10 Best Scholarships for Christian Students
Mar 09,2023Christianity isn't as prevalent in the U.S. as it once was. Back in the early 1990s, about 90% of Americans identified as Christians. Today, that number has dropped down to just over 60%.
This is obviously not good news for Christianity as a whole. But it might be good news for the Christian students throughout the country who are looking to get their hands on the best scholarships possible.
There are many Christian scholarships that are offered by religious colleges and organizations. If you're a Christian student, you might be able to qualify for one of these religious scholarships as long as you meet some basic criteria.
We're going to walk you through ten of the best scholarships available to Christian students. You should see if you might be eligible for any of them and fill out an application for them ASAP. Check them out below.
1. Baptist Life Insurance Agency Scholarship
Going to college can be very expensive these days, so every single extra scholarship dollar that you're able to get your hands on will count. A Baptist Life Insurance Agency Scholarship will help you obtain a $1,000 scholarship.
This scholarship is available to any full-time undergraduate and graduate students. All you'll need to do is secure a scholarship application sometime between January 1 and May 1 each year and return that application by May 31 for the chance to get this scholarship.
The Baptist Life Insurance Agency will take a handful of things into account when considering your application, including your previous academic achievements, your career goals, and your financial need.
2. Catholic Knights Financial Company Scholarship
Are you open to the idea of doing some community service in exchange for the right to apply for one of the best scholarships for Catholic students? Then you might be interested in a Catholic Knights Financial Company Scholarship.
In order to qualify for this scholarship, you'll need to do at least 10 hours of community service at a non-profit organization. You'll also need to fill out an application by March 31 each year.
If you're already doing community service on your own, it would be silly not to think about applying for this scholarship. And if you're yet doing any community service, this might give you the perfect reason to change that immediately.
3. National Presbyterian College Scholarship
If you're planning to attend a Presbyterian college or university, you may want to look into the National Presbyterian College Scholarship Program. It routinely dishes out more than 30 scholarships to freshmen each year.
You will need to jump through a few hoops to be considered for this scholarship. For example, you'll need to fill out an application and send in everything from an essay and a resume to a school transcript and a letter from your pastor by March 1 for consideration. You'll also need to prove that you have good character and leadership experience.
But because the National Presbyterian College Scholarship Program provides some flexibility as far as how many scholarships are given out, you might have an easier time qualifying for one. It'll make jumping through all these hoops well worth it.
4. YCL Young Christian Leaders Scholarship
Do you consider yourself to be a "young leader"? Are you an active member of your church? And do you reside in New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut?
If you answered "yes" to each of these questions, you might be a good candidate for the YCL Young Christian Leaders Scholarship. It's a $1,000 scholarship that Christian students who check each of these boxes will be eligible for, even if they attend a college or university that isn't located in the tri-state area.
One great thing about this scholarship is that you won't have to wait a whole year if you happen to miss the deadline for it. The deadline to apply for this scholarship is the 15th of each month, which means that you can put in an application for it at almost any time you want.
Just make sure that you have an average cumulative GPA of at least a 3.0 before putting in your application. That's the minimum requirement when it comes to the grades of Christian students.
5. Faith & Education Scholarship
If you've been accepted to a four-year liberal arts college or university, the Faith & Education Scholarship might be a good option for you. It's open to any Christian students who attend the Church of Christ and have been either accepted to a college or already attend one.
The best part about this scholarship is that it's worth $25,000. That should put a nice dent in your annual tuition bill and make attending college so much more manageable from a financial perspective.
It won't be too difficult to apply for this scholarship, either. All you'll need to do is fill out an application for it, write an essay, and secure three letters of recommendation. One of these letters will need to be from a leader within your church, while another one will need to be from a staff member from your high school.
The deadline for the Faith & Education Scholarship is April 12 of each year.
6. Diamonds in the Rough Ministry International Scholarship
Female high school seniors who live in Texas might want to explore the idea of applying for the Diamonds in the Rough Ministry International Scholarship. There are about ten of these scholarships given out each year to those who apply for them by their April 20 deadline.
Diamonds in the Rough Ministry International Scholarships are worth $5,000 each, and you won't have to work too hard to put in an application for one. You'll need to maintain a GPA of at least 2.5, perform some community service, and send in both your high school transcript and letters of recommendation from church leaders and/or teachers.
You might also want to look into some of the other scholarships that are available strictly for Christian women. Clare Boothe Luce Scholarships from the Henry Luce Foundation, for instance, are scholarships for current female college students at certain Catholic universities who are studying physical science. This scholarship has a deadline of March 14 each year.
7. Cannon Endowment Scholarship
Do you have any interest in working as a military chaplain one day? You'll be happy to hear that this interest alone could be enough to get you a Cannon Endowment Scholarship.
This scholarship will be worth around $2,500, and it can be used at various colleges and universities throughout the country. To qualify, you will need to be a seminarian in either the United Methodist Church, Christian Church Disciples of Christ, Presbyterian USA Church, or United Church of Christ.
All of this might sound very specific, but that could actually work in your favor. Since there aren't going to be as many applicants for a scholarship like this, you're likely going to be on a shortlist of candidates for it if you apply. Applications will need to be sent in by April 1 each year.
8. Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church Scholarship
If you're a member of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, you may want to investigate applying for the Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church Scholarship. Those who are members of the Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, in particular, will receive preferential treatment when it comes to this scholarship.
This scholarship will provide you with the opportunity to receive money to attend Western Michigan University. All you'll need to do is apply for it by May 1 each year and be active as far as community service is concerned. You will also need to show that you have a financial need that may make it difficult for you to attend college otherwise.
The amount of money that you'll get if you're awarded this scholarship will vary depending on the year. But if you're lucky enough to receive it, you will be able to obtain half the scholarship in the fall and the other half in the spring to help cover the cost of WMU tuition.
9. Foundation for College Christian Leaders Scholarship
If you're a Christian student who lives in California, Oregon, or Washington, you might be eligible for the Foundation for College Christian Leaders Scholarship. It's a scholarship that is designed for practicing Christian students who have proven to be ready to tackle leadership roles within their churches.
Here are the requirements that you must meet to be considered for the Foundation for College Christian Leaders Scholarship:
- Must be a current undergraduate student
- Must have at least a 3.0 GPA
- Must be planning to pursue a career related to theology
- Must make under $75,000 per year (or have parents who make under $75,000 per year)
You'll also need to fill out an application to be considered for this scholarship by May 22 each year. It could be a fantastic option for any young people who have taken on leadership roles within their Christian communities prior to heading off to college.
10. Italian Catholic Federation Scholarship
If you aren't Italian, you might be under the impression that you won't qualify for this particular college scholarship. But that might not necessarily be the case!
To be considered for the Italian Catholic Federation Scholarship, you will either need to be of Italian descent or be a Roman Catholic with a parent who has been a part of the Italian Catholic Federation over time. You will need to provide documentation proving this.
If you're able to meet one of these requirements and if you have at least a 3.2 GPA, you can fill out an application for this scholarship before its March 15 deadline. You can put yourself in a position to receive money throughout college as you'll be eligible to collect $400 as a freshman, $500 as a sophomore, $600 as a junior, and $1,000 as a senior.
Search for More of the Best Scholarships for Christians
Now that you know about some of the best scholarships for Christian students, you might be ready to apply for a few of them. As long as you're able to meet the basic requirements attached to them, you should put your applications in right away. It can make attending college more affordable for you.
You should also look around for even more great college scholarships for Christians. The truth is that the scholarships mentioned here are only the tip of the iceberg for Christian students.
Many of the scholarships available for Christian students are given to those in certain states. You shouldn't be shy about looking into which scholarships are handed out in your state.
You might also want to speak with your pastor, your minister, or another leader in your church. They may be able to point you in the right direction when it comes to scholarships that they know about.
Almost every Christian church out there attempts to help college students in some way. They've each established their own scholarships that they use to encourage young people to get more involved in their religious communities. Your goal should be to track down as many of the best scholarships as you
Start Applying for Christian Scholarships Now
Some of the best scholarships available in 2023 are Christian scholarships. If you're a Christian, you should take full advantage of this. Begin filling out applications to see how much money you might be able to claim for college.
You can also count on the Honor Society to help you find other types of scholarships. We have so many amazing scholarship opportunities scattered around on our site.
Do you have any questions about applying for scholarships, or would you like to learn more about the Honor Society and what it is that we do? Contact us today to get the information you're looking for.