With academic coursework, extra-curricular activities, and part-time work, writing additional essays and completing scholarship application forms may not seem possible. But thankfully, not all scholarships require a word count. There are a number of “no essay” scholarship options available to students that offer ways to apply easily, creatively, or both.
However, it is important to be aware of advertisements for “no essay” scholarships. Many scholarship search engine companies will offer sweepstakes and entry submissions for high-prize, no-essay scholarships in exchange for your contact information. This could result in a lot of emails sent to your inbox! And the probability of winning these awards is slim.
The following scholarships are not sweepstakes-based, and you may even enjoy the process of applying, through simple steps or creative filmmaking as the medium for submission.
Brian C. Jensen Scholarship
How to Apply: Complete the five-minute online application.
Eligibility: Open to any undergraduate or graduate student at a U.S. college or university
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: March 19, 2026
Website: https://briancjensenscholarship.com/
“Get Inspired” Tik Tok Scholarship
How to Apply: Complete the online application, follow Scholarships360 on Tik Tok, like the “Get Inspired” Tik Tok Scholarship post pinned at the top of their grid, leave a comment on the post about what inspires you, and enter your TikTok username in the application.
Eligibility: Open to all grade levels
Amount: $500
Deadline: March 31, 2026
Website: https://scholarships360.org/scholarships/search/get-inspired-tiktok-scholarship/
Redefining Victory Scholarship
How to Apply: Submit a 2-minute video describing what success looks like for you and how this scholarship will help you achieve it.
Eligibility: Open to any student, whether pursuing a community college or university degree, attending a trade school or completing a certificate program
Amount: 8 winners of$2,500 each
Deadline: April 1, 2026
Website: https://bold.org/scholarships/redefining-victory-scholarship/
Proverbs 3:27 Scholarship
How to Apply: Submit a response (preference given to video responses) describing yourself, how you serve your community, and how you would use the scholarship.
Eligibility: Open to Christian high school seniors at Apostolic or Pentecostal schools with non-profit or volunteering experience and at least a 3.0 GPA
Amount: $500
Deadline: April 4, 2026
Website: https://bold.org/scholarships/proverbs-3-27-scholarship/
IvyPanda Annual Video Contest Scholarship
How to Apply: Record and upload an original video of 1–1:30 minutes, on one of three topics related to AI tools.
Eligibility: Open to current high school, college, or university students
Amount: $1,000 for the top prize, $500 for the runner-up prize
Deadline: October 31, 2026
Website: https://ivypanda.com/scholarship-video
The Paradigm Challenge
How to Apply: Address one or more of the Paradigm Challenge Projects by submitting your choice(s) of medium, including posters, videos, inventions, public messages, community events, websites, mobile apps, or other ideas.
Eligibility: Open to students age 4–18, individually or as a team
Amount: $100,000 grand prize award, with other award prizes ranging from $50–$10,000
Deadline: May 1, 2027
Website: https://www.projectparadigm.org/
Please note, most scholarship recipients receive $2,500 or less, and only 0.1% of undergraduate students receive $25,000 or more in scholarship funds. Scholarships are one of many sources of funding for college, including savings, current income, and federal and private loans. To learn about the variety of ways to pay for college, visit our Paying for College webpage.
