Bold.org connects students with scholarships to help fund their education — for free.
Whether you're a high school student, college student, or graduate student, Bold.org makes it easy to discover and apply for scholarships that match your profile. Here's how it all works.
Discover Scholarships
When you create a Bold.org account and complete your profile, you'll get access to:
My Matches — a curated list of scholarships matched to your profile based on your education level, school, major, demographics, location, and more
Browse all scholarships — explore the full library and filter by criteria
Rolling deadlines — many scholarships have rolling deadlines, so new opportunities are always being added
The more complete your profile, the better your matches will be.
Apply for Scholarships
Applying on Bold.org is straightforward:
Find a scholarship through My Matches or by browsing
Review the requirements — each scholarship has its own eligibility criteria
Submit your application — this typically includes an essay and your profile information
Track your status in "My Applications"
Things to Know About Applications
Applications can't be edited after submission. However, if the deadline hasn't passed, you can withdraw your application from "My Applications" and reapply with updated information.
Late applications are not accepted. Once the deadline passes, applications close permanently to ensure fairness.
You can reuse essays for different applications, as long as they fit the question being asked. Just make sure to tailor your response to each scholarship's specific prompt.
Track Your Applications
You can check the status of all your applications at any time:
Log in to your Bold.org account
Click "Scholarships" in the top menu
Select "My Applications"
Application Statuses
Status | What It Means |
Drafts | Applications you've started but haven't submitted. You can finish these anytime before the deadline. |
Submitted | Applications you've completed and submitted. |
In Review | The deadline has passed and applications are being reviewed. |
Finalist | You've made it to the final round of consideration. |
Winner | You've been selected to receive the scholarship. Check your email and dashboard for confirmation. |
Archived | Applications that are no longer active, usually because the scholarship has ended and you weren't selected. |
How Winners Are Selected
Each scholarship on Bold.org has its own criteria and selection process, determined by the scholarship provider. Selection is based on the requirements listed on the scholarship page — these can include academic performance, field of study, background, and the strength of your essay.
How You'll Know If You Won
If you're selected as a winner, you'll be notified in several ways:
Email notification — sent to the email linked to your Bold.org account (check spam/junk folders)
Dashboard banner — a green banner appears on your dashboard confirming your award
"Your Awards" section — under Scholarships > Your Awards in your dashboard
Scholarship page — your name will appear in the winners list at the bottom of the scholarship page
After winning, the Awards Team will reach out to you at the email on your Bold.org account to coordinate disbursement. If you have questions about your award, you can contact them at awards@bold.org.
Tips for a Strong Application
Complete your profile — a detailed profile helps with matching and shows scholarship providers who you are
Read each question carefully — even similar-sounding questions may ask for different angles
Be authentic — write from your own experience and perspective
Apply early — don't wait until the last minute
Keep applying — new scholarships are added regularly, so check back often
Need Help?
If you're having trouble with an application, need clarification on eligibility, or have questions about a specific scholarship, contact Support and include:
The email on your Bold.org account
The name or link to the scholarship in question
A description of the issue