Matter to Matter Scholarship
$300, awarded monthly, to a student who taught themselves something that matters to them.
We think one the most interesting things about students is what they chase when no one is grading them. The Matter to Matter Scholarship recognizes students who learn for their own reasons.
REQUIREMENTS
Citizen / Eligible Noncitizen
You must be either: (i) a citizen or permanent resident of the U.S.A. or Canada; or (ii) a holder of a valid F1 I-20 or J1 DS-2019 visa for the U.S.A. or Canada.
Enrolled Student
You must be enrolled or registered at an accredited elementary school, middle school, high school, community college, university or graduate school for the current or upcoming semester / quarter.
3.0 GPA or Higher
You must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 (or its equivalent) or higher for the current or previous academic year.
Original Written Essay
You must write and submit an original essay in response to the following prompt: What's something you taught yourself, and why? Tell us about a skill, subject, or idea you pursued on your own, outside of school. What pulled you in? Walk us through one specific moment where it got hard, and what you did about it. What's changed, either for you or someone else, because you stuck with it?
• 300-600 words.
• One submission per applicant, per month.
Show Your Work (Optional)
Within your essay, provide a link to anything that backs up your essay: a photo, a blog post, an Instagram account, a screenshot, or a video of a finished project.
Submission Deadline
To be eligible for any month's scholarship, your submission must be uploaded by 11:59 p.m. PT on the 20th of that month.
Selection & Judging
Every essay received by the deadline is read by a review panel made up of Matter’s Director and Matter tutors. The panel evaluates each essay on three things: how specific and credible the account of self-teaching is, what the writer did when the work got hard, and what changed for them or for someone else as a result. Writing quality counts, but professional polish is not required and is not rewarded on its own. One recipient is selected on the 25th of each month. All decisions of the panel are final.
Acceptance / Notification
If you are notified by email that you have been selected as a scholarship recipient, you must confirm acceptance by return email within five (5) days of being notified. If no response is received within five (5) days, another winner will be selected. Scholarship applicants who have not been selected will not be notified.
Award & Payment
The award is a one-time scholarship of $300, intended for school-related costs such as tuition, mandatory fees, textbooks, and on-campus room and board. Scholarship funds are provided by Matter. After the recipient confirms acceptance and Matter verifies eligibility, Matter mails a check for the full award amount directly to the recipient. Checks are issued within thirty (30) days of that confirmation.
scholarship@matter.education
PHONE
+1 (424) 222-8411
2026
Scholarship Recipients
Matter is proud to honor prior recipients of the Matter to Matter Scholarship.
Timothy L.
San Jose, CA
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Eden L.
La Canada, CA
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Faith K.
Granada Hills, CA
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Micah P.
Simi Valley, CA
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Cleo K.
Los Angeles, CA
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Gia O.
San Ramon, CA
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