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8 Min Read | Dec 12, 2024
IfIf IfIf you’re in high school, you might be wondering how you’ll pay for college—after all, it definitely isn’t cheap!
Maybe you’re convinced taking on a bunch of student loan debt is the only way to pay for college. But that’s not true! It’s totally possible to pay for college without going into debt because there are plenty of ways to get free money to cash flow your education. (Yep, free!) How?
One very important word: scholarships.
You may not realize it, but thousands upon thousands of scholarship opportunities are out there. And even if you apply for scholarships that are only a few hundred dollars, those awards will add up quickly.
So, let’s walk through how to apply for scholarships so you can pay for college without debt.
Before we get started, know that the rules and requirements for each scholarship application will change depending on the scholarship. But generally, when you’re learning how to apply for college scholarships, these are the steps you’ll want to take first:
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a form schools use to figure out if you qualify for financial aid and how much financial aid to offer you. That money could come in the form of scholarships, grants, work study or student loans.
Scholarships and grants are amazing resources because you don’t have to repay them. Work study is great too—it lets you work part-time jobs on campus with way more flexibility than you’d find at a grocery store or fast-food restaurant.
Student loans, on the other hand, will leave you spending years of your life after graduation making monthly payments. Plus, the interest on loans means you end up paying way more than you originally borrowed. That’s not a good strategy to pay for school because it costs you so much more in the long run.
Once you hit that submit button, the form will be sent to the financial aid offices at your schools of choice. They’ll crunch some numbers, and if you qualify for aid, they’ll send you an award letter telling you what kind of financial aid you qualify for (and how much).
If you have access to guidance counselors or financial aid officers at your school, ask them for help finding scholarships. That’s what they’re there for! You can find all kinds of Educational Opportunity Programs out there—like the Federal TRIO Programs that help students from disadvantaged backgrounds, first-generation college students and others. Your school should be able to give you more information about similar programs, or you can research them on the U.S. Department of Education’s website.
Your guidance counselors will probably also know about scholarships offered by local community organizations or businesses who want to help college students. And don’t forget about state and regional scholarship programs that offer money for in-state or local tuition. Your guidance counselors or financial aid officers may be able to help you start the application process by getting you in touch with those contacts. Sometimes, all it takes is a short essay to apply.
When it comes to finding scholarships that come directly from colleges, your best bet is to reach out to the financial aid offices at each college you apply to, or to look up scholarship information on the college’s website. Most schools offer both need-based and merit-based scholarships and will lay out all the details you need to know.
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And get this: Did you know some scholarships awarded by colleges have nothing to do with academics? That’s right! Not all scholarships are for straight-A students or whizzes who score a perfect 36 on the ACT. Plenty of money is available to students who have incredible leadership skills, attend a local university, or have an impressive list of extracurriculars. Be sure to look into those other scholarship options.
Here’s a place not many students think about checking when they’re searching for scholarships: your mom and dad’s employers. They might not always promote that they offer scholarships, but many companies do provide scholarships to their employees’ kids. So, ask your parents to connect with their HR department.
Take some time to research and find any scholarships that apply to your specific career goals and the industry you want to work in.
For example, if you know you want to major in engineering, spend some time researching the college scholarships offered by NASA, the American Society of Naval Engineers, or whatever organization is most related to the specific type of engineering you’re interested in.
Going to school for culinary arts? The National Restaurant Association, American Culinary Federation, and plenty of other organizations like those want to pay for talented students in that field to hone their skills.
Sometimes you just need help filtering through all the options out there. Scholarship search tools, books and databases will help you sort through thousands of scholarships to find the ones that best fit your situation, interests and life experience.
Try using more than one tool if you can—you might find different results. Then, once you have a few lists, you can create your own short list of scholarships you want to apply for first.
Here are some good options to get you started:
Even if you use one of these shortcuts to find a scholarship, there’s no way around putting in time and effort to apply for them. Some might ask you to write essays, answer tough questions, or even go through an interview—but others could require little to no effort. If you treat the scholarship search process like a part-time job by spending at least an hour a day filling out applications, it will pay off.
Extracurriculars are those activities outside of the classroom, like volunteer work, sports, church involvement and social clubs. Getting involved in a variety of extracurriculars will open up the number of scholarships you can apply for later—and it can make your applications more appealing to the scholarship judges. They’ll want to see that you have a range of experience and interests outside of getting a good GPA. Start getting involved now so you can build your resumé and set yourself up for success when it’s time to start applying for scholarships!
The process of getting scholarships starts way before you even sit down to work on an application. If you’ve built your resumé throughout high school by taking on leadership roles, volunteering and being active in your community, you’ll have plenty of stories and experience to mention when it’s time to start applying.
Here are a few other tips to remember when you’re applying for scholarships:
The bottom line? Paying for college without student loans is possible if you know where to start and put in the work. By following the steps we just went through, you’ll be well on your way to finding and applying for scholarships that can help pay for your degree.
Remember, it’s all about being proactive, staying organized, and putting in the time. Every scholarship you earn is one step closer to a debt-free degree. So start today—your future self will thank you!
College grants are typically need-based, meaning they’re given to students facing financial difficulties. Scholarships are normally merit- or need-based. Both are free money that you don’t have to repay.
The best time to apply for scholarships is your junior and senior year. This will give you time to develop your resumé and have some valuable experiences to share in your scholarship applications. That’s how you stand out from other applicants.
You can find college scholarships in a ton of places—your college’s website, scholarship directory books (like The Ultimate Scholarship Book), local businesses and foundations, and free scholarship search websites (like Fastweb, Appily or College Board).
If you win a scholarship, you’ll likely receive a phone call, email or letter telling you how much you’ve won and the next steps to accept the award. For some scholarships, you’ll need to confirm that you accept the award by writing a letter to the committee or filling out an online acceptance form.
Scholarship judges usually take about three months to pick a winner after the entry deadline passes, so you might want to check on your application if you don’t hear back by that time.
About the author
Ramsey Solutions
Ramsey Solutions has been committed to helping people regain control of their money, build wealth, grow their leadership skills, and enhance their lives through personal development since 1992. Millions of people have used our financial advice through 22 books (including 12 national bestsellers) published by Ramsey Press, as well as two syndicated radio shows and 10 podcasts, which have over 17 million weekly listeners. Learn More.
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