Scholarships for High School Students in AI and Tech Entrepreneurship (2026)

Building products and learning AI costs almost nothing in 2026 — the tools are free or close to it. But college does cost money, and scholarships that reward students who build things are genuinely worth finding.

The good news: there are more scholarships available for students with AI, tech, and entrepreneurship backgrounds than most people realize. Many of them go underused because not enough students know they exist.

Here is the curated list, organized by focus area.

AI-Focused Scholarships and Awards

AI NextGen Challenge — Up to $25,000 Per Team

The AI NextGen Challenge by the U.S. Artificial Intelligence Institute is the largest AI-focused scholarship program for high school students. Top students earn 100% AI certification scholarships through the educational track, and advancing teams compete for $25,000 per team at the National AI Hackathon in Atlanta (June 20–21, 2026).

• Award: Up to $25,000 per team at the hackathon. Certification scholarships for top students in the educational track.
• Eligibility: U.S. high school, undergraduate, and graduate students
• Cost to apply: Free
• Deadline: Watch the website for current cycle dates

NSHSS Artificial Intelligence Innovation Scholarship

The National Society of High School Scholars AI Innovation Scholarship recognizes students who demonstrate a passion for artificial intelligence and its real-world applications.

• Award: Check website for current amount
• Eligibility: NSHSS members with an interest in AI
• Why it stands out: This is one of the few scholarships explicitly targeting high school students interested in AI innovation — not just STEM broadly.

Davidson Fellows Scholarship — Up to $50,000

The Davidson Fellows Scholarship awards $10,000, $25,000, or $50,000 to students under 18 who have completed significant work in science, technology, mathematics, philosophy, music, literature, or outside the box.

• Award: $10,000 / $25,000 / $50,000
• Eligibility: U.S. students under 18 with a significant completed project
• Deadline: February 13, 2026 (check for current cycle)
• Why it stands out: "Significant work" can include AI projects, software, or research. A student who has built a genuinely useful AI-powered product has a credible application here.

Tech and STEM Scholarships

Google Generation Scholarship

Google's Generation Scholarship supports students from underrepresented groups pursuing degrees in computer science or closely related technical fields.

• Award: $10,000 per year
• Eligibility: High school seniors and current undergraduates studying CS or engineering, from underrepresented groups
• Application period: Generally fall of each year
• Why it stands out: Google's name carries significant weight, and the application process includes a leadership component — relevant for students who have built things and can tell that story.

Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship

The Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship targets students from underserved communities planning to study computer science.

• Award: $40,000 total ($10,000/year for 4 years)
• Eligibility: U.S. high school seniors from underserved communities pursuing CS degrees
• Bonus: Recipients are offered a paid Amazon internship
• Why it stands out: The internship offer combined with the multi-year award makes this one of the most valuable scholarships on this list.

Regeneron Science Talent Search

The Regeneron Science Talent Search is one of the most prestigious STEM competitions in the U.S. AI and ML projects have become increasingly common among finalists.

• Award: $1,800–$250,000 (top finalist)
• Eligibility: U.S. high school seniors
• Deadline: November 2026 (for the 2026–27 cycle)
• Why it stands out: The prestige of Regeneron STS is significant in college applications. AI research projects are a natural fit for this competition.

Thiel Fellowship

The Thiel Fellowship gives $100,000 over two years to young people who want to build things instead of attending college, plus access to a network of the most successful entrepreneurs and investors in the world.

• Award: $100,000 + mentorship network
• Eligibility: Under 23 years old
• Application: The application asks you to describe what you are working on and why you are not better served by going to college
• Why it stands out: This is not a scholarship in the traditional sense. It is for students who have a compelling project and are seriously considering whether traditional college is the right path. Past fellows have built companies valued at billions of dollars.

Entrepreneurship Scholarships

DECA Scholarships

DECA awards scholarships annually to DECA members who demonstrate leadership in business and entrepreneurship. Multiple scholarships are offered through DECA's corporate partners, ranging from $1,000 to $5,000+.

• Award: $1,000–$5,000+ depending on specific scholarship
• Eligibility: DECA members pursuing business-related degrees
• Application period: Spring of each year
• Why it stands out: If you are already a DECA member, these scholarships are highly accessible. The competition is fierce but the field is limited to DECA members.

Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) Saunders Scholars

Students who complete a YEA! program at their local Chamber of Commerce can advance to the Saunders Scholars National Competition, which awards college scholarships and startup funding.

• Award: College scholarships and seed funding for your business
• Eligibility: YEA! program completers (ages 11–18)
• Timeline: Investor Panel in spring; next cycle applications open May 2026
• Why it stands out: You build a real registered business over an academic year and then pitch for funding. The preparation you develop is itself valuable, separate from the award.

GreenPal Small Business Scholarship

The GreenPal Scholarship is a less competitive, straightforward scholarship for students interested in entrepreneurship and business.

• Award: Check website for current amount
• Eligibility: High school seniors and college students with a 3.5 GPA planning to study business, economics, or finance
• Why it stands out: Lower competition than major scholarships and a straightforward application. Worth applying if you meet the GPA requirement.

Competition-Based Funding

Some of the best money available to student builders comes not from traditional scholarships but from competitions. The AI and tech competitions list includes opportunities with prize pools ranging from $15,000 to $100,000+.

Competition winnings are not the same as college scholarships, but they are real money — and the projects you build to compete become the portfolio that strengthens every scholarship application.

How to Strengthen Any Scholarship Application

Most of these scholarships are not awarded based on GPA alone. They are looking for students who have built something, demonstrated initiative, and can articulate why they care about what they are doing.

A student who completed a summer building an AI-powered product — who can describe the problem they solved, the users they talked to, and what they learned — is a dramatically stronger applicant for every scholarship on this list than a student with the same GPA who has not built anything.

The best scholarship preparation is not writing a better essay. It is doing something worth writing about.

If you are looking to build that story this summer, explore Loona's Impact Academy — a four-week program where high school students build a real product, guided by mentors who work in tech and AI professionally.