How Students Can Find College Scholarships

College Scholarships

Scholarships given by colleges are the most common type of scholarships. Check out a college’s website, catalog and financial aid materials for information on the scholarships it offers. Awards can be offered on a university-wide basis or within a particular college or major.

Your college may automatically put your name in for its scholarships when you submit financial aid forms. Ask a financial aid officer if this is the case.


Outside Scholarships

Outside scholarships — those given by an organization that isn’t your college or the federal government — will most likely be a small part of your college money but can help meet costs. Here are some places you can look for these types of awards.
Local Scholarships

Ask your school counselor or principal about awards for students graduating from your high school and for residents of your town, county and state. Look online and in your public library for information on local scholarships as well.

You may find scholarships sponsored by

Your church, mosque, synagogue or other religious community
Local branches of organizations such as the Rotary Club or the Kiwanis
Your parents’ employers
Your employer

State Scholarships

Almost every state has a scholarship program for residents, and the awards are usually limited to students who will attend college in that same state. For example, the State of Florida offers Bright Futures Scholarships to qualified Floridians who will attend college in state.
National Scholarships

Examples of national scholarships include those sponsored by

National Merit Scholarship Corporation
Gates Millennium Scholars
Intel Science Talent Search
Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation
Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship Program

The College Board also cosponsors scholarship competitions with the Siemens Foundation. National scholarships are open to people from across the country, so expect more competition for them.


You can learn about scholarships in several ways, including contacting the financial aid office at the school you plan to attend and checking information in a public library or online. But be careful. Make sure scholarship information and offers you receive are legitimate; and remember that you don't have to pay to find scholarships or other financial aid. Check out our information on how to avoid scams.


Try these free sources of information about scholarships:

-The financial aid office at a college or career school
-A high school or TRIO counselor
-The U.S. Department of Labor’s FREE scholarship search tool
-Federal agencies
-Your state grant agency
-your library’s reference section
-foundations, religious or community organizations, local businesses, or civic groups
-Organizations (including professional associations) related to your field of interest
-Ethnicity-based organizations
-Your employer or your parents’ employers





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