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The Complete Guide to Applying for Scholarships for College/University Students

It’s no secret at this point that college can be expensive. In order to help offset some of those costs, one great plan of action you can take, regardless of your year in school, is to apply for scholarships. 

Applying for scholarships can be a great way to earn money to put towards your higher education. 

One of the things that makes scholarships so awesome is the fact that, unlike loans, in which the money you borrow must eventually be repaid, any scholarship money that you earn is yours to keep!

Now that we have defined what a scholarship actually is, we’re ready to dive into the full guide (Q & A style) on everything you need to know about scholarships. 

It can be hard to find the right scholarships and awards for you, and we want to help you make sure that you have all the resources you need to be successful in applying for (and receiving!) scholarships and awards.

We asked scholarship expert and Co-Founder of Access Scholarships, Ayden Berkey, to answer students' most common questions about the scholarship process. Let’s get to it!

Am I Eligible To Apply For Scholarships?
"Yes!" 

There are tons of different types of scholarships out there, all with their own specific rules and eligibility terms. 

You will find throughout your search that there will be some scholarships you are eligible for, and some you may not be eligible for, based on the type of student they are looking for.

Some examples of terms of eligibility that a scholarship might have include:
Minimum GPA: 3.0/4.0
Year in school: Must be currently enrolled in college or university
State/province/country of residence: Must be a citizen or permanent resident of the US or Canada
Level of financial need: Must have a family income under $50,000
Major/area of study: Must be majoring in a STEM-related field
Another important thing worth pointing out is that just because you are out of high school does not mean that you are not eligible to apply for scholarships! There are plenty of scholarships out there for undergraduate and graduate students as well."

What Types Of Scholarships Are Out There For Me To Apply For?
"There are lots of different types of scholarships out there for you to apply for! A common misconception about scholarships is that you have to be a star athlete or an A+, 4.0 GPA student in order to apply for scholarships. This is definitely not the case - there are scholarships out there for every type of student.

Scholarships can be awarded on the basis of merit (academic achievement), financial need (usually based on family income), or other factors, such as leadership, activism, community involvement, and dedicated commitment or passion for a certain hobby or interest."

What Do I Need To Have In Order To Apply For Scholarships?
"It varies depending on the scholarship you are applying for!

Most of the easy or no-essay scholarships that are out there only require you to fill out a basic application form, which probably includes your name, email, home address, and year in school.

When you start applying for no-essay scholarships that are more competitive, you should expect to have a few other key things ready to submit with your application form. This can include, but is not limited to:
Essay(s)/written responses
Copy of your school transcript
Standardized test score submission
Letter(s) of recommendation
A video submission
Copy of your financial information (if you are applying for a need-based scholarship)
A resume "

Where Can I Go To Start Searching For Scholarships?
"Now that you know some of the basics about scholarships, you can start digging into your search for them. There are a few different places that I recommend you start your search.

The first is on a local level. If you are still in high school, I recommend you reach out to your school counselor or one of your teachers to ask about local and community-based scholarship opportunities that you may be eligible for. 

The great thing about local scholarships is that, because they are usually only open to students within your county or area, they tend to be less competitive!

Beyond local scholarships, online platforms such as ours (Access Scholarships) and search engines can both be great ways to find scholarships that match your specific criteria. For example, if you love to volunteer, and you want to try to find scholarships that are specific to this interest of yours, you could do a search on Google for “volunteering scholarships”."

Is There A Maximum Amount Of Money That I Can Earn From Applying For Scholarships?
"Great question! There really isn’t a limit on how much money you can earn from scholarships. If, in the (unfortunately) rare case that you win more scholarships than you need to pay for school, you will only be allowed to keep the amount that you need."

When I Win A Scholarship, Where Does The Money Go?
"Another great question! The answer is, it varies depending on the policy of the organization that is awarding it. Most of the time, when you win a scholarship, the organization will process it directly through your school. However, there are instances where they will send you the money directly, in which case you tend to have a bit more freedom in terms of what part of your higher education you can spend it on (i.e., textbooks, school supplies, etc)."

Do You Have Any Tips On Applying For Scholarships?

"Of course, this post wouldn’t be complete without some!

To start, during the scholarship search process, you will likely be entering your email address into tons of different application forms. To ensure that these emails make it into your inbox and get read, consider creating a separate email address that you can use solely for your scholarship search and applications.

Next, if you find a scholarship that you want to apply for, but it requires a letter (or letters) of recommendation, once you decide that you want to apply for it, be sure to reach out to the person whom you want to write the letter soon after, to give them as much time as possible to get your recommendation letter in. 

The last thing you want is to ask a teacher at the very last minute and have them not be able to help you out!

Finally, since a lot of scholarships do require essays, my biggest tip for you here is to make sure that you are giving them the attention they deserve. 

Oftentimes, the essay or written response section is the only part of your application that allows the scholarship committee to learn more about you as a person, aside from your academic achievements, your resume, etc. So, when you go to write these essays, keep these things in mind:
Make sure that you are answering all of the questions being asked
Allow your personality to shine through. Make it authentic!
Avoid writing about something sad or upsetting, unless you are prepared to properly reflect on how that situation or experience has helped you grow, taught you a lesson, etc.
Once you have written your responses, don’t forget to edit and proofread them. If you are unsure about certain grammar or spelling, consider asking a family member, a friend, or even a teacher to read it over. " 

With that, we've covered all of Ayden's answers to some of the most common questions about scholarships that students tend to ask. 

Whether you are just getting started with the scholarship process, or you are already very much “in the swing”, we hope this Q&A guide leaves you with some helpful information on how you can get it all done!


Extra: Ayden Berkey is the Co-Founder of Access Scholarships, a scholarship search engine, and student resource platform.

PS - Don't forget that Wizeprep offers scholarships, and you can apply for those at any time, and they are paid out once per year in the summer.