How to Get a College Scholarship in the US

Over the last 30 years college tuition rates have increased by 1,120 percent (yes this is true, not a typo). ^{[1] X Research Sources} With such a continuous increase, many students will fall into the situation of being unable to pay tuition fees with a tight budget. While many students resort to financial aid to make up for it. to cover the cost of their education, which can put them in debt for the rest of their lives. On the contrary, college scholarships are a great solution because you can both pay for college education and not get stuck in debt. With careful planning, research, and preparation, you may end up with a scholarship to cover some or all of your study expenses.

Table of Contents

Scholarship hunting

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Search for scholarships through the internet. Start by searching for scholarships specific to your level in the school. For example, there are many scholarships available to high school students. The best place to start hunting for scholarships in the US is the US Department of Labor, where there are over 7,000 searches for scholarship opportunities based on other categories and keywords.

If you’re applying to a university, you can find several resources on that school’s website to help you hunt for scholarships. You should also look for scholarships from an established institution with the goal of supporting students further their studies.
There is also a dedicated search engine to find potential scholarships. Some of these include Fastweb, Schparships.com and Cplege Board.
You can find a list of state agencies here.

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Ask a counselor or teacher about scholarships. Career counselors or college counselors know a lot about the types of scholarships that can be applied. They can guide you through choosing scholarships you haven’t thought of before. ^{[2] X Research Source}

If you are disadvantaged, you may also be eligible to participate in TRIO, a US government program created to help low-income, first-generation college students. families, and people with disabilities attend college. TRIO helps advise, guide and open scholarship opportunities for students. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

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Think about your own situation. Many scholarships sponsor money for students from special ethnic minority families. There are even scholarships available for students from military families or for students whose parents are volunteering or socializing. There are also many scholarships available for students who return to school late or start at a different age than the average person’s college age. Take a look at your circumstances and look for scholarships you might qualify for. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Check out the Federal Student Aid website here for information on scholarships for students from families with close relatives serving in the military.
If you are a current or former foster child, you may be eligible to participate in the Educational and Training Vouchers program through the federal government. Find more information here.
Review and examine websites from churches or religious organizations, community organizations, and local businesses. Many of them offer scholarships to local students.

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Check deadlines. Scholarship application deadlines are fixed. This means that you cannot submit your application late and expect to receive a scholarship. Track deadlines using a spreadsheet or a personal calendar so you don’t miss application deadlines. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

Create a memo that the scholarship deadline is based on the time allotted when your paperwork is done or based on postmarks. If the deadline is when your paperwork is received, you should submit your application at least a week before it is due. This will ensure your application will arrive on time.

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Avoid scams. While there are thousands of legitimate scholarship opportunities, there are also many who will be willing to take money or steal your personal information. Apply the following tips to find information wisely: ^{[6] X Research Sources}

Don’t waste money searching for scholarship information. Most information from financial aid “services” is free everywhere. Plus, these services may promise to “guarantee” financial aid or close scholarship information if once you give them a credit card number. This is a hoax. ^{[7] X Research Sources}
Be wary of application fees. In most cases, “scholarships” that ask for processing or application fees are scams. Reputable scholarships are meant to help, support you, not extort your money. ^{[8] X Research Sources}
Do not pay someone else to file the FAFSA (FAFSA: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is an application form for federal student aid). The Federal Student Aid Application is used in the United States to help the government determine eligibility for aid. Applying is free and very easy. Save money and don’t spend money on hiring people to apply for you. These companies have nothing to do with the US government.
Be wary of information that “wins” contests. You may receive a notification that you have “won” in a contest or been “selected” for a scholarship for which you have never applied for a scholarship. If it sounds too good to be true, it’s almost certainly fake. Normally you would have to pay for this kind of “scholarship”, it’s ridiculous. ^{[9] X Federal Trade Commission Trusted Source Go to Source}

Preparing for the scholarship application process

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Collect important documents. Many scholarship applications will ask for academic records, financial information, and some other details about you. ^{[10] X Research Resources} Try to gather these documents in advance as documents such as transcripts and test scores can take a few weeks to receive.

Overall, plan to have the following documents on hand when applying for a scholarship: transcripts from all high schools and colleges you attended, test scores (SAT, ACT, etc.) , financial aid application, financial information (income declaration for taxation, etc.), and proof of eligibility (birth certificate, passport, etc.).

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Type a resume outlining your extracurricular activities. Make a list of all the activities you participated in in high school and college, including school, community and volunteer activities, along with work experience.

Type your resume on your computer. Many universities and colleges now use online applications, so you will likely need to create an electronic resume.
Please include details in your resume. These details include the name of the organization you work for, the date you started working or volunteering there, the job position, and the tasks you completed.
List scholarships, medals, and awards that you have received. If you have any special skills such as bilingualism or knowledge of computer code, list them on your resume.
If you have been involved in many activities or have a lot of experience, consider creating a short list (one page) for this resume. Different scholarship organizations may have different priorities.
Check out the resume form from the University of Texas Honors Program.

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Fill out a practice copy of the admissions application form. You want to make sure that the information is filled out properly on the forms, please fill out a copy before you fill out the official form. If the application form is not online, a copy of the application form should be made.

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Fill in the information on the application form. Typing the information on the form is best, as it will be easier to read than handwriting. Many scholarship application forms are available online in PDF format, so filling out the forms is simple. Some forms may only exist in hard copy.

Filling out forms in handwriting is also fine if you don’t have access to a typewriter. Make sure you write in blue or black ink and write neatly. If your handwriting is difficult to read, ask someone else to fill out the form for you.

Write essay for scholarship

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Identify the reader of the essay. Each scholarship organization has different specific goals. This affects how the institution wants to spend the scholarship money. Do a little research on the organization so you can understand who is sponsoring the scholarship money. ^{[11] X Research Source}

Start your research by looking at the slogans of the college, university, or organization. Each university has a mission statement that helps determine the school’s priorities. Most charities also have mission statements. Be sure to include the content of that statement directly in your essay.

There is a letter of recommendation

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Find someone who knows about your work. Most scholarship applications will require at least one letter of recommendation. The letter could be from a teacher, employer or other person familiar with your work. The letter should focus on your work, grades, community service, talent, and several other points. ^{[16] X Research Source}

Do not choose a relative for this role. Same with friends. However, a volunteer coordinator, pastor, or another figure in the community who knows you’re a good person can work well.

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Ask if the person you are asking will agree to write you a letter of recommendation. Don’t assume that teachers or others will write you a letter of recommendation. You must ask to make sure the person is familiar with your work and has time to write you a letter.

Meet the other person in person to ask for a letter of introduction. This is a more personalized approach than using email and it will reflect positively on you. Bring a copy of your resume or work product you did in class to help them remember your accomplishments. This is especially important if you haven’t worked with this person for a long time.
If the person rejects you, try not to take it too seriously. It is better to ask someone who can write you a good letter than to have someone write a vague, nonchalant letter.

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Send your application for admission early to the person who wrote your letter of recommendation. You want to make the recommendation writing process as easy as possible for the writer. Give them any forms they need to fill out as soon as possible. Give them a copy of your commitment or personal essay if only one of them is required. This will help them draft a letter that supports what you wrote in your resume.

Be sure to provide your reference with a stamped envelope with a personal address. Many scholarships require your references to mail to the institutions instead of giving it to you. It is impolite to expect your references to pay to send you a cover letter.

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Send a reminder. As the application deadline approaches, send a reminder to your references about writing references. Don’t remind them every day, but a reminder at least a week ahead of time is a good idea.

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Send a thank you letter afterwards. Regardless of whether you win the scholarship or not, send a handwritten thank-you note to each reference. They deserve to be thanked for the time they took to write you a letter of recommendation, and this thank you will make it more likely that they will do it for you again.

Complete the scholarship application process

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Read and edit profiles. Turn each profile page and read it carefully. If it is an online application, it is helpful to print out the entire application and read it again. Also have someone else read through it. ^{[17] X Research Source}

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Sort records in order. Put all application pages in the order that the scholarship applications require. For example, put the cover page first, then the scholarship essay, then the resume, and then some other pages. Each form of application will have its own specific instructions, so make sure you follow them closely.

Make sure you have all the required items of the profile. Missing a section may make you ineligible for the scholarship.

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Make copies for each profile. It’s a good idea to save the information you submit on your resume. Some scholarship organizations may need an interview. It will be helpful if you remember what you wrote when you chat with the organizer. ^{[18] X Research Sources}

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Submit your resume soon. Don’t wait until the deadline to submit your application. If you organize all your documents ahead of time, you will have time to re-read them. Don’t forget to send a reminder to your cover letter writers.

Advice

Take the time to clean up the look of your online profile. Search by your name online and see what information comes up. Remove images that you do not want the scholarship organization to see.

If pursuing for a specific reason (like sport), it’s important to put yourself in that environment and become an active member of that community. If you’re looking for that in high school or before, keep doing what you’re doing. It is good experience and can bring you a better reputation from instructor/teacher.

Warning

Don’t spend money looking for scholarships. That’s a waste of money because legitimate services are often free.

Steps