How to create and fund a scholarship with Scholly® Scholarship Creator

At Scholly, we hear from hundreds of scholarship winners every year and one thing is always clear: scholarships change lives. They open doors, ease stress, and make college feel possible when it otherwise wouldn’t.

We've also heard from people who want to create scholarships—and that's just as inspiring. But they don’t know where to start, how much it costs, or whether they can really make a difference on their own.

That’s why we built Scholly^® Scholarship Creator. It allows individuals and families to create scholarships in a simple, accessible way—while still making a real impact for students who need help paying for college.

Why create your own scholarship?

People create scholarships for deeply personal reasons—but they all share a desire to help students move forward.

Personal and community motivations

Here are some common reasons we've heard for starting a scholarship:

• Supporting students in financial need

• Giving back to a community or school
• Advancing causes like STEM, the arts, diversity, or mental health
• Creating a memorial scholarship in honor of a loved one
• Encouraging students in specific career paths

With Scholly Scholarship^® Creator, you don’t have to design complex applications or selection criteria. Eligible students enter with one easy form, and we manage everything for you. It's that simple.

Lasting impact for students—and for you

Scholarships don’t just help students pay for school. They can change the direction of a student’s life.

In fact, Sallie Mae's research study How America Pays for College 2025 reveals 75% of college families who used scholarships said they made college possible. 

For scholarship sweepstakes creators, it’s a powerful way to give back without complexity—and to know your support is reaching a real student at a pivotal moment.

Benefits of using Scholly^® Scholarship Creator

Launch a scholarship for as little as $500

Easily set up and fund your scholarship, with no platform fees or service charges. You donate your funds and that's it. 

Simple, guided setup

We designed Scholly^® Scholarship Creator to remove barriers—not add them. You don’t need legal expertise, financial experience, or a large organization behind you to launch a scholarship.

You define the scholarship details and award amount, and we take care of the rest.

Built-in scholarship management tools

Once your scholarship is live, Scholly handles the logistics.

Applications are collected through our platform, and we manage the administrative details behind the scenes—so you don't have to.

Reach the right students

Every scholarship created through Scholly^® Scholarship Creator  is featured on its own exclusive landing page, in the Scholly Easy Apply application, and within our Scholly Scholarships search tool—helping reach thousands of students and families who need money for college.

For you, that means plenty of applications without having to promote the scholarship on your own.

Simplified long-term giving 

Easily set up a monthly or recurring scholarship to extend your impact over time—and help more students.

Transparency and ease for funders

Trust matters when you’re giving back.

Scholly helps ensure scholarships follow required guidelines, and funds are disbursed securely and directly to the student’s school.

Step-by-step guide to setting up your scholarship

Creating a scholarship doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. Here’s how it works.

1. Define your purpose

Start with your “why.”

Think about what inspired you to create a scholarship and the values you want it to reflect. Add your personal story or connection to the scholarship. 

2. Set key scholarship details

You’ll choose a scholarship name, award amount, and timing (one time or recurring) for your scholarship.

3. Build your scholarship in Scholly^® Scholarship Creator

You'll create an account, then enter your scholarship details. Scholly helps handle the rules, criteria, and application requirements.

4. Fund your scholarship

Submit your funds securely through Scholly’s platform. Once everything is complete, you'll receive a confirmation.

5. Publish and promote

Once published, students and parents will be able to apply for your scholarship through your exclusive scholarship page, Scholly Easy Apply, and our Scholly Scholarships search tool.

Be sure to share it through your own social network, community, or organization. 

6. Let Scholly manage the applications for you

We manage the application process from start to finish—collecting submissions, handling administrative details, and helping ensure your applicants meet the required guidelines.

Once the application period wraps up, we'll select a student at random and award the scholarship.

7. Celebrate as Scholly awards your scholarship

Scholly administers the award process, including randomly selecting a recipient, communicating with the winner, and coordinating secure fund disbursement directly to the student’s school.

We'll help you stay connected to your impact. Your personal dashboard keeps you updated on every step of your scholarship, from applications to awards.

Helping students starts here

Creating a scholarship is one of the simplest ways to support students and one of the most significant ways to give back.

If you’ve been thinking about creating a scholarship, this is an easy place to start and a meaningful way to make a lasting impact.

Ready to make a difference? Explore Scholly^® Scholarship Creator and be the spark that helps more students get the money they need to chase their dreams.