Finding College Scholarships and Grants

Scholarships and grants are free money!

Think you won’t qualify for a college scholarship? Scholarships are not always based on academic achievement or financial need. If you are willing to take the time, you may find scholarship applications that fit you! There are scholarships for:

• students actively involved in the community
• students who golf
• students who play chess

College grants are free money that is given to you to help pay for college by:

• the U.S. government
• government-sponsored sources
• your school
• other sources

Unlike loans, grants are FREE money and are not paid back. Examples of federal grants are Pell Grants and the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG) program. Also check for tuition assistance programs in your state, school grants and special grants available to certain groups such as the disabled, veterans or minorities.

Try these approaches for locating scholarship and grant programs:

• The internet is a great place to begin your scholarship search. We don’t recommend any specific website, but two popular ones are:

  FastWeb
  Scholarships offered by the U.S. Government

• Ask your family and friends if there are scholarships available where they work, in their communities or through organizations of which they are members
• If you have any hobbies, interests or belong to any clubs, inquire about scholarships through these organizations
• Check with the college or university that you plan to attend
• Visit your local library
• Ask your high school guidance counselor or college financial aid office

What NOT to do - Avoiding Scholarship Scams

In your excitement to locate FREE scholarship money, don’t fall for scholarship scams! Scholarship services that promise to “do the work for you” or require a credit card may not be legitimate sources. Nothing can replace the research and hard work that you do to locate and apply for scholarships.

For tips on avoiding scholarship scams, visit the U.S. Federal Trade Commission website.