Everyone knows scholarships are a great way to fund post-secondary education.  They are considered "free money", making it easier for students to lower the cost of higher education.  Here are some tips for scholarship searches.

1. Start Applying for Scholarship Fall of Senior Year (or sooner!!) - Students find there is less competition for scholarships in the fall, as most of their classmates and seniors accross the country are more focused on college applications.

2. Deadlines Approach Fast! - Deadlines vary from scholarship to scholarship.  Be sure to keep them organized!

3. Taking Advantage of Holiday Breaks - Students need to use this time wisely.  We all need to reset during the holidays, but it can be a great time to get some extra scholarship searches and applications completed.

4. Ask the College or University - many schools have their own scholarships application.  Check with Admission and Financial Aid offices to determine if they have a seperate scholarship application.

5. Apply, Apply, Apply - You should you apply for every scholarship you are eligible for no matter how small or large the amount.  Every little bit helps!

State and Local Scholarship Opportunities

New State and Local scholarships are posted in Xello.  Be sure to check in weekly to see if new opportunities have been added.

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BigFuture - BigFuture Scholarships

Fastweb – create a profile and let fastweb do the research for you

Fastweb – mobile app that provides students with a fast and simple way to find scholarships for college

CashCourse – information for college students to stay financially informed

www.cksf.org – educational & scholarship opportunities for students of all levels

appily – free website where you learn which colleges want you, before you apply

Scholarships – free college scholarship search and financial aid information

Scholarship America – provides information and resources for your scholarship search

appily – free source for $11 billion in merit aid scholarships from 1,000s of colleges

BrokeScholar – find scholarships and use tools to stay organized and make the process easier

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

HSF – largest provider of college financial aid for Latino students

Hispanic Scholarship Fund – scholarship information for Latino students

Gates Millennium Scholars Program – provide scholarships, programmatic and capacity building support to the 47 public Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)

The Gates Millennium Scholars (GMS) Program 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

APIA Scholarship Program – 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 students with scholarships and financial support for the nation’s 33 accredited tribal colleges and universities

Dell Scholars – 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

Chegg – connect with scholarships and learn about colleges