Are you preparing for college and looking for straightforward ways to secure funding? The BigFuture Scholarships program, run by the College Board, has awarded over $23 million to students by turning essential college planning steps into opportunities to win scholarships.
This guide details how students can qualify for the prestigious $40,000 awards and, crucially, how international students can utilize the powerful BigFuture Scholarship Search database to find eligible funding.
Scholarship Overview: Planning Steps That Pay You
The BigFuture Scholarships program eliminates essays, minimum GPA, and test scores, rewarding students for completing simple steps like building a college list and learning about financial aid.
| Feature | Details |
| Sponsor | The College Board (BigFuture) |
| Type | Monthly Drawings ($500 & $40,000) |
| Degree Level | High School Students (Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors) |
| Financial Coverage | Up to $40,000 USD |
| Extra Entries | Available for students whose families earn less than $60,000/year |
| Deadline | Monthly Drawings until February 2026 |
⚠️ Eligibility Restriction (Read Carefully)
The main BigFuture Scholarship drawings are NOT open to the majority of international students.
- Eligible Students: You must attend high school or be homeschooled in the United States, Puerto Rico, or other U.S. territories. U.S. citizens/residents attending Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools are also eligible.
- Action: If you are not a U.S. citizen or student residing in the U.S., you cannot participate in the monthly $40,000 drawings.
How to Qualify for the $40,000 Drawings (U.S. Students Only)
Eligible students automatically earn entries by completing simple college planning tasks on the BigFuture website:
- Start Your College List: Add three or more colleges (Deadline: June 30).
- Strengthen Your College List: Add “safety,” “match,” and “reach” colleges (Deadline: October 31).
- Start Your Career List: Add three or more careers (Deadline: February 28).
- Start Your Scholarship List: Add three or more scholarships (Opens July 1 before Senior Year).
- Apply to Colleges: Apply to two or more colleges (Deadline: February 28).
- Complete the FAFSA: Complete the financial aid form (Deadline: February 28).
[MID-ARTICLE SECTION: Essential Pivot for International Students]
The Best Tool for International Students: The BigFuture Scholarship Search
While the main drawings are U.S.-focused, the College Board’s BigFuture platform hosts a massive Scholarship Search database which does include awards open to international students. This is the resource you should focus on.
The database contains over 6,000 programs, totaling over $1.5 billion in scholarship dollars yearly.
How to Use the Database as an International Student:
- Access the Search: Use the official BigFuture link below.
- Filter by Eligibility: In the database, you can filter by:
- “International Student” or “International Programs”.
- Degree Level: Bachelor’s, Associate’s, etc.
- Intended Area of Study (Biology, Chemistry, etc.).
- Review Opportunities: You will find specific scholarships, such as the International Student Scholarship at Northampton Community College or the Pace International Scholarship, which are listed in the BigFuture database.
Deadline Summary
- $40K Scholarship Drawings (U.S. Only): Monthly drawings run until February 2026, with the final tasks due February 28, 2026.
- External Scholarships (International): Deadlines vary (e.g., some open in late 2025 and close in early 2026).
Start your search now and maximize your chances:
