Scholarship Newsletter

We would love to hear about any scholarships you've been offered! Please report anything you have been offered, even if you do not intend to accept it.

Please complete the form so that we can brag about all the Class of 2026 has accomplished! Reporting here ensures your invitation to your school's Senior Awards Night.

Complete the Graduate Grandstand form at the link above to share your accomplishments!

Admission to Ivy League colleges or Military Academies

Designation as a Merit Scholar semi-finalist or finalist

Being named a Park or Morehead-Cain Scholarship recipient

Receiving any other competitive scholarships or awards

Scholarship opportunities are organized by month and by due date. Make sure to give yourself plenty of time to gather necessary elements to apply.

1st Dixie Softball Scholarship : Participated in Dixie Softball for 2 years Application link

1st Civic Local Foundation and Civic Federal Credit Union Scholarship : Each year, Civic proudly awards $5,000 scholarships to 25 Civic members who are graduating high school seniors and are planning to attend a four-year college or university. Application link

1st The Phyllis G. Meekins Scholarship : a need-based scholarship to a female high school senior from a recognized minority background who will be pursuing a full-time course of study and has signed a letter of intent play golf at an accredited college or university in the United States. Two $5,000 scholarships will be awarded in 2026.

1st (local) The Cameron Scholarship at The Virginia Military Institute : a merit-based scholarship for young men and women from the city of Wilmington, N.C., New Hanover County, N.C., and surrounding communities who wish to pursue their college education at VMI.

2nd - 4th - ZNEF (Zeta National Educational Foundation) Scholarships - ZNEF Scholarships are designed to relieve the financial burden of students attending eligible accredited colleges or universities. The scholarship process is highly competitive. Most scholarships are one-time, non-renewable scholarships unless otherwise indicated.

2nd Academy of Model Aeronautics Scholarships - multiple scholarships available for high school seniors who compete/participate in AMA model activities

2nd - Elks Legacy Awards Scholarship - (deadline noon, midday, Pacific Time) Available to children and grandchildren of Elks members

3rd - Jerry McGee Endowed Student Scholarship - Awarded to two senior year high school student-athletes from North Carolina High School Athletic Association member schools each year. This award is unique because it honors both male and female student-athletes who have distinguished themselves by overcoming adversity and returned to excel beyond expectations in their scholastic athletic sport(s).
6th - Jimmy Rane Foundation Scholarship

8th - Florence Kidder Memorial Scholarship - Honors the memory of the first president of the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the State of North Carolina, Florence Hill Kidder. First place- $3,000, second place- $1,000, third place- $800 and three fourth places- $400. Non-renewable.

28th The Dream National Scholarship - The Dream National Scholarship is the “Pell Grant” for highly motivated first generation immigrant students (aka Dreamers) who are eligible to receive in-state tuition in their home state (not applicable if attending a private institution) but still have significant, unmet financial need.

28th (age 14+) Sweet and Simple Scholarship - Think back and tell us about something you received as a gift and why it meant so much to you." (250 words or less)

27th- Dennis J. Sommer Scholarship for Excellence in Education - Applicants must be Alliance Credit Union Members. Application will open in January.

1st JUNIORS: Horatio Alger Scholarships: family income less than $55,000, various scholarships

1st - (Billboard due date) Hunter Garner Scholarship: Yellow Light Project - an advertising competition created to honor Hunter Garner and to put a stop to one of the leading causes of death – car crashes. The scholarship has grown from a film competition to include billboard and radio.

1st - Life Lessons Scholarship Program $15,000 (29 awards) for college students and college-bound high school seniors. Qualified entrants who submit essays or videos about how the death of a parent impacted their lives are eligible for scholarship money.

1st - UNCW Admitted Students' Scholarships - The application portal opens December 1 each year and admitted students have access. Students must complete the University Scholarship Application first and then can look through a variety of different merit and need-based scholarship opportunities based on their eligibility and interest. The number of scholarships available varies every year. Students should complete the FAFSA by Feb. 15 to ensure eligibility.

1st - AFA Teens for Alzheimer’s Awareness College Scholarship Essay Contest - Application will open in fall.
1st- American Chemical Society ACS Scholars - For students that are African-American/Black, Hispanic/Latino, or American Indian, or more than once race and intending to major in chemistry, biochemistry, chemical engineering, chemical technology, or another chemistry-related science AND planning to pursue a career in a chemistry-related science.
1st - Eunice Riggins Memorial Scholarship - This scholarship is open to any young woman with academic rank in top 10% of the class

1st - (local) Wilmington Masonic Lodge #319 - Scholarship intended for students attending, or going to attend community college, vocational training, or any trade school. A scholarship of $1,000 will be awarded each year to one applicant. Application to Download

1st Honors College Scholarships UNC Greensboro: Complete the admissions application and honors college application by the deadline for consideration.

2nd - The Japanese American Citizens League $5,000 (30 awards) The JACL's National Scholarship and Awards Program offers scholarships to students who are entering freshmen, undergraduate, graduate, law, in the creative & performing arts, and those with financial need. All scholarships are one-time awards. Multiple scholarships available.

3rd - NC A & T Wilmington Alumni Chapter Scholarship - admitted students should apply; applications must be mailed so please plan ahead!

4th - Learner Tutoring Innovators of Color in STEM Scholarship - $500 for BIPOC undergraduate or graduate students pursuing STEM

TBD - The D. J. McLeod Foundation Memorial Scholarship $1,000 (Laney only)

15th - David & Dovetta Wilson Scholarships - Easy! Everyone with a GPA above 2.5 should apply. No essay required.

15th- UCB Family Epilepsy Scholarship - 30 scholarships of up to $5,000 each to students who are studying to receive a post-high school degree. 3 scholarships of up to $10,000 each will be awarded to applicants who demonstrate academic and person achievement.

17th- Univ. of North Georgia Army ROTC Scholarship - The Army ROTC scholarship pays either all tuition and fees or housing and food up to $12K a year. In return, recipients commission as Army officers in either the Active Duty Force, the Army Reserves or the National Guard.

18th- Wilburn Clary Medal - $3,000 Senior student-athlete participating on two (2) or more different varsity, NCHSAA sanctioned athletic teams during their high school career (9th - 12th). Must participate on a varsity athletic team during their senior year.

18th - The Alford Family Golf Scholarship - $1,000 to a senior varsity golf student-athlete participating at an NCHSAA member high school.

20th - Herter O'Neal NC Coop Extension Admin Professional Association (NCCEAPA) Scholarship - $750 awarded to honor the work of Edith Herter and Frences O'Neal, founding members of the NCCEAPA. Targeted toward student pursuing a degree in business or a business-related field.

20th- (local) Wilmington Delta Sigma Theta Sorority - Applications are open for area students who are high school seniors, enrolled in community college, or considered non- traditional students, who are returning to school to further their education. Well-rounded applicants who not only excel in the classroom, but also show leadership, and are service-oriented are encouraged to apply. The application is available here online.

20th - Everett & Trudy Suddreth Scholarship of Excellence Award - Must be a dependent of a permanent, full-time employee of a CFIC Retail, Wholesale or Supplier Member Company (includes Food Lion, Harris Teeter, Lowes Foods, Publix, etc).

20th - North Carolina Retail Merchants Association Scholarship Program - High School Seniors who are a spouse or dependent of a permanent, full-time employee of an NCRMA retail member company. Employee must be employed for at least one year as of 1/1/21. Any student who at a minimum is a part-time employee of an NCRMA retail member company for at least six months as of 1/1/21.

21st - (local) Wilmington Roadrunner Scholarship - ALL eligible seniors are encouraged to apply. We are looking for the heroes of our area high school running teams. Our program is not necessarily designed to reward the fastest runner; school records are not part of our selection criteria BUT, proven leadership and exemplary community involvement are!

25th - National Association for Black Veterans (NABVETs) Eligible applicants must be African American Cape Fear Area high school seniors who are children or grandchildren of US military veterans who have been accepted at a four-year college.

27th - (local) NHCS Board of Education sponsored Educational Pathways Scholarship
30th - NC Home Builders Workforce Development Regional Scholarship - Submit the application form and an advisor recommendation form for a chance at 1 of 8 available $1,000 scholarships. Can be considered for renewal after 1st year.

31st - Superpower Scholarship - Submit an online written response to the question: "Which superhero or villain would you want to change places with for a day and why?" (250 words or less)

31st - Self-Help Credit Union Community Scholarship

31st Humanity Rising awards scholarships to students who are creating a more compassionate and better world through service. High school students are eligible to apply. Our scholarships can be used for college or trade school.

31st - Tony Cullen Memorial Endowed Scholarship opens Feb. 14

31st - League of Women Voters of Lower Cape Fear Scholarship - The LWVs is offering a $1000 scholarship to a graduating senior attending a New Hanover County High School who is planning to attend a 2 , 4 year or technical college. Produce and upload a video in response to prompts.

Scholarships and grants are helpful ways to fund your college education. They provide you with free money that can go towards tuition or other educational expenses. Here are some sites that help organize and streamline the process.

We are in the process of moving our NHCS Scholarship website. The old website is no longer being updated and the last updated information on the old site is November 2025. The new link below is the main location for scholarship resources.

For some scholarship opportunities, schools are asked to nominate students and are limited in the number of nominees per school. Other scholarship opportunities are specific to a high school or a local organization. Those opportunities are curated and available in the Scholarship Google Classroom. Please keep your email notifications turned on so that when a new scholarship or other opportunity is posted, you will be notified. Use the button below to join! Make sure to use your school email address when you join so you will be able to access all materials.

(This site is designed for students - family members are welcome to join to help keep up with opportunities, but some documents and links may not work because settings are locked for NHCS email accounts.)

Find colleges, compare costs, and maximize financial aid—all in one place. From FAFSA® to scholarships, we help make college affordable. To find and apply for scholarships, sign up for Going Merry (https://www.goingmerry.com) -- it’s free! Going Merry has thousands of national, regional, and local scholarships.

Here are some reasons I recommend Going Merry above other scholarship sites:

• Scholarship bundles: You can apply to multiple scholarships using one application and the same essay prompt.

• Vetted scholarships: The Going Merry team periodically reviews every scholarship listing, to ensure the scholarship program is still active and the information is correct.

• Personal matching: Once signed up, you’ll answer a few questions to fill out a basic profile, and then get matched to scholarships that fit your background, academics, interests, etc.

• Clear organization: You can shortlist favorites and get deadline reminders about them. All drafts and applications are saved, and you’ll get updates on the scholarships you’ve applied to.

• Direct, auto-filled applications: You can apply to many scholarships directly on the site (with forms helpfully pre-filled).

• Financial aid applications: Seniors can also submit the FAFSA® through Going Merry, using their more user-friendly version of the government form, which they call “the FAFSA® Made Easier.”
  

Complete your profile at www.appily.com and receive real admission offers to multiple schools, many with scholarships attached. Having schools compete for you this way takes the uncertainty out of the traditional application process.