Scholarships

What is a

scholarship?

Scholarships can help students pay for college, but they do not need to be repaid. They can come from colleges, organizations, corporations, and more.

Types of scholarships

Merit-Based

Merit-Based scholarships are awarded to students based off of achievement. For example, a scholarship could be granted to a student who has the highest SAT score in the school.

Need-Based

Need-Based scholarships are awarded to students who have demonstrated financial need. Many Need-Based scholarships are also Merit-Based and require academic records, but there are Need-Based choices that require only family income information.

Student Specific

Student specific scholarships are granted based off of characteristics. An example of this would be the Gates Millennium Scholarships which is offered to African American, American Indian, Asian, and Latino students.

College Scholarships

These are scholarships offered by specific schools like Kennesaw State University or Georgia State University. Because these scholarships are offered by specific colleges, they could be Need-Based, Merit-Based, or both. Most schools have a priority deadline to ensure that students are considered for their scholarships. Be sure to look at your college of interest to keep from missing out!

Where can I find scholarships?

Here are some trusted scholarship databases. Create an account and input your information to narrow the search down!

Scholarships For Hispanics

Be sure to contact your College Adviser for general information on scholarships and information about local scholarships.

How can I make sure i'm not getting scammed?

Here are some things to look out for when searching for scholarships.

Fees: You shouldn’t have to pay to search for or apply for scholarships.
Credit card or bank account information needed: You should never have to give credit card or bank account information to award providers.
Scholarship guarantee: No one can guarantee that you’ll win a scholarship because no one can control scholarship judges’ decisions. Also, be wary of “high success rates”—they usually do not refer to actual award winners.
No work involved: You can’t avoid putting in time to fill out a scholarship application.
No contact information: Legitimate sponsors should provide contact information upon request. If the sponsor does not supply a valid e-mail address, phone number and mailing address (not a PO Box) after you’ve asked for one, it could the sign of a scam.
Unsolicited scholarships: If you are called to receive an award for which you never applied, be alert—it’s most likely a scam.
Pressure tactics: Don’t allow yourself to be pressured into applying for a scholarship, especially if the sponsor is asking for money up front.
Claims of “exclusive” scholarships: Sponsors don’t make their scholarships available through only one service.
Sponsor goes out of their way to sound “official”: Scammers sometimes use official-sounding words like “national,” “education” or “federal” or they display an official-looking seal to fool you into thinking they are legit. Check with your school if you question a scholarship provider’s legitimacy.
Your questions aren’t answered directly: If you can’t get a straight answer from a sponsor regarding their application, what will be done with your information or other questions, proceed with caution.

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