By Jamese Carrell, Member Services Associate, and Lindsay Broderick, Staff Writer
Jan. 9, 2020: This piece was updated to reflect the redesign of Scholarships360.org.
'Tis the season for scholarship searching. As the cost of college continues to rise, students are on the hunt to find money to help fill in financial aid gaps.
There are many scholarship sites out there, and students may not always know where to go to maximize their time and efforts. Read on to learn about four websites that have made the scholarship search process less intimidating and easier for students to navigate.
(Note: This list is not comprehensive. In fact, there are many NCAN members that provide scholarships as part of their program model.)
1. Scholarships.com
Scholarships.com gives students access to over 3.7 million local, state, and national scholarships and grants. This scholarship search site is known to be commonly used by students and recognized by high schools, colleges, and universities nationwide. Helpful features include a scholarship search that matches scholarships based on a student’s profile, and a scholarship directory where students can search by criteria such as academic major or merit- versus need-based.
Additionally, the website has a student resources tab that has handouts and guides to assist students with tracking scholarship deadlines, a scholarship application checklist, and essay-writing tips.
2. ScholarshipOwl
ScholarshipOwl is a free online scholarship search tool that automates and simplifies the process of finding, matching, and applying for scholarships for college and graduate school. Students can easily start their search by entering in several pieces of information: name, birthdate, gender, current school level, and (desired/future) field of study. Based on the information entered, the site will provide students with a list of scholarships for which they are eligible.
An additional plus of the site is that ScholarshipOwl can help students apply to multiple scholarships at once with just one application.
3. Scholly
Scholly has helped its 2 million users earn more than $100 million in scholarships. The company’s website and mobile app provide students with an all-encompassing platform for their scholarship applications. In the free version of Scholly, students create an account through which they can conduct filtered searches to find scholarships for which they are eligible and keep tabs on their application statuses.
For an annual or monthly fee, students can gain full access to all of Scholly’s resources. The paid Scholly site also includes the Scholly Editor, an AI-powered tool that proofreads scholarship essays and other written pieces for students.
4. Scholarships360
The Scholarships360 website has been revamped, so students can navigate it more easily. Students can access reliable resources in four categories: scholarships, college admissions, financial aid, and student loans.
The site’s scholarship search function can be filtered by student type (high school, college, or graduate student) as well as by scholarship category. There are 16 categories to choose from, ranging from athletic scholarships to technology and engineering scholarships. The best part? No sign-up is required to access scholarship information and details. However, if a student would like to subscribe to receive regular email notifications about scholarships, they also have the option to do so.
Need expert advice? This site’s writing staff reflects "30+ years of combined experience from all perspectives on higher ed." Students can get insights from individuals with backgrounds in higher education, financial aid, and of course scholarships!
Each of these websites can be a resource for students looking for scholarship opportunities as they grapple with the increasing price of higher education.
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