A scholarship is an award allowing access to an educational institution or a financial aid award for an individual or student scholar, for the purpose of furthering their education.
Scholarships can be awarded based on a large range of criteria and specifications which usually reflect the value and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.
For example, did you know there are scholarships for women, left-handed students, tall students, vegetarians, people with asthma, adults over a certain age, and even for twins? So you can see the opportunity for you to qualify for a scholarship is not as low as you might have imagined. In fact, many are surprised by the sheer number and variety of scholarships which are available.
Free Scholarship Resources
There are a variety of free search resources available on the Internet to help you find the scholarship you deserve.
Some web sites provide you with information regarding types of scholarships available, the amount of the scholarship, requirements of the scholarship, how to apply for the scholarship, and the deadline for applying for the scholarship.
Many web sites also provide a number of valuable recommendations regarding available schools and colleges specific to your needs based on the criteria you provide.
So by dedicating some time and utilizing the Internet search engines you can type in certain keywords which will assist you in locating a scholarship specific to your needs. For example, you may wish to type in: "scholarships for women over the age of 40", "scholarships for women athletes" or just "scholarships for women" to start. By narrowing down your search criteria you increase the chances of finding the scholarship best suited to your qualifications and needs.
A Word of Warning
You need to be aware of what appears to be legitimate scholarship offers but may in fact be scholarship scams, especially if the scholarship offers are unsolicited or will be provided in exchange for some type of cost or fee.
Now we want to be clear that this applies to obtaining the actual scholarship from the supposed scholarship providers. We are not referring to information you may purchase online or in a bookstore for instance, that may contain extremely valuable information and tips to help you meet your scholarship goals.
The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) states on its web site that there are many legitimate companies which advertise that they can get students access to scholarship lists in exchange for an advance fee. Other legitimate services charge an advance fee to compare a student's profile with a database of college and university scholarship opportunities and provide a list of scholarship awards for which the student may qualify. To assist you in separating the legitimate offers from the fraudulent offers you should always keep in mind that legitimate companies never guarantee or promise scholarships or grants.
So, don't lose heart! Take advantage of all the resources available to you and with persistence and research you have a very good chance of finding the scholarship you need and deserve.
