College Board — BigFuture Scholarships

BigFuture is College Board’s college-planning platform. For the Class of 2027, its scholarship program connects planning tasks—such as saving careers, comparing colleges, organizing scholarships, completing the FAFSA, and recording applications—with entries into award drawings. Participation is not the same as receiving a scholarship: winners are selected at random from valid entries and must verify eligibility. This guide covers College Board’s drawing program, not federal or state aid.

The rules cover students with an expected 2027 high-school graduation date who attend a school in the United States, its territories, or a DoWEA institution included in the terms. There is no minimum GPA or essay requirement for the tasks. “Lower-income” includes students eligible for an SAT fee waiver, attending a high-poverty district under the cited definition, or whose family AGI is $60,000 or less; these participants may receive entries into additional drawings. The rules include exceptions and document verification for some cases.

The calendar is close to its end, and not every task remains available. The initial list of at least three colleges closed June 30, 2026. As of October 12, remaining dates include strengthening a college list—three “reach,” two “match,” and one “safety”—by October 31, and saving at least three careers and three scholarships by November 30. The FAFSA or an allowed state form and applications to two colleges must be completed between October 1 and November 30, 2026. Check the dashboard to see which tasks earn entries in each period and which can no longer be completed.

The rules provide 45 monthly $500 awards and 45 additional monthly awards for lower-income participants; they also provide one $40,000 award every two months and an additional award of that amount in specified lower-income drawings. Selection is random, and odds vary with the number of entries received. Funds are issued by check to a Title IV institution, subject to verification; they are not unrestricted cash. A potential winner may need to show proof that the task generating the entry was completed.

To participate, use a personal College Board account, complete each task within its dates, save evidence, and review rules for mail-in entries, winner notices, and privacy. Do not pay an intermediary to complete tasks or share account passwords. BigFuture can help organize college and scholarship searches, but this promotion does not replace the FAFSA or each campus’s aid application. The linked program page is the access point for current instructions and the dashboard.

Who it serves and what it can cover: Students with an expected 2027 high-school graduation date can earn drawing entries by completing BigFuture planning tasks. Drawings are random and include $500 and $40,000 awards, with additional drawings for lower-income entrants under the official definition. Tasks require no essay or minimum GPA, but winning is not guaranteed and funds go to a Title IV institution.

How to apply or get help: The Class of 2027 task calendar includes deadlines through November 30, 2026. Check the dashboard and official rules because some tasks have already closed. For case-specific questions, contact the program or financial-aid office named on its official page.

Official application and program information