
How Do I Begin?
Most high schools receive a variety of local and national
scholarship applications during the year.
If your school does not inform you of these opportunities, you
can explore some scholarship opportunities on your own.
Check out the following web sites for free scholarship
information:
www.fastweb.com
www.finaid.org
www.findtuition.com
Your high school college/career center or guidance office often
has scholarship applications.
Some high schools list the current scholarship applications on
the school web site.
You could check another high school’s web site for scholarship
listings.
Many local clubs and organizations in your community often
provide scholarships.
You won’t find these scholarships listed on the national web
sites.
Often students are most competitive for the local scholarships.
What About Fee Services For Scholarship Searches?
Many people are able to find scholarships on the Internet.
Paid services are also available, but you can do a search
yourself on the web for free.
Keep in mind no one can guarantee you a scholarship.
Free scholarship searches include www.fastweb.com and www.
finaid.org
Scholarship Scams:
If you have any doubts about a scholarship, you can check the
Federal Trade Commission web site at: www.ftc.
gov/scholarshipscams
Types of Scholarships:
Ethnic background
Essay contests
Community service
Financial Need
Engineering
Arts
Disabilities
Military: ROTC scholarships
Parent’s employer: Large companies
Special talent or interest: art, music, journalism, engineering
Local clubs and organizations: Rotary, Kiwanis, Chamber of
Commerce.
Check with the college you plan to attend to see if scholarships
are available.
Merit Scholarships:
Merit scholarships reward students with a high grade point
average and high SAT scores. Financial need is not
considered.
All colleges have some scholarships for bright students without
need
These scholarships may be called the President’s Scholarship,
Regents Scholarship, Dean’s Scholarship, etc.
Some colleges will offer reduced tuition for students with a high
grade point average in order to attract the student to the
college.
Free Merit Based Scholarship Web Site: www.MeritAid.com
NATIONAL MERIT SEMI-FINALISTS:
Colleges are often interested in students who are National
Merit Semi-Finalists.
These students received a very high score on the PSAT taken
in the junior year.
Some colleges offer scholarship money to National Merit
Finalists if the student plans to attend. Colleges like to have a
variety of students who are National Merit Finalists.
National Scholarships Normally Available Every Year:
WRITING CONTESTS/ESSAY SCHOLARSHIPS
AXA Achievement Scholarship www.axa.achievement.com
Describe an outstanding achievement
Ayn Rand www.aynrand.org/contests
Grades 9-10 essay on Anthem, Grades 11-12 essay on The
Fountainhead
Cox Newspapers Minority Journalism Scholarship
PO Box 105720, Atlanta, GA 30348
First Freedom National Student Essay Competition www.
firstfreedom.org
Holocaust Remembrance Project
http://holocaust.hklaw.com
John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest www.
jfklibrary.org
Mahatma Rice/Univision Radio Scholarship www.
mahatmarice.com/schoarships
Explain personal challenges (not financial challenges)
National Association of Black Journalists www.nabj.org
Princeton Prize in Race Relations www.princeton.
edu/PrincetonPrize
ENGINEERING
Gates Millennium Scholars www.gmsp.org
National Society of Black Engineers www.nsbe.org
Stokes Scholarship Program www.NSA.gov/Careers
SAE Engineering Scholarships www.sae.org/students/engschlr.
htm
ARTS
ARTS Recognition and Talent Search
www.youngarts.org/home.html
Emerging Young Artist Awards www.artsed411.org
Financial need, talent in dance, music, theater or visual
arts
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Christermon Foundation Beverage Industry www.christermon.
com
Parent or grandparent must have a liquor license.
Coca-Cola Scholars www.coca-colascholars.
org/cokeWeb/index.jsp
Leadership, part-time employment, high GPA
Discover Card Tribute Awards for Juniors
www.discoverfinancial.com/community/scholarship.shtml
For Juniors only. Experienced significant challenges
Educational Communications Scholarship Foundation www.
ecisf.org
High GPA and SAT, athletics or work experience
Kohl's Kids Who Care Scholarship www.hohlscorporation.
com
Kids who have transformed their community
Sammy Scholar Athlete Awards
http://sammy.bodybymilk.com/sammy_scholarship.php
Scholar athlete, leadership and community service
Wal-Mart Community Scholarship
www.enotes.com/scholarships-loans/wal-mart-foundation
Financial need, 2.5 minimum GPA, leadership
ETHNIC BACKGROUND
American Indian College Fund www.collegefund.org
Asian Pacific Fund www.asianpacificfund.org/awards
Congressional Black Caucus Foundation www.cbcfinc.org
Gates Millennium Scholarship Fund www.gmsp.org
HBCU Connect Scholarship http://hbcuconnect.
com/scholarships.shtml
Hispanic Scholarship Fund www.hsf.net
Jackie Robinson Foundation www.jackierobinson.org
Knight Ridder Minority Scholars and HBCU Scholars www.kri.
com
Organization of Chinese Americans www.ocanational.org
Ron Brown Scholars Program www.ronbrown.org
Ronald McDonald House Charities
www.rmhc.org/programs/rmhc-national-scholarship-
program
Sons of Italy Foundation www.sonsofitalyca.org
Swiss Benevolent Society www.sbssf.com
Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund www.
thurgoodmarshallfund.org
United Negro College Fund www.uncf.org
DISABILITIES
Students with disabilities should respond to essay
scholarships where the topic involves overcoming a
challenge.
American Foundation for the Blind Scholarship
www.afb.org/scholarships.asp
Association of Blind Citizens
www.blindcitizens.org/abc_scholarships.htm
www.1800wheelchair.com/scholarship/
National MS Society Scholarship
www.nationalmssociety.org/Scholarship.asp
Through the Looking Glass Scholarship
For students with a parent who has a disability.
http://lookingglass.org/scholarships/index.php
Ten $1,000 scholarships. Deadline: March 1, 2010.
Will to Win Scholarship Schering-Plough Scholarship
senior with asthma
www.schering-ploughwilltowim.com/
Alexander Graham Bell Scholarship
Hearing loss
www.agbell.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?
p=College_scholarshipAwards
Anne Ford Scholarship
Learning disabilities
www.ld.org/awards/afscholarinfo.cfm
Cystic Fibrosis Scholarships Boomer Esiason Foundation
http://www.cfscholarship.com/
FINANCIAL NEED
KFC Scholars www.kfcscholars.org
Horatio Alger California Scholarship Program www.
horatioalger.org/scholarships/apply.cfm
Gates Millennium Scholarship Program www.gmsp.org
Unlocking Doors: A scholarship for women www.
unlockingdoors.org
First generation to attend college. Community service
ENTREPRENEURIAL SCHOLARSHIPS
McKelvey Foundation www.mckelveyfoundation.org
own and operate your own business.
FULL TUITION FOR OUTSTANDING STUDENTS
Emory University
University of Virginia Jefferson Scholarships
Boston University Trustee Scholarship
and many others
OTHER
Western Undergraduate Exchange Scholarship Program
http://www.wiche.edu/sep/wue/
Reduced tuition at some colleges on the West Coast
Future Farmers of America www.ffa.org
U.S. Bank Internet Scholarship Program www.usbank.
com/studentbanking
Random Drawing
Congress Bundestag Youth Exchange
www.usagermanyscholarship.org
Elks Foundation www.elks.org/enf/scholars
MILITARY
Army ROTC www.armyrotc.com
Navy ROTC www.nrotc.navy.mil/scholarships_application.
cfm
Air Force ROTC www.afrotc.com/scholarships/
OPPORTUNITIES FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
International Education Financial Aid www.iefa.org
Institute of International Education www.iie.org
U.S. Network for Education Information www.ed.
gov/NLE/USNEI
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S.
Dept. Of State
www.educationusa.state.gov
Books To Read:
The Scholarship Advisor by Chris Vuturo
The Scholarship Book by Daniel Cassidy
The Black Student’s Guide to Scholarships by Barry
Beckham
The Hispanic Scholarship Directory
Getting Money for College: Scholarships for Asian-
American Students
The College Board Scholarship Handbook
How To Go To College Almost For Free by Ben Kaplan
Advice on Getting a Scholarship to
College