Key Takeaways
- It’s never too early for students to start their scholarship hunt—there are scholarships available for all ages throughout the entire year.
- You can find scholarships using scholarship finders (i.e., College Raptor), your high school, local organizations, and college financial aid offices.
- The best times to apply for scholarships are whenever there is an opportunity available, as early as you can, after January 1st for need-based scholarships, and during high school and college!
Flickr user US Department of Agriculture
It’s no secret that college is expensive. One easy way to offset the cost is by applying for and winning scholarships. There are billions of dollars in FREE money* from scholarships available for students every year, and new awards are being offered all the time. Now, if you’re asking yourself, “When should I start looking for scholarships?”—the short answer is: whenever you can—and before the deadlines. And even though scholarship deadlines vary, looking for what scholarships are available is an anytime conversation. Here’s everything you need to know about searching and applying for scholarships.
Why Should You Apply for Scholarships?
Scholarships, both federal and privately funded, are one of the best ways to pay for college. This is because, unlike loans, they don’t have to be paid back, and there are plenty of opportunities out there for all kinds of students. Check out some of the stats:
- Over 1.7 million scholarships are awarded to students each year.
- The U.S. Department of Education alone awards over 46 billion dollars worth of scholarships and grants annually.
- 30% of scholarships are given to students with a GPA between 3.0 and 3.4.
- 58% of students use scholarships to help them pay for school.
Types of Scholarships You Could Win
When looking for scholarships, you’ll find plenty of options based on financial need, academic achievement, athletics, extracurricular activities, and even some unique qualifications:
- Need-Based: This is one of the most common types of scholarships that is given to those who meet the financial eligibility requirements.
- Award-Based: This scholarship is awarded based on your personal abilities, like GPA, academics, and extracurricular involvement.
- Athletic: If you plan to go to school to play a sport, you could win a scholarship that helps.
- Full-Ride: While these are only awarded to less than 2% of students, there are opportunities for you to win a full-ride scholarship to a school.
- Unique Scholarships: There are scholarships for just about anything—from being left-handed and designing a prom dress out of duct tape to explaining how you’d survive a zombie apocalypse. You never know what might earn you free money*!
Searching for Scholarships
If you think looking for college scholarships is just for high school seniors, think again! There are scholarships available for students of all ages—even elementary school students. Our best advice? Start early and search often. Think of it this way: if you know you want to go to college, why wouldn’t you start looking for ways to earn money to pay for that now? By starting early, you may be able to rack up a few awards before you even enter your senior year. And the search doesn’t stop once you’re in college—continue to search for scholarships you may be eligible for and keep applying!
Where To Find Scholarships
There are a number of places where you can apply for scholarships:
- Databases or Scholarship Finders: Scholarship finders are an excellent—and free—resource to begin your search. After filling in your profile and basic information, you’ll get results for the awards that you specifically qualify for. This means you don’t have to sift through the rules yourself and waste time on awards that you can’t even apply for. You’ll be able to save scholarships for later, set deadline reminders, and get updates when new ones are created.
- Your High School: Many guidance counselors will have lists of local and national scholarships for students. Set up a meeting to look through resources together and don’t be afraid to ask for help on how to find more.
- Local Organizations: Many community groups, religious organizations, and businesses often offer scholarships to local students. Call some of your local businesses or send out emails to see which companies are willing to help.
- College Financial Aid Offices: Check directly with the schools you are considering to see if they offer specific scholarships—need-based or award-based—for incoming students.
Applying for Scholarships
You may know that you want to apply for scholarships but knowing where to start can feel overwhelming. The two most important things to focus on when applying for scholarships are deadlines and eligibility requirements.
Managing Deadlines: Don’t Wait
The biggest mistake high school and college students make when applying for scholarships? Waiting too long. Applying after the due date is a surefire way to get a rejection—if you can even still submit your application. Remember, they are not like regular decision college applications where a majority are due on January 1st. They can have due dates scattered anywhere throughout the year.
Scholarship deadlines will be clearly written in the award’s description. So, when you’re on the hunt for awards you qualify for, make sure to keep track of each of their deadlines in a spreadsheet or planner. Focus on the applications for the scholarships with earlier deadlines and aim to submit them well before the deadline so you don’t feel rushed.
Understanding Eligibility: How To Know if You’re Eligible?
Not every scholarship is open to everyone. While some are as simple as being a U.S. student, others will require specific qualifications, such as holding a certain GPA, being from a specific state, or meeting a specific financial requirement. However, even if lots of students meet the same criteria you do, you can still stand out with your personal essay. Many scholarships often require essays ranging from 300 to 1,000 words—so take your time to ensure your essay helps you make a lasting impression.
When to Apply for Scholarships
Scholarships are available year-round. And the earlier you start applying, the less stress you’ll have later on. Many students feel like they need to wait until senior year to start applying, but there are opportunities all throughout your high school journey. Remember, there is no limit to the number of scholarships you can apply for or the amount of award money you can win. With that in mind, here is when you should apply:
Throughout the Year
Scholarship deadlines are year-round, so there’s no real universal deadline for these types of financial aid awards. However, certain times of the year can open new opportunities for students interested in applying.
- Fall: Many scholarships have an opening date in the fall, especially if they’re going to be awarded for the following school year of college. Most major deadlines during this season will fall between October and December 31st.
- Winter: Take advantage of the free time during winter break to search for awards and crank out as many applications as possible.
- Spring: Springtime actually tends to be one of the more popular seasons for scholarships, with deadlines ranging anywhere between January and May. Spring break also presents students with the perfect opportunity to knock out a few applications.
- Summer: School may be the last thing on your mind, but summer is actually a great time to look for scholarships when you don’t have to think about class and homework.
Whenever You Can
There’s really no bad time to apply for a scholarship! Although their deadlines will vary throughout the year, you should apply whenever a good opportunity comes your way.
As Early as Possible
Do not wait until the night before to start completing your scholarship application. The last thing you want is a technical issue, internet problems, or the last-minute realization that you need a recommendation. If you know a scholarship is going to require more time for a longer essay or need to ask for letters of recommendation—start early!
After January 1st for Need-Based Scholarships
For awards that are need-based, aim to submit those applications after January 1st. These will often require you to have completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the next school year to demonstrate your financial need. Many of these scholarships evaluate financial eligibility based on the most recent tax year (which ends December 31st), so make sure you are paying attention to those deadlines.
During Your Senior Year of High School
We know we said that awards aren’t just for high school seniors—and while that’s true, seniors are still the target market for most scholarships out there. If you only apply for scholarships during one year (which isn’t recommended), make it senior year. Some awards will not allow you to apply if you’ve already graduated.
In College
The hunt for scholarships doesn’t end after you graduate high school. Many awards are dedicated to students in college who are going after their undergraduate or graduate degrees and are not open to high school students. Just keeping your scholarship database accounts active will mean you’re getting emails about new awards you’re eligible for, even if you’re a senior in college.
Tips for Applying for Scholarships
The real answer to the question, “When should I start looking and applying for scholarships?” is: Before the due date. But how else can you improve your chances of winning the awards beyond submitting your application before the deadline? Here are some tips to keep in mind:
- Apply for all scholarships you qualify for—large and small. Many students skip over the smaller awards, but these add up if you win a few! They also tend to be less competitive.
- Use scholarship databases. College Raptor’s scholarship search tool will help you find awards you qualify for faster and alert you of new awards.
- Don’t apply for awards you don’t qualify for. While you may be tempted to go after that $50,000 scholarship, if you don’t meet the requirements, you’re simply wasting your time.
- Keep track of deadlines. Use a spreadsheet or planner to list application deadlines, eligibility requirements, and the scholarships you’ve already applied for or won.
- Complete your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) every year. The key phrase here is every year. Most scholarships actually require you to complete your FAFSA annually, so don’t skip it even if you think you won’t qualify for any financial aid!
The Time To Search Is Now
Ideally, you should start applying to scholarships ASAP—even at the beginning of your freshman year of high school. Sure, college may feel like it’s a long way away, but there’s no such thing as starting a college fund too early. The most important thing to remember? Apply, apply, apply. The more scholarships you apply for, the more likely you are to receive some aid. And the more aid you get, the less financial strain you have related to your education.
Between college applications and your senior year of high school, tracking down scholarships can feel like just another task you need to complete. But what if there was an easier way? College Raptor’s Scholarship Search Tool does the heavy lifting for you and helps you identify the best awards for you! Start with it here completely for free.
*While a scholarship does not have to be repaid, there may be other obligations associated with the scholarship.
