• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • College Financial Aid
    • Financial Aid for College
    • Student Financial Aid Eligibility
    • Student Financial Aid
      • Student Loans for College
      • College Financial Aid 101
      • Need Based Student Loans
      • Financial Aid Forms (FAFSA & College Board’s Profile)
      • Military Student Financial Aid
        • College Benefits for Active Duty Military
        • National Guard Education Benefits
        • College Aid for Military Reservists
        • College Aid for Military Veterans
        • Military Dependent Financial Aid
    • Financial Aid Programs
    • Paying for College
  • Scholarships 101
    • College Scholarships (Overview)
    • College Scholarship Applications
    • College Scholarship Essay Writing Tips
    • Unusual Scholarships
    • Unclaimed Scholarships
    • Free College Scholarship Searches
  • Find a Scholarship
    • Latest Scholarship Postings
    • Student Scholarships by College Major
    • Scholarships for Hobbies and Interests
    • Sports Scholarships
    • Community Service Scholarships
    • Association Sponsored Scholarships
  • Find a Student Loan
    • Private Student Loans
      • Sallie Mae Student Loans
      • PNC Student Loans
      • Charter One Student Loan
      • Wells Fargo College Loan Programs
      • Texas Dow Employees Credit Union Loans
      • SunTrust Education Loans
    • How Do Student Loans Work?
    • Types of Private Student Loans
    • Student Loans to Cover Living Expenses
    • Private Student Loan Interest Rates
    • Graduate Student Loans from Private Lenders
  • Saving for College
  • Site Map

Financial Aid Finder

Your Guide to Maximizing your College Financial Aid

Financial Aid Finder HomePage
You are here: Home / Student Scholarships / College Scholarships (Overview)

College Scholarships (Overview)

Remember that scholarships for college are financial gifts and therefore do not need to be paid back.

When you begin your scholarship search it may seem a little overwhelming with so many out there. If you go into the process blindly with no game plan you may give up on the whole idea before you really even start. What follows is a general overview of how to conduct your scholarship hunt – it will help you during your search for money. Also, be sure to review the FinancialAidFinder list of scholarships, which contains hundreds of awards broken down by logical categories.

To begin, fill out a personal data form, a very thorough compilation of all of your cultural, ethnic, family, religious, academic, and extracurricular activities. The more specific and inclusive you are the better your chances are of finding more scholarships for which you qualify.

The object of the game is to win money, the more scholarships that are appropriate to apply for the greater your odds of getting that money. The trick is to uncover all the sources you are eligible to receive. Failing to match yourself to sources even in one category could mean missing out on free money, we don’t want that! So as you discover funding sources that match your situation, start a list of those you want to apply to.

Sallie Mae Student Loans Ad
Filling Out College Scholarship Application Photo

 
Don’t waste your time on scholarships that have restrictive qualifications that you can’t meet.

Another aspect you will want to consider in the planning phase is the timeline you begin your search. If you begin your search early then you will have plenty of time to ask the scholarship sponsors questions, find the right forms, etc. With enough preparation, research, and time to complete scholarship applications it will be obvious on paper that you are a strong candidate.

There are many sources and free scholarship directories that contain scholarship links and information. Be wary of scholarship scams especially services that require you to pay to see a list of available scholarships! Scholarship listings usually include four sections:

  • Award Overview
  • Eligibility Requirements
  • Application Information, and
  • Contact Information.

The Award Overview section details how much the award is for, whether it renewable and based on financial need, etc.

The Award Eligibility section is very important. Reading the eligibility requirements is a must! Don’t waste your time on a scholarship you are not eligible for.

The Application Requirements section details a list of application materials you will be expected to submit in order to apply for a particular scholarship.


Please note that in many cases you will have to contact the sponsoring organization requesting application procedures prior to submitting an application.

In the Contact Information section you will typically find a web URL & email addresses, fax, phone, and physical addresses.

After you feel comfortable that you have uncovered all the college funding sources you intend to apply for, start to organize. Keep a separate folder for each scholarship you intend to apply for. Have a working calendar where you will be able to visibly see when things are due, interviews and follow up appointments.

No matter what you do, finding and applying for college tuition assistance is going to take some work, don’t get discouraged be patient, follow through and you will find the money you need, good luck!

NEXT PAGE: Learn about Unusual Scholarships that are Available >>>

Sallie Mae Student Loans Ad

Primary Sidebar

FinancialAidFinder Logo
Sallie Mae Student Loans Ad

Latest Scholarship Postings

2026 Simon Strong Scholarship (Deadline: August 9, 2026)

May 12, 2025 By The FinancialAidFinder Scholarship Team

Sammy Meckley Memorial Scholarship 2026 (Deadline: April 2, 2026)

May 12, 2025 By The FinancialAidFinder Scholarship Team

Dr. William Evans Lycoming College Scholarship (Deadline: August 9, 2025)

May 12, 2025 By The FinancialAidFinder Scholarship Team

Best Greens Powder Heroes’ Legacy Scholarship (Deadline: April 2, 2026)

May 12, 2025 By The FinancialAidFinder Scholarship Team

More Scholarship Listings

Sallie Mae Student Loans Ad

Explore Financial Aid Finder

  • College Financial Aid
  • Saving for College
  • Military Financial Aid
  • Grants for College
  • Student Scholarships
    • College Scholarships (Overview)
    • College Scholarship Applications
    • College Scholarship Essay Writing Tips
    • Unusual Scholarships
    • More Weird and Unique Scholarships
    • Unclaimed Scholarships
    • Free College Scholarship Searches
  • Student Scholarship Search
  • Find Student Loans
  • Financial Aid Info
  • Register to Receive College Financial Aid Updates
  • About FinancialAidFinder
  • Contact Us

Tags

529 plans applying for scholarships college college financial aid college savings plan college savings plans college scholarship college scholarships college student loans college tuition community college debt distance learning education engineering scholarship essay scholarships expected family contribution FAFSA federal student loans financial aid financial aid application financial aid eligibility free money for college GI Bill grant Grants hispanic scholarships minority scholarships Pell Grant Pell Grants private student loans reduce cost of college saving for college scholarship scholarship applications scholarship essays Scholarships scholarships for college student financial aid student loan student loan consolidation student loan debt Student Loans Info tuition work study

Footer

About FinancialAidFinder
Contact Us
Privacy Policy
Cookie Policy

Scholarship Submissions

If you offer a college scholarship, you can submit it to us through this form:

Scholarship Submission Form

Copyright © 2025 · FinancialAidFinder - All rights reserved.