Best Scholarship Websites For College Students

Scouring the web for scholarships? Look no further. We’ve rounded up the best scholarship websites for college students.

Scholarships are the best way to fill the gap between what you may receive in financial aid and what you still need to pay for school. There are hundreds of thousands of scholarships out there — so where do you start? No need to worry. We’ve found the best scholarship websites for college students to start your search!

Online Scholarships

Before you get started in your seemingly endless search, check out a few of our tips for searching through these scholarship websites.

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The best part of searching online for college scholarships is the ability to filter through exactly what might be relevant for you. There are so many scholarship options available and you certainly don’t want to waste your time by applying to irrelevant ones.

Filter by items such as school location, family status (single moms, here’s a whole scholarship post just for you!), heritage and minority status, GPA and intended/current major. Try not to limit your options to scholarships that you think you might get. Make sure to apply to every option that you are eligible for.

Go for high and low amounts. Don’t knock the smaller scholarships just because they seem like they may barely cover a course! Piecing together smaller scholarship amounts can go far and can have big payouts as these may have less applicants.

International Scholarships and Scholarships for International Students

Here’s a great place to start when looking for scholarships as an international student. It’s also a good idea to filter scholarship searches by your current country or country of origin. There are plenty of scholarships available for students who either reside in, or are from counties outside of the U.S.

Online Students

Check out this full guide to getting scholarships for college students online. Including information on how to apply as an online student: The truth about scholarships for online students.

Niche Scholarships and Your Special Interests

Before you start your search, make a list of all the things that make you special! Including any languages you speak, your religion, experience with a disability, artistic talent, sport affiliations, and special interests in community service. There are so many college scholarships available that are related to a very niche or specific topic. For example, here’s a scholarship for female scuba divers, and one for tall students (You must meet a height requirement!). Make a list of everything that makes you unique and use that in your web searches for college scholarships.

Best Scholarship Websites for College Students

1. Scholarships.com

At scholarships.com, you will first create a profile, entering in information such as your name and address, your GPA, intended major, religion and race information. The website then filters through thousands of scholarships to find the ones that best match your interests. You can see deadlines, award amounts, number of awards available and you can even quick apply using the website!

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2. Fastweb

Fastweb is an excellent resource for all things college! This site has a scholarship search tool, as well as an internships and jobs board, information on different colleges and financial information for specific colleges, plus deals exclusively for college students!

3. University of the People’s Scholarships

Online college websites such as UoPeople offer a wealth of resources, not just for scholarships for their own school, but for other online schools as well. Many of UoPeople’s scholarships are focused on specific heritages such as Vietnamese, Brazilian, Haitian and more. There are many other types to choose from such as scholarships for women and or for those adopted. With the mission that no one will be turned away because of their finances, University of the People is a great starting place for internationals looking for college scholarships!

4. The College Board’s BigFuture

You might already be familiar with College Board as your go-to for all things SAT. But did you know they also have a large database of scholarships available for college students? With College Board, you can search for relevant scholarship factors including race, religion, and even special health conditions.

5. Chegg Scholarships

Chegg boasts a database of over 25,000 scholarships, the ability to see scholarship deadlines, award amounts and the unique feature to save scholarships. Great for searching now and applying later when you have more time to focus on a high-quality scholarship application and essay.

6. Community & Local Websites

Check in with your local community websites for any college assistance programs that might be offered. You might find scholarships offered by local businesses, local politicians or from your city itself, all designed to promote the access of education of the local community and you can benefit! Make sure to also check with local community leaders to brainstorm about scholarship ideas.

7. Interest Group Websites

If you’re an active member of any interest group, whether it’s for a minority, religion, sport or hobby, check out websites related to your interest and see if they have a scholarship page. Don’t be afraid to reach out to one of the site organizers personally with an email asking if they are aware of any college scholarships specific to your interests.

8. Your College Website

Your college itself can be a goldmine for opportunities that are specific to your school, your area and potentially your major. Every school’s website should have a page dedicated to scholarships and financial aid opportunities for their students. Try to get comfortable on your college’s financial aid page finding relevant scholarships or even loans and grants.

9. Niche.com

This is a site where you can find niche scholarships, along with niche colleges and places to live! Just plug in a bit about yourself and let the website find you your tailored, perfect scholarship!

10. Specific Searches

Try searching for scholarships relevant to you. For example, if you are a woman in computer science, you might search for “females in stem scholarships,” or search your race or religion and your intended major. Finding scholarships that you are uniquely qualified for will make it more likely for you to be selected.

Websites are the best resource in today’s world for relevant scholarships tailored to you, increasing your chances of being selected. With so many places on the web to look, start where we’ve suggested and you’ll already be way ahead of the rest!