportunity that has been awaiting your application..
Scholarships provided below are specifically for high school students, as with all scholarships across high scholarships.com, but, on this page, we have exclusively listed those that are very specific in nature, such that they could be categorized to be 'unusual'. For opportunities specific to each grade level, freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors, please browse through our main pages.
For high school students who have actively promoted vegetarianism in their schools or communities. Applicants must submit an essay detailing their efforts to promote a vegetarian lifestyle, their future goals, and how they plan to continue such advocacy in college and beyond. One award of $10,000, six awards of $5,000, as well as several runner up awards (increased as of 2025), are available annually.
These scholarships are intended for U.S. high school seniors who have demonstrated compassion, courage, and a strong commitment to promoting a peaceful world through a vegetarian diet/lifestyle. Applicants are expected to describe their activism, the impact of their efforts, and their future plans to advocate for vegetarianism. Awards have helped past recipients fund tuition at colleges nationwide, where they continue their advocacy for vegetarianism.
For high school students who have experienced the death of a parent or legal guardian. The application has simple requirements; either an essay of no more than 500 words or a video of no more than 3 minutes needs to be submitted, describing the emotional and financial challenges experienced because of the death of a parent or legal guardian. More than 30 awards available every year, at 5,000, $8,000, $10,000, and $15,000.
These awards are for high school students who have experienced financial and emotional troubles because of the loss of a parent or legal guardian. Applicants are also expected to describe in their essay or video how inadequate or no life insurance in this context has impacted their lives. Check their website for sample essays and videos from previous years, which should help with your application.
For high-achieving high school students who live in small counties. The students need to be located in a country that has fewer than 50,000 residents. 1,000 new scholarships are awarded approximately every year, and undergraduate scholarships are worth up to $60,000 each.There is a working requirement, however; the recipient must work 240 hours in the year before the start of each academic year.
While these are great scholarships in both the number of awards made each year and in the amount of each scholarship, recipients are restricted to being from rural communities. Still, if you live in such a community, these could be an amazing opportunity. Note that while there is no restriction on what kind of high school you have been attending, there is a limit on your household income, which should not be over $100,000 a year to qualify for these.
For students who have proven their creativity via the original use of duct tape in creating prom dresses. The applicants must attend prom as a couple, together wearing the most original prom dress they could create through the use of duct tape. The members of the couple do not have to attend the same high school together.
A unique scholarship opportunity for creative high schoolers who would like to make their own high school prom dress through the use of duct tape. Although it may sound too creative an idea, the foundation does award quite a number of scholarships, ranging from $500 to $10,000. What is more, you can find pictures of previous winners on their website, which could give you some unique ideas.
Funded by the Little People of America (LPA), an organization committed to enhancing the quality of life for individuals with dwarfism, this opportunity is for high school students who are 4'10" or less in height or have been diagnosed with dwarfism. You do not have to be a member of the organization to qualify for these scholarships, which range in amount from $250 to $1,000, although in certain cases larger amounts are also granted.
This is a scholarship that is specifically for people who are short in height and many high school students have traditionally been awarded these. While college students can also compete for these, we have been told that most recent winners are high school students. Although membership is not required, those who are members or are related to a member are given priority.
Funded by the Tall Clubs International (TCI), this scholarship opportunity is, in many ways, the mirror image of the one above by LPA. You qualify for these if you're a high school student who is at least 5'10" if female or at least 6'2" if male. Scholarships are $1,000 in amount and are dispersed once you're in college.
In order to qualify, in addition to meeting the height requirements mentioned above, you will need to be referred by your local TCI club. You do not, however, need to be an actual TCI member. Note that, in addition to the general scholarships assigned by the TCI, local TCI clubs often have their own awards for tall people; so make sure to check with your local club.
Offered as part of the Chick and Sophie Major Memorial Fund, this scholarship opportunity is for those who have a skill with ducks. Yes, you've heard it right: ducks. The contest is for high schoolers who can call ducks. You will have 90 seconds to employ a total of four calls, hail, feed, comeback and mating, while abiding by the rules set by the World Duck Calling Contest. Most scholarships range from $500 to $2,000.
While you may question whether you should even enter this competition, keep in mind that there is no entry fee for the contest; so trying is free and will give you a chance to win one of the many scholarships available, already as a high schooler.
For all high school students, grades 9 to 12, who can demonstrate their awareness of agriculture, farming, vegetables and fruit by either writing an essay or creating a short video, often on pre-determined topics, such as "If I had two minutes to talk to a farmer." Awards range from $500 to $1,500, and you are often expected to discuss what you believe to be the future of agriculture and farmers in original and creative ways.
This is a contest where you can hone your creative writing (or video making) skills, which will be important in many scholarships applications, as well as in college in general anyway. While the award amounts are low, you need to do little to qualify; so you may want to start applying already in the freshman year and try again in future years.
Would you like to learn a little about fire sprinklers and their life-saving properties by completing a quiz and in return be entered to win one of several $1,000 scholarships, with no other requirements (e.g. no essay, no GPA, no evidence of need, etc? Then, you should apply for the scholarships opportunities provided by the American Fire Sprinklers Association (AFSA)!
These scholarships require nothing but good luck! In return for completing an online quiz, you will be entered into the competition. The winners are selected completely randomly and solely on the basis of computer generated drawing from among valid entries received by the association. Thus, odds of winning are completely dependent on the number of entries received. Each person can only be entered once.
Provided by our very own highscholarships.com (this current website), these scholarships, each worth $1,000, are also unusual in that all they require is for you to use your imagination in depicting something "high" (e.g. a giraffe, the clouds, or a mountain, as is the case with the logo of this website), and state, in just a sentence of two, what kind of positive outcome or values it inspires in you. In portraying the high object, you could use an original drawing, a photograph or some other art work. Your written statement should not exceed 2 sentences.
Very simple to apply for, these scholarships are for all high schoolers, from freshmen to seniors. All you need to do to apply is to use your imagination in thinking of something "high", depict it (e.g. via a picture, drawing, etc.), and state the positive inspiration it instills in you. Sources of inspiration could be the limits of future success (e.g. as a college student), moral grounds, family values, etc. whatever concrete or abstract object or concept it may make you think.
On this page, you will find numerous scholarships that are specifically for high school seniors. This is when you qualify the most number of scholarships! Do not wait longer!
SHOW ME ↓This page is dedicated to scholarships that are for high school juniors, of which there are plenty. Some of these can be applied for by high school seniors as well.
SHOW ME ↓Here, you can find scholarships for high school sophomores, although some of them are available also to high schoolers at other levels. Start early!
SHOW ME ↓There are also scholarships are for high school freshmen! These are not as many in number as other grade levels, but provide a reason to start early.
SHOW ME ↓It is not too difficult to fully fund your college dream via scholarships. Once you have identified the right opportunities/matches among countless resources, an endeavor highscholarships.com makes easy for you, statistically speaking, even if you had a low success rate, you can fully fund a private college education.