In an era where education costs continue to rise, scholarships play a pivotal role in making higher education accessible to students around the world. Fortunately, the digital age has brought about numerous scholarship websites that connect students with valuable financial opportunities.
We all know the importance of scholarships and how they will help lessen the burden of academic provision. A scholarship is just like getting free money, and as college students, undergraduates, or graduates, you must apply for scholarships. The money you receive from a scholarship can go a long way. It can be used to settle your tuition and other expenses.
It is disheartening that students have to take out loans just to pay for their tuition and other school expenses. As a student, if you take out a loan, you will need to pay it back. But this is not the same for scholarships.
When you are given a scholarship, you don’t need to repay the scholarship. Even though scholarships are of great benefit to students, it can be difficult to find a scholarship you qualify for. On the brighter side, there are websites where you can find scholarships to apply for.
These scholarship websites provide you with access to too many scholarships at once. All you need to do is visit any of these websites and search for the scholarship you qualify for. However, most of these websites sell their websites, while some give out their information for free.
What Are Scholarships?
Scholarships are some sort of financial aid given to college students, undergraduates, or graduates. Scholarships are offered by different organizations, including non-profit organizations. They set eligibility guidelines for scholarship applicants.
Most of these organizations that offer scholarships require some criteria before students are given a scholarship. Most of these eligibility criteria include certain traits, academic or professional pursuits, talents, or special interests.
What Scholarship Can I Get?
As a student, you can get any type of scholarship. However, the type of scholarship you can get depends on your unique interests, talents, and field of study.
Note that some scholarships are merit-based, while others are need-based. This means that you can be awarded a scholarship based on your financial needs. You can also apply for a scholarship based on your academic performance.
Top 10 Scholarship Websites
There are different websites you can visit to search for scholarships. Most of these websites are free, but not all. Also, most of these websites only offer scholarships to U.S. citizens and permanent residents.
If you are a student looking for ways to pay for your college education, you should visit any of these websites to search for scholarships. Here are the lists of the best scholarship websites:
1. Scholly
One of the best websites you can visit for scholarship applications is Scholly. The website was created by Christopher Gray, who at one time won a scholarship. He created the website to help students find scholarships that would help them fund their education.
There are over 20,000 scholarships available on this website. Scholly is available as an app; you can download it on both Android and iOS. Note: Scholly is not a free website; you will need to pay a sum of money to get scholarships on this website.
2. Scholarships.com
Next on our list is scholarships.com. This website has been in existence for a while, and it is the largest scholarship database. It was founded in 1998 to help students find college money.
The website has been helpful because it provides scholarship opportunities for high school students, graduate students, and college students as well.
Scholarships.com is free, so you don’t have to pay a dime. Students can visit the website to find tips on essay writing and application checklists.
3. The College Board’s BigFuture
The College Board’s BigFuture was founded in 1899. It is a non-profit organization that represents more than 6,000 colleges, schools, and educational organizations.
And just like Scholarships.com, the College Board’s BigFuture website is also free. You are free to visit the website to search for and compare colleges. You can also explore majors and careers as well.
4. Cappex
Another website you can visit for scholarship applications is Cappex. It was founded in 2006, and since then it has been providing guidance, information, and helpful resources for every college student. In fact, the website has helped over 11 million students find scholarships.
The website is free, and the sign-up process is very short. Students can add their personal information, like their GPA and location preferences. The site will, in return, recommend schools specific to them.
5. Chegg
Chegg has been a great help for students looking for scholarships. Since it was created in 2005, it has helped students find various resources for college preparation.
There are over 25,000 scholarships available on this website, making it possible for students to just visit the website and apply for scholarships. The signup/membership cost is free, and it doesn’t have a mobile app yet.
Additionally, the website has intuitive filters where students can easily find a college or university by school type, degree offered, location, and environment.
6. Bold.org
With the high rate of students taking out loans just to complete their degree, Bold.org has made it possible for students to access scholarships and apply for them. The website aims to assist students in paying their college tuition with scholarships, awards, and grants.
Signup and membership costs are also free on this website, and you can get access to exclusive scholarships that are only available to members of the Bold.org site. The website is scam-free, so you don’t have to worry about getting scammed.
7. Niche
Before now, Niche was operating as a publisher of printed U.S. college guidebooks known as College Prowler. It was founded in 2002, and it has maintained its stance as the fastest-growing company in the nation since 2005.
Currently, the website is operating as a resource with information on colleges, cities, companies, and neighborhoods around the U.S.
8. Peterson’s
One of the world’s leading educational services companies was founded in 1966. It has been able to offer a variety of resources to students, including test preparation for the SAT, ACT, PSAT, and CLEP.
Also, the site operates a search engine for grants, awards, and scholarships. With over 1.9 million scholarships available and $10 billion in award money, you can trust this website for scholarships.
9. Going Merry
Going Merry started in 2016, and ever since, it has helped students with the scholarships that they need. It has made the process of finding scholarships very easy. Now, students no longer have to go through so much stress trying to apply for a scholarship.
All they have to do is create a profile and get matched to scholarships within seconds. To make the application faster, you can just save and reuse documents. There is a mobile app available, so you can download it on your Android or iOS device.
10. Fastweb
Fastweb stands for Financial Aid Search Through the Web. It is another great website to visit for scholarships. The very first website that was created to help students find scholarships was Fastweb.
The website was created to help students find scholarships to help pay their college tuition. The website does not only provide a scholarship search function; it also offers advice on financial aid, college searches, and other topics relating to your education.
FAQs
How Can I Apply for a Scholarship?
It is very easy to apply for scholarships. After visiting any of the websites mentioned above, you will have to complete an online application form. After that, check your inbox to make sure you have received the confirmation email. Write a personal statement or essay after that.
How Many Scholarships Can I Get?
You can apply for as many scholarships as you want. There are no limits to the number of scholarships you can get.
What Are Scholarship Search Engines?
Scholarship search engines can also be called scholarship finders. They are databases that students can make use of to find scholarships and grants.