Ways to be a smarter scholarship engine "searcher"

1. Sometimes the scholarship search engines will have "pop-ups" that make it difficult to find the scholarship information.  Highlight the name of the scholarship and search Google.  That usually takes you to the real scholarship webpage with the application.

2.  Never pay any money to be considered for a scholarship.  Scholarships are free money.  If a scholarship is asking you to pay money, it is likely a scam.

3.  Create or use a special email for scholarship searches and applications.

4.  Do not give out social security numbers in scholarship applications. 

 

Scholarships.com, you’ll get a comprehensive database of 3.7 million scholarships worth roughly $19 billion in financial aid. You can search the website’s directory without a profile, but you’ll need to create one to determine if you qualify.  Scholarships.com also provides information about student loans and other resources. You can even search for colleges if you’re not sure yet where you want to attend.

Fastweb includes 1.5 million scholarships worth more than $3.4 billion. Once you create an account, you can log in and discover matches based on the information you’ve shared. The site even allows parents to create separate accounts to maximize potential earnings.

Appily claims to have more than $44 million worth of scholarship options available. Before you sign up, you can search the directory based on deadline, ZIP code, gender, ethnicity, school year and other factors. You can even weed out lower-paying scholarships by setting a minimum dollar amount for your search.

Niche scholarship finder is unique because it rewards you simply for opening an account. As soon as you complete the process, you’ll be entered to win a $2,000 scholarship that doesn’t require an essay. Just provide your name, birth date, email address and year in school.

BigFuture scholarship database allows students to narrow their search in various ways, including their profession or career field of interest. While a free College Board account is needed to apply for awards, BigFuture retains application information and includes a data syncing option to make applications for multiple awards – and reapplication, when applicable – easy.

Peterson’s is another scholarship website with a huge selection, housing over $10 billion in private financial aid. It also offers a $2,500 scholarship of its own called the World’s Easiest Scholarship.

Unigo offers information about the various scholarships that are available and even save your answers to essay questions so you can get through applications more quickly and avoid having to rewrite the same essays. 

Scholly uses artificial intelligence to provide scholarship matches and prioritizes them based on which ones you’re best qualified for. The platform also gives users access to exclusive scholarships that aren’t available anywhere else, so there’s less competition.

Scholar Snapp - A free, simple to use data standard that allows students to reuse their application information - including contact information, essays, transcripts, etc. - from one scholarship application to another thereby streamlining the college scholarship application process.

Common Knowledge Scholarship Foundation – Educational and scholarship opportunities for students of all levels.

Cappex – A free website where you can learn which colleges want you, before you apply and learn about more than $11 billion in merit aid scholarships.

Scholarship America – Provides information and resources for your scholarship search.

KnowHow2GO – Complete information on college prep, whether in middle school or seniors.

HS Finder (Hispanic Scholarship Fund) – Scholarship information for Latino students.

Thurgood Marshall College Fund – Provides scholarships, programmatic and capacity building support to the 47 public Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

Gates Millennium Scholars – Provides outstanding low income African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian Pacific Islander American, and Hispanic American students with an opportunity to complete an undergraduate college education in any discipline they choose.

Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund – The nation’s largest non-profit organization devoted to providing college scholarships for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI).

American Indian College Fund – Provides Native American students with scholarships and financial support for the nation’s 33 accredited tribal colleges and universities.

Dell Scholars Program – Recognizes academic potential and determination in students that have a definite need for financial assistance.

UNCF – Awards 10,000 students each year through 400 scholarship and internship programs so that students from low- and moderate-income families can afford college tuition, books and room and board.