As a student, you have access to thousands of college scholarships that can save you a substantial amount of money. From scholarships for academic achievements to scholarships for minority students, there's an amazing chance that you're eligible to apply for a wide variety of these financial awards. So, whether you're wondering what a scholarship is or what type of college scholarship categories exist, we'll answer all of your questions so you can potentially save thousands on your higher education.
EXPERT INSIGHT
With the average student borrower leaving college with over $37,000 in student loan debt, I urge all aspiring college students I mentor to spend the time searching for scholarships they may qualify for. Every scholarship dollar is one less dollar a student will owe.
-John Hall (BA, MBA, EdD)
Exclusive 2024 Unigo Scholarships
Our main goal at Unigo is to assist students in locating scholarship money for college. That’s why we provide a high-quality scholarship search service … but did you know that we also award thousands of dollars? Each month, Unigo offers a scholarship to one student who can best answer a short essay prompt in 250 words or less. We think our essays are pretty fun (and easy, too!). Don’t miss out on these exclusive opportunities.
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By Major
Do you know what you want to study in college? There may be scholarships available just for your major. Students of all majors can find awards that are tailored for their college major.
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Types of Scholarships
Many types of scholarships are available based on demographics. Just think, how do you identify yourself? What are your traits? Are you a first-generation college student? Do you have any diseases or disabilities? Is anyone in your family in the military? Each of these traits are part of your identity and many organizations offer awards to students just for possessing one or more special traits.
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Athletic Scholarships
These scholarships are awarded to students who excel in sports. They may be given by the school itself or by outside groups. If you play a sport in high school, or hope to do so at the school of your dreams, check out these athletic scholarships to help you get there.
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Company Offered Awards
Several companies like Amazon, Walmart, Target, Coca Cola sponsor scholarships to help students pay for college each year. However, there may be huge competition for these awards as they may be offered by big name brands. But remember, you can’t win if you don’t apply!
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Grants for College
A grant is a financial award given to a student. Grants may be awarded by government agencies, non profits and schools to fund research, education, community projects, and other types of initiatives. Like scholarships, they typically don’t need to be paid back.
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Merit Based
Merit scholarships for honor students provide financial help to students who have done very well in school. There are many different ways to earn a merit based award, including from the government, private companies, or schools.
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Scholarships for Military Members
If you are active duty or military veteran and are looking for scholarships, then you’ve come to the right place. There are many places that offer scholarships to veterans, both active duty and discharged.
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For Minority Students
Scholarships for minority students are available! Minority groups include African American, Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander, and Native American students. Other minority groups may be based on gender or other traits that classify students as under-represented.
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Religious Scholarships
Many religious groups and colleges offer scholarships based on a student’s religious affiliation or spirituality. Also, there may be awards available to those who plan to pursue a major in religious studies. Start your search and browse these religious scholarships on Unigo.
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By State
There are many scholarships that are open to students across the country. States often offer their own scholarships to residents, whether they are going to college in-state or out of state. Search though your state today!
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For Black Students
If you are a black student, there are many scholarships that may be available to you. Groups that offer these awards include the NAACP and the United Negro College Fund. Start your search below!
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Scholarships for High School Students
If you are in high school, now is the perfect time to begin your search for scholarships! There are hundreds of awards open to high school students, from freshmen up to seniors. Check out the scholarships perfect for you!
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For College Students
Just because you’ve already started college doesn’t mean you should stop looking for scholarships. In fact, we suggest that you keep looking every year that you’re in school. This list of undergrad awards will help get you started. Browse and apply online today!
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For Graduate Students
Already have a undergrad degree? Keep going with these graduate Scholarships are not just for undergrad degrees. If you are a grad student there are also scholarships out there for you. That’s right, there are scholarships and financial aid available to help you pay for grad school. Take a look and start applying now!
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By Organization
Many non profits, civic groups and companies set aside funds for scholarship programs. They do it to give back, support members and prep the future work force. Not to mention, help students avoid or keep down student loan debt!
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Contests & Sweeps
Contests and sweepstakes typically don’t require test scores or grades. These swards allow students to enter contests to win scholarship money. Contests and sweepstakes typically do not ask students to provide an essay to enter, and are awarded randomly.
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Weird & Unusual
Looking for something outside the box? There’s something out there for everyone — even when it comes to scholarship opportunities. Check out our list of some of the weirdest, oddest, and most unique awards to earn extra money for college.
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What Are Scholarships?
Scholarships are forms of financial aid that are gifted to students to put toward their education-related expenses. These financial gifts don’t need to be repaid and can typically be used for expenses such as tuition costs, housing, and books.
How Do Scholarships Work?
If you’re like most college students, you’re probably wondering how scholarships work. Essentially, scholarships are financial awards given to students to put toward the cost of their education. In most cases, scholarships can be used to pay for college and university tuition, housing costs, and educational supplies such as books.
While some forms of financial aid such as grants must be repaid in some instances, scholarships typically never have to be repaid regardless of your GPA or if you fail to complete your program of study.
In most cases, scholarships are awarded on a merit basis to students who excel in academic, athletic, or extracurricular pursuits. However, some scholarships are awarded to students based on other factors such as minority status, field of study, and financial need. In other words, scholarships come in various forms, and it’s important for you to explore your options to lessen the financial burden of your college education.
How To Find Scholarships?
One of the best ways you can find scholarships is by utilizing reputable search engines like UNIGO to be connected with thousands of different types of scholarships. This process allows you to browse scholarships by category or be automatically paired with scholarships that are best for you with our match tool.Simply enter your basic info, such as your academic interests, location, and grade level and UNIGO will generate a list of awards that align with your unique profile.
Other great resources you should utilize to find scholarships include your school’s financial aid office, government agency websites, and the websites of organizations and foundations that are known for offering amazing scholarships.
Whether you’re looking for easy scholarships, scholarships for your major, or college-specific scholarships, UNIGO is committed to making the process as easy as possible. Get started now by exploring our constantly updated database of scholarships, grants, and other financial aid opportunities.
How Do You Apply for Scholarships?
Here’s how to apply for scholarships in three simple steps:
- Make a list of awards to pursue. Take note of the number of awards available, the amount of funding available, and the deadlines for applying.
- Sign up for a free Unigo account. Doing so gives you access to our scholarship match tool. When you use our personalization tool you answer a handful of questions and we narrow down millions of awards to those that meet your eligibility criteria.
- Finally, follow the instructions for each application carefully and thoroughly. Check out our tips for writing a perfect scholarship essay in 7 steps.
How Do You Get Scholarships for College?
If you’re wondering how you get scholarships for college, you’re not alone. Masses of students are overwhelmed by this process and, sadly, this causes many students to not pursue scholarships to lessen the cost of their higher education career.
Thankfully, getting scholarships doesn’t have to be a grueling process. While some scholarships will require you to submit an essay with your application, many only require you to answer a few simple questions.
Some key resources you should explore to get help locking down scholarships for college include your school’s financial aid office, the FAFSA portal, and reputable scholarship sites like UNIGO. By taking advantage of these resources, getting scholarships, and lowering the cost of your education will become a simple, accessible process that you can do easily and effortlessly.
When Do You Apply for College Scholarships?
While many high school students wait until their senior year to start applying for college scholarships, the truth is that you can start as early as you like. In fact, getting the process started in your freshman career will allow you to apply for more scholarships and potentially save more on your college education.
It’s important to keep in mind that while most scholarship application deadlines fall between September and October, each scholarship will have its own unique deadlines and application processes. By being mindful of these differences and planning accordingly, you can set yourself up for scholarship success.
If you’re curious about what these different processes look like, be sure to explore college scholarships by category on our robust and frequently updated scholarship database.
Types of College Scholarships
If you’re looking for scholarships to help you pay for your college or university costs, you’re in luck. There are many different types of scholarships out there awarded to students for a variety of reasons. In other words, no matter what type of student you are, you’re probably eligible to receive a variety of scholarships and financial awards.
In many cases, college scholarships are awarded to students based on merit. This can include factors such as academic achievement, athletic ability, and extracurricular accomplishments. In other cases, scholarships are awarded to students based on financial need.
Some college scholarships are even tailored to minority students, students from specific ethnic and religious groups, and students pursuing specific majors. This broad range of scholarship options highlights the fact that you have a good chance of locking down a scholarship no matter who you are.
Exclusive 2024 Unigo Scholarships
While many scholarships come from the government, that doesn’t mean this is the only resource you should be looking at to save money on your college costs. In fact, there are a wide variety of organizations out there committed to helping students save money on their higher education careers.
Here at UNIGO, we’re proud to say we’re one of these organizations and we make it a point to award scholarships to countless students each and every year. Since 2007, we’ve awarded over $600,000 to students just like you to put toward their college and university costs.
We make it easy for students 13 and older in the United States to apply for scholarships with a simple and straightforward essay question. And, if you’re short on time, you can even apply for all of the scholarships we offer at the same time with one simple application. So, if you’re looking to decrease the cost of your higher education in a major way, be sure to check out our UNIGO scholarships and potentially save thousands on your degree.
Scholarships By Major
No matter what major you choose to pursue in your higher education career, it’s more than likely that there are a variety of major-specific scholarships out there for you to take advantage of. Major-specific scholarships are financial awards given to students for their commitment to pursuing an education in a particular field.
These types of scholarships are often awarded by national organizations, private foundations, and educational institutions themselves. While many of these scholarships are merit-based, some may be awarded to students based on other factors such as financial need.
From STEM scholarships to dance scholarships, there are many financial awards out there for students of all types. If you’re interested in mitigating the cost of your higher education career, exploring scholarships by major can be an effective measure to take.
Scholarships By Type
Much like the realm of higher education itself, scholarships can come in a wide variety of different forms and types. Given the broad range of scholarships out there, chances are you’re eligible to receive some form of financial award to put toward your higher education career.
Scholarships can come from many different types of organizations including non-profit foundations, private companies, and government agencies. While scholarships are typically awarded based on academic achievement, athletic ability, or extracurricular accomplishments, some are awarded to students based on other factors such as financial need and minority status.
Some key types of scholarships include athletic scholarships, full-ride scholarships, and need-based scholarships. No matter what type of student you are, there’s a significant chance that you’re eligible to receive multiple types of scholarships that can lessen your financial burden when obtaining a university-level education.
Athletic Scholarships
Athletic scholarships are financial awards given to high school athletes who display exceptional athletic skill, talent, or accomplishments. While many of these types of scholarships come from higher education institutions themselves, some come from foundations intent on promoting certain sports.
Like many other types of scholarships, athletic scholarships can be awarded to students in various forms. While some athletic scholarships may cover all of a student athlete’s college expenses, others may only cover a portion of them.
Some common types of student-athletes who receive athletic scholarships include golfers, basketball players, baseball players, and ice hockey players. Many of the most substantial athletic scholarships are merit-based and are only awarded to the most gifted and accomplished high school athletes. Despite this, there are many athletic scholarships out there that you may be eligible to receive as a high school athlete.
Company Offered Awards
While many college scholarships come from governmental organizations and non-profit foundations, some come from private companies. Oftentimes, these scholarships are awarded to students who plan on studying a subject closely related to the type of business that a specific company engages in.
Company offered scholarships can be awarded based on both academic merit as well as financial need. Much like private companies can be extremely diverse, the financial awards offered by different companies can vary significantly as well.
Some key industries that students can find company offered awards in include automotive manufacturing, computer manufacturing, and banking. If you know exactly what you’ll be majoring in, you have the potential to mitigate your university costs by exploring company offered awards in your field.
Grants for College
While scholarships are typically awarded to students based on factors such as grades and extracurricular achievements, grants are typically awarded to students based on financial need. Another key distinction to keep in mind about these different types of financial aid is that scholarships don’t ever need to be repaid while students must meet certain requirements, such as completing their educational program, to not have to repay grants.
The majority of grants awarded to college students come from the government, and the FAFSA government portal can be an excellent resource for college students looking to save on educational expenses. Oftentimes, students with the greatest financial need will receive the largest awards through grants.
No matter what your background is, it can be helpful to apply for all of the grants available to you. By putting in this extra effort, you can potentially be awarded thousands of dollars that you can put toward college tuition, room and board, and books.
Merit-Based Scholarships
Merit-based scholarships are some of the most common types of scholarships awarded to students at the high school and college levels. These scholarships are typically awarded to students based on academic merit, athletic potential, or artistic achievements.
Factors such as grades, SAT scores, athletic awards, and artistic accomplishments can play a key role in determining which students receive merit-based scholarships. Given the nature of these scholarships, they’re often some of the most competitive and difficult to obtain.
Despite them being more challenging to acquire than other types of financial aid, there are ways to increase your chances of landing a merit-based scholarship. These include practices such as applying early, making high SAT scores a priority, and seeking out the most relevant scholarships for your personal achievements.
Scholarships for Veterans and Families
Active-duty service members, veterans, and their families have a range of fantastic scholarships available to them. While many army-related scholarships are geared toward active service members, there’s no shortage of resources for veterans and their families.
Though some scholarships for veterans and their families are available to all service members of the army, others are specific to different branches of the military. Depending on which branch of the military you or a family served in, your access to army-related scholarships will change.
ROTC, or Reserve Officer Training Corps, scholarships are some of the most popular and sought-after army-related scholarships. Essentially, these scholarships are for high school students who agree to serve in the military for a specific amount of years in return for a financial award to put toward higher education.
Scholarships for Minority Students
Students from minority groups have access to many remarkable scholarships that can help them mitigate the costs of their college careers. Some common types of minority scholarships include those for students of certain ethnicities, those for students from the LGBTQ+ community, those for students with disabilities, and those for first-generation college students.
Each specific scholarship for minority students will have its own unique requirements, such as GPA requirements and financial standing. Some minority scholarships even require students to submit an essay to be eligible to receive a financial award.
While many students from minority groups face a significant amount of adversity in their lives and educational careers, scholarships for minority students can lessen the burden of college costs and make obtaining a degree more accessible for many people.
Religious Scholarships
While the majority of scholarships are awarded to students based on academic merit, extracurricular achievements, and financial need, some are awarded based on other determining factors. One such type is religious scholarships – available to students who practice a specific faith or religious tradition.
Though they’re often overlooked as a financial aid option, religious scholarships can help you cover a variety of college-related expenses such as tuition, housing costs, and educational supplies. In addition, these types of scholarships are available to students from a wide variety of faiths such as Christian, Catholic, Muslim, Jewish, and Buddhist students.
This means that there’s a great chance you’ll be eligible for some form of religious scholarship that can help you save big on your college education.
Scholarships by State
State-based scholarships are incredible financial resources for high school and college students across the country to take advantage of. These scholarships can be awarded to students based on both financial need and academic merit and often play a key role in making higher education accessible for students.
A key requirement students must meet to be eligible for most scholarships awarded by state is being a resident of a specific state. By meeting this one requirement, you may be eligible to obtain a substantial amount of state-specific scholarships to put toward your college education costs.
Typically, state-based scholarships are awarded to students by government organizations in different states. By exploring your state’s government websites, your school’s financial aid office, and dependable scholarship websites like UNIGO, you can find a plethora of state scholarships to apply to.
Scholarships for Black Students
Black students pursuing higher education have access to a wide variety of amazing scholarships that can significantly lower the cost of a college education. The reason for this is that black students have historically been marginalized and have faced a number of unique challenges.
Fortunately, black students in the modern era have many scholarship opportunities specifically geared toward them to make the process of obtaining a college degree more feasible and accessible.
From historically black universities offering students meaningful financial aid to foundations like the Thurgood Marshall College Fund providing countless students with scholarships, black students can considerably lessen the financial burden of a college education by exploring scholarship opportunities.
Scholarships for High School Students
While many high school students wait until the end of their high school careers to start applying for scholarships, the truth is that you can start applying as early as freshman year. In fact, getting such an early start on scholarship applications will bolster your chances of being awarded scholarships and will likely significantly reduce your college expenses.
If you’re wondering what type of criteria scholarships for high school students have, the truth is that they’re broad and are awarded based on a number of factors. One of the most common factors for these types of scholarships are grades and academic achievements.
Beyond scholarships for high school students awarded based on academic merit, there are scholarships for students who excel in extracurricular activities, display athletic potential, and come from minority backgrounds. Given the many scholarship options available, all high school students preparing for college should start the scholarship application process as soon as possible.
Scholarships for College Students
Many current college students are under the false impression that they’re not eligible for scholarships just because they’ve already embarked on their higher education careers. The truth, however, is that all students — both prospective and current — are eligible to apply for an assortment of meaningful scholarships for college students.
In most cases, application deadlines for scholarships will be before the beginning of a school year, semester, or quarter. In addition, many scholarships for college students have GPA requirements that students must meet to be eligible to apply.
Despite these requirements, most current college students will be eligible to apply for a vast variety of scholarships. So, if you’re a current college student looking to cut down on higher education costs, it’s crucial to explore the many scholarships for college students available to you.
Scholarships for Graduate Students
In today’s world, the exorbitant costs of receiving a college education in the United States often deter students from pursuing graduate studies. Thankfully, if you’re looking to pursue an advanced degree, there are plenty of scholarships for graduate students available to you.
From financial aid awarded to graduate students based on financial need to scholarships awarded to graduate students based on their ambitions to enact social change, you can save a heap of money when you pursue an advanced degree.
If you’re unsure of where to start looking for scholarships for graduate students, be sure to check out your school’s financial aid office. Beyond this, private organizations in your field and robust, trustworthy scholarship search engines like UNIGO are amazing resources that can help you lock down a medley of scholarships for grad students.
Scholarships by Organization
Even though a significant amount of scholarship money is awarded to students by governments, other organizations offer many types of scholarships as well. These scholarships come from private organizations and foundations of all sizes at both the national and local levels.
Oftentimes, these scholarships are awarded to students based on academic achievements. In some cases, however, organizations award scholarships to students based on extracurricular achievements.
Each scholarship offered by an organization will have its own unique requirements and eligibility standards. As such, it’s important for you to take these into account when applying for these types of financial aid. By exploring the vast variety of scholarships offered by organizations, you can increase your chances of saving some serious cash on your college education.
Scholarship Contests and Sweeps
Like any current or aspiring college student, you’re probably looking for ways to reduce the cost of getting a top-notch education. Fortunately for you, scholarship contests and sweepstakes are easily accessible tools for you to do exactly that.
When it comes to scholarship contests, you get an opportunity to let your personal skills and attributes shine. The reason for this is that these types of scholarship contests typically require you to submit some form of content, such as an essay or video, to be considered for an award.
If that sounds like a bit too overwhelming of a process — don’t worry. Sweepstake scholarships, on the other hand, are basically a contest or lottery in which you submit your name and hope you’re chosen. As long as you follow the rules and apply correctly, you have an equal chance of winning as every other applicant.
Weird and Unusual Scholarships
When you think of scholarships, your mind probably wanders toward criteria like grades, academic achievements, and extracurricular activities. While many scholarships do consider these factors, some scholarships are awarded to students for some pretty weird and unusual reasons.
Don’t believe us? Well, what if we told you there were unique scholarships meant for students with blue eyes, red hair, and even left-handedness? Though it might seem too good — or too odd — to be true, the truth is that there are a variety of weird and unusual scholarships out there for you to take advantage of.
And, who knows? Your hair color, hobby, or ambidextrous nature just might be your way to save thousands of dollars on your college tuition.
Written by McKenna Deen
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Edited by Dave Moniz
