Tips on Searching for Scholarships
When? Search Early, Search Often, Search Yearly
Many application deadlines occur during spring for the upcoming fall semester. Begin your searches around November for scholarships for the coming school year. There are application deadlines which cycle throughout the year. If you missed a particular deadline, we recommend you keep a list and review that list yearly for those upcoming dates to apply for that and other scholarships.
High School students – We recommend you start your search for scholarships in your junior year. You can create a timeline for application deadlines to utilize during your senior year and apply on time. That way you don’t miss any scholarship opportunities. Don't forget to check out scholarship opportunities through your high school.
Don't pay for scholarship search services! Thoroughly read through the scholarship’s criteria and only apply for those scholarships for which you meet all of the criteria.
Where Should I Look?
When looking for scholarship opportunities consider the following resources:
- File the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) from the Federal Government
- Review scholarship opportunities through the Illinois Student Assistance Commission from the State of Illinois
- Online Searches – Utilize scholarship searches to discover local and national scholarship opportunities. Here are a few sites we recommend you visit to assist in your search for scholarships to fund your college education. Be cautious of any Web site which solicits credit card information or requests payment to process your scholarship application.
Additional Tips for Scholarship Success
- Use the Internet for locating scholarships and their sites
- Contact Scholarship Donors for applications and deadline information
- Obtain letters of recommendations, if needed
- Update your resume, if needed
- Get involved in Community Service/Volunteering – these efforts look great on a scholarship application
- Participate in school activities and clubs – Keep track of any “positions/offices” you held in those groups and the various volunteer activities you chaired, participated in and/or initiated
- Write up a list of your community service/volunteer efforts and activities to be used when applying for scholarships, if needed
- Contact the following for scholarship opportunities:
- Local government offices
- State senators or representatives for the General Assembly Tuition Waiver
- Local police or fire organizations
- High school
- Parent’s employer
- Student’s employer
- Local banks – sometimes they are the trustees of scholarships
- Civic & social organizations
- Religious organizations
- Professional organizations
