Featured Scholarships: March/April 2026

Every student’s journey to higher education tells its own story—and there are scholarships out there for every unique pathway. This week, we’re spotlighting several opportunities that are just as distinctive as you are. The New York Life Golden Futures Scholarship Program helps you build practical financial skills along the way; the Vertex Foundation Scholarship for SCD and TDT Scholars supports students impacted by sickle cell disease (SCD) or transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia (TDT); and the Scholarship America Veterans’ Scholarship for Educators awards former servicemembers as they write their next chapter.

Learn more about these options below. To see everything that’s open now and coming soon, visit our Browse Scholarships listing.

New York Life Golden Futures Scholarship Program

Through the New York Life Golden Futures Scholarship, teens can build practical money skills that help them prepare for their financial future while earning a shot at a $10,000 or $20,000 scholarship. A total of twenty scholarships will be awarded.

“New York Life agents and advisors have a longstanding history of working with community partners to provide students and families with financial tools, educational resources, and holistic financial guidance tailored to their needs and goals. New York Life is committed to helping students and families move through life’s major moments with financial security and peace of mind,” said Amy Hu, chief marketing officer at New York Life.

Applicants must be high school juniors or seniors who are legal residents of the fifty United States or the District of Columbia. To be eligible, applicants must complete at least 25 modules in the New York Life Golden Futures Scholarship game through the ZOGO app (available for free download from the Apple App Store or Google Play). Applicants who complete 25 or more modules can apply for $10,000 awards; those who complete 50 or more modules are eligible for $20,000 awards.

High school seniors must plan to enroll in a two- or four-year college, university, or vocational-technical or trade school for the 2026-27 academic year. High school juniors selected as recipients will have the award deferred for one year and must be enrolled in higher education for the 2027-28 academic year to receive the scholarship.

Applications will be accepted through May 31. Get started > 

Scholarship America Veteran Scholarship for Educators

Service doesn’t have to end when you take off your uniform. U.S. Armed Forces veterans who are dedicated to continuing their service by working in K-12 education can now apply for the Scholarship America Veteran Scholarship for Educators.

Scholarship Details

Up to 100 scholarships will be awarded to honorably discharged veterans pursuing degrees in eligible fields, including:

• Education

• Counseling

• Psychology

• Social Work

Recipients must plan to work within the K-12 school system.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must:

• Provide proof of honorable discharge.

• Be high school or GED graduates, current undergraduate students, or first-year graduate students.

• Plan to enroll full- or part-time in an undergraduate or graduate study for an associate’s, bachelor’s, or master’s degree at an accredited two- or four-year college, university, or vocational-technical school for the entire upcoming academic year, or plan to enroll in a state-approved alternative pathway to certification.

• Have a minimum GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.

• Demonstrate financial need, which will be a key consideration in the selection process.

Award Amounts

• Recipients attending a state-approved alternative pathway to certification: $1,000 annually.

• Recipients attending two-year or vocational-technical schools and those attending a four-year institution on a part-time basis: $5,000 annually.

• Recipients attending four-year institutions on a full-time basis: $10,000 annually.

Renewability

Awards are renewable for up to four years or until a bachelor’s or master’s degree is earned, whichever occurs first, continent on:

• Satisfactory academic performance.

• Continued enrollment in an eligible field of study.

Applications are open through April 15. Apply Now >

Vertex Foundation Scholarship for SCD & TDT Scholars 

The Vertex Foundation seeks to improve the lives of people with serious diseases and to contribute to the communities where Vertex Pharmaceuticals is located through education, innovation and health. Established in 2017, the Foundation is a long-term source of charitable giving and is an extension of Vertex’s corporate giving commitment.

Since 2022, the Vertex Foundation has partnered with Scholarship America to administer awards of $5,000 to students impacted by cystic fibrosis. This year, the Vertex Foundation is expanding its scholarship support by offering $5,000 awards to students impacted by sickle cell disease (SCD) or transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia (TDT).

Applications to the Vertex Foundation Scholarship for SCD and TDT Scholars Program are open to high school seniors, college and technical school undergrads and graduate students in the U.S. and Canada. Applicants must either be diagnosed with SCD or TDT or be an immediate family member (sibling, child, spouse or caregiver) of someone diagnosed with SCD or TDT. The scholarship awards can be used for part-time or full-time undergraduate or graduate study in any field at an accredited U.S. or Canadian college, university or technical school.

Applications are open until May 6. Apply Now >