5 Little Known Ways To Get Scholarships When In College

While the majority of scholarships target freshman students, you can still apply for a scholarship if you’re already in college. Even though these scholarship options aren’t as plentiful as the ones available to freshman students, there are numerous ways that you can get a scholarship no matter your level of study. The following takes a look at five methods that students can use to apply for a scholarship.

Fill Out FAFSA Application

First, it’s important that you fill out a FAFSA application, which is designed to provide applicants with access to federal student aid. It’s possible that you will be eligible for a Pell Grant, which is available to students who are able to show that they have significant financial need for their college expenses. While a grant isn’t the same thing as a scholarship, grants can provide you with money that doesn’t need to be paid back, which is why grants are typically seen to be more beneficial than scholarships.

Search for Scholarships in Local Community

Your local community might actually offer scholarships that you can apply for. The main issue when searching for this type of scholarship is that they aren’t heavily advertised, which means that you will need to conduct extensive research. The main reason why you should consider obtaining a scholarship from an entity in your community is because these scholarships typically have very few application requirements. Look to nearby community clubs, volunteer groups, and banks for potential scholarships.

Look for Scholarships That Are Specific to Your Major

To better identify possible scholarship opportunities, it’s recommended that you look for scholarships that are specific to your major. Many of the scholarships that can be had by students who have already enrolled into college are designed for individual majors. For instance, an art gallery might offer a scholarship that applies to majors in art history.

Identify the Things That Make You Unique

Many scholarships are meant to be provided to specific types of individuals. For instance, some scholarships may be available to single mothers or students who win a writing contest. If you want to gain access to these scholarships, you should first identify the qualities that make you unique. Once you determine what these qualities are, you should be able to find scholarships that match them.

Speak to a Financial Aid Advisor

All colleges and universities employ at least one financial aid advisor. If you’re finding it difficult to obtain a scholarship, speaking to a financial aid advisor may help you identify scholarship opportunities that are available to you. Your advisor should provide you with scholarship resources as well as advice on how you can improve the scholarship applications that you send in.

There are many ways that you can obtain a scholarship when you are already in college. With these options in hand, you should be able to find scholarships that will provide you with the funding you need to continue going to college.