This article is published in the 2017 I’m First Guide to College
The following free websites allow you to search for scholarships offering millions of dollars to help you pay for college. You’ll find a range of different scholarships; find the ones that suit you best and apply. Good luck!
College Board Scholarship Search, www.collegeboard.org
The College Board Scholarship Search provides users with access to information about more than 2,300 sources of college scholarships, internships, loans, and grants. Results from the site are tailored to students’ educational level, talents, and backgrounds; and are acquired through the College Board’s Annual Survey of Financial Aid Programs.
FastWeb, www.fastweb.com
FastWeb provides students with a scholarship directory searchable by college, year of study, extracurricular activities, academic interest, and race. Once you create a personal profile, you are matched with scholarships from a database of over 1.5 million scholarships. The site also offers advice on the college admission process, financial aid, and student life; while providing tools such as discussion boards, checklists, and financial aid calculators. Also check out FastWeb’s sister site, FinAid.org, a free wide-ranging source of student financial aid advice, information and tools.
FindTuition, www.findtuition.com
FindTuition is a free search tool through which users can research, target, and manage scholarship opportunities by college, athletic interest, and prospective major. Site services include a free scholarship search from a database containing over $7 billion dollars in aid, a specific loan search, an online college search, and detailed information on thousands of schools.
Scholarships.com, www.scholarships.com
Scholarship.com consists of free scholarship search results and financial aid information resources. The site contains 2.7 million frequently updated scholarships and its own scholarship awards. Many scholarship results are based on characteristics like financial need, intended field of study and community service, rather than academic achievement.
Unigo, www.unigo.com/scholarships
Unigo.com provides students and parents with free and organized scholarship search results without comprising their privacy. These results are customized to match profiles created by student users, and are consistently updated by a team of scholarship researchers that works closely with scholarship providers. The Application Request Tool allows users to request detailed scholarship application information for specific scholarships from their search results.
Chegg, www.chegg.com
Chegg gives students access to 5,000+ school profiles and $2 billion in scholarships. Based on individual student profiles, students are matched with scholarships; and given the opportunity to learn about, interact with, and get recruited by schools from around the world. Chegg also connects students to other students, and provides parents and counselors with free downloadable financial aid information guides.
Gates Millennium Scholars Program, www.gmsp.org
Award Amount: Based on financial need | Deadline: January
The Gates Millennium Scholars Program (GMS) is the nation’s largest private scholarship program and works to eliminate financial barriers for African American, Asian/Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaskan Native, and Hispanic American students to further their education especially in the fields of computer science, education, engineering, library science, mathematics, public health, and the sciences—subjects in which these groups are severely underrepresented. Each year GMS selects 1,000 students to receive a four-year scholarship to use at any college or university of their choice, along with academic support and professional guidance throughout their collegiate career.
Posse Foundation, www.possefoundation.org
Award Amount: Four-year, full tuition scholarship | Deadline: Nominations are accepted from spring of a student’s junior year through the fall of their senior year.
The Posse Foundation is a college access and youth leadership development program that identifies, recruits, and selects student leaders from public high schools in Atlanta, Bay Area, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York and Washington, D.C
and sends them in groups called Posses to some of the top colleges and universities in the country. Each Posse is comprised of 10 Scholars who receive four-year, full-tuition leadership scholarships. Students must be nominated by their high school or community-based organization, be a high school senior, and demonstrate leadership and academic potential.
Questbridge, www.questbridge.org
Award Amount: Up to $200,000 | Deadline: September
The Questbridge National College Match Scholarship connects high-achieving low-income high school seniors with admission and full four-year scholarships to some of the nation’s leading colleges. To qualify, you must be a high school senior, demonstrate academic achievement, and come from a low-income background. Historically, most awardees come from households earning under $60,000 per year.
Award Amount: Varies | Deadline: March
The Questbridge College Prep Scholarship equips high-achieving low-income students with the knowledge necessary to compete for admission to the nation’s most selective colleges. To qualify, you must be a high school junior, demonstrate academic achievement, and come from a low-income background. Historically, most awardees come from households earning under $60,000 per year.
Coca-Cola Scholars, www.coca-colascholarsfoundation.org
Award Amount: Up to $20,000 | Deadline: October
Each year Coca-Cola Scholars selects 50 students as National Scholars who receive $20,000 scholarships to college, and 200 students as Regional Scholars who receive $10,000 scholarships to college. Students selected as Coca-Cola scholars commit to leadership development and community involvement for their entire collegiate career and for the rest of their lives. In addition, the Coca-Cola First-Generation Scholarship
has awarded more than $19 million in scholarships to more than 1,000 students who are the first in their immediate families to go to college at approximately 400 U.S. campuses. Interested students should contact the school you plan to attend to see if the scholarship is offered.
Dell Scholars Program, www.dellscholars.org
Award Amount: $20,000 and technology | Deadline: January
The Dell Scholars Program provides students with $20,000 to put towards their college education over six years and support including technology, mentoring, and a network of previous Dell Scholars to assist them through their collegiate career. In order to be eligible, students must have participated in a Michael & Susan Dell Foundation approved college access or college readiness program for at least two years of high school and have demonstrated need.
United Negro College Fund, www.uncf.org
Award Amount: Varies | Deadline: Varies
The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) works to help under-represented, low income students attend and graduate from college through scholarship opportunities, active support of HBCUs, and promotion of higher education opportunities for African Americans throughout the community. UNCF awards over 10,000 scholarships to African American students through more than 400 scholarship, internship, fellowships and grants.
Hispanic Scholarship Fund, www.hsf.net
Award Amount: Varies | Deadline: December
The Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) works to make higher education more accessible to Hispanic Americans. HSF awards scholarships to Hispanic American high school students and community college graduates with plans of attending a full-time undergraduate degree program at an accredited U.S. college or university.
The Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund, www.apiasf.org
Award Amount: Varies | Deadline: January
The Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund (APIASF) awards scholarships to Asian and Pacific Islander Americans from disadvantaged backgrounds and/or with significant leadership and community service experience in high school. Once selected, scholars receive individual advising and access to support services and programs, in addition to financial assistance, to help them with the transition from high school to college and throughout their time as college students until graduation.