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Merit-Based ScholarshipsLong shot

Voya Scholars Program

Offered by Voya Foundation (administered by Scholarship America) · Free to apply

Award
$10,000
one-time award
Deadline
February 17, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. CT
deadlines recur around February each year
Estimated odds
1 in 2,000
Solyo estimate, not a published rate
Application effort
~2 hrs
about $3 of expected value per hour

Eligibility is the whole story here: only former participants in a Voya Financial or Voya Foundation charitable program, such as its financial literacy or STEM programming, can apply, which rules out most students. Those who qualify and aim at a business or finance career compete for about five $10,000 awards, administered by Scholarship America. Two side tracks exist, one for college sophomores recruited at Voya campus events and one for students in mental health fields at SUNY schools, each with its own window. Recent main-program cycles have closed in late March at 11:59 p.m. CT rather than the mid-February date shown here, and no opening date is posted, so use the Remind Me signup on the program page. Every applicant, selected or not, hears back by email in May.

How hard is the Voya Scholars Program to win?

A large applicant pool chases this award. Apply if the student is a genuinely strong fit, but build the plan around better-odds awards first.

Estimated odds
roughly 1 in 2,000 applicants
Modelled applicant field
~20,000 students
Awards each cycle
5
Payoff per hour of work
$3 / hr

What drives the odds here

Odds on a scholarship are mostly a question of how many students can enter. Each rule below changes the size of that field.

  • More rivalsOpen nationwide, so the field is large
  • Fewer rivalsAn essay is required, which filters out casual applicants
  • More rivalsA five-figure award attracts a bigger field

How Solyo estimates this: We model the applicant field from how narrow the eligibility rules are, then divide the awards available by that field. Requirements such as essays and recommendation letters improve a serious applicant’s odds, because most browsers never complete them. These are estimates derived from each award's published structure, not reported acceptance rates, which almost no scholarship provider discloses. Treat them as a way to rank where the hours go, not as a guarantee.

Who can apply for the Voya Scholars Program?

These are the eligibility rules Solyo verified against the official award page, translated into plain English. Your student must meet each one.

  • Open to high school seniors, current college students, and adult learners
Confirm these before applying
  • Hard requirement: must be a former constituent of a Voya Financial or Voya Foundation charitable program (financial literacy or STEM programming), or be nominated by certain award winners
  • Main-program applicants must aspire to a career in business or finance
Good to know
  • Must plan to enroll full time in undergraduate or graduate study, or be pursuing the CFA credential
  • Up to five awards are granted per cycle in the main program
  • Separate tracks exist: Voya Scholars for Investment Management (college sophomores who attended Voya campus recruiting events) and Voya Scholars for Mental Health (students in social work, psychology, nursing, or related mental health fields)
  • The most recent cycle closed in mid-March, later than the mid-February window previously assumed; confirm current dates with Scholarship America

What the application takes

  • Essay required. The prompt centers on career goals.

Deadline and application cycle

The current deadline is February 17, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. CT. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around February 17 each year. No opening date is published, so register for the Remind Me email alert on the Scholarship America program page.

Applications due
February 17, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. CT
Recent cycles have closed later than this
Late March, 11:59 p.m. CT
All applicants notified by email
May 2027
Apply on the official site →Free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge a fee.

Does your student actually qualify?

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Common questions about the Voya Scholars Program

How much is the Voya Scholars Program worth?

The Voya Scholars Program awards $10,000. 5 awards are made each cycle.

When is the Voya Scholars Program deadline?

The current deadline is February 17, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. CT. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around February 17 each year. No opening date is published, so register for the Remind Me email alert on the Scholarship America program page.

Who is eligible for the Voya Scholars Program?

Key requirements: Open to high school seniors, current college students, and adult learners.

Does the Voya Scholars Program require an essay?

Yes. The application requires an essay. Expect to spend about 2 hours on it.

How hard is it to win the Voya Scholars Program?

Solyo estimates the odds at roughly 1 in 2,000 applicants, against a modelled field of ~20,000 students. The pool stays that size because an essay is required, which filters out casual applicants. At 2 hrs of work, that is about $3 of expected value per hour. This is an estimate from award structure, not a published acceptance rate.

Is the Voya Scholars Program free to apply?

Yes. The Voya Scholars Program is free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge an application fee, and Solyo verifies every listed award against its official page.

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Lists this award appears on

Award details are curated by Solyo and verified against the official scholarship page. Deadlines and requirements can change between cycles, so always confirm on the provider's site before applying.