Applying for scholarships requires time. You have to research the scholarship, fill out the application, send it in, and wait for the scholarship committee’s response. But what if you could earn free money for college without filling out a scholarship application?

Here are 3 ways you can earn money for college with very little effort and substantial payoffs:

UPromise

With the UPromise, members create a college savings service that harnesses the purchasing power of parents, extended family, family, and students to make it easier to pay for college. They make purchases from Upromise partners—including more than 950 online stores, 10,000+ restaurants, grocery and drugstore items—and earn money for college. You can even have family members (grandparents, aunts, uncles) sign up and earn cash back for college that goes toward your student’s balance.

Raise.me

The Raise.me Micro-Scholarship program gives student incentives to perform well in school. The money comes from the participating colleges and is awarded upon admission. So far, over $250 million in Micro-Scholarships have been made available by the colleges as part of their commitment to making aid more transparent, predictable, and motivational for students. Not all colleges participate, but if your student’s college of interest is on the list, this is an excellent way to earn scholarship money without filling out an application.

Gift of College

Makes saving for college easy. Gift of College lets friends and family donate directly and securely to your child’s college fund. It is a great alternative for gift giving during the holidays. It’s simple: create a Gift of College account, link your account to a 529, tell people all about it. This is a great gift giving alternative for extended family and especially grandparents. Start early and watch the savings grow.