High School Awards Program

Recognize your outstanding high school students for their leadership, service, and achievements by nominating them for a High School Award.

They could receive:

$24,000 Annual Scholarship

If they are accepted to an RIT BS/BFA program and enroll full-time in Fall 2026 immediately following their high school graduation, approved nominees will receive an undergraduate scholarship valued at $96,000 ($24,000 per year). Some awardees may receive a prorated amount. Learn more about scholarship terms

Application Fee Waived

Each approved nominee will have their application fee to RIT waived.
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Six Award Categories

Six categories create six opportunities to recognize outstanding juniors from your school in their areas of achievement.

Award Criteria How to Nominate

How to Nominate a Student

  1. For each award, schools may nominate one student from the junior class who meets the award criteria.
  2. All nominations need to be submitted using the online nomination form by April 15, 2025.
  3. Nominators should include as much information as possible about nominees. Birthdates are mandatory. View more nomination guidelines

The submission deadline for High School Junior Award nominations has passed.

Award Criteria

Student nominee must meet all general criteria and all criteria from the category in which they are nominated. A student may only be nominated for one award category.

General Criteria

Student nominees must:

  • Be a high school junior
  • Be pursuing a rigorous college-preparatory curriculum
  • Have a cumulative grade point average of 3.75 or higher (4.0 scale), 94 or higher (100 point scale)

Other considerations:

  • Student rank in their junior class, if their school has an official rank
  • Students should be active and involved members of their school and/or community

Category-Specific Criteria

In addition to general criteria, student nominees must have demonstrated an interest and ability in computing.

Evidence of an interest and ability in computing may include:

  • Superior grades in computing-related classes
  • Completion of a school or community project that demonstrates high-level knowledge or experience in computing. For example, hardware construction, software development, web page development, multimedia presentations, and computer graphics.
  • High-level use of computing in other areas such as business, science, math, art, design, film, animation, or photography.

In addition to general criteria, student nominees must have demonstrated an interest and ability in science and math.

Evidence of an interest and ability in science and math may include:

  • Superior grades in science and/or math-related classes
  • Interest in pursuing college-level course work in science and/or math, or interest in using science and/or math in other areas such as business, engineering, health sciences, technology, or computing.

In addition to general criteria, student nominees must demonstrate outstanding achievement in art, design, and creativity.

Examples include:

  • Superior grades in art and design-related classes
  • Use of creative and innovative thinking in areas such as art, crafts, design, film, animation, or photography
  • Extensive art portfolio or recipient of art awards

In addition to general criteria, student nominees must have demonstrated an interest and ability in business, leadership, and entrepreneurship.

Evidence of an interest and ability in business may include:

  • Superior grades in business and leadership-related classes
  • Completion of a school or community project that demonstrates a high level of developing innovative solutions to problems such as starting their own business, community service, or extensive involvement in leadership activities.

In addition to general criteria, student nominees must have demonstrated an interest and ability in humanities and social sciences.

Evidence of this may include:

  • Superior grades in humanities and social sciences-related classes, such as economics, psychology, history, foreign language, and global education.
  • Completion of a school or community project that demonstrates commitment and understanding of our political, cultural, economic, and social world.

In addition to general criteria, student nominees must be an outstanding female, female-identifying, or non-binary student who has demonstrated high achievement, ability, and interest in science, computing, robotics, and/or math.

This may include:

  • Superior grades in science, computing, and math-related classes
  • Interest in pursuing college-level course work in areas such as science, math, computing, engineering, technology, and health sciences

RIT May Be the Right Fit for Your Students

Rigorous, Professionally-Focused Academic Programs

RIT offers a wide variety of rigorous academic programs, from STEM to design to business, and more. We are ranked as one of the most innovative and best-value schools by U.S. News and Reports (2025) because our majors are multidisciplinary, transformative, and future-proof. 

Areas of study

Here, Creative Potential is Unleashed and Ideas Become Reality

Creativity and innovation is at the heart of RIT. We provide the places and spaces where people connect, imaginative ideas soar, and makers redesign the future. 

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Unmatched Career Preparation

Career preparation is our first priority. By pairing our future-focused, innovative academic programs with one of the best university internships and co-op programs in the world, you’ll see why RIT is the best place for you to not only launch your career, but design your future.

What is co-op?
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Students Thrive at RIT

Here, students can be uniquely themselves, and flourish. RIT is a place where individuality, creativity, and innovation are always celebrated.

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Community
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Athletics and recreation
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Program Details

Scholarship Terms

  • Each approved nominee will have their application fee waived and receive an undergraduate scholarship valued at $96,000 ($24,000 per year), if they are accepted for admission to an RIT BS/BFA program. 
  • Deaf and hard-of-hearing students accepted to RIT and students accepted into the ASL-English Interpretation and Community Development and Inclusive Leadership programs will receive a prorated amount to reflect the lower tuition rate these students pay.
  • Students must enroll full-time in the fall immediately following their high school graduation.
  • Students may use this scholarship to pursue any of the baccalaureate degree programs available in our nine colleges. 
  • Award recipients who qualify for an additional merit-based scholarship will be awarded the scholarship with the highest value. 
  • Scholarships are non-stackable.
  • Scholarships are for undergraduate study only and do not carry through to the graduate study level.

Nomination Guidelines

  • For each award, schools may nominate one student from the junior class who meets the award criteria for each award. Please pay careful attention and adhere closely to the award criteria.
  • All nominations need to be submitted online. The submission deadline is April 15, 2025.
  • Please include as much information as possible about your nominees, as this will expedite the review process. Birthdates are mandatory in order to accurately submit and track recipients in our database.

Award Certificate Process

Nominations will be reviewed and, if approved, awards will be mailed to each school. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact us.
 

Frequently Asked Questions

If you would like to receive future notifications about RIT's High School Awards program, please join our mailing list. 

We no longer offer the Creativity and Innovation and Computing Medal awards. These two awards have evolved into six new award categories: Computing, Science and Math, Art and Design, Business and Leadership, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Women in STEM.

No, a student may only be nominated for one award category.

You may email sjtadm@rit.edu for deadline extension requests.

Contact

Samantha Tasciotti headshot
Samantha Tasciotti
Senior Assistant Director
585-475-6569
sjtadm@rit.edu