2025 Winner
Mapalo Kateule
Hi! My name is Mapalo Kateule and I am a rising high school senior passionate about STEM and social justice. I am involved in various clubs on my campus ranging from being president of my school's Red Cross Club, to secretary of a club called PAWsitive Impact, which focuses on providing aid to local animal shelters. I am Associate Student Body Vice President for the upcoming school year, but have been involved in my school's student government for three years now allowing me to further develop my leadership, communication, and problem solving skills. I hope to make a positive impact in my community and am committed to pursuing higher education. In the future I hope to major in Biology and pursue a career in medicine as an OBGYN. Outside of school I enjoy reading, baking, working out, and spending time with my family and friends.
Who can apply?
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Incoming high school seniors or undergrads graduating in May 2025 or 2026 and starting a 4-year or 2-year college in Fall 2025 or 2026, or students transferring to a new school in Fall 2025 or 2026 to a US school.
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Open to undocumented students, U.S. citizens, permanent residents, DACA recipients, and international students.
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Applicants must identify as a woman, or come from a low-income background (any gender), or be a first-generation college student (any gender).
Scholarship
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Win a
provided by Girls on Campus
$500
+
One-Year Membership to GradGPT, unlocking all premium features on the platform: college essay editor & scorer, AI counselor, and a range of tools to ace your college applications.
Professional college essay review (personal statement or college supplement of your choice) with detailed feedback, including concrete suggestions for improvement.
One year subscription to The Scholarship Essay Academy, the ultimate membership for crafting winning essays with expert guidance, weekly live coaching, unlimited reviews, exclusive tools, and bonus training with a supportive community.
Guaranteed spot in the virtual Empower program to network, build your website, and gain skills, a great boost for college extracurriculars
What is the Prompt for this competition?
Write an essay choosing one of the following prompts with supporting evidence:
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Discuss the challenges women face in higher education and how you can make a difference.
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Discuss the challenges first-generation students face in higher education and how you can make a difference.
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Discuss the challenges low-income students face when pursuing higher education and how you can make a difference.
Your essay must include your personal experiences related to the chosen topic, along with supporting evidence and a few outside resources. Essays should be between 450 and 850 words.
You may use AI tools to proofread your work, but the essay must be entirely written and owned by you.
Max: 850 words Min: 450 words
Timeline
Jan 10th 2025
Application opens +
Jan 12th- What are we looking for guide becomes available
Priority deadline
After this deadline all applications will be
reviewed as a rolling basis
June 1st 2025
All applications will be reviewed
July-Aug
Emails will be sent if you won or not
August 10th 2025
Winner gets announced in our
instagram @girls.on.campus and website
September 7th 2025
July 10th 2025
Final Deadline no exceptions
Why Apply to This Competition?
There is a lack of low-competition essay-based scholarship opportunities, and we believe in providing more than just financial support.
Winning a scholarship can be life-changing, but achieving higher education requires guidance and resources throughout the journey—both when applying and affording it.
That’s why we have partnered with trusted organizations to provide additional resources for the winners.
Most competitions cost $20, but we have decided to keep the fee at $6 (reduced to $4) throughout the application period.
Mini Guide to Maximize Your Chances of Winning the Essay Competition
Frequently asked questions
Our partners
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