Student Entrepreneur Scholarship

The Harvard Business Services business scholarship program was created to help ambitious students chase their dreams by providing a $1,000 award. In 2022, we will award two $1,000 scholarships for business majors and entrepreneurs — one to a student with a for-profit business concept and the other to a non-profit concept.

New from 2021: As an alternative to the written essay, we are now accepting video essay submissions!

We're looking for students with the vision, drive, and brilliant idea that can generate the next great business. Students with an existing company and a vision for growth are also encouraged to apply for our scholarships for entrepreneurs.

PLUS - In addition to the entrepreneur scholarship itself, the students winning our business scholarships will receive a free incorporation package from Harvard Business Services! We'll help you file and form your new corporation or LLC for no cost.

Harvard Business Services has been helping entrepreneurs form Delaware LLCs and corporations since 1981. We are a Delaware Registered Agent and have formed over 270,000 companies. We pride ourselves on making business formation simple by providing top-notch customer service while maintaining the lowest prices in the industry.

Please note: We encourage all applicants and student entrepreneurs to perform thorough research and seek expert advice on how to best develop, launch, protect, and grow their businesses. While Harvard Business Services cannot provide legal or accounting advice, we can help student entrepreneurs protect their ideas and intellectual property.

Apply Now for a $1,000 Student Entrepreneur Scholarship!

Qualifications

To qualify for our entrepreneur scholarships, students must meet the following criteria:

• Be actively enrolled in a full-time undergraduate or graduate business or entrepreneurship program at an accredited U.S. college or university as of September 1, 2022.
• Be 18 years or older by September 1, 2022.
• Tell us about your planned or existing business. Please include a description of the business (including whether it is a for-profit or non-profit concept), the inspiration behind it, why you believe it will succeed and/or continue to grow, and how your college education is directly contributing to your ability to succeed.
  
  You may provide this information in either of two ways:
  1. Write a brief essay (500 - 1,000 words). The essay can be written directly in the application window or uploaded as a Microsoft Word or PDF file.
  2. Record a video of yourself describing your business. Please follow these guidelines if you choose this option:
     • Your video should not exceed three minutes.
     • Your video must be uploaded to YouTube. In the application, you will share the URL for the video (remember to make it public or viewable by direct link).
     • Please include "Harvard Business Services Scholarship Entry" in the title of the video.

Additional Rules:

To be considered, each of the following must also be included in the student's submission:

• Full name
• Birth date
• Physical mailing address
• Email address
• Phone number
• School at which student is currently enrolled or intends to be enrolled
• Area of study
• Copy of college transcript (or high school transcript for current high school seniors)

Important Dates and Deadlines

Application Period Opens: November 1, 2021

Application Deadline: March 31, 2022

Winner Announcement: August 1, 2022 (approximate)

Judging and Scholarship Winner Announcement

All entries will be reviewed by Harvard Business Services staff. The students winning each of the scholarships will be announced on or about August 1, 2022. The winning candidate will be contacted via the information provided in the application prior to the announcement and must respond and accept the scholarship award within two weeks of the initial announcement.

The winner will be chosen based on fulfilment of the eligibility criteria and the description of the business idea and student's vision for it as stated in the essay or video provided. All applicants will be considered equally without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.

The business scholarships will be disbursed directly to the recipient's educational institution shortly after the winner is announced.

Frequently Asked Questions

• I am a high school senior. Can I apply for the student entrepreneur scholarship?
  • Yes, as long as you are or will be enrolled in a business or entrepreneurship program at an accredited institution as of September 1, 2022, you may apply.
• I am transferring to a new college/university. Am I eligible?
  • Yes, as long as the school and program you are enrolled in as of September 1, 2022 meet our criteria, your transfer status will not be a factor.
• Do I have to submit an original (or Certified) copy of my transcript.
  • No, you may submit a copy of your transcript. Please note that falsified transcripts result in immediate disqualification.
• How will I know if I win?
  • Scholarship winners will be selected in July 2022. The winners will be contacted directly by Harvard Business Services. We will also post an announcement on our website and social media accounts once the winners have accepted the scholarship.
• I am not a US citizen but am attending an American university in 2022. Am I eligible?
  • Yes, as long as you meet our eligibility criteria, your citizenship status does not matter.
• I am a US citizen enrolled in a foreign university. What about me?
  • Sorry, our business scholarships are only available to students attending American educational institutions.

Previous Student Entrepreneur Scholarship Winners

Our scholarship program launched in late 2018 for the 2019 school year. Read about our winning entrepreneurs and their innovative business ideas:

• 2019: Cassandra Hostuttler
• 2020: Samantha Nielsen
• 2021: Natalie Cohen and Jordan Lee