by Amber Duncan
(Brandon, FL, U.S.)
Me
Have no fear! Scholarship and Grant help is here! - College, it’s a big step! Paying for it? It’s seems impossible, but it’s not. The only obstacle between you and scholarship and grant help is YOU.
by Krystal Humphreys
(Richmond, VA, USA)
As a single mother of one child and attending college as a traditional student full-time has been very challenging in the last three years. I am a rising senior and I feel as though you can never have too much financial aid! Attending private colleges usually have expensive tuitions so the first thing I would suggest:
1. For a first-time student, to find out if the institution of choice has scholarships and grants available and who qualifies for them. If the student qualifies then please apply for all.
2. As a returning student to the same institution, another great way to obtain financial support is to acheive and maintain a high GPA. (3.5 or higher). Having this extremely impressive GPA will help the student to become a primary consideration for many scholarhsips from the institution. (I received 6 institutional scholarships last year because I obtained a GPA of 3.6).
3. Check to see if your institution is a partcipating UNCF institution on uncf.org. If so, then go on the website and create a profile and apply for all available scholarships that your profile matches up with.
Many key tips in financial search, but most important is always stay connected with these available avenues and make sure the student always stay in contact regularly with the institution's financial aid department and make friends. Periodically check everyone and everywhere money is available. Deadlines are always approaching and new money is always becoming available.
Read more Scholarship Tips from other students and parents who have been through process.
by Janice Pang
(Davis, CA, USA)
Are you tired of writing “personal” scholarship essays that are anything but? Has the lack of scholarships tailored to your interests – to you! – gotten you down?
Well fear no more!
I have a simple, and surprisingly practical, piece of advice: Do what you love.
The key to obtaining scholarships is not necessarily to apply to every single one you can (although this doesn't hurt your chances), but to narrow down the ones that address subjects in which you are truly interested. It's simply a matter of looking!
More often than not, scholarships tailored to your interests are listed elsewhere other than the major scholarship-finding sites. For example, I obtained $400 to fund my Design schooling by presenting my t-shirt design at a local music festival. No matter what you are into, you can be certain that people before you have shared your interests and are now willing to give scholarships out to people like you – people who are passionate about what they do.
So, what is YOUR passion? Is it chemistry? Soccer? Painting? If it is, then show it! But note that the focus should NOT be on the subject, but on what the subject reveals about YOU.
Show your love of discovery through each novel hypothesis and careful calculation. Show your competitive side through detailed descriptions of the adrenaline rushing through your veins before a soccer game. Show your creativity through a mixture of wild blotches and fine brush strokes.
Do what you love and you cannot fail.
Allow me to explain: Of course, you can't win them all. You have to understand that there are others who share the same passions as you, who have the same goals. You will win some and you will probably lose more. I had submitted eight other designs to eight other scholarships before I had won the $400. Had I lost hope after my first rejected design, I would have gotten nowhere. But you cannot give up; as long as you keep doing what you love, and you truly care about your subject, it will show through your work and it will be recognized.
Read more Scholarship Tips from other students and parents who have been through process.
Scholarships for 2023 - It is never too early or too late to work on your scholarship searches. If you are part of the high school class of 2023, you should work on your scholarship and college search now. See our list of Scholarships for High School Seniors
FAFSA - The official 2023 - 2024 FAFSA is now available. See information about FAFSA.
Scholarship Lists An overview of the different types of Scholarship Money for College.
Grants Learn more about grants, the other free money for college.
Need Tuition Help? Reduce the cost of tuition with these college Tuition Assistance Programs.
Tax Credit Claim the American Opportunity Tax Credit.
College Savings Plans Save money for college with these College Savings Plans.
Need a Student Loan? Yes, you qualify for these college Student Loans.
Scholarships for High School Students