10 Nevada Scholarships to Save You Thousands on College
What’s Covered:
Nevada is known as a place where fortunes are made and lost. The “Silver State” is the fourth-largest producer of gold in the world and home to the Las Vegas strip and its iconic casinos. Another thing changing the fortunes of Nevadans is the state’s great colleges and universities. Nevada students don’t need Lady Luck to help pay for college—although it doesn’t hurt—thanks to a handful of great scholarships available to them.
10 Nevada Scholarships
1. Governor Guinn Millennium Scholarship (GGMS)
Amount: Up to $10,000
Deadline: N/A
Eligibility: Nevada residents who have attended at least two years of high school in the state, graduated high school with a Nevada high school diploma, and are enrolling in an eligible in-state institution
Application Requirements: Minimum 3.25 GPA and completed the following core curriculum:
- Four units of English
- Four units of math (including Algebra II or higher)
- Three units of science
- Three units of social science or history
The GGMS is a great scholarship for Nevada residents planning to attend college in-state. The award is available to matriculating at:
- College of Southern Nevada
- Great Basin College
- Nevada State College
- Roseman University
- Sierra Nevada University
- Truckee Meadows Community College
- University of Nevada, Las Vegas
- University of Nevada, Reno
- Western Nevada College
The GGMS is valued by credit hour—students at an eligible community college receive
$40 per credit hour for lower-division courses and $60 per credit hour for upper-division courses. Students at eligible universities receive $80 per credit hour. The award is renewable provided students meet certain academic requirements.
2. NEWH Las Vegas Chapter Scholarship for Hospitality Students
Amount: Varies
Deadline: March 25
Eligibility: Undergraduate with demonstrated financial need majoring in a hospitality field
Application Requirements: Minimum 3.0 GPA, transcript, three letters of recommendation, and an essay
This scholarship provided by the Las Vegas Chapter of the Hospitality Industry Network, a networking resource of the hospitality industry, aims to support students pursuing careers in the field—such as jobs in interior design, hotel management, culinary arts, travel, and tourism. Students are required to submit a 500-word essay sharing some biographical facts about themselves, their goals after graduation, and why they’re interested in a career in hospitality.
3. Otto A. Huth Scholarship
Amount: Up to $40,000
Deadline: April 15
Eligibility: About to age out of, or have aged out of, foster care in Nevada and planning to pursue a post-secondary education
Application Requirements: Minimum 2.0 GPA, transcript, essay, and nomination letter
The Otto A. Huth Scholarship provides support to students who are age 21 or younger who are aging out of foster care in Nevada and who intend on enrolling in a post-secondary institution such as university, college, community college, or trade school. Annual awards are up to $10,000, however, applicants may apply for the award for up to five years for a total of $40,000. Students are required to submit a one-page essay about their life, future plans, and how education will impact their futures.
4. Japan Exchange & Teaching Program Alumni Association of Northern California (JETAANC) Scholarship
Amount: $2,500
Deadline: April 17
Eligibility: High school senior who is a resident of Nevada or any of California’s 48 northernmost counties, planning to enroll in an undergraduate program, and possess a sincere interest in Japan
Application Requirements: Transcript and two letters of recommendation
This non-renewable award annually honors one high school student from Nevada or one of the 48 northern California counties JET serves. To receive this award, students must show a sincere interest in Japanese culture demonstrated by a year of directed study or related activity. Recipients are chosen based on their interest in Japan, academic achievement, community service, recommendations, and the strength of their application.
5. Nevada Bow Hunters Association Scholarship
Amount: N/A
Deadline: May 30
Eligibility: Nevada resident and member of the Nevada Field Archery Association (NFAA) enrolled in a higher education program
Application Requirements: Transcript and short-answer questions
This awesome Nevada scholarship aims to provide financial support for young Nevadan archers. Membership in the NFAA is required to qualify for this award. Applicants must also answer a series of short answer questions about their experiences with hunting and archery, along with their future goals and their plans for how they will use the award.
6. Nevada Promise Scholarship
Amount: Up to three years of tuition and mandatory fees
Deadline: October 31
Eligibility: Nevada resident who is a high school senior graduating from a school in Nevada (or a high school located in a county that borders Nevada and accepts Nevada residents) planning to enroll full-time in an associate or certificate program
Application Requirements: FAFSA, complete Nevada Promise training, eight hours of community service, and take the ACT/SAT
This state-sponsored scholarship can cover up to three years of tuition and other mandatory fees at a community college for Nevada high school graduates. The purpose of the Nevada Promise Scholarship is to encourage all graduating high seniors to think about attending college by removing a financial barrier and to increase the number of students completing the FAFSA—ensuring Nevada students receive the financial aid they’re eligible for.
7. Reno Rodeo Foundation Western Arts & Culture Scholarship
Amount: $2,500
Deadline: February 10
Eligibility: Attending a college, university, or vocational program in Nevada
Application Requirements: Minimum 3.0 GPA, transcript, maximum three letters of recommendation, short-answer questions, and three art samples
The Reno Rodeo Foundation’s Western Arts & Culture Scholarship is intended to create an awareness of western heritage in college-age Nevadans through recognition of outstanding potential, contributions, and skill in the creative arts. Applicants are required to submit three samples of their art featuring western culture, tradition, and heritage. Winners are chosen based on the skill demonstrated by their art. Applicants for scholarships are not required to major in an arts program if they win the award
8. NV Energy Powerful Partnership Scholarship Program
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: February 28
Eligibility: High school senior attending school in NV Energy’s service territory who has completed 20 hours of community service and is planning to pursue a degree at a post-secondary institution
Application Requirements: Minimum 3.0 GPA, transcript, resume, list of extracurricular activities, volunteer history, two to three letters of recommendation, and an essay
This one-time $1,000 award is available to high school seniors attending school in NV Energy’s service territory—an area containing more than 1.4 million people. Students must complete 20 hours of community service in the year prior to applying for the scholarship and have their service validated by a school counselor, agency, or organization. They also need to submit a 300-word essay explaining the importance of their service and most memorable volunteer experience.
9. KASF Western Region Scholarship
Amount: Up to $5,000
Deadline: June 30
Eligibility: Full-time student of Korean heritage with a minimum 3.0 GPA from the KASF’s western region:
- Alaska
- Arizona
- California
- Hawai
- Idaho
- Montana
- Nevada
- Oregon
- Utah
- Washington
Application Requirements: Transcript, two letters of recommendation, essay, and resume of achievements and activities
This isn’t specifically a Nevada scholarship, but it is certainly a scholarship Nevadan students will want to explore. The Korean American Scholarship Foundation (KASF) Western Region Scholarship awards as much as $5,000 for college to students of Korean heritage located in the western United States—including Nevada. KASF Scholarship winners are chosen based on five factors: financial need, scholastic achievement, recommendation, essay, and extracurricular activities, with bonus points awarded for students who stand out or have extraordinary circumstances.
10. Greater Nevada Credit Union (GNCU) Scholarship
Amount: $2,000
Deadline: April 1
Eligibility: GNCU member, or the child, spouse, or parent of a GNCU member
Application Requirements: Personal statement, transcript, two letters of recommendation
The Greater Nevada Credit Union awards 25 $2,000 scholarships to members (or the child, spouse, or parent of a GNCU member) annually. GNCU Scholarships are a one-time award and recipients are not eligible to apply in subsequent years. Applicants are required to submit a 5,000-character personal statement detailing their academic interests, career goals, work experiences, and community service. Winners are chosen based on their academic performance, involvement in their school and community, and recommendations.
Tips on Applying to Scholarships
Competition for scholarships is on the rise, but luckily there are some simple steps you can take to improve your chances of earning an award.
Institutional Aid
Outside aid like the scholarships listed above is a great way to earn some money for college, but the most substantial merit-based awards are offered by the colleges and universities themselves. For instance, colleges award $175 billion in scholarship money annually compared to $11 billion in scholarship money granted by outside organizations. Before exploring outside scholarships, make sure you’ve maximized your efforts at earning institutional merit-based aid.
Smartly Select Schools
Many of the country’s most selective schools do not provide merit aid—after all, they do not need to attract top applicants. Similarly, earning an award at a top-ranked school that offers merit aid is extremely challenging and competition for it is intense. Conversely, less competitive colleges are more likely to incentivize you to attend by offering a substantial scholarship, particularly if your profile is especially strong. When building your college list, consider including one or two “safety” schools where you have a good chance of getting a significant scholarship.
Apply to a Private School
On the surface, private colleges can appear expensive, but they’re often more generous about awarding aid than public institutions. For example, all of the schools on CollegeVine’s list of colleges that give out the most merit aid are private. There are a number of reasons why private colleges are more generous in distributing merit aid than public colleges, including the desire to attract top students, to compete on price with public institutions, to keep alumni happy, and to simply fill empty seats.
