It can be hard to figure out how to get financial aid for the first time, but as of April 24, 2026, there are special “entry-level” scholarships. These are made for students who may not have many awards or work experience to show for it. They put more weight on potential, current academic status, and a willingness to get involved in the planning process.
1. University Entrance Awards with a Lot of Value
Many of the best colleges use “Automatic Selection” for people who are applying for the first time. You usually get put into these merit pools automatically when you apply for admission, so you don’t have to fill out a separate, complicated application.
- Think Big Undergraduate Scholarships at the University of Bristol in the UK:
- • Value: Up to four years of awards worth £6,500 and £13,000.
- Target: International students who will start their first bachelor’s degree in 2026.
- Deadline: The main application window for 2026 is now open.
- UCL Global Undergraduate Scholarship (in the UK):
- Value: Up to Full Tuition and Living Expenses.
- Deadline: April 27, 2026 (Very Important—Only 3 days left).
- You must be a first-time applicant from a low-income background who has already applied to get in.
- Texas Tech University in the US offers the Presidential Scholarship:
- • Value: A lot of tuition help based on how well you do in school and on tests.
- • Target: First-time freshmen who have outstanding academic skills.
2. “No-Essay” Scholarships for Beginners
“No-Essay” awards are the best place to start if you’ve never applied for a scholarship before. You can build confidence and entries in less than five minutes with them.
- Scholarships360 “No Essay” for a $10,000 Scholarship:
- • Due date: April 30, 2026.
- Entry: Anyone in any grade can enter; no essay or transcript is needed. You just need to sign up for a free account to be considered.
- $40,000 BigFuture Scholarship:
- Due date: April 30, 2026 (every month).
- Process: This program is great for people who are new to it because you “earn” your entry by doing simple things like “Start Your Career List” or “Build Your College List”.
- $2,000 from Sallie Mae Sweepstakes every month:
- Target: High school juniors and seniors, as well as college students.
- Ease: It only takes about two minutes, and no documents are needed.
3. Grants based on identity and location
Your background is often more important than your resume for first-time applicants.
- Della Fleetwood-Sherrod Scholarship for Humanitarian Work:
- Worth: $1,050.
- Due date: April 26, 2026 (only two days left).
- Target: BIPOC high school seniors from low-income families in North Carolina.
- Best Scholarship for Faith-Based Colleges:
- Value: One Thousand Dollars.
- Due date: May 1, 2026.
- Goal: High school students who want to go to a Christian or faith-based college. You don’t need any previous “leadership” experience; you just need to say you’re interested.
4. Scholarships for “Discovery” in other countries
The goal of these awards is to get students to study in new places.
- Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships (QECS):
- Status: Open right now (it opened on April 9, 2026).
- Due date: June 3, 2026.
- Target: students in the Commonwealth region who are working on their master’s degrees. This is a great chance for people who want to study in places like South Africa, Sri Lanka, or Fiji for the first time.
- Put Your Skills to Work in Italy:
- Due date: May 11, 2026.
- Focus: Encourages international students to get Master’s degrees in Economics or Engineering in Italy, with most of the selection based on their undergraduate grades.
5. A Plan for Winning for the First Time
- Complete your profile: Your digital profile is your résumé on sites like Bold.org and ScholarshipOwl. You can automatically win “Top Friend” or “Bold Profile” awards just by filling out all the fields, including your hobbies and career goals for the future.
- The “24-Hour Rule”: Since big deadlines like the UCL Global Undergraduate close on April 27th, use your first 24 hours to get your Unofficial Transcript and Parental Income Info. These are the two things that most beginners have trouble with.
- Use Your Admission Essay Again: If a scholarship asks for an essay, don’t write a new one. Use the “Personal Statement” you wrote to get into college and change the first and last paragraphs to fit the scholarship’s goals.