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The College Searches web site is collecting information that we hope will help you find the right college for you and ways to pay for it.
Below you will find information on scholarships. For those of you who are entrepreneurial, here's a financial self-help program.
College scholarships, college loans, and college grants are available and used by a majority of college students to help finance their college education. Here you will find definitions and links to a variety of sources to help you start your search for college schlarships.
College scholarships: College scholarships and fellowship grants for post-graduate studies are funds that do not have to be repaid. They are awarded to students with special skills or achievements in academic, athletic, artistic areas, as well as groups that are underrepresented groups.
Loans: Loans are funds that must be repaid with interest. The interest rates are low and sometimes deferred while you are in school. There are Student Loans, Parent Loans, Private Loans and Loan Consolidation. Students can apply for their own loans also known as the Stafford Loans and Perkins Loans. Parents can apply for loans to supplement educations costs. These are PLUS loans. Private loans are bank loans with varying rates and terms, but no government forms to complete. Loan consolidations can be used to pay off multiple loans so you have only one payment and the term can be extended so the payment is lower.
US Federal Government Aid: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the first step to apply for federal student assistance. This section provided by the federal government, Funding Your Education, explains all the programs available to you.
US State Government Aid: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is also the first step to apply for state student assistance. The Directory of State Guaranty Agencies, private, non-profit corporations designated to administer the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP), provide a wealth of useful information regarding state and federally funded financial aid programs. The individual State Higher Education Agencies provide information on the state's education programs, colleges and universities, financial aid assistance programs, grants, college scholarships, continuing education programs, and career opportunities.
Veteran - Military Aid: The US Armed Forces offer several programs in exchange for part or full time service in a branch of the service or as a part of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program. These programs are described in detail on the My Future web site in the Military Help section.
Tuition Payment Plans: Two forms of tuition payment plans are 1) Plans dividing the payments into 12 equal payments and managing the payment to the college of your choice and 2) Pre-paid tuition plans that allow parents to buy shares for 1/2 year or more of college education and lock in the current price, so that if the price goes up they don't have to pay more. A useful guide to these plans is at FinAid web site.
School-Specific college scholarships and fellowships: The best source for school-specific scholoarships and fellowships is the school itself. You may request financial aid and college scholarships information from the specific colleges listed alphabetically link to specific financial aid pages on selected colleges.
College scholarships and financial aid for international students: The sources for financial aid for international students is very limited, as most aid will go to US citizens. The EduPASS web site has the more information on this subject.
College scholarships and financial aid by Sutdent Classificataion: Some aid is given to specifc classifications. Some of these are Disabled Students, Female Students, Minority Students, and Gay and Lesbian Students. There are many more opportunities that are not found on the Internet. If you join or a minority association you will be able to explore these avenues.
College scholarships and financial aid for post graduate & professional schools: There are many search engines for financial aid. One of the most comprehensive is FastWeb. There are also program-specific loans for Business, Law, and Medical School.
Domestic Exchange and Study Abroad Programs: The American Institute for Foreign Study is one source of college scholarships. Check the individual colleges for additional information on foreign study programs and scholoarships.
Grants: Two federal grants are the Federal Pell Grants ranging from $400 to $4000 dollars and the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants ranging from $100 to $4000. There are many other types of grants such as philantrhopic grants and research grants. Check with the financial aid office at the colleges you wish to attend to inquire about additional resources for grants.
Work-Study: The Federal Work-Study Program provides jobs for undergraduate and graduate students with financial need, allowing them to earn money to help pay education expenses. The program encourages community service work and work related to your course of study. Check with the colleges and universities that interest you to see if these opportunities are available.
Sports - Athletic College Scholarships and other Financial Aid: If you are active in sports, your coach will be a very good source for learning about college scholarships. One of these sources includes the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). There are varying regulations depending upon whether the school has an NCAA or other affiliation such as National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Female students with athletic ability may have a considerable opportunity since federal law requires that college scholarships are awarded in an equitable fashion.
College scholarships and Financial Aid for specific Majors of Courses of Study: If you have decided on an education focus, ask your teachers about organizations and societies in that field. Then look up the web sites and search for college scholarships, grants, awards, or financial aid. The list below is an example of some organizations that offer financial aid.
Biology - Howard Hughes Medical Institute HHMI granst and fellowships
Fellowships, Grants and Awards for Women in Computing - compiled by the ADA Project
Society for Software Quality, Grant-In-Aid Essay Contest
American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE)
American Society for Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering, Inc. (NACME)
Journalism - American Jounalism Review's (AJR) Journalism Grants, Awards, Scholarships
Scholarly Societies Project has been facilitating access to information about scholarly societies across the world since 1994. You can check the following sections of this web site to see if there is a scholarly society that offers financial assistance in your education focus area: Academies and Royal Societies of Broad Scope - International Unions (scholarly associations of broad scope, cooperating with national associations of the same broad subject) - Federations of Scholarly Societies