Scholarships & Grants
Anything Helps!
With the cost of a college education on the rise, it's become more vital than ever for students to seek out scholarship funding, no matter how small the amount. Competition for larger awards is often fierce, but smaller awards often have fewer applicants. Your chances of earning a scholarship might be increased by applying for multiple awards in the $1,000 or $2,000 range rather than one or two larger scholarships.
OSAC
One application comprising more than 600 scholarships worth over $10 million, available to Oregon students - You do not have to attend an Oregon college for most scholarships. It opens on November 1 of each year. The deadline is March 1.
You will need to first register for an OSAC account. This will give you access to the Oregon Promise Grant, Oregon Tribal Grant, and OSAC Scholarships.
Important Deadlines
February 15, 5 pm PST: Early Bird Deadline. Error-free applications will be entered into a drawing for one of several $1,000 Early Bird scholarships.
March 1, 5 pm PST: Final Deadline. The final deadline for all application materials to be submitted.
*If a deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, that deadline will automatically be extended to 5:00 p.m. (PST) on the following business day.
Oregon Promise Grant
Oregon Promise is a state grant that helps to cover tuition costs at any Oregon community college for recent high school graduates and GED® test graduates. Students must apply during their senior year or immediately after GED® test completion. Find your deadline here. It opens on October 1 of each year and closes on June 1st.
FAFSA -Free Application For Student Aid. It opens on October 1 of each year.
ORSAA-the Oregon Student Aid Application, an alternative to the FAFSA for undocumented Oregon residents or for students who have DACA. It opens on October 1 of each year.
College Scholarships
Institution Scholarships
Often your post-high school institution is a tremendous source of scholarship aid. Be sure to visit the Financial Aid and Scholarship pages of your chosen college, university, or trade school.
Merit Scholarships
When it comes to paying for college, merit aid is one way to close the gap between the cost of attendance and need-based financial aid. Merit aid is a form of college financial aid that does not consider a student's financial need but rather is awarded based on academic, athletic, artistic, or special-interest merit.
Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE)
America’s largest regional interstate tuition savings program
The Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) is an agreement among WICHE’s 16 member states and territories, through which 160+ participating public colleges and universities provide steep nonresident tuition savings for Western students.
Through WUE, eligible students can choose from hundreds of undergraduate programs outside their home state, and pay no more than 150 percent of that institution’s resident tuition rate.
Since full nonresident college tuition rates may exceed 300 percent of resident rates, WUE increases affordable higher-education choices for students and minimizes the adverse impacts of student loan debt.