Due to the high cost of higher education, many students find it hard to pursue their higher studies and either go for educational loans or take a study break, start earning, and save.
Full-ride scholarships students are some of the most competitive awards around. But, unlike their half-scholarship counterparts, they provide not just money but also freedom from worry about tuition, living costs, and the need to take an educational loan and pay it back later with interest.
Contrary to the belief that only universities and educational institutes provide scholarships to deserving students, there are also nonfederal funding options.
However, you’ll find them advertised as extremely rare and often require an extraordinary level of academic talent or athletic prowess. It’s, therefore, a good idea to be aware of the types of eligibility before applying for a full scholarship.
Let us explore several options to help you in the future when applying for one.
Where to look for them
There are free websites that provide all the information regarding various scholarship programs, be it earning an engineering degree online or on-campus, and a variety of other fields such as art education, hospitality, social work, and so on.
You can also enhance your search by looking into local scholarships sponsored by communities, churches, etc., that are less competitive.
All you need to do is fill up all the required details to get the matching scholarship that meets your expectations.
Following is the list of portals for your reference.
* Scholarships.com
* College.net
* Fastweb
* The college board
Approach the institutions
The students should apply early to the institutes that award grants to meritorious students. There are a number of institutes that offer generous scholarships, and one should not overlook this fact.
Corporate sponsorship
Many big corporates run performance-based incentive programs and sponsor the education of their employees to build and enhance the skill set of their workforce. Also, at times, it is a part of their CSR( Corporate social responsibility) initiative.
Sports scholarship
Many colleges, universities, and institutions run the athletic sponsorship program as a reward to encourage more students to excel in sports.
For the artist in you
If you are an artist, be it music, dance, writing, etc., there are scholarships based on your profile, projects you have contributed to, and your own sample work.
Find a Mentor
Finding the right mentor can help students find scholarships, learn about their careers and get advice from someone they trust.
Write down 2 or 3 people you’d like to be your mentor. Be as specific as possible–it’s okay if you don’t already know them well. To make sure your potential mentor is interested in mentoring, ask for their advice or try to get them to talk about the field.
If you don’t know anyone who would be a good mentor for you, ask your teachers or guidance counselors for suggestions. They might know someone who works in your desired field and would be willing to help you out.