Searching for Scholarships
Likely, you鈥檝e heard that every year millions of dollars in scholarships go unclaimed. It鈥檚 the truth 鈥 because many students deem the scholarship search process too daunting, the opportunities to win scholarships are better than you think.
We strongly encourage our students to search for outside scholarships to reduce the need to borrow! Here at SWAG视频, our policy is to let outside scholarships fill any unmet financial need as part of your financial aid award. In the event award adjustments are in fact necessary, we will first attempt to reduce loans and/or work-study funding so the scholarship is as advantageous to you as possible!
Yes, applying for scholarships takes effort, organization, and time, but this time investment can pay off big. Scholarships are an important means of reducing borrowing through your college career. Treat your scholarship search like you would a part-time job 鈥 schedule time weekly to search and stay informed of important deadlines, and organize yourself for success by tracking your scholarship applications. Every scholarship 鈥 no matter how small 鈥 helps pay for college and ultimately reduces your student loan debt.
While your first scholarship application will require the most time and effort 鈥 maybe a few hours 鈥 you can reuse around 70% of your scholarship application materials for future applications. Don鈥檛 get discouraged. It typically takes 10 scholarship applications to equal 1 scholarship award. While free money requires effort, your search does not have to be labor intensive. Organization and persistence are the keys to a fruitful search.
Carlos Aguero 鈥16
Carlos Aguero is one SWAG视频鈥檚 most successful students when it comes to obtaining outside scholarships. Over the course of his four years at SWAG视频, Carlos has excelled at winning both local and national scholarships. The CVEP Pathways Scholarship, the Gilman Scholarship and the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership Scholarship are all awards that he has received. His advice to students is to, 鈥溾evelop your own unique brand and then pull resources in.鈥 In between classes and studying, Carlos donated his time to Student Financial Services, assisting with several scholarship workshops and events. Carlos is majoring in Applied Mathematics and minoring in Political Science. He aspires to work as analyst within the State Department. He used his scholarship monies wisely to reduce tuition and school-related costs.
Develop your own unique brand and then pull resources in.
Scholarship Search Tools
SWAG视频 Search Tools
SWAG视频 has created a Scholarship Search Tool to keep you informed of the different scholarship opportunities available to you. We monitor and update this database regularly to keep you in the know about deadlines and requirements. The scholarship search engines listed below are also good resources. We recommend creating accounts with a few of these search engines to get regular updates on opportunities that match your criteria. Many tools, resources and people are here to assist you. Please reach out if we can help, and stay in tune with the informational opportunities offered by our Tuition Planning and Outreach Team.
Check out SWAG视频's Scholarship Search Tool to explore outside scholarship opportunities.
Study Abroad Scholarship Opportunities
Traveling the world and studying abroad is an incredible opportunity. We encourage all SWAG视频 students to take advantage of our international programs in Morocco or Spain, other study abroad programs, or travel study courses. If you are considering studying abroad, there are resources to help like check out SWAG视频 study abroad scholarship opportunities.
Explore SWAG视频 study abroad opportunities
External Search Tools
has scholarships, grants, and internships from more than 2,200 different programs, totaling nearly $6 billion. Enter as much or little information as you wish to find the best matches. The data provided is based on The College Board's Annual Survey of Financial Aid Programs.
is a great resource for conducting scholarship searches that fit your unique skills and background. Their directory has more than $11 billion available to students in outside scholarships. Not only does this database have a wealth of opportunity, the site is user-friendly and allows you to opt out of emails at any time. Unlike other databases, you can tag your applications with unique filters like 鈥渨ill never apply,鈥 鈥渁pplied,鈥 鈥渕ay apply,鈥 鈥 received,鈥 etc. Tracking has never been easier!
, a Nelnet company, offers a scholarship search site with more than 5,000 scholarship providers. By answering four simple questions, you will be directed to a comprehensive list of scholarships with detail that will help guide you. This site is great for graduate and professional students. The Featured Scholarships section on the home page will give you deadlines that are fast approaching.
The offers many scholarship opportunities for Maine residents or students attending Maine鈥檚 colleges or universities. Also, use this resource to research other information regarding the financial aid process, paying for college, and financial literacy.
Awarding more than $2 million each year from more than 450 scholarship funds, the funds from the are specific to Maine residents. You can search scholarships by a variety of criteria, including your region and type of degree you are pursuing. Scholarship applications and criteria vary by fund.
New Hampshire鈥檚 Higher Education Loan Corporation (NHHELOC) provides as a resource for you to explore scholarship opportunities, loan calculators, financial literacy and more. They often offer monthly scholarship giveaways, so be sure to apply!
Though many think of loans when they hear Sallie Mae, this company encourages you to reduce your loans by taking advantage of their earch toolbox to search scholarship opportunities.
is a great resource, providing expert advice on scholarships in its U.S. New and World Report blog called .
At you can set up a profile and access many blogs and articles that will help you in your scholarship search.
Additional Guidance
you may have about scholarships. They offer some great tips on how to apply for scholarships and where you should be looking for your next opportunity. This site also offers guidance on avoiding scholarship scams and protecting your identity.