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Zina Kumok Image Written By: Zina Kumok | Updated: June 3, 2026

Scholarships for Summer

Key takeaways

  • Students may have more time to apply for scholarships with summer deadlines.
  • Teachers who provide references may be slower to respond during the summer, so students should plan accordingly.
  • In addition to applying for scholarships, students can use the summer months interning or working a part-time job, improving their SAT or ACT score, and starting their college applications, which often open August 1.

During the school year, it can be difficult to balance constant scholarship deadlines with a schedule packed with academics and extracurriculars. Fortunately, there are many scholarships available with summer deadlines — if you know where to look.

Scholarships with summer deadlines are attractive because students have more time to complete them. However, they also have some drawbacks, as reference writers may be slow to respond during summer months. Students can follow these steps to plan accordingly and make the most out of their break.

Read below to learn how these scholarships work, where to find them, and how to apply.

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The 25 Best Scholarships for Summer with Approaching Deadlines in 2026

What is a summer scholarship?

A summer scholarship is a scholarship that is due in the summer months, with deadlines starting in June. Just like other scholarships, summer scholarships can be used to pay for tuition, room and board, textbooks, software and other related expenses. Some summer scholarships can be used for summer classes or summer study abroad programs.

Summer scholarships are popular for students who are busy with classes, sports and other extracurricular activities during the school year. Even if you’re working a full-time job in the summer, you probably still have more time to devote to applications.

Each scholarship provider decides when they will announces winners. Many summer scholarships will have a quicker turnaround as their deadlines are close to the start of the fall semester. These scholarships might notify finalists within a few months of applying or sooner. Notification timelines vary between scholarships.

How to apply for a summer scholarship

To apply for a summer scholarship, you can log in to your Scholarships.com profile and search by deadline. Our scholarship directory lets you filter applications by date, so you can easily find scholarships with a summer deadline.

The summer due date carries some challenging aspects, too.

One of the trickier parts of applying for a summer scholarship is getting recommendation letters. Some teachers may be slower to respond to emails during the summer, so you should give them more time than you would during the school year if you need a reference.

The same problem can arise if you are writing a scholarship essay and want a teacher to review it before you submit it; during the summer, you should always err on the side of giving more notice.

You can also ask multiple teachers, in case some do not respond.

Before the school year ends, you can ask teachers for the best way to contact them during the summer. They may agree to give you their personal email address so you can reach out with any questions.

Frequently asked questions about summer scholarships

What are the best summer scholarships?

Despite what you may have heard, there are many excellent scholarships with deadlines in the summer. For instance, the Out To Innovate Scholarships for LGBTQ+ STEM Students, which is given to students who are part of the LGBTQ+ community and are interested in a STEM career, has a June deadline.

The Empower College Scholarships Program provides $5,000 annually to students who are committed to community service and have a household income of $70,000 or less, and can be renewed for multiple years. It has a July deadline. 

You can also search for local or regional scholarships with summer deadlines. Your high school’s college counselor may be able to help you find scholarship opportunities that are a good fit.

What if I run out of summer scholarships to apply for?

Even though there are many summer scholarships, you may make it through the list with time to spare before the school year starts. In that case, you can apply for scholarships that have fall or winter deadlines: getting a head start on scholarships can improve your chances of winning, as you will avoid rushing at the last minute.

If you are a rising high school senior, the summer is also a good time to start your college applications. Most colleges open their applications on August 1, so you can start working on them before the fall semester begins.

How else can I spend the summer, aside from applying for scholarships?

Aside from completing scholarship applications, you can also use the summer working a part-time job, shadowing professionals in an industry you’re interested in, taking extra classes, or completing an internship. If you are not a strong test taker, taking SAT or ACT classes can help improve your scores, which can boost your chances of getting into your dream school and increasing the aid you receive.

Remember to relax and have fun as well, especially if you felt burned out at the end of the school year. Giving yourself a chance to recharge your batteries can make you a better student when school starts up again.