Do you love Earth Day? Do you focus your volunteer efforts on cleaning up trash and promoting recycling? Are you a member of your school’s environmental club? If so, these college scholarships are just for you. We compiled a list of opportunities specifically for students who love taking care of the planet and encouraging green living. Share your passion for the earth and get rewarded for your efforts by submitting applications for the scholarships below.
The Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) Scholarship
How to Apply: Complete the online application, including transcripts and contact information for two faculty member references.
Eligibility: Open to high school seniors, college students, and graduate students intending to pursue a college curriculum directed toward a career in applied geophysics
Amount: Awards range from $500 to $10,000
Deadline: March 1, 2026
Website: https://seg.org/programs/student-programs/scholarships/
Irving S. Berman Scholarship
How to Apply: Write an essay of 400 to 600 words that describes your determination to work hard, learn deeply, lead courageously, and protect the natural world that you love.
Eligibility: Open to high school, undergraduate, or graduate students from low-income, single-parent households who are pursuing environmental science, conservation biology, ecology, zoology, or a closely related field; special consideration will be given to students from a Jewish background, whether cultural, ethical, or spiritual
Amount: 2 winners of $5,000 each
Deadline: March 23, 2026
Website: https://bold.org/scholarships/irving-s-berman-scholarship/
Environmental Kindness Scholarship
How to Apply: Write a 400- to 600-word essay describing why you are passionate about protecting the environment, how your studies will help you work toward combating climate change, and what advice you would give to your family and friends for what they can do to reduce their carbon footprint.
Eligibility: Open to any student or recent graduate who is pursuing environmental studies
Amount: $500
Deadline: April 3, 2026
Website: https://bold.org/scholarships/environmental-kindness-scholarship/
E-waste Scholarship
How to Apply: Write a 140-character statement that addresses the impacts of toxic materials on the environment and completes the sentence, “The most important reason to care about e-waste is….”
Eligibility: Open to high school, college, and graduate students who are U.S. citizens or legal residents
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: April 30, 2026
Website: http://www.digitalresponsibility.org/ewaste-scholarship
ExtremeTerrain’s Student Scholarship
How to Apply: Write a 700–1,500 word essay describing why you feel it is important to maintain access to public lands for recreational use and how you plan to use your degree to advocate for the recreational use of public lands.
Eligibility: Open to high school seniors and college students who are pursuing a degree in biology or a related degree in environmental studies
Amount: $2,500
Deadline: June 15, 2026
Website: https://www.extremeterrain.com/scholarships.html
Ventana Ocean Conservation Scholarship
How to Apply: Write an essay between 400 and 600 words on why you care about protecting the ocean and how you plan to use your degree to do so.
Eligibility: Students must be California-based and have completed at least one year of an accredited college or university while pursuing a degree with a major related to ocean conservation
Amount: $3,000
Deadline: July 15, 2026
Website: https://ventanasurfboards.com/pages/ventana-ocean-conservation-scholarship
Apprentice Ecologist Scholarship
How to Apply: Participate in or lead an environmental stewardship project, include photos of the project with your application, and write an essay of about 750 to 1,500 words.
Eligibility: Open to high school juniors and seniors
Amount: Three scholarships totaling $1,750
Deadline: August 31, 2026
Website: https://www.wildernessproject.org/volunteer_apprentice_ecologist.php
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.
