What Types Of Merit
Students apply for different types of merit-based scholarships and merit-based assistance. Academics, athletic performance, extracurricular activities, and artistic skill all help students get scholarship offers. Some scholarships serve students of specific backgrounds. This list highlights some of the major scholarship categories.
Scholarships For Online Students
- Eligibility: Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited online degree or certificate program, possess a minimum 3.0 GPA, and demonstrate financial need.
- Award Amount: $1,000
This website provides an online forum for first-generation college students to share ideas about applying for, enrolling in, and funding their college experience.
Why & How To Apply To Everything
From here, the strategy is simple: Its time to apply to ALL of them.;This might seem like an incredibly daunting task. After all, these applications generally require you to do two things:
However, theres an easier way to go about the process that doesnt involve writing 60+ unique essays.;Dont get me wrong: Each scholarship application is going to take time and a bit of nuance in order to create a compelling case for you thatll have the reader clamoring to give you the scholarship money.;But you can make the process a lot more effective and simple if you just look at the letters of recommendation and essays.
You May Like: College With Best Dorms
Are You Ready To Discover Your College Program
Scholarships are a pivotal financial aid resource for college students, but how can you find them?
Finding the right scholarship for your educational goals is a process. The first step is to educate yourself on your basic options. What kinds of scholarships do you qualify for? Is a scholarship the most appropriate form of financial aid for your needs? From there, you can start casting a wide net on scholarship search engines. The clearer you are about what you want, the more you can narrow your options.
This page offers an overview of different types of scholarships, tools for finding scholarships, and financial aid concerns for college students.
Best Scholarships For Online College Students

We also have 20 featuredscholarships for military veterans. You may also enjoy our infographic featuringeasy scholarships for online students! Our resource guide tofinding and applying for scholarships may also be helpful.
Check out our ranking of the top 100best online colleges to help with your school search.
Amount: $500
How Often: Once a year
Who Its For: This scholarship is awarded annually to any student pursuing an undergraduate degree online, regardless of their area of study.
Amount: $500
How Often: Once a year
Who Its For: This scholarship is awarded to students who are cancer survivors or have immediate family members who battled with cancer; special consideration is given to those entering a medical or law enforcement degree program.
Amount: $1,000
How Often: Once a year
Who Its For: Any student enrolled in anaccredited online college is eligible for this scholarship provided that they can write a 500-word essay, as well as provide transcripts and tax information.;
Amount: $2,500
How Often: Once a year
Who Its For: This scholarship is awarded to students who are enrolled or are enrolling in an accredited post-secondary institution of higher learning. Must be a resident of the United States, District of Columbia, or a U.S. Territory and at least 16 years old.
Amount: $1,000
How Often: Three times a year
Amount: $1,000
How Often: Twice a year
Amount: $1,800
How Often: Once a year
Amount: $1,000
How Often: Once a year
Amount: $2,000
How Often: Once a year
Don’t Miss: What College Has The Best Dorms
Tips For Finding College Scholarships
Finding college scholarships takes more than one Saturday afternoon! Though scholarship applications and requirements may vary from year to year, it’s never too early to begin. There are scholarships out there tailored to academic interests, talents, extracurricular activities ,;career goals, geographic location, and many more factors. Here are five steps you can take to jump start your search and make college more affordable .
What Are The Scholarship Requirements When You Apply
Many scholarships require applicants to provide various school info, goals, and an essay. Each company and organization sets their own requirements. Read all of the directions before submitting your application.
Some of the most common requirements include:
- Completing an essay based on the question
- Be enrolled at least part time or full time at an accredited college
- GPA and transcript issued by your high school.
- Test scores, such as SAT and ACT
- Letters of recommendation. These are often written by non family members.
- ;List of leadership activities from work or school related groups
- List of any community service or volunteer work
- Career goals and future plans after college
Try not to share any personal information such as your social security number and bank accounts. It could be a scam if anyone asks for those information. Therefore, its critical that you take action immediately to ensure that you submit a quality application by its deadline.
Don’t Miss: How Many Years Of College To Be An Architect
Earn College Credits In High School
Are you enrolled in AP classes or dual-enrollment classes? Doing well in these classes can save you thousands in tuition dollars!;
To get college credit for an AP class, you must take the exam and score at least a 3, although some schools may require a 4 or 5 to get credit for the class.;
Dual-enrollment classes are another way to earn college credit in high school. However, check with the schools youre interested in to make sure your credits will transfer.;
For Women Whose Previous College Experience Was Interrupted
Though women are making historic strides by graduating from college in greater numbers than men, they still face hurdles similar to the previous generation. Women still earn, on average, 78 cents to every dollar their male counterpart earns at work.
Because women make up half the countrys vital workforce, many scholarships are designed to address the gender pay gap as well as the Mommy Track phenomenon:
- The Philanthropic Educational Organization awards of up to $3,000 are open to female applicants whose higher education has been interrupted. Its unique application process involves filling out an initial application form to PEO, which will forward it to local chapters which must agree to sponsor your application.
- The Women of the South Primary Provider Scholarship is available to women of Oklahoma City metropolitan area, who are the primary providers of their families, with income levels defined by household formulas.
- Emerge awards scholarships to women whose education has been interrupted as well as those who have overcome significant obstacles or given back to their community.;
Also Check: Do Native Americans Get Free College
Create Your Free Student Profile
Gain access to theworld’s largest and most trusted scholarship database. Fastweb’s college scholarship database includes 1.5 million college scholarships, valued at more than $3.4 billion!
Use our free scholarship search to find real and generous awards like these winners did. Discover college scholarships that can help you fund your college education! Log into your Fastweb account daily. From here you can view scholarship matches and to see which college scholarships you qualify for right now.
You can also indicate which college scholarships you are or are not interested in and specify which scholarships youve already applied for.
Scholarship programs don’t just give away money for college; you must apply for them! Once you find a scholarship you like, its up to you to follow through and apply for it. Click on the scholarship to get more details and to learn where you can apply for it. Still have questions? Learn more aboutHow Fastweb Works.
BONUS:You can also use your profile tofind internshipsthroughout America!
How Do You Find Scholarships For College
There are many places to get support for higher education goals. This type of student aid comes from various types of organizations. Turn to as many sources of scholarships as you want. This increases the opportunities for many students. You could find scholarships from:
- High school guidance counselor
Also Check: What College Is In Terre Haute Indiana
Try Your Financial Aid Office
Your financial aid office will be able to give you information on different types of scholarships from federal agencies, state agencies, work study, and other campus scholarships.
After checking with your parents employer your financial aid office should be the next step.
Note: your school’s financial aid office is typically first-come, first-serve. It’s important that you apply early, and fill out the FAFSA. If you don’t fill out the FAFSA, you won’t be eligible for any scholarships from your school.
Also, if you’re declined early on, you might check back in the summer after people have made their decisions to enroll. Some people who were offered scholarships may decline enrollment, opening up access to more funds which you could be awarded.
How To Actually Land A College Scholarship

Getting a college scholarship is a numbers game, yes. But its also more than that.;
In order to actually LAND some scholarships and put money in the bank, youll need to get smart about your strategy.
At the foundation of this strategy are two things:
- Powerful letters of recommendation
- Strategically unique essay answers
Don’t Miss: Cape Fear Community College Transcript
How Often Is The Scholarship Disbursed
In addition to the all-important deadlines, pay close attention to when scholarships are announced. That can also lead to variations in how much time you have available to work on your application. Sometimes youll have only weeks; other times you may have nearly an entire year to start perfecting an essay for a particular scholarship. Scholarships may be announced year-round, or several months before their deadline. Disbursement happens one-annually, biennial, or seasonally.;
Is It Easy Or Hard To Win A Scholarship
Many scholarships may be competitive. They may seem easy to apply for if they do not have essays. Some may not require a GPA or test scores. These could be more competitive to apply for since you can easily enter in a matter of minutes.
Look beyond this. Consider scholarships that are a bit more challenging or smaller award amounts. This could mean fewer people competing for it. It could increase your chances of winning it. Apply to as many as you qualify for to help boost your chances as well. Always submit by the deadline. Be sure to write a compelling essay that engages whoever is reviewing it.
You May Like: Can You Go To College For Free If Your Native American
Top 21 Easy Scholarships To Apply For In September 2021
Want to get right to the easy scholarships? to jump ahead!
Scholarships are one of the best ways for students to pay for college. While many scholarships require extensive applications and essays, others are more straightforward and easy to apply for.;While easy scholarships shouldnt be the only scholarships you apply for, they are a useful part of your scholarship search strategy.
Jump ahead to:
You can apply to easy scholarships quickly, as they have few eligibility requirements and require only a brief essay . Easy scholarships are often offered on a monthly basis, which means you have multiple opportunities to apply.
Keep on reading to learn everything you need to find and win easy scholarships this year!
The Best Scholarship Websites For Finding Money
What are the best scholarship websites besides Get Schooled?;
Searching for scholarships to help you pay for college? Typing Scholarships into Google will only get you so far. In fact, it might lead you to sites that frustratingly link to outdated or nonexistent scholarships or ones that ask for extensive private information to sell to advertisers. Weve done the research on free, non-invasive scholarship databases for you. Each of these best scholarship websites was carefully vetted – well be straight up with you about the pros and cons of each.;;
Don’t Miss: What College Is In Terre Haute Indiana
How To Apply For Student Grants Online To Be Your Own Boss
What goes through your deepest mind when you read apply for student grants online? A student grant is a form of financial aid that gives students the opportunity to attend college or university without having to pay an upfront tuition fee. Financial aid is meant to help students who are unable to afford the initial tuition fees, which are usually fixed. Grants are awarded based on need and merit. The scholarship is given only once the student has applied for admission for their chosen institution, but it will usually cover all or part of their tuition fees. Student grants and loans are financial assistance that students can apply for from their government. These grants offer students the opportunity to study in a privileged country instead of struggling to make ends meet.
Teacher Education Assistance For College And Higher Education Grant
The TEACH grant is for undergraduate, postbaccalaureate, or graduate students studying in a TEACH-eligible program to be elementary or secondary school teachers.
In order to receive this grant, you must agree to teach for four years after graduation in a high-need field at a school or educational service agency that serves low-income students. You also must maintain a 3.25 GPA or score above the 75th percentile on one or more portions of a college admissions test. The TEACH grant is up to $3,736 per year. To apply, fill out a FAFSA.
Tip: If you dont comply with this grants service requirement teaching low-income students for four years; your grant will be converted to a Direct Subsidized Loan that will have to be repaid.
Don’t Miss: When To Start Applying To College
How Accurate And Concise Is The Information
If you want to find accurate & up-to-date scholarship listings without setting up an account and giving marketers your email address the best spot to start is on our open access, free scholarship search tool. Our search engine does not carry ads, offers many advanced search & sorting options& does not require registration to use.
Scholarship searches are a challenge. Many students now buy into the growing number of free scholarship search services. FastWeb, Scholarships.com, FindTuition, and ScholarshipExperts are all among the leading services. As free subscriber sites they offer their services to users that take the time to fill in the brief online profiles. But how timely, accurate and relevant are these services? And do they deliver results any different from those youd find using Google search?
College Answer: Sallie Mae Scholarship Search

Leave it to Sallie Mae, one of the nations leading student loan lenders and servicers, to design a user-friendly and uncluttered scholarship search service. The only inconvenience: users must first establish an account with College Answer and then a subsequent user profile with the actual scholarship search. The site features organizational tools:
- Check scholarships youd like to save and they will be moved to your Favorites folder.
- Sort ascending and descending columnar data for deadline, award amount, user rating, and match accuracy.
- Read a regularly updated online student newsletter that features topical articles for prospective college students.
- Batch print scholarship programs you choose.
A nice feature of this database is the Match Accuracy. This metric is displayed as a percentage alongside each scholarship and is designed to indicate how closely a program matches the user profile. But profiles remain fairly vague regardless of questions pertaining to career interest, study major, and hobbies and interests. Users can adjust match accuracy on a scale from low to high. The higher your match accuracy the fewer scholarships youre shown. Still, even within this precision bracket, you will still have to evaluate each scholarship award. The database does a pretty good job of parsing profiles to awards based on multiple criteria, but there remain discrepancies.
Also Check: How To Build Credit In College
Best College Scholarships Websites Plus Other Resources
The idea of student loan debt can be pretty terrifying especially considering the average student loan debt for a college graduate in 2016 was nearly $40,000
- Public Two-Year College : $3,440
- Public Four-Year College : $9,410
- Public Four-Year College : $23,890
- Private Four-Year College: $32,410
The harsh reality is that the price of higher education is continuing to increase year after year.
Federal student loans can be a great way for students to get help paying for school, but they dont always cover the entire cost, and depending on the college, students are graduating with tens of thousands of dollars;in debt ;with no chance;of paying it off anytime soon.
The idea of turning to private loans is even scarier in fact, there is pretty much no situation in which you should ever take out private student loans. They come with extremely high interest rates, fees for late payments and other concerning features that make them less favorable to federal loans. And while the government may work with you on your repayment plan, private lenders have no sympathy they are coming after you for that money one way or another.
But heres the good news: While college isnt getting any less expensive, there are several ways to make it cheaper for yourself.
What You Need To Begin Your Scholarship Search
Different scholarships are available to you depending on where you want to go to school, what your SAT or ACT scores are like, and what you are involved in in high school. Before you begin applying for scholarships, we recommend you know three things:
You May Like: Rate My Professor Cfcc
Everything You Need To Know About Scholarships
What are scholarships? Can you really pay for college with them? Scholarships for college are a great way to fund your students education. This video goes over everything you need to know about scholarships in 2021, how to get scholarships in the USA, the best scholarships for college students to explore, what determines scholarship eligibility and more: What Are Scholarships? Everything You Need To Know