Scholarships play a crucial role in making higher education attainable and fostering both personal and professional growth for high school students. They are also a key factor in promoting educational equity and preparing future generations for success.
If you’re a high school student facing the high price tag of tuition and other educational costs, scholarships can help to offer financial relief and reduce stress as you transition into your college studies.
According to the College Board, approximately $6 billion in private scholarships and institutional grants are awarded annually. If you’re ready to earn some of that money for your studies, you’ll need a great resume showcasing your motivation and academic success.
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This resume guide and corresponding scholarship resume example will cover the following:
The first step in writing your scholarship resume is understanding what sections to include. Your resume should contain the following elements:
While these sections are commonly geared towards job seekers, in this guide, we will discuss how to adapt each one for your high school education, including showcasing a wider range of experiences like volunteer work, clubs and organizations, after-school jobs, and leadership positions.
While writing your scholarship resume, consider this winning formula:
Believe it or not, you have more flexibility when choosing a resume format for a summer job than when applying for scholarships! That’s because a restaurant or movie theater will hire you with limited experience, while a scholarship committee will only choose the best candidates with a proven track record of academic success.
That’s why we recommend choosing the reverse chronological resume format. For job seekers, this format focuses primarily on the employment history section, listed in reverse chronological order. For high school students, it’s possible to use this section to list all your high school activities, volunteer positions, sports clubs, after-school jobs, and more. This is the format of our adaptable scholarship resume example because it’s the structure that scholarship committees expect to see.
Other types of resume formats include the functional format and the hybrid resume format, but these structures are better saved for applying to jobs with limited experience.
Your contact information is a crucial part of your scholarship resume as it allows the committee to contact you. Your contact details should go in an attractive and eye-catching header section at the top of the page. Here is the information to include:
If applying in the U.S., Canada, or the U.K., don’t include:
Our adaptable scholarship resume sample can help you with creating an effective header.
Jessica Brown
090-080-0000
j_brown@gmail.com
Jess Brown
090-080-0000
jess_brown_in_town@mail.edu
The summary on a high school student's resume for a scholarship is a brief, compelling statement highlighting your academic achievements, extracurricular involvement, and career aspirations. Since the scholarship committee will likely receive many applications, this section is placed at the top to grab the reader's attention. It summarizes the most important and relevant aspects of your background and goals. Here’s how you can craft an effective summary for a scholarship resume:
Here’s how to craft a great summary:
Scholarships are geared towards different types of students with various backgrounds, interests, or qualities. There are scholarships for students who wear glasses, are interested in agriculture, or ride horses… the list is endless! If the scholarship you’re applying for is based on a unique experience or interest, the summary is the best place to explain why you’re a qualified candidate.
Need inspiration for your summary? Check out our related resumes
You can find adaptable scholarship resume example summaries below:
High-achieving high school senior with a 4.2 GPA and top 1% class ranking. National Merit Scholar and recipient of the AP Scholar with Distinction award. Actively involved in the Math Club as president and lead tutor, helping peers excel in mathematics. Passionate about pursuing a degree in physics to contribute to advancements in renewable energy. The NMC Math Merit Scholarship will enable me to attend a top-tier university and focus on research and innovation in sustainable technologies.
Dedicated high school athlete with a 3.8 GPA and four years as a varsity soccer team captain. Led the team to three state championships and named MVP for two consecutive seasons. Committed to balancing athletics and academics, demonstrated by maintaining honor roll status while training intensively. Aspiring to play collegiate soccer while pursuing a degree in sports medicine. The Sports Leader Scholarship will support my dual goals of excelling in sports at the collegiate level and preparing for a career in athletic training.
Enthusiastic high school senior with a 3.9 GPA and a deep passion for environmental sustainability. Founder and president of the Green Earth Club, which has implemented successful recycling programs and organized community clean-up events. Aiming to study environmental science and policy to drive impactful change in conservation efforts. The Green Advocate Scholarship will help me attend a university with a strong environmental program and further my commitment to ecological preservation.
While the work history section is a staple for job seekers’ resumes, it’s just as important for a scholarship resume for a high school student. However, if you have more academic or extracurricular activities to show than professional work experience, you can rename this section to “High school experience,” “Academic experience,” or “Extracurricular experience”.
Begin by listing the name of the club or organization and your title in each role. Your title may be a leadership role like “Class President” or you could add “Active member” if you held more of a supporting role. Be sure to add the location (often your high school name) and the dates you participated. List these entries starting with the most recent and working backward through your time in high school. Do not include any information from before high school.
Under each subheading, add 3-5 bullet points that describe your key duties and accomplishments. To save space, create concise statements, omitting “I.” Be specific and use dynamic action verbs like led, initiated, orchestrated, developed, managed, or collaborated. Focus on your impact, awards, leadership duties, or other measurable achievements showing your initiative.
For example, consider these weak bullet points:
Now check out these results-based points:
Take a look at the scholarship employment history resume sample below:
Software Engineering Intern at Airbnb, San Francisco
June 2023 - September 2024
Coding Instructor at CodeCamp, San Francisco
July 2022 - August 2024
With rising costs of tuition, scholarships are becoming increasingly competitive. Committees are looking to award their money to the best of the best, so winning a scholarship with zero high school experience is unlikely. However, even if you think you have no experience, you likely do have something to show for your time in high school.
Think about volunteer activities or class projects that were built into the academic curriculum. You may be able to add these to your resume in a way that shows initiative and leadership skills, even if they were completed as part of your coursework. You can also focus on your most impressive grades and discuss why you’re interested in a particular subject matter. Here are a few more tips:
For job seekers, the skills section often includes hard and soft skills from the job description. Students on the other hand should open this section up to hobbies, clubs, areas of interest, and activities. This is a great way to show the committee what you’ve been up to at a glance. You should still include more details for these entries in other sections of your resume. The skills section is also a great place to include foreign languages.
Here’s what the skills box looks like in our scholarship resume template.
The education section is an essential component of your scholarship resume. After all, education is currently your profession! List your high school diploma with the school name, location, and dates attended (or the start date and “present”). If you haven’t yet graduated, include your expected graduation as a bullet point under the entry along with your GPA and any other notable academic achievements. There’s no need to list your education pre-high school.
Beyond formal education, this section is a great opportunity to list any additional info that doesn’t have any entry elsewhere on your resume. Publications, training, or school jobs can all be placed here.
Should I place my GPA on my high school resume?
Yes, but only list your GPA if it is 3.5 or above. If your overall GPA isn’t high enough to include, include a GPA from one or two of your strongest subjects like Math or History.
Check out the education section from our adaptable scholarship resume sample below.
High School Diploma (Expected June 2024) , Lowell High School, San Francisco
June 2024
As a scholarship candidate, your layout and design help you be taken seriously and make a positive first impression. A poor layout could negate all the great experience your resume has to show! A good design starts with an attractive header at the top of the page that displays your name and contact information. A professional accent color can help draw attention to your name, but a monochromatic color scheme is an equally solid choice. Make sure to include clean lines and bolded subheadings to divide information. Keep a balance of white space to text for easy reading. One way to save time while creating a professional-looking resume is to use an expertly designed resume template.
Profile
High-achieving student seeking the XYZ Scholarship to support my pursuit of a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science at the University of California, Berkeley. Committed to leveraging my skills and education to make a positive impact in the field of technology.
Employment history
Software Engineering Intern at Airbnb, San Francisco
June 2023 - September 2024
Coding Instructor at CodeCamp, San Francisco
July 2022 - August 2024
Skills
Education
High School Diploma (Expected June 2024) , Lowell High School, San Francisco
June 2024
Writing a scholarship resume can be a pivotal step in securing financial support for your educational aspirations. It’s crucial to present yourself confidently by highlighting your academic achievements, extracurricular involvement, and personal skills. Focus on your strengths and any unique experiences that demonstrate your dedication, leadership, and potential. Tailoring your resume to align with the specific values and criteria of the scholarship can make your application more compelling. Remember, the goal is to create a clear, concise, and honest portrayal of who you are and what you aspire to achieve, showcasing both your accomplishments and your potential for future success.
A strong layout and presentation also show the scholarship committee that you’re a serious and motivated student worthy of the opportunity. Our online resume builder can help you quickly create an impressive application that highlights your strengths and stands out from the crowd.