Millions of U.S. college students take out student loans to pay for college. The national student loan debt totals $1.73 trillion with the average public university student borrowing $30,030 to get a bachelor’s degree, according to EducationData.org.
Before you borrow, though, it is prudent to maximize the free money available to you, such as grants and scholarships.
You can find scholarships using The University Network’s Scholarship Search Engine. TUN also works with companies to create, manage and promote paths to higher education through their own scholarships.
Here is a summary of upcoming scholarships TUN helped bring into fruition. We will update the list as new scholarships become available.
CFP Board Center for Financial Planning Fall 2024 Scholarships
CFP Board is currently accepting applications for its fall 2024 scholarship programs.
The Center will award a total of $349,500 to support over 60 awardees pursuing the educational coursework required to become a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER ® professional.
The eligibility requirements for the 12 scholarship programs vary.
Application Deadline: October 7, 2024
Award: Up to $10,000
Eligibility: Varies
Click here to apply for the CFP Board fall 2024 scholarships.
Jacoby & Meyers Latinx Community Scholarship
Jacoby & Meyers, a personal injury law firm in Los Angeles, is accepting applications for its Jacoby & Meyers Latinx Community Scholarship.
The company will award $5,000 to the winner.
To apply, those interested must write an essay of 350-500 words on how their Hispanic background influenced their goals for higher education and submit an unofficial copy of their transcript.
Application Deadline: October 15, 2024
Award: $5,000
Eligibility:
- Must be high school seniors or first- and second-year college/trade school students
- Must be of Latinx descent
- Must reside in California
- Must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0
- Must be actively involved in community service activities within the Latinx community
Click here to apply for the Jacoby & Meyers Latinx Community Scholarship.
The Andy Miller Georgia Tech Scholarship
BRPH is accepting applications for its Andy Miller Georgia Tech Scholarship.
The company will award one $5,000 scholarship.
To apply, students must write an essay of 500 words or more on this prompt: Explain what attracted you to pursue a civil engineering degree with a specialization in structural. Explain its significance to you and how you see yourself in the future as an engineer.
Application Deadline: October 15, 2024
Award: $5,000
Eligibility:
- Must be enrolled full-time as an undergraduate or graduate student at the Georgia Institute of Technology for the 2024-25 academic year
- Must be enrolled in a civil engineering program with a concentration in structural engineering
- Must reside in the United States
- Must be at least 18 years of age
Click here to apply for the Andy Miller Georgia Tech Scholarship.
Kitchen Cabinet Kings’ Entrepreneur Scholarship
Kitchen Cabinet Kings is accepting applications for its 2024 Entrepreneur Scholarship.
The company will award one scholarship of 2,500.
To apply, those interested must write an essay of no more than 300 words on this prompt: “Explore current trends in e-commerce and predict how they will shape the future of online business.”
Application Deadline: December 23, 2024
Award: $2,500
Eligibility: Must be current college students or incoming freshmen enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree program at an accredited U.S. college, university or trade school for the 2024-25 Fall, Spring, or Summer semester.
Click here to apply for the Kitchen Cabinet Kings’ Entrepreneur Scholarship.
Good Life’s Community Scholarship Orange County
Good LIfe Property Management is currently accepting applications for its Good Life’s Community Scholarship Orange County.
The company will award $2,500 to the winner.
To apply, students must write an essay of at least 350 words on any one of five given prompts, all of which are centered around their community. Students can write about what community means to them, the lessons they’ve learned from being part of a community, how their community helped them overcome a challenge, how they discovered community through a team or part-time job they were involved with, or how they have contributed to a community through volunteerism.
Application Deadline: May 1, 2025
Award: $2,500
Eligibility:
- Must be a high school senior or high school graduate who will be enrolled, or a current undergraduate or graduate student enrolled, full-time at an accredited U.S. college or university for the 2025-26 academic year
- Must reside in the United States
Click here to apply for Good Life’s Community Scholarship Orange County.
How to find scholarships
The scholarships listed above are just some of the best scholarships we’ve found for you. There are many other scholarships out there for college students.
Check with your college to see what they offer. They may offer either merit- or need-based scholarships or both. You can usually find most of the information by clicking on their “financial aid” page. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to email or call their financial aid office.
There are also outside scholarships — like the ones listed above — that are sponsored by companies, organizations, foundations and individuals as a way to give back to their communities. The awards can cover your entire tuition or a portion of it. Some scholarships have a GPA requirement or are based on financial need, while others embrace a cause or emphasize community involvement, athletic achievement, diversity, passion, and much more. For example, the Hyundai Women in STEM Scholarship supports STEM education for female students.
So, how do you find outside scholarships like these?
Start your search with TUN’s Scholarship Search Engine to find scholarships that are ideal for you. You can search by grade level, GPA, major, state of residency, scholarship name, or deadline month. You can also browse through our featured scholarships, some available only through TUN, and a collated list of scholarships for specific groups of students, including scholarships for women in STEM, female students, Black students, Black female students, Asian American students, Hispanic students, and international students.
To keep on top of new scholarships as they are offered, be sure to join the TUN Community. We will let you know about scholarships that you qualify for.
You should also check with the financial aid office of your college to see if they have a list of scholarships. They may also be in the know about local scholarships.
Your family is yet another source of scholarships. Your parents or guardians may work for a company that offers scholarships for dependents of employees.
If you work while in college, you may also qualify for an employee scholarship. For example, Taco Bell has an exclusive scholarship program that’s available only to its restaurant employees. McDonald’s also offers scholarships to eligible employees.
When to apply for scholarships
To be considered for a scholarship, you must meet the deadline.
So, start your research for scholarships early and note down the deadlines of the scholarships you’re interested in.
Use a spreadsheet to keep track of the scholarships. Grouping them by deadline will help you focus on what’s due next.
Pay attention to what’s required of you. For example, if you need a recommendation letter, you should request one way ahead of time so you have one by the time you apply. If an essay is required, start writing weeks before so you have an essay you can be proud of before the due date.
Aim to send in your application at least a few days before the due date. This way, you avoid the risk of getting sidelined by technical glitches, tests, heavy homework load, or illness.
How to win scholarships
Scholarships, especially ones with high awards, can be very competitive. In some cases, you may be competing against thousands of students.
So, how do you increase your chances of winning a scholarship?
First, make sure you meet the eligibility criteria and submit all the information required of you, including recommendation letters, transcripts, and resume.
Second, try to distinguish yourself from the other applicants. Your essay, if that’s required, is what makes you unique so let your personality and creativity shine through. How do you do that?
You can achieve that “by showing instead of telling,” according to Sarah Chomette, an eAdviser with the College Advising Corps.
“When answering a creative prompt or inputting your personal statement, it’s important to provide the reader with a story instead of just telling them about your goals and accomplishments,” she said. “That can be kind of boring and it makes you get lost in the crowd.”
A successful essay must include four major components, Chomette explained. First, make sure that you convey your personal values. Second, be open and honest to help the reader feel a connection with you. Third, let the reader know why your story is important. Fourth, your writing must show that you put time and effort into it.
If a scholarship asks for a video or infographic instead of an essay, the same principle applies.
To summarize, always put thought and effort into your whole application and submit your best work. There should be no obvious errors or typos. And if you need to submit a recommendation letter, reflect on who knows you best and whose recommendation would help your application the most.
