Elementary school children may not know where they want to go to college or what they want to study, but thinking about paying for college can be intimidating for their parents. Below are scholarships and contests for students in elementary school.

George Montgomery/NRA Youth Wildlife Art Contest
Sponsor: National Rifle Association of America (NRA)
Amount: Up to $1,000
Closing Date: October 1, 2026
Description: Contest is open to students in grades 1-12, including home-schooled students. Student must submit a piece of art on a given topic related to North American game birds or animals that may be legally hunted or trapped.

What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up Annual Art Contest
Sponsor: Nvigate
Amount: Up to $1,000
Closing Date: October 9, 2026
Description: Contest is open to students attending a public, private, religious, charter or home school located within the State of Nevada and who are enrolled in Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, or 1st through 12th grades. Applicant must submit a piece of art on the prompt: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

Youth Art Contest
Sponsor: Debbie’s Dream Foundation: Curing Stomach Cancer
Amount: UP to $200
Closing Date: November 13, 2026
Description: Contest is open to students 18 years of age or younger who are directly or indirectly affected by cancer. Applicant must submit an original piece of artwork or photo.

Fields of Corn Photo Contest
Sponsor: National Corn Growers Association
Amount: Up to $500
Closing Date: November 17, 2026
Description: Contest is open to legal residents of the United States. Applicant must submit a photo that helps tell the story of farming field corn in America.

Paradigm Challenge
Sponsor: Project Paradigm
Amount: Up to $100,000
Closing Date: May 1, 2027
Description: Challenge is open to students aged 4 to 18 years of age worldwide. Applicants may work in a team or alone to use kindness, creativity, and collaboration to help solve real-life problems.