Shopping for Scholarships

Interactive Video

[A woman sitting at her laptop with the word “scholarship” typed into a search engine. Her mouse is hovering over the word “search”.]

[A man with an excited expression on his face and his arms up in the air as cash rains down all around him.]

Narrator: Fact: There are more than 1.7 million educational scholarships available in the United States annually. 

[Icons representing federal, state, and local governments.]

They’re offered on a national, state, and local level from all types of sources, including schools, employers, individuals, private companies, nonprofits, communities, religious groups, and professional and social organizations.

[On screen text (scholarship sources): schools, employers, individuals, private companies, nonprofits, communities, religious groups, professional and social organizations.]

[A young man dressed in a cap and gown, holding a red certificate in his arms.]

[A smiling young woman, dressed like a track athlete, clutching the gold metal that is around her neck.]

And you don’t have to be at the top of your class or a star athlete to be awarded a scholarship. 

[A woman sitting at her laptop with the word “scholarship” typed into a search engine. Her mouse is hovering over the word “search”.]

In fact, check out these points about scholarships that most people don’t know:

• Smaller local scholarships are easier to win than larger national scholarships.
• Most scholarships are not advertised well—you need to hunt for them! [Text appears, 

There are roughly 18.7 million eligible students in the United States. That means there is about an 18 to 1 shot at a scholarship; those are not bad odds! 

Scholarships cover an average of $7,500 in academic expenses annually per student, so don’t miss out on any scholarships you might be eligible for!

[A young woman holding her smartphone with an attached earpiece in her ear, holding a notebook in her other arm, wearing a side-strap bag.]

Even if you don’t feel like you have special abilities in a particular area of study, sport, or skill, don’t assume there are no scholarships for you. 

[A young man with his hand cupped over his eyes as if searching for something.]

Narrator: Okay, the hunt is on! So, how do you find scholarships and what do you need to do to apply? 

[A young man sitting at a table conversing with a smiling counselor who is wearing an employee badge.]

First, talk to people who specialize in scholarships. Depending on where you are, talk to a guidance counselor or a financial aid representative at your school. They will know many resources you can pursue.

[A computer with studentaid.gov in the search field, the Department of Education logo and a smartphone with U.S. Department of Labor Scholarship Search on the screen.]

Next, research some of the go-to sites that provide scholarship information—studentaid.gov, your state’s education agency, or the U.S. Department of Labor’s Scholarship Search tool. 

[A woman looking surprised and excited, pointing at herself.]

Then, think about what makes you “you”: your family, your background, your heritage, etc. [Thought bubbles appear next to the woman containing the following: family icon, family generations icon, and heritage and culture icon.] These things might help you qualify for particular scholarships. 

[A Clipboard with a numbered list attached]:

1. military affiliation?
2. disability or special needs?
3. first generation student?
4. underrepresented group?
5. special skills or abilities

Are you or a parent or guardian in the military? Do you or a parent or guardian have a disability or special needs? Are you a first-generation higher education student in your family? Are you part of an underrepresented group? Do you have special skills or abilities?

[A person filling out a paper application sitting in front of a computer with a website on the screen. The heading reads: Send your application now!]

This list about “you” will help you dig deeper into scholarship searches for opportunities that you are eligible for or interest you.

[A laptop with the word “scholarship" typed in the search field. The mouse is hovering over the search button.]

Online scholarship directories allow you to create personalized searches or create a profile that helps you match against available scholarships. 

[Student profile with the following information]: 

Name: Mina Jimenez

Ethnicity: Hispanci; 

Field of Study: Biology; 

Military Affiliation: N/A. 

Scholarships generally come with a list of eligibility requirements that can be as diverse as your academic performance, your SAT scores, where you come from, what you’re passionate about (like STEM), or simply your status as a student. 

[On screen text]:

Eligibility Requirements

• academic performance
• SAT scores, geographic location
• fields of interest
• and student status

Check out some popular scholarship directories such as College Board’s BigFuture, FastWeb, CareerOneStop, Appily, ScholarshipOwl, or Scholly. 

[On screen text]:

Scholarship Directory Examples

• College Board
• FastWeb
• CareerOneStop
• Appily
• ScholarshipOwl
• Scholly

[A large animated fish, labeled with a dollar sign has its mouth open wide as it moves toward the smaller fish which is also labeled with a smaller dollar sign.]

Lastly, check out the local scene. There are plenty of local organizations and nonprofits that offer scholarships. These are some of your best bets, because the competition is generally lower. The amounts may be smaller, but every dollar counts!

[Search field with the word scholarship typed into it, followed by a bulleted list]:

• financial need
• athletics
• academic achievement
• school or community involvement
• volunteering

Think about the qualifying details that make you “you.” These are some of the keywords that you can use that will help you find scholarships. Other keywords include financial need, athletics, academic achievement, school or community involvement, and volunteering. 

[A person wearing headphones, sitting at a table, writing in a notebook.]

[On screen text]:

• Set aside time to complete applications.
• Read the instructions carefully.
• Pay attention to submission deadlines.

Once you have a list of scholarships you want to apply for, set aside some time to complete the applications. Read the instructions and rules carefully for each; they will all differ. Complete the applications and provide everything requested, which may include an essay or writing sample. And pay attention to submission deadlines so you don’t miss out on an opportunity!