Scholarships With Deadlines in December 2026: 7 Awards to Apply For Before the Year Ends

December is one of the busiest scholarship months of the year — and several major national awards close before the holidays. If you are a high school senior in the Class of 2027, these 7 scholarships with deadlines in December 2026 are worth your time right now, with awards ranging from $1,000 to full tuition and up to $20,000. The earliest close on December 1, and the last on December 31. Apply in deadline order, and confirm every date on the provider's official page before you submit.

Quick answer: The biggest scholarships closing in December 2026 are the Hagan Scholarship (December 1, up to $7,500 per semester), the Golden Apple Scholars Program (December 1 priority deadline, up to $23,000), the Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship (December 9), the Science Ambassador Scholarship (December 14, full tuition), Doodle for Google (December 17), the Equitable Excellence Scholarship (December 22, up to $20,000), and the Gen and Kelly Tanabe Scholarship (December 31, $1,000). Two more major awards — the Ron Brown Scholar Program and the Coolidge Scholarship — also close December 1; see our guides to both.

December 1, 2026: Hagan Scholarship — Up to $7,500 Per Semester

The Hagan Scholarship Foundation awards scholarships of up to $7,500 per semester to graduating high school seniors with at least a 3.5 GPA who live in a rural area — a county with fewer than 50,000 residents — in an eligible Midwestern state, and who demonstrate financial need. Recipients must attend an eligible four-year college. If you miss the December 1 fall window, a spring window runs from January 15 to March 15, 2027. Apply on the Hagan Scholarship Foundation website (haganscholarships.org).

December 1, 2026: Golden Apple Scholars Program — Up to $23,000 (Illinois)

Illinois high school seniors who plan to become teachers should not miss this one. The Golden Apple Scholars Program offers up to $23,000 in total financial assistance for college. The priority deadline is December 1, 2026, and the regular deadline is March 1, 2027. Applicants must attend a participating Illinois college or university and major in education. Apply through the Golden Apple Foundation website.

December 1, 2026: Two More Big Ones Already Covered Here

Two of the most competitive national scholarships also close on December 1, and we have full guides to both: the Coolidge Scholarship 2026–27 — a full ride for four years, open only to high school juniors, closing at 5:00 p.m. PT — and the Ron Brown Scholar Program, which awards $40,000 to 20 Black high school seniors each year. If either fits you, apply on December 1 at the latest.

December 9, 2026: Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship — Up to $55,000 a Year

Community college students planning to transfer to a four-year college should target the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation's Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship, which closes December 9, 2026. It is one of the largest transfer scholarships in the country, worth up to $55,000 per year. Confirm the transfer deadline and eligibility on the foundation's official site (jkcf.org).

Read Also: 7 Scholarships With Deadlines November 2026 – March 2027
Read Also: Equitable Excellence Scholarship 2027: $20,000 Award, Deadline December 22

December 14, 2026: Science Ambassador Scholarship — Full Tuition for Women in STEM

The Science Ambassador Scholarship, funded by Cards Against Humanity, covers full tuition for a female high school senior or undergraduate student. Instead of an essay, applicants submit a three-minute educational video on a STEM topic they are passionate about. The deadline is December 14, 2026. If you are a woman heading into engineering or computer science, also read our SWE Scholarships 2027 guide — applications there open December 1.

December 17, 2026: Doodle for Google — Grades K–12

Younger students (and seniors, too) can enter Doodle for Google, the annual art contest open to students in grades K–12. This year's theme is "I am grateful for…" and entries close December 17, 2026. The national winner receives a $30,000 college scholarship and a $50,000 technology package for their school. Enter on the Doodle for Google website (doodle4google.com).

December 22, 2026: Equitable Excellence Scholarship — Up to $20,000

The Equitable Excellence Scholarship awards 100 scholarships of $5,000 a year, renewable for up to $20,000 total, to public high school seniors with a GPA of at least 2.5 who plan to enroll full time in fall 2027. Applications close December 22, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. CT through Scholarship America. Read our full Equitable Excellence Scholarship 2027 guide for eligibility and application tips.

December 31, 2026: Gen and Kelly Tanabe Scholarship — $1,000

The Gen and Kelly Tanabe Scholarship awards $1,000 to a high school, college, or graduate student based on a short personal essay. It closes December 31, 2026, and it is one of the easiest applications on this list — a good final entry before the year ends. Also closing December 31 is the Niche $50,000 "No Essay" Scholarship, covered in our No-Essay Scholarships 2027 guide.

How to Handle a December Deadline Rush

• Apply in deadline order, not award order. December 1 comes first — Hagan, Golden Apple, Ron Brown, and Coolidge all close that day.
• Reuse your essays. Most of these awards ask for a version of the same story: your goals, your community impact, and your financial need. Write one strong core essay, then adapt it — our scholarship essay guide shows how.
• Request recommendations now. Teachers need at least two weeks. Ask this week, and give them your deadline list.
• File your FAFSA first. Several December awards consider financial need, and the 2027–28 FAFSA is already open — completing it strengthens every need-based application.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which scholarships have deadlines in December 2026?
Hagan Scholarship and Golden Apple Scholars (December 1), Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship (December 9), Science Ambassador Scholarship (December 14), Doodle for Google (December 17), Equitable Excellence Scholarship (December 22), and the Gen and Kelly Tanabe Scholarship (December 31). Ron Brown and Coolidge also close December 1.

What is the biggest scholarship closing in December 2026?
By total value, the Science Ambassador Scholarship (full tuition) and the Coolidge Scholarship (a full ride for four years) are the largest, followed by the Cooke Transfer Scholarship at up to $55,000 a year and Equitable Excellence at up to $20,000.

Can I apply for several December scholarships at once?
Yes. There is no limit on how many scholarships you can apply for, and applying to several increases your chances. Just track each deadline separately and confirm each date on the provider's official page.

Do I need to pay to apply for any of these scholarships?
No. Every legitimate scholarship on this list is free to apply for. Never pay to apply for a scholarship — any program that charges an application fee is a scam.

What if I miss a December 1 deadline?
Most of these programs run once a year, so a missed deadline means waiting for the next cycle. The Hagan Scholarship is an exception: it has a spring window from January 15 to March 15, 2027.

Where can I find more deadlines?
See our scholarships with deadlines November 2026 – March 2027 roundup and our FAFSA state deadlines 2027–28 guide.

Related: Scholarships With Deadlines Nov 2026 – Mar 2027 · Equitable Excellence Scholarship 2027 · No-Essay Scholarships 2027

Sources: Hagan Scholarship Foundation; Golden Apple Foundation; Road2College — Scholarships with December Deadlines (updated November 1, 2026); Scholarship America — Equitable Excellence Scholarship; Science Ambassador Scholarship program page. Deadlines change — always confirm the current date on each provider's official page before applying. Warning: never pay to apply for a scholarship — legitimate scholarships are always free to apply for.