How to Find Scholarships, Plus When & How to Apply

The costs of college keep rising, but that doesn't have to hold you back! Scholarships can help you afford the education you need to reach your goals, and the best part is you don’t have to pay them back. In this article, we’ll teach you everything you need to know about how to apply for scholarships, including the application process, where to find scholarships, when to start applying, and more.

Easy Steps for Applying for Scholarships

Find scholarships you qualify for through your school counselor and college financial aid offices.
Fill out your FAFSA to see if you qualify for need-based scholarships.
Read all application requirements carefully and submit the required information.
Write a scholarship essay that shows your personality, skills, and qualifications.
Ask a trusted teacher, coach, or employer for a letter of recommendation.
Submit all application materials by the scholarship’s deadline.

Section 1 of 6:

Applying for Scholarships

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1
Search for scholarships you’re eligible for. Look for scholarships through colleges, your guidance counselor or local library, or scholarship websites to find scholarships you qualify for. Some scholarships are awarded based on financial need, while others are given based on GPA, student involvement, or other factors. Be sure to read all the qualifications to make sure you’re eligible.^{[1]
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- For example, to get the highly-competitive Coca-Cola Scholars Program Scholarship, you need a GPA of at least 3.0, and you have to demonstrate outstanding character and leadership.^{[2]
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- Scholarships are also offered to students who live in a certain state, students who are of a particular ethnicity, students who are majoring in a specific field, or athletes.
- Some scholarships have even narrower requirements—one of your parents might need to work at a certain company, for instance.
- Try looking for scholarships based on the career you want. For example, if you want to be a nurse, consider applying for the A Nurse I Am scholarship, the Scarlett Family Foundation scholarship, and many more.^{[3]
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File the FAFSA. Many need-based scholarships use your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) data to determine if you’re eligible. In many cases, if you haven’t filled out the FAFSA, you won’t qualify. This is the case for many institutional scholarships, and sometimes these scholarships require no additional forms or applications other than the FAFSA.^{[4]
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- The FAFSA determines how much help you'll need to pay for college based on your parents' incomes (or yours if you're an adult).
- It may be helpful to have your parents around while filling out the FAFSA, but it’s possible to complete it on your own, as well.
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Once you’ve determined your eligibility, read through the scholarship’s application requirements to determine what materials you need to submit your application. This varies depending on the scholarship, but in general, you may be required to submit your basic personal information, a copy of your transcript and/or diploma, an essay, letter(s) of recommendation, and financial aid information.^{[5]
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Write an eye-catching essay. If your scholarship application requires an essay, don't see it as an obstacle—this is your moment to shine! Read the essay prompt carefully, then share a personal story that demonstrates why you're a great candidate. Even if you’re not a strong writer, this is your opportunity to express your personality, ideas, and opinions. It may help to create an outline to organize your ideas.^{[6]
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- For instance, if you have to tell a story about overcoming a challenge, paint the scene with vivid detail—talk about how you felt as you faced the problem, a little background to explain why it was such a big deal for you, and how you summoned the strength and courage to succeed.
- Try to find ways to relate to the organization's mission statement. For instance, if you're applying to a faith-based school, mention how your belief in God helped you during a hard time.
- Pay attention to all requirements, like word count limits. Make sure you follow all instructions to give yourself a bigger chance at winning.
- Give yourself plenty of time to write, edit, and proofread your essay. It may help to have a teacher or parents look it over, as well.
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Ask for a letter of recommendation, if required. Many scholarships require a letter of recommendation as part of their submission guidelines. Ask your teachers, coaches, and/or employer if they’d write a letter of recommendation for you. It’s best to choose someone you have a good relationship with and who understands your skills and qualifications. Give them an idea of what you'd like them to include in their letter—maybe you worked really hard on a project for them, or you'd like them to mention that you worked after school while maintaining a strong GPA. Then, follow up with them to make sure you get the references back in time for your scholarship deadline.^{[7]
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- Be sure to ask several weeks before the application deadline so they'll have plenty of time to finish your letter.
- You can usually reuse your references if you're applying for more than one scholarship.
Give yourself plenty of time to get your application materials together. If you miss the deadline, all that hard work will be for nothing! If you’re worried you might forget, mark the deadline in your calendar and set a notification on your phone. Create a timeline to finish everything you need to do before that day arrives. This will help relieve a lot of stress!^{[8]
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Section 2 of 6:

How to Find Scholarships

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Even if you haven't started applying yet, it’s a good idea to see what each school offers. In many cases, your application packet will contain a list of scholarships in the financial aid section. Many colleges also list the information on the school’s website. If you can’t find anything, contact their financial aid office by phone or email.^{[9]
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Check with your guidance counselor or local library. These are both great resources for all kinds of scholarships. In addition to information about school-based, federal, and state scholarships, you might also find out about scholarships offered by local organizations or companies that you wouldn't have heard about otherwise.^{[10]
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- If you're a member of a religious community, check with your church, temple, or synagogue to see if they offer any scholarships.
- Check with your employer or your parents’ employers, as well. Sometimes companies offer scholarships.
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Use an online scholarship search. There are tons of sites that offer scholarship searches. To keep from getting overwhelmed, start with 1 or 2 of the most popular free search sites, like Career One Stop, which is sponsored by the US Department of Labor. Other popular databases include FastWeb and Scholarships.com. Make a list of any scholarships you qualify for and their application due dates to make sure you don’t miss anything.^{[11]
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- Scholarship information is available publicly, so you don't need to pay a website to give you these search results.

Section 3 of 6:

When to Apply for Scholarships

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Apply for scholarships as early as possible. Ideally, start researching scholarships during the summer between your junior and senior year of high school. Each scholarship has its own deadline, and some require you to apply as early as a year before you start college. However, it’s never too late—you can even apply for some scholarships after you’re already in college. Just check the deadline information to be sure.^{[12]
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- Use a calendar or a spreadsheet to keep track of all the due dates so you don’t accidentally miss one!

Section 4 of 6:

Types of Scholarships

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Scholarships can be merit-based or need-based. Merit-based scholarships mean you have to meet some requirement—like having a certain GPA, playing a sport, or having a particular interest. Need-based scholarships, on the other hand, are only granted to students who are facing financial hardship. These are often called grants.^{[13]
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- You can find scholarships for almost everything, from playing a certain musical instrument to being a twin. That means it can take a lot of searching to find the exact scholarship that suits you, but if you're persistent, you’ll almost certainly find something!

Section 5 of 6:

Tips for Winning Scholarships

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You're most likely to win a scholarship if you were a good student, active in your community and school, and demonstrated leadership throughout your school years. Also, get really clear on what you want to do after school—if you have very specific goals, a scholarship committee might be more likely to see you as a good investment.^{[14]
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Start by applying to just a few scholarships that fit your interests. Because there are so many scholarships out there, it can seem overwhelming at first. Focus on finding scholarships that you feel like you're a really good fit for. Then, gradually expand your search to scholarships that you qualify for, but maybe aren't as confident about.^{[15]
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- Remember—you don't always have to be a perfect candidate for a scholarship as long as you meet the basic requirements. You might very well be the best fit out of all of the applicants!
- Also, keep in mind that the more scholarships you apply to, the better your chances of getting one.
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Try applying to smaller and local scholarships. It can be tempting to only apply to scholarships that offer a large amount of money, but remember that you'll also have to compete with more people for those. On the other hand, if you get several smaller scholarships, those can add up quickly—and they might have fewer applicants, so you may have a better chance of winning!^{[16]
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- Similarly, you might be one of only a few candidates when you apply to scholarships that are only available to students who live in your city or state.
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Organize your application process. As you search for scholarships, save all of the scholarships you're considering to a spreadsheet. Include the deadline and anything you need to include in your application. When you're more organized, you'll be less likely to miss out on an opportunity because you got your application in late.^{[17]
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- It can help to dedicate a few hours each week solely to finding and applying for scholarships.
The more scholarships you apply for, the more likely you’ll be awarded one. Because scholarship deadlines vary, it’s possible to find new ones at any time throughout the year. Many scholarships are also available to college and grad students, as well, so don’t stop your search just because you graduated high school.^{[18]
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Section 6 of 6:

Scholarship FAQs

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Some are, but not all of them. Some scholarships, especially the ones offered by an institution or a large organization, might be enough to cover all 4 years of your college education. However, some scholarships will only be for a few hundred dollars. Don't pass those up, though—even small amounts can really add up once you start looking at tuition!^{[19]
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It depends on the scholarship. Some scholarships send the money directly to your college to be applied to tuition and fees, and any leftover amount will be given to you. Other scholarships may send you a check directly. The scholarship provider should tell you what to expect when you’re awarded the scholarship. If they don’t, make sure to ask.^{[20]
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Your total student aid cannot be more than the cost of attendance at your chosen school, so receiving a scholarship can affect your other aid. Let your college know that you’ve received a scholarship so the financial aid office can subtract that amount from the cost of attendance and other aid and loans you may have been offered. Any costs remaining after the scholarship has been applied can be covered by other forms of aid.^{[21]
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How do I know if a scholarship is a scam? Legitimate scholarships are free to apply to and search for. If a scholarship site is behind a paywall, it’s a scam. A scholarship provider may ask for your bank information if you’ve been awarded the scholarship, but never before. If you’re ever unsure, contact the provider directly to determine if the scholarship is real.^{[22]
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- Ask your school counselor or your college’s financial aid office for reputable scholarship sites and sources.
Scholarships give you free money to put toward your college education. Depending on the size of the scholarship, they can save you hundreds or thousands of dollars. Some will even pay your tuition altogether. The best part about scholarships is that, unlike loans, you’ll never have to pay the money back. They’re a great way to reduce student debt.^{[23]
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Both grants and scholarships offer free money toward your college education. Typically, grants are awarded based on financial need and usually come from the government or the college. Scholarships, on the other hand, are often merit-based (though they can be need-based, as well) and can be awarded from a variety of providers, including businesses and religious organizations.^{[24]
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Can international students apply for scholarships? International students may be eligible for some scholarships if they’re attending college in the U.S. Not all scholarships are available to international students, however, so be sure to read all the requirements when applying.^{[25]
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- Often, international students have to pay higher tuition than domestic students, so it’s a good idea to apply to colleges that offer tuition waivers.

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Question

Do I apply for scholarships after I get accepted?

Jennifer Kaifesh
Founder, Great Expectations College Prep
Jennifer Kaifesh is the Founder of Great Expectations College Prep, a tutoring and counseling service based in Southern California. Jennifer has over 15 years of experience managing and facilitating academic tutoring and standardized test prep as it relates to the college application process. She takes a personal approach to her tutoring, and focuses on working with students to find their specific mix of pursuits that they both enjoy and excel at. She is a graduate of Northwestern University.

Jennifer Kaifesh

Founder, Great Expectations College Prep

Expert Answer

School-specific scholarships are offered by a particular college to students who enroll. You may be automatically considered for these when you apply, or you may be required to submit applications or essays to be considered. Independent scholarships are separate from any specific educational institution. You can often find small scholarships through your local Chamber of Commerce, as well as local clubs, newspapers, and places of worship.

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Do I only need to be academically gifted for a scholarship?

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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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No! Academic scholarships are really common, but there are scholarships for all kinds of things. For instance, you might be able to get a scholarship based on your interests, what your parents do for a living, or whether you need financial help for college.

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Please do you know of any ongoing scholarship scheme ?

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Use a scholarship search engine like Career One Stop to find current scholarships that you can apply for.

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Tips

When you win a scholarship, remember to send the provider a thank you letter.

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Be honest when applying to scholarships. Don’t exaggerate your grades, skills, or qualifications. You’re more likely to receive scholarships if you apply to ones that truly match your interests and skills.

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To make the application process easier, reuse your essays when possible. Many scholarship essay topics are similar, so edit an essay you’ve already written to save time.

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