Financial Aid Scholarships

It takes time and energy to conduct a successful scholarship search, but it is well worth the effort when you are awarded a scholarship to help fund your higher education.

The best ways to find scholarships:

• Check with your high school counselor
• Check with your parent’s employer or organizations with which they are affiliated
• Check with organizations and businesses within your community
• Check with your college or university financial aid and/or scholarship office
• Surf the web

Types of Scholarships

Merit Based Scholarships: Awards based on academic performance and personal achievement.

Merit plus Need Scholarships: Awards based on academic performance, personal achievement, and financial need.

Private Scholarships: Awards based on criteria set by a private, non-affiliated organization or individual.

Institutional Scholarships: Awards based on criteria set by the college or university. These awards can be merit based or plus need based.

Be Cautious of Scholarship Scams

The following are signs of a possible scholarship scam:

• If you are required to pay money to get a scholarship
• If you are guaranteed win a scholarship
• If they say, “everyone is eligible” or “free money”
• If you are contacted for a scholarship you never applied for
• If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Scholarship Application Timelines

Applying for many scholarships can be done during any time of the year. However, different awards have different deadlines. For institutional awards, the deadlines are typically early Spring. You should check with your college or university to see what their established deadline is. Regardless, if you are late applying for an award one year, you should note the award and make every effort to reapply next year.

Tips for marketing yourself for a scholarship

Develop a great personal statement or essay

The essay is your ultimate communication tool-make a great impression. Think about this question: What makes you worthy of an investment as a student? Proofread, rewrite, and seek peer reviewers (writing is a process).

Develop a great academic transcript

Consistent academic performance is a good sign. A solid GPA is desirable for most scholarships. A bad semester or year is not the end of the world—If you have overcome challenges, explain that in your personal statement. Otherwise, your application will be confusing to the evaluator.

Demonstrate evidence of leadership or service

Submit documentation of leadership, service, or character. Explain your situation and add flavor as to who you are as a person and aspiring student. Connect your personal story with your career or educational goal.

• CFF Foundation Education Award ($1,500 one-time)
  Deadline: applications accepted year-round, 1 student awarded each quarter
  • Cocodrie Fly Fishing (CFF) aims to give advice and tips on how you can have the ultimate fly fishing experience. Whether you are a beginner or pro, our courses and tips can help you hone your skills. CFF is proud to offer quarterly awards to university and college students!
  • To participate, applicants should:
    • be currently enrolled in a college or university.
    • students of all majors are encouraged to apply!
    • submit an essay and submit application on the website.
  • For more detailed information, please visit the scholarship link.
• LA Tutors 123 Innovation in Education Scholarship ($500 one-time)
  Deadline: 20th of each month
  • We at LA Tutors are passionate about sparking the creative genius in students and would love to commend those outstanding students who have a made a difference in the lives of others in some innovative or technological fashion. In order to achieve this, we have established a scholarship for students who meet certain criteria.
  • The application opens the 1st of each month, and closes at 11:59 p.m. on the 20th of each month.
  • To participate, applicants should:
    • be enrolled as a high school or college/university student.
    • have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 (or the equivalent).
    • have designed an innovative project that makes a difference in the lives of others (This could be a website, series of blogs, an app, fundraising event, etc.)
    • submit an essay describing the goal of the particular project and provide supporting documentation.
• Google Career Certificate Scholarship Program (monetary value = $300 (no funds exchanged))
  Deadline: Rolling dependent on openings
  • Google has granted 500 Career Certificate Scholarships for HACU to disperse to its students attending Hispanic Serving Member Institutions. Gain the job-ready skills you need to launch or advance your career with a certificate in Google IT Support, Google IT Automation with Python, Google Data Analytics, Google Project Management or Google UX Design. See below for information about certificates offered through this initiative.
  • Career Certificate Scholarship Program applicants must also meet the following scholarship criteria to qualify.
    • Open to ALL majors
    • Must be attending a 2- or 4-year HACU Member institution
    • Open to undergraduate and graduate students
    • Must complete the program within 6 months
  • Scholarship specific essay question:
    • Please briefly share how you think the Grow with Google Career Certificate you are interested in will benefit your career and/or professional development goals.
  • How to Apply:
    • Fill out the Career Certificate Scholarship Application Form. Your application will be reviewed and upon selection, you will receive an invitation from Coursera learning platform to join and select the certificate you chose. You will receive automated reminders and completion emails from Coursera throughout the program. Please ensure you are reading them for updates and important information.
  • Application Dates:
    • Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until all scholarships are filled. Applicants are placed on a wait list if all spots are occupied. As certificates are completed, students on the wait list will be invited to join.

• Miller Lite Brewed to be Bright Scholarship ($5,000 one time)
  Deadline: July 28, 2024
  • Miller Lite Brewed to be Bright Scholarship applicants must also meet the following scholarship criteria to qualify:
    • Must be attending a 2-year or 4-year HACU Member Institution in a participating market (California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, New York, Texas, Wisconsin, and Puerto Rico).
    • Must be an Undergraduate student.
    • Must be enrolled part-time or full-time.
    • Must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 or higher.
    • Open to U.S. Citizens, Permanent Resident, Legally Authorize to Work in the U.S., and Other (please specify).
    • Must be 21 years of age or older.
  • Benefits and Requirements for Scholarship Recipient:
    • If selected, recipients also receive sponsorship and will be required to attend HACU’s 38th ¡Adelante! Leadership Institute November 1-3, 2024, the student track offered in conjunction with HACU’s Annual Conference (SAVE THE DATE). Expenses (travel, hotel lodging, and registration) are included as a scholarship benefit.
  • To apply, create an account with the HACU Scholarship application system. If you need a guide for the HACU Scholarship application system visit Scholarships – Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (hacu.net) under “Scholarships Available.”