RaiseMe is not a scholarship you apply for once and then wait on. It is a platform where high school and community college students log what they achieve, class by class and activity by activity, and partner colleges attach small amounts of money to each of those achievements. Those small amounts are called micro-scholarships, and they stack up over time. You can read the full scholarship details on our listing, but this guide is about how the system actually works and whether it makes sense for a student in Pakistan.
My honest view up front: RaiseMe is built around the American school system. It suits students who are currently in high school or community college and who are seriously aiming for an undergraduate place at a US partner college. If you are a Pakistani student finishing FSc or A Levels at home, you need to check whether the platform accepts students from your country and your school system before you put time into it. The source information does not say it is open to Pakistani students, so do not assume it is.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Provider | RaiseMe |
| Country | United States |
| Funding | Partial funding, earned as micro-scholarships that vary by partner college |
| Levels | High school, community college, undergraduate |
| Fields | All fields |
| Deadline | Varies, confirm on the official site |
| Cost to sign up | Free for students |
| Official site | raise.me |
How micro-scholarships turn grades and clubs into money
A micro-scholarship is a specific amount of financial aid a college commits to you for completing an individual achievement during high school. Getting an A in a class is one example. Playing a sport is another. Instead of one large award decided at the end, college financial aid gets broken into smaller pieces that you earn as you go.
You build an online portfolio on RaiseMe and add your achievements to it, both inside and outside the classroom. As you update it, you can see the amounts from different partner colleges adding up. The things that count are broad:
- Good grades in specific courses, such as Algebra
- Sports participation
- Extracurricular clubs
- Volunteer work
- Family assistance, a newer category for low-income students who care for family members
That last category is worth paying attention to. Plenty of students carry real responsibilities at home and never think of it as something a college would reward. On RaiseMe it can be logged and can qualify you for specialized micro-scholarships.
What the stacked amounts can add up to
The amounts are set by each partner college, so there is no single figure to quote. Some students report totals in the thousands of dollars, and some report reaching full tuition coverage at partner institutions such as Stetson University. Treat those as the top end, not the norm. The funding is classed as partial, and what you actually receive depends on the college you end up attending and what that college pays for the achievements you logged.
This is the part applicants most often misread. Micro-scholarships from a college only matter if you enrol at that college. Earning amounts from ten different partners does not mean you collect all ten. It means you can compare offers and see which colleges reward your profile most.
Whether a Pakistani student can realistically use RaiseMe
The stated requirements are simple:
- You must be a high school student or a community college student.
- You must keep an updated online portfolio on the RaiseMe platform.
- You must document academic achievements, such as grades in specific courses.
- You must document extracurricular activities, sports, volunteer work or family care responsibilities.
Notice what is missing. Nothing in the listing confirms which countries or school systems are accepted. The examples (Algebra grades, community college) point clearly toward US students. If you are studying in Pakistan, sign up, look at what the platform asks for during registration, and check eligibility for your nationality and school before you count on any amount. Students already enrolled in a US high school or community college are the obvious fit.
The listing also names undergraduate as an eligible level, while the requirements themselves only mention high school and community college students. In practice, read this as: you earn during high school or community college, and the money applies when you start your undergraduate degree at a partner college. Confirm the exact rules for your stage on the official site.
The one document behind every achievement
Only one document is listed: your high school or community college records to verify your achievements. That sounds light, but it has a real consequence. Every grade and activity you log needs to match what your school records show. If you claim an A that your transcript does not show, the college has no reason to honour that micro-scholarship.
Keep your report cards, certificates for clubs and sports, and any proof of volunteer work organised as you go. If you later apply to US colleges more broadly, the same habit will save you time. Our documents checklist for international scholarships covers what Pakistani applicants typically need to prepare, including attested transcripts.
Setting up your RaiseMe portfolio
- Sign up for a free student account on the RaiseMe website.
- Add your achievements, classes, grades and extracurricular activities to the portfolio.
- Browse partner colleges and see the micro-scholarships you have earned for specific accomplishments.
- Keep the portfolio up to date for the rest of high school or community college.
Parents, educators and counselors can also use the platform, so a school counselor who knows RaiseMe can help you check that you are logging things properly.
Why starting early in high school matters more than any deadline
There is no single application deadline. The listed deadline varies, so confirm current dates on the official site. The timeline that does matter is your own: the recommendation is to start adding achievements early in high school to maximise what you stack. Someone who joins in their final months can still log past grades, but they lose the chance to plan around what partner colleges reward.
Starting early also lets you see your financial aid picture years before you apply to college. For families trying to work out whether a US degree is affordable at all, that early view is the most useful thing the platform gives you.
Mistakes that cost students money on RaiseMe
The biggest mistake is logging achievements in bulk months later. You forget things. Add grades and achievements as soon as they happen.
The second is under-reporting. Students list grades but skip the debating club, the cricket team or the weekend volunteering. Include every club, sport and volunteer activity. If you help care for family members, log that too, because family assistance has its own micro-scholarships.
The third is ignoring the comparison. Research different partner colleges on the platform to see which ones offer the most for your specific achievements. A college that pays well for strong maths grades may not be the one that pays well for community service.
Finally, do not treat RaiseMe as your whole funding plan. It is partial funding tied to specific colleges. If you are serious about the US, look at the wider options in our guide to all United States scholarships.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly is a micro-scholarship?
It is a specific amount of financial aid a college commits to you for an individual achievement during high school, such as getting an A in a class or playing a sport. The amounts come from partner colleges and stack up as you add more achievements.
Does RaiseMe cost anything?
No. Signing up as a student is free.
Can students in Pakistan use RaiseMe?
The available information does not confirm this. The platform is aimed at high school and community college students, with US examples throughout. Check eligibility for your nationality and school system on the official site before relying on it.
Do I get the money from every college that offers me a micro-scholarship?
No. The amounts vary by partner college, and they are tied to that college. What you receive depends on where you actually enrol.
Who else can use the platform besides students?
Parents, educators and counselors can also use RaiseMe, alongside high school and community college students.
Is there a fixed deadline?
The deadline varies, so confirm it on the official site. The practical advice is to start your portfolio early in high school and keep it updated throughout.
Check the current rules and partner colleges on the official RaiseMe website, and see the RaiseMe scholarship page for the summary details.