NSHSS scholarships are awards run by the National Society of High School Scholars, an honor society based in Atlanta, Georgia, together with its partner organisations. NSHSS says it and its partners give out more than $2.5 million a year. Most awards are between $500 and $5,000, each one has its own fixed deadline, and many are open only to NSHSS members.
US students are the main audience, but they are not the only one. NSHSS says it welcomes international students into its scholarship programme, and each award sets its own eligibility rules, so a student in Lagos, Manila or Toronto can win one if that award’s rules allow it. Several of the autumn 2026 deadlines have already passed. The next set opens in late November 2026, and I list those dates below.
What NSHSS is and who runs it
The society was founded in 2002 by Claes Nobel, a member of the family behind the Nobel Prizes, and James Lewis. Claes Nobel died in 2021. NSHSS says it has more than 2 million members from over 26,000 high schools in more than 170 countries. Membership is individual, so your school does not need to sign up, and it lasts for life.
- Full name: National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS)
- Headquarters: 1930 North Druid Hills Road, Atlanta, GA 30319, USA
- Membership fee: one-time $90 for members in the US and Canada, no annual dues, fee waiver for students with financial need
- Cost to apply for a scholarship: free
- Winning limit: one NSHSS scholarship per applicant per calendar year
- Deadline time: 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date
- Results: usually 6 to 8 weeks after the deadline
Who is eligible for NSHSS scholarships?
There are two separate questions here: can you join NSHSS, and can you apply for a given award. Some awards are for members only, some are run with partners and need membership of the partner group instead, and a few say nothing about membership at all.
Membership criteria
NSHSS says you qualify for membership if you meet at least one of these academic marks. Many students are also invited after an educator recommends them.
| Measure | Minimum to qualify |
|---|---|
| Cumulative GPA | 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or an equivalent such as 80 on a 100-point scale |
| SAT | 1280 |
| PSAT | 1150 |
| ACT or PreACT | 26 |
| AP exam | Score of 4 or higher |
| IGCSE | Grade B or higher |
| Class rank | Top 10% |
The IGCSE and 100-point equivalents matter for students outside the US. If your school grades out of 100, an average of 80 meets the GPA route. NSHSS publishes the $90 fee only for the US and Canada and does not post a figure for other countries, so if you are elsewhere, ask NSHSS what you would pay before you commit.
US and international students
NSHSS does not set one citizenship rule for all its scholarships. Its help page says international students are welcome in the scholarship programme and that every award has its own requirements. Most individual award pages I checked say nothing about citizenship. The NSHSS + DECA Scholarship 2027 states plainly that US or international students may apply. So the only safe approach is to read the eligibility box on each award before you start the essay.
Winnings can be used at any accredited college or university, in the US or abroad. That makes an NSHSS award one of the few US scholarships a student planning to study in the UK, Canada or at home can still use.
NSHSS scholarships and deadlines for 2026-2027
Each award has a fixed opening date and a fixed closing date, and NSHSS posts new ones through the year. These are the awards with dates on nshss.org as of 24 October 2026.
Still open or opening soon
| Scholarship | Award | Who can apply | Dates (Eastern Time) |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSHSS Performing Arts: Dance, Theater and Music 2026 | See award page | See award page | Closes 27 October 2026 |
| NSHSS Visual Arts Scholarship 2026 | See award page | See award page | Closes 27 October 2026 |
| NSHSS Film and Media Production Scholarship 2026 | See award page | See award page | Closes 27 October 2026 |
| Scholarships360 “No Essay” Scholarship | $10,000 on the page body ($2,000 in the page summary) | High school and college students | Closes 31 October 2026 |
| NSHSS STEAM Scholarship | Not yet posted | NSHSS members graduating 2027 to 2030 who plan a STEAM major | Opens 19 November 2026 |
| First Generation Scholarship 2027 | Not yet posted | NSHSS members who are first in their family to attend college: high school seniors or college freshmen, sophomores and juniors | Opens 26 November 2026 |
| Claes Nobel Future Female Leader Scholarship | $2,000 | Female NSHSS members who are high school seniors graduating in 2027 | Opens 26 November 2026 |
| NSHSS + DECA Scholarship 2027 | 3 awards of $1,000 | DECA members in grades 11 and 12 planning to study marketing, finance, hospitality or business; US or international | Closes 7 January 2027 |
| Docera Medical Intensive Scholarship | See award page | See award page | Closes 20 January 2027 |
| Hinksey Labs Future Business Scholars Award | See award page | See award page | Closes 24 March 2027 |
The Scholarships360 award is a partner scholarship, and its own page gives two different amounts. Treat $10,000 as unconfirmed until you see it on the application form. The STEAM and First Generation pages do not yet show an amount or closing date. The last STEAM round, in 2025, paid ten awards of $1,000 and closed on 13 March 2025, so plan for a 13 March 2027 closing date for the round that opens in November.
Already closed in this cycle
| Scholarship | Award | Closed | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSHSS Nobel Academic Excellence Scholarship 2026 | 10 awards of $5,000 (members, graduating 2026 to 2029) | 1 October 2026 | 1 October 2027 |
| NSHSS AI Advocates Scholarship 2026 | See award page | 8 October 2026 | 8 October 2027 |
| NSHSS Your First Scholarship 2026 | 10 awards of $500, for students who have never won a scholarship | 15 October 2026 | 15 October 2027 |
| NSHSS Student Athlete, Cybersecurity, and Logistics and Supply Chain Management 2026 | See award pages | 15 October 2026 | 15 October 2027 |
| NSHSS Healthcare Heroes 2027 | See award page | 19 October 2026 | 19 October 2027 |
| NSHSS Foundation STEM Scholarship 2026 | 2 awards of $1,000, any high school grade, 3.0 GPA | 20 October 2026 | 20 October 2027 |
Several of these return every year with similar dates. If you missed the Nobel Academic Excellence award, its 2027 deadline is 1 October 2027; the 2026 round opened on 8 May 2026 (based on this year’s date; confirm on the official page when the call opens).
Deadline check
Every NSHSS deadline is 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. For a student in West Africa or Europe that is the morning of the next day, but submit a day early anyway, because your recommender must also upload their letter before the same cutoff.
How to apply for NSHSS scholarships
All applications go through the NSHSS online portal. You cannot edit an application after you submit it, so finish everything in draft first.
- Check the award page: open the scholarship on nshss.org and confirm the grade level, membership rule, citizenship rule (if any) and deadline.
- Log in or create an account: members apply from their NSHSS dashboard. For partner awards, follow the link on the award page.
- Request your recommendation: you need one educator recommendation and can request up to two. Ask at least three weeks before the deadline. The letter goes straight into the portal.
- Upload your resume: list academics, awards, leadership, activities and service. Use your weighted GPA if you take honors, AP or IB classes.
- Upload one transcript: official or unofficial.
- Add a headshot: NSHSS may use winners’ photos in press releases, on its website and on social media.
- Write the essay: stick to the stated word or character count. The First Generation award, for example, asks for 500 to 800 words.
- Submit and save the email: you get a confirmation email when the submission goes through. Keep it.
If you need help with the letter, our guide to the recommendation letter for a scholarship has samples you can share with your teacher.
How NSHSS pays the money
| Your stage when you win | Where the money goes |
|---|---|
| High school freshman, sophomore or junior | Paid to you after you submit a W-9 tax form |
| High school senior | Sent to your chosen college once you graduate and enrol |
| College student | Sent to your college or university |
| Taking a gap year | Tell the scholarship administrator and give your enrolment timeline |
The W-9 is a US tax form, so a younger international winner should ask NSHSS how payment works for them before assuming a direct payment.
Is NSHSS legit?
Yes, NSHSS is a real organisation that pays real scholarships, and its winners lists are public. The doubts people raise are about value for money. CollegeVine’s review calls it legitimate, says it holds an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, and still ranks membership low for college admissions because it is not selective and has no leadership role attached.
The common complaints are fair to know about:
- The name sounds close to the National Honor Society (NHS), a different, school-based group.
- Invitation letters mention your high school, which can look like your school endorsed it. It did not; membership is individual.
- With over 2 million members, the member-only awards are very competitive.
- Refunds of the membership fee are only possible within 60 days of joining, by phone on 866-343-1800.
My view: if you only want scholarships, start with the awards that do not require membership and the partner awards. Pay the $90 only if there are two or three member-only awards you are clearly eligible for and plan to apply for this year, or if you qualify for the fee waiver. Applying for scholarships costs nothing either way.
Tips for a stronger NSHSS application
- Apply to several awards. You can only win one per calendar year, but there is no limit on applications.
- Match the essay to the prompt. The First Generation essay, for example, asks how you handled the challenges of being first in your family to go to college, so a general achievement essay will miss.
- Keep your resume to what a reader can check: grades, named awards, roles with dates, hours of service.
- Use a clear, recent headshot against a plain background, since winners’ photos are published.
- Note the opening dates for November 2026 now. An award that opens on 26 November and closes early in 2027 gives you only a few weeks over the holidays.
If you are a strong international student aiming for a fully funded place rather than a small award, look at university awards as well, such as the Lester B. Pearson Scholarship at the University of Toronto.
Frequently asked questions about NSHSS scholarships
Can international students apply for NSHSS scholarships?
Yes, where the award allows it. NSHSS welcomes international students, but each scholarship has its own eligibility rules, so check the award page. The NSHSS + DECA Scholarship 2027, for one, is open to US and international students.
Do I have to pay to apply for NSHSS scholarships?
No. Applying is free. Membership costs a one-time $90 in the US and Canada, and you only need it for the member-only awards.
How many NSHSS scholarships can I win?
One per calendar year. You can apply for as many as you are eligible for.
When will I hear back from NSHSS?
NSHSS says results usually come 6 to 8 weeks after the deadline. Winners’ names are also posted on its current winners page.
Sources and updates
I checked the facts above on 24 October 2026 against NSHSS’s own pages: the NSHSS scholarships page and FAQ, the About NSHSS page, the NSHSS help page and its “Is NSHSS a scam?” page for membership criteria and fees, and the individual award pages for each date and amount. The legitimacy section also draws on CollegeVine’s review of NSHSS. Some third-party guides still quote a $75 fee; NSHSS now lists $90. Award pages change during the year, so this post will be updated when new awards and dates are posted.
I am Jude Chinecherem, a final-year MBBS student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I know what it feels like to want an education your family cannot afford. When my parents could not pay for my schooling, I had to learn how to find scholarships and work the system out on my own, with nobody to guide me. I came out the other side, and now I share everything I learned so the next student does not have to figure it out alone. This is the advice I wish someone had given me back then.
