How Do You Apply for Scholarships?
I get a common question from families applying for college: "I applied to the college but how do I apply for scholarships?" The answer to that is actually pretty simple:
If you filed the FAFSA, you have applied for need-based aid. And your application to the college is the application for most merit scholarships. Most institutional awards-- that is to say, scholarships and grants from the college directly-- are awarded automatically based on whatever criteria the college uses to award aid.
But don't stop there; after all, most institutional awards, not all, are awarded automatically. Many colleges have others that require an application. So you'll want to visit each college's scholarships web page to identify other scholarships that might need an application. Some are quite simple; for example, many colleges offer scholarships to students whose parents are local police officers or fire fighters, or additional discounts to students attending nearby high schools, in which case it's just a matter of documenting eligibility. Others may have more involved application processes, so it's good to review these sooner rather than later.
In addition to scholarships offered to everyone (or at least every student who meets the criteria), many departments and majors have their own scholarship budgets. Students with a declared major should reach out to that department to learn about additional dollars available and what's needed to apply.
As to financial aid, the college will award financial aid automatically based on your FAFSA (and CSS Profile if applicable). Need-based financial aid can come from a few sources:
The college itself. This is usually the most generous need-based aid since colleges can award as much as their budgets allow. But not every college offers need-based aid, and an even smaller group meet 100% of every student's need through grants. Net price calculators can help you to figure out how much need-based aid you're likely to get at any given college.
The federal government. Federal need-based aid includes Pell grants, work-study and student loans, any of which can be used to meet a student's financial need.
Your state government. Many states have need-based grant programs. Typically these are awarded via the FAFSA, but they often require an additional application or documentation. Students should check their state's student aid website to see what programs they're eligible for and whether an application is needed.
In each case, if the student is eligible or earns an award, the award is administered by the college and included in the student's financial aid package.
Outside scholarships-- those scholarships awarded by organizations or individuals not affiliated with the college-- do generally require an application, and for you to find appropriate ones to apply to. More on that here.
Got questions about your own students and their college plans? Join my upcoming Facebook Live events! I'll be doing a live Q&A session on the first and third Thursday of each month at noon Pacific time/3pm Eastern. RSVP here to join, and invite friends!
