Sources of College Scholarship Money

You can get college scholarship money that is based on merit that is not only academic but may also include strong performance in athletics, graphic arts or music. If you excel in any of these areas, you should inquire about possible funding assistance.

Many sources of college funding are based on need. Just about everyone who plans to go to college should fill out a FAFSA which will determine if there are Federal need-based grants available. It is a good idea to fill one of these out even if you do not know whether or not you will qualify for these Federal grants as many private scholarships will also require the results in order to award you a scholarship.

Certain sources of college scholarship money are also specific to the student. There may be scholarships available if you fall into categories that are medical, religious or are awarded to a specific gender or race. If you believe that you may be eligible for something like this, it would be important to talk to a guidance counsellor at your school. They may also be able to direct you towards college funding that is intended for people that come from a certain local area.

You may also consider looking into college scholarship money that is bonded in some way. What this means is that in exchange for college scholarship money you study with the intent to enter a particular profession and usually agree to work in a certain area for a given amount of time. The objective is often to do things like provide educational or health care professionals to rural areas. There also scholarships available through the armed forces that are very similar to these and would require service in return for the education.