Whether you’ve just graduated high school or you’re a sophomore in college, you may be asking yourself: “Am I too late to apply to scholarships?” The short answer is, “No, you’re not.” The long answer is, “It depends on the specific award.” Here’s what you need to know though about scholarships as you go through your college education.
Are You Too Late? Probably Not!
Unless you’ve graduated college and started a career with no intention of returning to school, you’re never too late to apply for scholarships. There are scholarships available to high school students, high school graduates, college freshmen, college upperclassmen, graduate students, and adults returning to or attending college for the first time.
You may be late for specific scholarships, though. For example, if an award is only for students currently in their senior year of high school and you’ve already graduated, you won’t be able to apply for that specific one. But you would still be able to apply to a scholarship that doesn’t have that requirement or is specifically designed for your college experience.
There Are Always New Scholarships
Even if you missed out on some big scholarships because you aged out of them or you no longer qualify due to other criteria, there are constantly new awards popping up. You should be doing research every year into these awards, even if you’re in your second or third year of college. You may be surprised at just how many you qualify for and can apply to.
How to Find Scholarships
Whether you’re in high school or college, there are plenty of ways to find scholarships you are eligible for. You can talk to your school guidance counselor about local scholarships, for example, or you may want to talk to your college about school-specific awards.
It’s a good idea to regularly set aside time dedicated to scholarship searches and the application process throughout the entire year, not just any specific time of the year. This will help ensure you don’t miss any that you could have applied for but simply didn’t know about. Keeping a schedule will also help you track due dates for each individual award and make sure you’re not “too late” simply because you forgot the deadline for a scholarship!
Am I Too Late to Apply To Scholarships?
Every student out there can find a scholarship they qualify for. Some are based on age, grade, or current education status while others are based on major, location, or unique criteria like hair color. Even if you feel like you’re “too old” for scholarships, you’re probably not. Taking the time out now to fill out applications could result in a windfall that helps you cover your education costs going forward.
