How To Find Scholarships and Avoid Student Loans

College is likely one of the most expensive things you will ever pay for. So, many people find themselves turning to student loans to help — because you can’t necessarily cover the cost of college with a summer job anymore.

But student loans are a trillion (yes with a T) dollar industry and, logically, you may not want to contribute to that number. So, if you want to avoid student loans, or even possibly get paid to go to school, you’ll want to explore other options. 

One option is scholarships. But it can be tricky to know where to find them, which is why we’ve put together a list of free ways you can find scholarships and avoid student loans. 

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Scholarships.com

Originated in 1998, Scholarships.com is one of the pioneer resources for finding scholarships online. 

The database reports millions of scholarships, letting you filter by various categories such as GPA, ACT/SAT score, military involvement, ethnicity, and artistic or athletic ability.

Recommended for: Students looking for more niche scholarships with a smaller number of applicants. 

ScholarshipOwl

ScholarshipOwl is a “one-stop platform” for scholarships. It compiles various awards and sorts them by factors like amounts, requirements, and number of winners. 

It also automatically resubmits your application to basic scholarships that don’t require extra information beyond your basic profile. 

Recommended for: Students who want auto-submissions, as this frees up time to apply for awards with more strenuous requirements like recommendation letters or essays. 

FastWeb

After you sign up for an account at FastWeb, you can easily search and filter your scholarship options. FastWeb has an expansive database and has operated since 1995. 

In addition to scholarship options, FastWeb also advises you about the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), which you’ll want to complete to see your aid eligibility. 

Recommended for: Those who may want additional resources for finding ways to pay for college outside of scholarships only.

CareerOneStop

CareerOneStop is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor and gives resources and advice for finding a job. 

It also has a database maintaining over 8,000 scholarships, grants, fellowships, prizes, and even loans for college students. 

Recommended for: All levels of college students, and those also looking for career guidance. 

College Board

Provided by BigFuture, College Board offers career resources and admission planning for college students, in addition to scholarships. 

The scholarship search service offers thousands of scholarships, both merit- and need-based. 

Recommended for: Those seeking admission advice, as well as test prep resources in addition to scholarships to pay for school. 

Appily

Formerly known as Cappex, Appily is one of the largest online scholarship databases. Appily claims to save the average applicant 26 hours in their search for scholarships. 

The platform also connects students to prospective colleges and has strong search tools for demographic-based scholarships.

Recommended for: Those who want to look for colleges in addition to awards and those seeking demographic-based scholarships.   

Niche

Niche aims to help users find the school that best fits them. Providing educational counseling for all school ages (K-12 through college,) they also house a database of scholarships. 

Their scholarship search allows you to search for scholarships by a variety of factors including demographic information, location, and major.  

Recommended for: Scholarship searchers who also may be uncertain about what college they want to go to.

Scholarship America

Scholarship America says its mission is to “break down barriers” and empower those with the most need, particularly students requiring high financial aid.  

The company says they have helped 3.1 million students find $5.4 billion in scholarships (to date), and their database provides a variety of scholarships catering to every type of student.

Recommended for: Any student seeking to easily search a database of scholarships while also having access to many other resources. 

Your School’s Financial Aid Office

Your own school’s financial aid office is a resource that’s perhaps overlooked. 

Your college may have its own website with a list of award options provided by donors to the school. Some colleges and universities also offer scholarships based on merit, major, or other school-specific factors.

If you don’t have easy access to a portal, call your school’s financial aid office too to see if they have any suggestions or partnerships with local organizations. 

Recommended for: Every college student! It’s no waste of time to check out what your school is offering — plus, you may be competing against fewer people than on a national scholarship database.

FAQs

Is a scholarship free?

Scholarships are completely free — if you’re willing to give some of your time to apply to them. They are awards you do not have to pay back, unlike loans. 

Scholarships are typically earned based on merit or financial need or require you to meet certain criteria (maybe demographic even), established by the issuer.

How do I find scholarships that no one applies for?

A good place to find scholarships with fewer applicants is to go to your local college or university’s financial aid office directly. 

They also may be able to suggest local organizations offering scholarships.

TL;DR: How To Find College Scholarships

College is expensive, but you may not have to put yourself in thousands of dollars of debt to obtain that highly desired degree.

Remember to first complete the FAFSA to see what free aid (like grants) you qualify for. Then, there are many resources online for searching for scholarships. Also check with your school’s financial aid office on what scholarship offerings they have. 

And for more ways to avoid student debt, follow Erika on Instagram and YouTube, where she shares all her best financial tips and tricks.

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