National and Local Scholarship Resources

This page has two sections: search tools to help you access the thousands of scholarships available nationally, followed by a table of dozens of local WNY scholarship opportunities in order by annual due date.

Note: These sites are free but they do ask for personal information to help match you with scholarships.

College Board Scholarship Search

FastWeb

Scholarships .com

Student-Scholarships

College-scholarships

Cappex

Niche

Career OneStop scholarships

GoingMerry

ScholarSnapp

Review of Scholarship Search Platforms

Federal Trade Commission Warning: Scholarship and financial aid scams 

 

WNY Area Scholarships

This is the most comprehensive list of local scholarships for students in WNY. Due dates vary annually; approximate dates are shown and are updated as they come in.  Some links may not work as organizations update their websites.   Once we are informed of the current year's application the link will be updated. 

 

Due Date

Scholarship Name

$ Value

Eligibility Requirements

10/5

AES Engineers

500

Grades, character. Apply here.

11/18

BPO Young Musician Scholarship

up to 3,000

Seniors in WNY majoring in music. Recording and essay required. Apply here.

1/6

Buffalo Lafayette Optimist Club

2,500

based on essay. Apply here.

1/29

NY Credit Unions Scholarship

varies

for credit union members. Apply here.

1/11

American Association of University Women

5,000

For senior girls in Erie or Niagara County with 95+ average. Apply here.

1/15

WNY Mensa Scholarship

up to 1,000

Scholarship based strictly on essay.  Apply here.

2/1

Firefighter Arno Memorial Foundation Scholarship

2,500 for 4 years

Scholarship for seniors planning to attend a 2 or 4 year college who are the son/daughter of a first responder employed in WNY.  Apply here.  

2/1

Milak Scholarship

1,000 - 1,500

For students impacted by learning disability, hearing impairment, or cancer. Apply here.

2/9

General Pulaski Scholarship

1,000

Essay on Polish heritage. Apply here.

2/14

Lockport Rotary Club

2,000

for Lockport district residents. Apply here.

2/23

Buffalo Urban League

250-

4,000

Various awards. Academics, need, service. Apply here.

2/28

NY Water Environmental Association

up to 10,000

Majoring in environment-related field; multiple scholarships available. Apply here.

3/1

Knights of Columbus Scholarships

1,500

Child of Knights of Columbus  member attending a Catholic college or university. Apply here. 

First Sat. in March

Jolly Boys Scholarship

varies

Resident of Amherst or Williamsville; community service. Apply here.

3/10 

Ken-Ton Friends of Youth Grants

up to 1,000

Multiple grants for residents of Ken-Ton. Apply here.

3/15

Bank on Buffalo Scholarship

1,000

Scholarship for business majors. Apply here.

3/15

Character Council of WNY

1,000

Excellent character, resident of WNY. Apply here.

3/15

Fireman's Association of NY

1,500

Child of firefighter; or an Explorer. Apply here.

3/20

NYS Society Professional Engineers, Erie Niagara Chapter

1,000

Open to engineering majors. Apply here.

3/22

Cornell Cooperative Extension Master Gardener

1,000

Students who reside and attend school in Erie County, majoring in botany, horticulture or related field. Apply here.

3/22

Delta Sigma Theta

varies

Male or Female African American seniors; academic achievement, leadership, service, need. Apply here.

Last Fri. in March

HS Counselors' Association of WNY

1,000

Attending college in NYS, majoring in psychology or counseling related field. Apply here.

3/31

100 Club of Buffalo

2,000

Child of police, fire, or other emergency responder; achievement, involvement, leadership. Apply here.

3/31

Buffalo Implant Group

500

Seniors with a hearing implant. Apply here.

3/31

Federated Garden Clubs NY

1,000

Studying environment-related field. Apply here.  

4/1

Checkers AC Donnelly Scholarship

500

Seniors who run track or cross country. Apply here.

4/1

Grand Island Lions Club

2,000

GI residents with community service. Apply here.

4/1

Orchard Park Library

varies

Orchard Park residents. Apply here.

4/1

Rupp Astronomy Scholarship

5,000

For WNY students studying astronomy. Apply here.

4/9

Aero Club of Buffalo

3,000

Student from WNY planning a career in aviation. Apply here.

2nd Fri. in April

NYS Association of Agricultural Fairs

1,000

Participation in Erie County Fair, majoring in agriculture or related field. Apply here.

4/12

Allentown Village Art

1,000

For art majors; portfolio required. Apply here.

4/12

Erie County Fair Scholarships

  varies

For students who have participated in fair in any way or entering agricultural field. Apply here.

4/12

Cynthia Cervoni Memorial Scholarship

5,000

Seniors who resides in Fronteir or Hamburg School District.  Must have passion for art.  Details and application here.

4/13

Erie Country Links Scholarship

    varies

African American students; academics, service, leadership, need. Apply here.

4/13

Taste of Buffalo Poster contest

500

WNY students age 13+. Apply here.

4/15

Aurora Players

500

for seniors with experience in theater. Apply here.

4/16

Grand Island Zonta Club

1,000

Grand Island resident; academics and extracurricular activity. Apply here.

4/18

Taste of Buffalo and Tops Markets

1,000

For majors in culinary, food service, hospitality, etc. For either scholarship, apply here.

4/20

American Legion Legacy Scholarship

varies

various awards for child / grandchild of military. Apply here.

4/22

KidsPlay Scholarship

1,000

Former KidsPlay participant. Apply here.

4/25

St. Thomas More Guild Scholarship

1,600

for students in Catholic HS; essay required. Apply here.

4/30

Erie County Fire Chief's Mutual Aid Organization Scholarship

1,000

Must be a Jr. Firefighter, Firefighter, or Firefighter's immediate family.  Applicants must be planning to continue their education after high school.  Application here.

4/30

Kiwanis Club New York District

1,000

Service, leadership, need. Must have local Kiwanis Club nomination. Apply here.

5/1

Community Foundation Greater Buffalo

up to 6,000

resident of WNY, demonstrated financial need. Apply here.

5/1

Italian American Police Association

250

Italian heritage, 80 average, studying criminal justice. Apply here.

5/1

NYSACAC scholarship

1,000

For students who have overcome obstacles, succeeded with limited resources, or underrepresented. Apply here.

5/1

PFLAG

500

Seniors who are either: self-identified LGBTQ or a straight ally who is supportive. Apply here.

5/1

WNY Association of School Nurses

1,000

Students from Erie or Niagara studying Nursing. Apply here.

5/1

Zonta Club of Buffalo - HealthCare Award

1,000

Student living in or attending HS in Buffalo; volunteerism, entering health care field. Apply here.

5/1

Zonta Club of Buffalo - Gallivan award

1,000

Female student living in or attending HS in Buffalo; volunteerism. Apply here.

5/3

Erie County American Legion

1,500

For families of veterans. Apply here.

5/5

Niagara Jr. Purple Eagles Gary Hill Memorial

varies

5 years experience playing Niagara Jr Purple Eagles hockey. Apply here.

5/11

NYS School Facility Association

500

For students studying Building Trades, Engineering, Architecture. Apply here.

5/13

Junior Achievement of WNY

1,000

for students who participated in JA programs. Apply here.

5/15

Friends of Unified Sports

varies

Students who participated in Unified Sports. Apply here.

5/31

Lewiston Jazz Festival Scholarship

1,000

For music majors. Audition required. Apply here.

6/1

Engineering Society of Buffalo

2,000

Studying Engineering related field at UB. Apply here.

6/1

WNY Heroes

1,500

Relative of a WNY veteran. Apply here.

6/11

Nicholas Patterson Fund

2,000

Erie County resident, essay. Apply here.

6/30

Equine Collaborative International

500

For students entering program related to the equine industry. Apply here.

7/1

Buffalo Sabres Alumni

varies

Community service, leadership, extracurricular activity, essay. Apply here.

7/31

Mason Forever Foundation

varies

3.5 GPA majoring in health/fitness program. Apply here.