Applying for scholarships is a great way to avoid or at the very least reduce the accumulation of student debts. Scholarships for college students are offered by schools, private companies, employers, individuals, nonprofit organizations, federal and state government agencies, and more. Some scholarships may cover your entire tuition fee, while others may grant a one-time award of a certain amount.
Some federal scholarships are awarded to particular groups of people like women, graduate students, and students from a specific background (military, low-income groups), etc. There are also merit-based scholarships available.
How Can You Find Scholarships?
There are plenty of resources available to find federal scholarships that you may be eligible to receive. However, there are also many scams that you may come across, so be wary of any offers that demand payment and always try to verify the authenticity of such offers.
- Your library’s reference section
- Your high school or TRIO counselor
- The financial aid office at a career or college school
- Your state’s grant agency
- Federal agencies
- The US Department of Labor’s free scholarship search tool
- Professional associations or organizations related to your field of study/interest
When Should You Apply For Scholarships?
It would help if you kept the deadlines of each scholarship in your mind while starting the application process. Some scholarships have deadlines before colleges start, so we recommend starting your research and application process between your junior and senior years. If you have missed some deadlines, search for scholarships that are still open for the academic year.
How Should You Apply For Scholarships?
All scholarships have their particular requirements. We advise you to check the website, especially the pages regarding scholarships, to understand the eligibility requirements and the application process. Please read the application carefully, fill in the correct information in all the fields, and submit it before the deadline.
We have listed a few notable scholarships offered by federal agencies and linked it to their application pages. Read the eligibility criteria and other relevant information carefully before applying.
- Register for the Department of Defense’s SMART (Science, Mathematics, Research for Transformation) Scholarship-for-Service Program here.
- Apply for FBI-LEEDA College scholarship here.
- Prepare and send a proposal for National Science Foundation’s CyberCorps (R) Scholarship for Service (SFS) after reading this.
- Prepare and send a proposal for NSF’s S-STEM Scholarship after reading this.
- Apply for NASA College Scholarship Fund here.
How Will You Receive The Scholarship Money?
Some scholarships deposit the amount to you directly. Others may direct the payment to your college or university, which will cover your tuition, fees, or other educational expenses, and the remaining amount will be returned to you. The scholarship provider will generally inform you about the intricacies of your scholarship. However, if they do not, ask them about it and any other queries you may have.
Will A Scholarship Affect Your Other Financial Aid?
If you are granted a scholarship, it will affect any other student aid you may be receiving, as all the aid you receive should not be more than your cost of attendance at your college. It would be wise to inform your school about your scholarship to deduct that amount from your cost of attendance and other educational expenses. You can use your financial aid for any educational expenses that may remain.