Scholarships are considered "merit-based" financial aid because they are awarded to students based on meeting specified criteria. They are considered gift aid because they do not have to be paid back.
Scholarships recipients are selected for a wide variety of reasons. Common reasons include superior academic or athletic performance or capability. However, there are many other reasons that scholarships are awarded, and there are thousands of different ones available. It is important you begin your scholarship search early and spend an adequate amount of time to be very thorough. There may be many scholarships for which you qualify. Each scholarship has it’s own eligibility requirements and application deadline.
Most scholarships require completing an application and many request that you write an essay about yourself. Some scholarships will ask you to include letters from people who know you (reference letters) stating why you should be selected, among many applicants, to receive the scholarship.
Scholarship Tools on CollegeInColorado.org
We store thousands of scholarship listings on this Website, including assisted searches into two national databases as well as Colorado regional and local opportunities. We help you narrow your search by using information about you to show those scholarships most applicable to you. Also, don't forget to contact the financial aid office at your college or university to find out about other Colorado businesses that provide scholarships to students attending that institution.
CollegeInColorado.org scholarship search engine — browse this national database or enter your characteristics to find scholarship opportunity matches.
Choices Planner scholarship finder — using a wizard-style format, enter information about yourself to find scholarships most appropriate to you. In general, the more characteristics you enter, the more scholarship opportunities will result and you can store selected scholarships in your portfolio for later reference.
Scholarships 2007-2008 — College In Colorado and CollegeInvest compile a list each year for Colorado students and residents.
Scholarships by career cluster — Using the Colorado Career Cluster diagram, we provide links to information for each cluster, including local and regional scholarships offered by businesses and associations in each industry.
You can also check out scholarship information on the Scholarships! page and PAY Off-Site Resourcespage.
Federal Scholarships are funds available from the federal government to help people attend college. Many are earned through work-service programs and require you dedicate time working in return for payment or partial payment of your college education.
There are a number of Colorado scholarships for which you may be eligible if you attend college in the state of Colorado and are a Colorado resident. Most of these scholarships are awarded to students directly through the colleges, universities, vocational and career schools that receive funding from the State of Colorado and no application process is required.
In addition to scholarships funded by the State, there are a number of scholarships offered by foundations, associations and corporations. We have listed a few to help you get started in your scholarship search.
There are a host of other scholarships available including those coming directly from institutions of higher education.
Other trustworthy Websites for scholarship searches:
Remember four very important rules about scholarships:
- Never pay a fee to search for scholarships or submit an application;
- No one can guarantee that you will receive a scholarship;
- If a scholarship sounds too good to be true, it probably is;
- Your high school guidance counselor can help you find scholarships.
Internships
Many corporations in Colorado offer paid and unpaid internships — a great way to learn necessary skills for a successful career. Working as an intern may also help you win a scholarship and make important contacts for letters of reference and recommendation.
Every college has a list of internships available for students. Contact the Career Center at your college for more information.
Good luck in your scholarship search!