T Mobile Foundation Scholarships
Before you spend hours on this
Will this scholarship actually lower your cost?
Not always. Many colleges reduce your financial-aid package when you win an outside scholarship — sometimes dollar-for-dollar — so the money can end up saving the school instead of you. It's called scholarship displacement. Two free tools tell you where you actually stand:
General guidance, not financial advice — your school's financial aid office is the only authority on how they treat outside awards. Always confirm with them before deciding.
Best fit for
Tech-curious or business-curious HS seniors, particularly those with project-based work to show. The Changemaker Challenge is great for kids who've already started a social impact project.
What they actually look for
T-Mobile Foundation runs MULTIPLE scholarship programs — the most accessible being the T-Mobile Changemaker Challenge (project-based) and the regular T-Mobile Scholarship Program. Award sizes typically range $1,000-$10,000. The Changemaker Challenge requires you to submit a video about a social-change project you've started — much smaller applicant pool than the standard application track because the video deters many casual applicants.
What you'll need
- Current HS senior with strong academic and leadership record
- Demonstrated interest in technology, business, or service to community
- Plan to attend an accredited 4-year US college
- Multiple essays on tech / community vision and goals
- Two recommendations
- Some T-Mobile awards have specific GPA or major requirements — check eligibility per named scholarship
When to start
Standard T-Mobile Scholarship: application opens fall of senior year, closes mid-winter. Changemaker Challenge: project submissions accepted year-round, judging cycles run monthly. Check t-mobilescholarship.com for current cycle.
Watch out for
T-Mobile scholarships have shifted year-over-year — what was the 'T-Mobile Scholarship' in 2020 may not exist in 2026, and new ones may have appeared. Verify current programs at the T-Mobile Foundation website each cycle. Some past corporate-pipeline awards required T-Mobile employee family connection — confirm eligibility before investing time in the application.