Online College Scholarships: Top 30 Scholarships for Online Students in 2026
Looking for online college scholarships? Here are 30 verified scholarships and tuition awards for online students, with live official links, amounts, and deadlines.
January
1) University of Phoenix Transfer Scholarship — Bachelor’s
Why It Slaps: This is a strong fit for online transfer students who are trying to turn previously earned credits into a finished bachelor’s degree. The official scholarship is built for new students entering with 12 to 60 eligible transfer credits, so it especially helps adult learners, community college transfers, and students restarting college on a flexible online schedule.
Amount: Up to $3,000.
Deadline: January 31, 2026, for the January cycle.
Apply/info: University of Phoenix Transfer Scholarship
March
2) GetEducated Online College Scholarship
Why It Slaps: This one is one of the cleanest non-school-specific picks on the board because it was created specifically for distance learners attending an accredited online college or university. It works well for students who want a scholarship that is not tied to one campus brand, and the award structure is straightforward enough for students who want a real, usable outside scholarship for online study.
Amount: $1,000.
Deadline: March 15 and October 15 each year.
Apply/info: GetEducated Online College Scholarship
3) Penn State World Campus Scholarships
Why It Slaps: Penn State World Campus is one of the biggest and most established online university brands in the country, and its scholarship page is broad enough to matter for many different types of online students. The official page says World Campus offers more than 40 scholarships, and the main annual application covers first-time students, returning students, adult learners, military-connected students, international students, and both full-time and part-time learners.
Amount: Varies by scholarship.
Deadline: March 31, 2026, for the 2026–27 academic year application.
Apply/info: Penn State World Campus Scholarships
4) University of Phoenix Spring Transfer Scholarship — Bachelor’s
Why It Slaps: This award is tailored for transfer-heavy online enrollment cycles, which makes it useful for students who missed a winter start or are jumping back into school in spring. It is aimed at new students and certain re-enrolling students with 12 to 60 eligible transfer credits, so it works especially well for degree completers who want a second entry point instead of waiting another full term.
Amount: Up to $3,000.
Deadline: March 31, 2026, and April 30, 2026, depending on the cycle.
Apply/info: University of Phoenix Spring Transfer Scholarship
5) Phoenix® Bachelor’s Scholarship
Why It Slaps: This is a good online-student scholarship for working adults because it is aimed at new and returning bachelor’s students with at least three years of work experience. That makes it especially practical for students whose strongest application asset is not a traditional high school résumé but actual job history, life experience, and career momentum.
Amount: Up to $1,000.
Deadline: March 31, 2026, for the current cycle shown on the official page.
Apply/info: Phoenix® Bachelor’s Scholarship
6) University of Phoenix Current Student Scholarship — Bachelor’s
Why It Slaps: This one rewards students who are already proving they can succeed online, not just students who are applying for the first time. The GPA and progress requirements make it a strong “keep going” scholarship for current online bachelor’s students who have built academic traction and want tuition help while finishing the degree.
Amount: Up to $2,000.
Deadline: March 31, 2026.
Apply/info: Current Student Scholarship — Bachelor’s
7) University of Phoenix Current Student Scholarship — Master’s
Why It Slaps: Graduate students often get fewer clearly labeled scholarship options than undergrads, so this one stands out. It is designed for current master’s students who have already completed part of the program and maintained a strong GPA, which makes it useful for online graduate students who want support after they have demonstrated real performance.
Amount: Up to $2,000.
Deadline: March 31, 2026.
Apply/info: Current Student Scholarship — Master’s
8) Forever a Phoenix® Scholarship — Bachelor’s
Why It Slaps: This is useful for alumni who want to return and finish or extend their academic path online without starting from scratch financially. Because it is meant for University of Phoenix alumni entering a bachelor’s program, it fits students who already know the platform, want continuity, and are looking for a cleaner return-to-school pathway.
Amount: Up to $2,000.
Deadline: March 31, 2026, for the current cycle shown on the official page.
Apply/info: Forever a Phoenix® Scholarship — Bachelor’s
9) Forever a Phoenix® Scholarship — Master’s
Why It Slaps: This scholarship gives returning alumni a direct discount path into an online master’s degree, which can be a big deal for students trying to stack credentials over time. It is especially appealing for working adults who already completed one program and want a lower-friction jump into graduate school with the same institution.
Amount: Up to $2,000.
Deadline: March 31, 2026, for the current cycle shown on the official page.
Apply/info: Forever a Phoenix® Scholarship — Master’s
10) Forever a Phoenix® Scholarship — Doctoral
Why It Slaps: Doctoral-level aid that is easy to understand is rare, so this award is worth watching for alumni moving into an online doctorate. The official page makes it a distinct pathway for returning Phoenix graduates, which is useful for students planning a step-by-step academic ladder from bachelor’s to graduate to doctoral work.
Amount: Up to $3,000.
Deadline: March 31, 2026.
Apply/info: Forever a Phoenix® Scholarship — Doctoral
11) Phoenix® Doctoral Scholarship
Why It Slaps: This is one of the better online-doctoral entry scholarships because it is meant for new students rather than only current enrollees. It is particularly well suited for experienced professionals who are moving into a doctorate after building several years of work experience and want some tuition relief at the front end of the program.
Amount: Up to $3,000.
Deadline: March 31, 2026.
Apply/info: Phoenix® Doctoral Scholarship
12) WGU New Year Scholarship
Why It Slaps: WGU is built around online learning and competency-based progress, so its scholarships tend to match the realities of busy adult students. This one is especially useful because it is open to new students and returning graduates in eligible bachelor’s and master’s programs, making it a broad-access option for students starting fresh in an online program.
Amount: $3,000.
Deadline: March 31, 2026.
Apply/info: WGU New Year Scholarship
April / Spring Start Dates
13) MSN-NP $10,000 Capella-Optum® Scholarship
Why It Slaps: This is one of the largest named online nursing awards in the current batch, and it targets a high-demand field: nurse practitioner preparation. Because it is tied to Capella’s online GuidedPath MSN nurse practitioner programs, it is a serious option for graduate nursing students who want a career-focused online scholarship tied directly to workforce-ready credentials.
Amount: $10,000.
Deadline: Apply by the day courses begin; current eligible start date shown is April 13, 2026.
Apply/info: Capella-Optum® MSN-NP $10,000 Scholarship
14) MSN-NP $12,000 Alumni Capella-Optum® Scholarship
Why It Slaps: This is a standout option for Capella alumni moving into a nurse practitioner path because the official award is even larger than the standard Optum scholarship. For returning online students who already know Capella’s structure and want to move into advanced nursing practice, this can substantially reduce tuition over multiple quarters.
Amount: $12,000.
Deadline: Apply by the day courses begin; the current cycle shown runs through April 13, 2026, for the listed start date.
Apply/info: Alumni Capella-Optum® MSN-NP $12,000 Scholarship
June
15) WGU Leadership Scholarship
Why It Slaps: This scholarship is a good match for students whose application strength is leadership rather than just income level or test scores. WGU’s online format already works well for employed adults, and this scholarship adds a meaningful tuition reduction for students who can show leadership in work, school, or community settings.
Amount: Up to $5,000.
Deadline: June 30, 2026.
Apply/info: WGU Leadership Scholarship
16) WGU Master Your Future Scholarship
Why It Slaps: This one is tailor-made for online graduate students who want a master’s degree but need a lower-cost entry point. The official page emphasizes flexible online learning for working adults, and that makes this award a strong fit for students who need a scholarship that actually matches how they learn and when they study.
Amount: $3,000.
Deadline: June 30, 2026.
Apply/info: WGU Master Your Future Scholarship
17) WGU Become a Teacher Scholarship
Why It Slaps: Online education students often have to juggle coursework, field experience, and work obligations at the same time, so this scholarship is especially practical. It not only provides tuition help, but the official page also includes a student-teaching stipend, which makes it more useful than a generic scholarship that ignores the cost of clinical or classroom placement requirements.
Amount: Up to $5,000, including a $2,000 student-teaching stipend.
Deadline: June 30, 2026.
Apply/info: WGU Become a Teacher Scholarship
18) WGU Online Access Scholarship
Why It Slaps: This is one of the few online-student awards that directly addresses the tech gap instead of pretending every student already has the right setup at home. For students who need reliable internet access or equipment to participate fully in online coursework, this can be more immediately useful than a small cash scholarship.
Amount: Varies; the official page focuses on online-access support such as technology and connectivity rather than a straight cash amount.
Deadline: June 30, 2026.
Apply/info: WGU Online Access Scholarship
19) WGU Opportunity Grant
Why It Slaps: This is a strong affordability play for students who do not have normal access to federal aid tools like FAFSA, Pell, or loans. Because it directly targets students with funding barriers, it can be especially helpful for nontraditional online learners whose main obstacle is not academics but limited access to the usual financing pipeline.
Amount: $10,000.
Deadline: June 30, 2026.
Apply/info: WGU Opportunity Grant
July
20) Liberty Advantage
Why It Slaps: Liberty’s online scholarship page includes several institution-specific awards, but this one stands out because it applies to a broader range of affiliated students and even Liberty University Online Academy graduates. For online students who already have a connection to an eligible company, event, or organization, this can be one of the easiest ways to lower tuition without chasing an outside scholarship contest.
Amount: 15% off tuition.
Deadline: Complete the form annually by July 1.
Apply/info: Liberty Advantage
Rolling, Start-Date-Based, or Currently Closed but Worth Watching
21) Capella Progress Reward — $15,000 Bachelor’s Scholarship
Why It Slaps: This is one of the biggest clearly labeled online bachelor’s awards currently live on an official university page. It is a strong option for students entering select GuidedPath bachelor’s programs because the award is large enough to meaningfully shift total program cost instead of just trimming a single bill.
Amount: $15,000.
Deadline: Apply by 11:59 p.m. Central Time the day courses begin; current eligible start dates shown are Feb. 9, March 9, or April 13, 2026.
Apply/info: Capella $15,000 Bachelor’s Scholarship
22) BSN $15,000 Capella Progress Reward
Why It Slaps: This is a strong nursing-focused online award because it pairs a large dollar amount with a clearly defined online BSN pathway. It is especially appealing for RN-to-BSN and BSN students who want a high-value scholarship attached directly to an online nursing completion route rather than a generic scholarship with vague eligibility.
Amount: $15,000.
Deadline: Apply by 11:59 p.m. Central Time the day courses begin; current eligible start dates shown are Feb. 9, March 9, or April 13, 2026.
Apply/info: Capella BSN $15,000 Scholarship
23) Master’s $2,500 Capella Progress Reward
Why It Slaps: This is a broad online graduate-school option because it covers multiple master’s programs rather than only one narrow specialty. It works well for new or returning students who want a structured online master’s experience and prefer a scholarship page with clearly stated start-date rules and disbursement terms.
Amount: $2,500.
Deadline: Apply before 11:59 p.m. Central Time the day courses begin; current eligible start dates shown are Feb. 9, March 9, or April 13, 2026.
Apply/info: Capella Master’s $2,500 Scholarship
24) $3,000 Alumni Master’s Scholarship — Capella University
Why It Slaps: This one is a smart pick for alumni who want to keep building credentials online without leaving the institution they already know. The official page makes it clear that Capella alumni in select master’s programs can qualify, and the longer run of start dates makes it easier for students to line up school with work and family timing.
Amount: $3,000.
Deadline: Apply before 11:59 p.m. Central Time the day courses begin; current eligible start dates run through January 2027.
Apply/info: Capella Alumni Master’s $3,000 Scholarship
25) CSU Global COSI Scholarship
Why It Slaps: Even though the current cycle is closed, this is still worth tracking because it is one of the more targeted online degree-completion awards for Colorado residents. The official page ties the scholarship to Pell eligibility, stop-out students, and completion support, which makes it especially relevant for adults trying to come back and finish an online credential.
Amount: Initial grants up to $5,000, with disbursement tied to course enrollment across consecutive terms.
Deadline: Currently closed to new applicants; the official page says the program is no longer accepting new applicants.
Apply/info: CSU Global COSI Scholarship
26) CSU Global Mission Scholarship
Why It Slaps: This is a good fit for online students who are balancing college with work, caregiving, or other life commitments because that is exactly how the official page frames the scholarship. It is open to both undergraduate and graduate degree-seeking students, which gives it a wider reach than many online-school awards that only serve one level.
Amount: Varies; the maximum scholarship value is applied to tuition and fees for up to 24 undergraduate credits or 12 graduate credits.
Deadline: Currently closed for the upcoming award period.
Apply/info: CSU Global Mission Scholarship
27) CSU Global Degree Completion Scholarship
Why It Slaps: This one is built for online degree completers, which is one of the most valuable niches in the online college market. If a student already has an associate degree or a heavy bank of transfer credit, this scholarship lines up neatly with the classic online-student goal: finishing the bachelor’s efficiently instead of starting over.
Amount: Varies; the maximum scholarship value is applied to tuition and fees for up to 24 undergraduate credits.
Deadline: Currently closed for the upcoming award period.
Apply/info: CSU Global Degree Completion Scholarship
28) CSU Global Community Advocate Scholarship
Why It Slaps: This award is appealing for service-minded students whose strongest differentiator is community engagement rather than traditional academic trophies. Because it is open to both undergraduate and graduate students and specifically rewards volunteering and community impact, it is a good online-school option for applicants with a strong service record.
Amount: Varies; the maximum scholarship value is applied to tuition and fees for up to 24 undergraduate credits or 12 graduate credits.
Deadline: Currently closed for the upcoming award period.
Apply/info: CSU Global Community Advocate Scholarship
29) CSU Global U.S. Military Personnel and Family Scholarship
Why It Slaps: This is a strong online-school award for military-connected families because it explicitly includes active-duty personnel, veterans, spouses, and dependents. For students who need the flexibility of online education because of service schedules, relocation, or family logistics, this scholarship is unusually well aligned with real-life needs.
Amount: Varies; the maximum scholarship value is applied to tuition and fees for up to 24 undergraduate credits or 12 graduate credits.
Deadline: Currently closed for the upcoming award period.
Apply/info: CSU Global U.S. Military Personnel and Family Scholarship
30) Liberty University Online First Responders Discount
Why It Slaps: This is technically a tuition discount on Liberty’s scholarship page, but for online students in eligible public-safety roles, it functions like a meaningful institutional tuition award. It is especially useful because Liberty’s online programs are built for adult learners, and this benefit recognizes working or retired first responders whose schedules often make traditional campus attendance unrealistic.
Amount: 25% tuition discount.
Deadline: No single annual deadline is listed on the main scholarship page; students should use the official scholarship page for current application timing.
Apply/info: Liberty University Online Scholarships
