Whether your financial aid package for next year came up a little short or you're planning out your budget for college in the future, there's never a bad time to research scholarships and apply for more money for school. There are scholarships available for students starting as early as middle school all the way up through graduate school.

Big-name scholarships with large cash prizes are certainly worth applying for, but don't overlook smaller scholarships. Smaller scholarships often have an easier application and less-rigorous selection process. And while $500 or $1000 might not seem like a lot compared to the total cost of college, every little bit helps chip away at the costs associated with college. Be on the lookout for scholarships that are geared specifically towards students with your interests or background. High school juniors and seniors who are planning or finalizing their budgets for college may be especially interested in these nine scholarships with deadlines coming up in April 2021.

Good luck! Check back next month for scholarships with May 2021 deadlines.

AIGA Worldstudio Scholarship

Deadline: April 13th, 2021

Award: Top awards are $5000, other awards $2500-$3500, honorable mention $500

Who is eligible: U.S. citizens or green card holders who are currently in college or plan to be full-time college students as of Fall 2021. All applicants must be studying Graphic Design, Photography, or Illustration.

Application difficulty: Hard

Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes

Deadline: April 15th, 2021 at 5 pm MT

Award: $10,000 for higher education or the service project, plus networking activities and media coverage for 25 winners.

Who is eligible: Residents of the U.S. or Canada, ages 8-18, who have lead a service project in the past 12 months

Application difficulty: Hard

The Barron Prize for Young Heroes is meant to honor students who have "demonstrated positive spirit, courage, intelligence, generosity, and high moral purpose" and "accomplished something with inspirational value" that has "made an impact on the world beyond themselves." The application required three letters of recommendation, and only applicants who lead a significant service project should apply. The judges seem to be past-winners, and while it's not easy to earn one of these awards, the large award, networking opportunities, and media exposure for winners are well-worth the effort if you're involved in a service project that you're passionate about. Check out the types of services project past winners have led to see if your project could be a fit, and then get right to the application, but the deadline is fast approaching.

NANBPWC’s National Scholarship

Deadline: April 15th, 2021

Who is eligible: African-American graduating seniors with a GPA of 3.0 or above as of February 2021

Award: Varies

Application difficulty: Medium

The Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) awards the Mary Quon Moy Ing Memorial Scholarship to a high school senior or current college or graduate student who intends to pursue a career in journalism and demonstrates sensitivity to Asian American/Pacific Islander issues. There is only one recipient of this scholarship each year, and most of the winners in recent years have been undergrad or grad students at prestigious schools, like Columbia University, University of California - Berkeley, and Harvard, so only exceptionally qualified high school seniors with journalism clips are likely to be considered. In addition to work samples, the application requires letters of recommendation, a resume, and some short answer responses.

Student Loan Hero Scholarship

Deadline: April 16, 2021

Award: Two $5000 scholarships and four $2000 scholarships

Who is eligible: U.S. residents who are 18 years old and up and enrolled at least part-time in a college or university

Application difficulty: Easy

Student Loan Hero, a company owned by LendingTree, is on a mission to "help 44 million Americans manage their student loans smarter." They award eight scholarships to current college students who can write a short essay response (500-700 words) to the question "What financial challenges have you overcome growing up? How have they shaped your goals and career aspirations?" Student Loan Hero traditionally offers a similar scholarship twice a year, in Fall and Spring. The scholarship offers a rare combination: a few sizable rewards and a fairly easy application, so if you're not eligible yet, you may want to bookmark this scholarship for the future.

AAJA’s Mary Quon Moy Ing Memorial Scholarship

Deadline: April 21st, 2021

Award: $2000 to one winner

Who is eligible: Graduating seniors, current college or graduate students with a commitment to pursuing journalism as a career and sensitivity to Asian American/Pacific Islander issues.

Application difficulty: Hard

The Asian American Journalists Association awards The Mary Quon Moy Ing Memorial Scholarship to a high school senior or current college or graduate student who intends to pursue a career in journalism and demonstrates sensitivity to Asian American/Pacific Islander issues. There is only one recipient of this scholarship each year, and most of the winners in recent years have been undergrad or grad students at prestigious schools, like Columbia University, University of California - Berkeley, and Harvard, so only exceptionally qualified high school seniors with journalism clips are likely to be considered. In addition to work samples, the application requires letters of recommendation, a resume, and some short answer responses.

NSHSS Mental Health Awareness Scholarship

Deadline: April 30th, 2021

Award: $2000

Who is eligible? High juniors, seniors, and current college students

Application difficulty: Hard

The National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS) will award three $2000 scholarships to high school juniors, seniors, or enrolled college students for "their positive efforts in spreading awareness and effecting change regarding mental health." The topic is timely and relevant since many people faced unprecedented challenges in 2020 and early 2021 that posed threats to mental health. The application is fairly extensive; it requires short essays responses to two out of three prompts about how students prioritize their own or their communities' mental health, plus transcripts, academic resume, and a letter recommendation.

Digital Responsibility E-waste Scholarship

Deadline: April 30th, 2021 (Earth Day)

Award: $1000 for one winner

Who is eligible: High school, college, or graduate students

Application difficulty: Medium

DigitalResponsibility.org created the E-Waste scholarship to raise awareness about the 20-50 million tons of e-waste discarded in the world each year. Applicants must first submit an 140 character response to the question, "The most important reason to care about e-waste is…" After submitting the short response, ten finalists will be chosen and asked to submit a 500-1000 word essay on e-waste. One of the ten finalists will receive a $1000 scholarship.

IWSH Essay Contest

Deadline: April 30th, 2021

Award: 1st Place, $1000, 2nd place, $750, 3rd place: 500

Who is eligible: High school seniors and full-time colleges students enrolled in an accredited school. International students may apply.

Application difficulty: Medium

The International Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Foundation (IWSH) created this essay contest to raise awareness about the impact of IWSH's work and the important role the plumbing industry plays in our lives. Applicants must submit an 800-1600 word essay responding to the question, "What can IWSH do to raise awareness for those who lack access to running water, sanitation?"

Crossword Hobbyist Scholarship

Deadline: April 30th, 2021

Award: $1000 paid directly to the recipient's college, university or trade school.

Who is eligible: Current or incoming college students

Application difficulty: Medium, if you like creating crossword puzzles

Applicants to the Crossword Hobbyist Scholarship must create and submit a 15x15 newspaper style crossword puzzle. The winner of the $1000 scholarship will be selected based on "cleverness of the theme, clues, and answers, as well as overall puzzle construction."

Good luck! Check back next month for scholarships with May 2021 deadlines.