That’s not quite correct. However, two conditions must be met to attend a public high school on an F-1 visa, which may put it out of reach for you personally:
- You MUST pay the school district for the full cost of your education before the F-1 visa can be issued. (Order of magnitude $6,000 - $12,000 per year.)
- Some school official must complete the USCIS training as a "designated school official", so that the school can issue the I-20 form you need to apply for your visa.
Technicalities aside, I agree with happymomof1. Scholarships targeted at incoming international college students will require F-1 status for the duration the scholarship is held, not at the time of the application. If F-1 status is required at the time of the scholarship application, the scholarship is meant for continuing college students. Contact whoever administers the scholarships if you are unsure or the requirements seem odd.