6 Great Scholarship Finders:
- Big Future (College Board)
- Scholarships.com
- College Raptor’s Scholarship Search
- Fastweb
- SallieMae
- Your High School’s Website
Source: Pixabay user McLac2000.
College is expensive–that’s no secret. College scholarship finders like Big Future, College Raptor’s Scholarship Search, and others, however, can make the difference.
After you fill out your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), you will receive letters from the government and your potential colleges about financial aid. While this can be extremely helpful, it’s likely you’re still going to have to pay a nice chunk of change out of pocket.
That leftover amount can be covered in one of three ways: You or your parents can pay for it, you can take out private loans, or you can win a few scholarships.
Finding scholarships, though, can feel impossible. After all, if you Google “college scholarships,” there are over 114,000,000 results. How can you possibly sift through them all? How long would that even take if someone did the math?! And then you have to make sure you qualify for each and everyone. How much time will be wasted checking all of them like that?
The good news: You don’t have to.
Scholarship databases, also known as college scholarship finders, will do the work for you. Simply fill in your information – as much as possible; the more you fill in, the better the results will be. This will not only save you a lot of time, it will save you from search exhaustion. And you’ll likely be recommended a few awards you wouldn’t have found on your own!
So what are a few college scholarship finders that we recommend? We outlined six below.
1. Big Future (College Board)
Roughly $6 billion is available in awards through this website!
The Big Future website, created by College Board, not only has an excellent scholarship search engine, but it also links you with other kinds of awards. For example, your search might also include potential internships, loans, federal financial aid, or research grants. You can also note that you’d like to be considered for scholarships based on academic achievement, financial need, or both.
From the information you provide, a list of scholarships is created. Each scholarship or award is listed by name, sponsor, type of award, due date, and amount. It’s very streamlined and easy to navigate.
2. Scholarships.com
Scholarships.com, after filling out your profile, will return with scholarships that fit you in addition to information about other types of aid including grants, loans, and more.
This site allows you to sort which scholarships you’re interested in applying for. You can also log in and out to complete applications at your own pace.
While their scholarship database is updated daily, they also offer a weekly newsletter to keep you up-to-date on new scholarships, nearing deadlines, and all things high school & college news related. You won’t miss out on any new awards!
3. College Raptor’s Scholarship Search
Did you know that we have our very own Scholarship Search tool? After you finish matching to colleges, you can absolutely head over to our very own scholarship finder to uncover the best awards for you.
The form will ask about your:
- level of college enrollment
- GPA
- Entrance exams (ACT/SAT)
- Basic details including gender, location, and ethnicity
- Parents’ Alma Maters
- College preferences
- Potential majors
- Desired degree
- and more
All of this information will be used to find the best awards you qualify for and rule out the ones you don’t. Your overview page will feature institutional, private, and government awards you can apply to.
Institutional awards are from specific colleges and private awards are from organizations including nonprofits, corporations, and more. You will be able to see deadlines, number of awards available, qualifying information, details on how to apply and more. You’re even able to save your favorites so you can return to them at a later date!
4. Fastweb
Fastweb is unique in that it takes your strengths, skills, and interests into account as part of your profile. Not just your grades and test scores, but what you hope to someday accomplish.
As with these other sites, this scholarship finder list is generated is based on your profile, and all are applicable to you.
Fastweb also provides resources on scholarship scams. While we’re all scrambling to find money to cover the rising cost of tuition, remember to be cautious. If something seems too good to be true, it just might be.
5. SallieMae
The Sallie Mae scholarship search is home to over 5 million college scholarships and worth up to $24 billion! They also have a $1,000 monthly drawing. Nothing beats effortless, free money.
Again, you start by registering and filling out a profile. Then, when new scholarships are added that match your needs, you get an email.
Sallie Mae is one of the main financial aid hubs in the U.S. If you fill out a FAFSA, you’ll receive things from them. So clicking around on their website and educating yourself about all things financial aid might also be beneficial.
6. Your high school’s website
Throughout the entire fall semester, local scholarships are flooding into your school counselor’s mailbox.
Different agencies like your hometown bank, local cable company, and American Legion or auxiliary groups sponsor scholarships for students in the area. School counselors receive posters, brochures, and postcards about every available opportunity for you to get free money.
These scholarships usually get posted on the school’s website somewhere. If your school counseling office has its own website, that’s where we would recommend checking first. However, if you can’t find any listed, make sure to schedule a meeting with your guidance counselor. They might just have a few recommendations!
Local scholarship opportunities, even though they may be smaller, are worth the effort. You’re not competing with the whole country to get them, and a few will add up to the same amount as any of those big awards!
Remember, NEVER pay to search for scholarships. And use your best judgment if something seems fishy. Using these databases, however, will help ensure you’re finding the best awards that you qualify for without the extra legwork or headaches. We absolutely recommend starting with your FAFSA, too, as some of the scholarships (especially institutional awards) will require you to do so in order to be eligible.
| Lender | Rates (APR) | Eligibility | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
5.50%-16.12%* Variable
3.99%-15.61%* Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT CITIZENS |
 |
5.54% - 15.70% Variable
3.99% - 15.49% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT SALLIE MAE |
|
|
4.63% - 17.99% Variable
3.49% - 17.99% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT CREDIBLE |
 |
6.00% - 13.75% Variable
3.99% - 13.75% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT LENDKEY |
 |
5.66% - 14.72% Variable
3.69% - 14.56% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ASCENT |
 |
3.70% - 8.75% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ISL |
 |
5.62% - 16.85% Variable
3.69% - 16.49% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT EARNEST |
 |
5.00% - 14.22% Variable
3.69% - 14.22% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ELFI |
