Scholarship Searching

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 Scholarships:

This is the most comprehensive list of local scholarships in WNY. Due dates vary annually; approximate dates are shown.

 

Due Date

Scholarship Name

$ Value

Eligibility Requirements
10/4 Dr. Joseph Manch Scholarship 1,000 Buffalo resident attending public or private HS in city; community involvement. Apply here.
  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.
    1/7 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.

1/31

3/10

Ken-Ton Friends of Youth Grants

up to 1,000

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

2/1

Milak Scholarship

1,000 - 1,500

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

   2/7

 

 Private HS Counselors Association

500

 For students from private high schools. Academics, service, activities. Apply here. (Sorry, not available in 2023).
   2/9 General Pulaski Scholarship 1,000 Essay on Polish heritage. Apply here.
2/15 Lockport Rotary Club 2,000 for Lockport district residents. Apply here.
2/17 Buffalo Urban League

250-

4,000

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

  2/28

3/31

 Character Council of WNY Scholarship 1,000 Excellent character, resident of WNY. Apply here.

2/28

Erie County Fire District Officers Association

1,000

Community involvement in Erie County, preferably related to emergency services. 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. 

    3/1

  4/1

 Checkers AC Donnelly Scholarship   500 Seniors who run track or cross country. Apply here.

    3/1

3/17

 Bank on Buffalo Scholarship  1,000 for business majors. Apply here.
3/4 WNY Safety Conference 1,500 WNY student with essay, GPA, need. Apply here.

3/4

Jolly Boys Scholarship

varies

Resident of Amherst or Williamsville; community service. Apply here.
   3/8 Equine Collaborative International

500

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

  3/10

St. Thomas More Guild Scholarship

1,500

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

  3/15

Aurora Players

500

for seniors with experience in theater. 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.
  3/20 Niagara Orleans Counselors Association

    varies

 Various awards for students from Niagara or Orleans county. Apply here.
  3/25 SHAWNY Scholarships varies Seniors with a speech, language, or hearing impairment. Apply here.
  3/29

Independent Health Wellness Scholarship

1,000

 Essay on healthy lifestyle. Apply here.

3/31

Grand Island Youth Ambassador Program

1,000

Open to residents in grades 10-12; leadership skills; must represent the GI Chamber of Commerce at events. 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

Federated Garden Clubs NY

1,000

Studying environment-related field. Apply here.  

3/31

NYS Academy of Family Physicians

1,000

Planning a career in family medicine. Apply here.
 3/31 Christian Airmen Scholarship 1,000 Seniors interested in aviation. Apply here.
   3/31 Int'l Society of Automation - Niagara    varies Seniors interested in engineering or technology. Apply here.
  3/31 Buffalo Implant Group   500 Seniors with a hearing implant. Apply here.

3/31

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.
       
   4/1 Grand Island Lions Club  2,000 GI residents with community service. Apply here.

   4/1

 Community Foundation Greater Buffalo up to 6,000 resident of WNY, demonstrated financial need. Apply here.

4/1

 Erie County Assessors' Association

500

 for Erie County residents attending a college in Erie County. Apply here.

4/1

Community Action Organization Erie County

1,000

80 GPA, financial need, leadership, member of underrepresented population. Apply here.

   4/1

Delta Sigma Theta

   varies

Male or Female African American seniors; academic achievement, leadership, service, need. 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  2,000 Student from WNY planning a career in aviation. Apply here.

4/10

KidsPlay Scholarship

1,000

Former KidsPlay participant. 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 Buffalo Niagara Hospitality Scholarship 1,000 Erie County resident studying hospitality or tourism at a WNY college. Apply here.

4/13

NYS Association of Agricultural Fairs

1,000

Participation in Erie County Fair, majoring in agriculture or related field. Apply 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.
  4/16 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.

 4/20

Msgr. Maguire Holy Name Society

700

essay contest for Catholic seniors. Apply here.
4/21 HS Counselors' Association of WNY 500 Attending college in NYS, majoring in psychology or counseling related field. Apply here.

4/23

Allentown Village Art

1,000

For art majors; portfolio required. Apply here.

4/29

Lancaster Opera House - McNutt Scholarship

1,000

Pursuing Performing Arts. Essay and video required. Apply here.

4/30

Kiwanis Club New York District

1,000

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

  4/30

Kiwanis Club of Buffalo, Jantz

1,000

Seniors from Buffalo, merit, need, service. Apply here.
       

5/1

Italian American Police Association

250

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

5/1

Vietnam Veterans of America - Tycz Scholarship

250

Relative of veteran; academics and community service. Apply here.
   5/1 PFLAG   500 Seniors who are either: self-identified LGBTQ or a straight ally who is supportive. Apply here.

    5/1

Amherst Garden Club

1,500

For residents of Erie or Niagara counties studying environment related field. 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.
5/1 Construction Industry Education Foundation 2,000 Seniors entering construction training or trade. Apply here.
5/1 WNY Association of School Nurses 1,000 students from Erie or Niagara studying Nursing. 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.
5/6 Paul Murphy Scholarship 5,000 For students studying hospitality. Apply here.
   5/7 Cheektowaga Lions Club varies Cheektowaga resident with service and leadership. Apply here.
  5/11 NYS School Facility Association 500 For students studying Building Trades, Engineering, Architecture. Apply here.
5/12 Buffalo Professional Firefighters 1,000 Child of a Buffalo Firefighter Local 282 member. 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.
  5/15 Seneca Ridge Dental 1,000 Interest in career in health science. Apply here.
  5/24 Kiwanis Club of Niagara Wheatfield

1,000

 NW District resident with community service. Apply here.
5/27 Lewiston Jazz Festival Scholarship 1,000 For music majors. Audition required. Apply here.

5/31

Italian Festival Scholarships

1,000

Russell Salvatore Scholarship: essay on Italian heritage; Ron Carnevale Scholarship: essay on music. Apply here.
       

6/1

Engineering Society of Buffalo

2,000

Studying Engineering related field at UB. Apply here.

6/1

Erie County Fire District Scholarship

1,000

Child of firefighter. Apply here.
   6/1 WNY Heroes 1,500 Relative of a WNY veteran. Apply here.
6/1 NYSACAC scholarship 1,000 For students who have overcome obstacles, succeeded with limited resources, or underrepresented. Apply here.

6/11

Nicholas Patterson Fund

2,000

Erie County resident, essay. 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.
   8/1 McLaurin HBCU Scholarship 1,000 WNY students attending a HBCU. Apply here.