How To Find and Apply For Scholarships: A Step-by-Step Guide

Full scholarships, also known as full-ride scholarships, are the ultimate form of financial aid because they almost completely cover the cost of attending college for three or four years. The supplier will pay for your living expenses and tuition, allowing you to concentrate on your education and social life without having to worry about money. Great, isn’t that right?

Unfortunately, there aren’t very many of these “dream” scholarships available. Full scholarships are hard to come by and extremely competitive when they do. Even so, you should still apply for them. Continue reading to learn how to improve your chances of receiving one of these coveted scholarships.

How to Find Scholarships to Apply for?

With the help of the internet’s plethora of search engines and online resources, you may quickly identify and apply for thousands of scholarships. Here, we’ll go over some of the typical resources you (and your parents!) can utilize to locate scholarships to apply for.

Step 1: Look for Scholarships That You Qualify For

Finding scholarships to apply for has already required a lot of work on your part. Now separate your search into scholarships based on merit and those based on need.

Need-based scholarships are only given to applicants who require a little extra financial assistance and are based on your or your family’s capacity to pay for education. Scholarships that are merit-based are given to candidates based on their accomplishments or skills. They might be more interested in academia, the arts, or sports. A wide variety of situation-based scholarships are also available, including those for women, minorities, journalism majors, and gamers.

Step 2: Finding and comprehend the application requirements

Since each application will require you to submit a different set of materials or accomplish a variety of duties, it is crucial that you thoroughly investigate the requirements for the scholarship you are applying for.

The most typical paperwork and supplies required for a scholarship application are listed below:

2(a). Scholarship Application Form

Fill out the scholarship application completely, and make sure all the information is correct. (With Going Merry, we automatically fill in your profile information on scholarship application forms, saving you a tonne of time.)

2(b). Essay

Your time to shine will be in the application’s essay section. It allows you to communicate your personality, ideas, and opinions even if your writing skills are lacking. Sponsors of scholarships want to know how you’ll use the limited space you have.

2(c). Letters of Recommendation

Most scholarships want letters of recommendation from people you know or who you’ve worked with. Give someone at least four weeks’ notice when asking for a letter of reference from a professor, teacher, guidance counselor, or a personal source.

2(d). Resume/CV

When applying for scholarships, having an updated résumé might help. One of the key components of your application, together with your essay, should be your CV, where you can highlight your qualifications and achievements.

Step 3: Create a calendar

Timing is everything when it comes to applying for scholarships. Starting your applications as soon as you can is a good idea. It’s possible for deadlines to surprise you. Make a list of the scholarships you want to apply for, their deadlines, and the materials they require (whether on paper or in an Excel sheet). (Going Merry offers a rough time estimate for each application.

Start your scholarship applications as soon as possible to put yourself ahead of the competition. Some applications will ask you to produce a media project, such as a film outlining your case for the scholarship.

Step 4: Write a stellar essay

Giving the essay the time and attention it deserves is crucial since it has the power to make or break an application. Even if you’re unconfident in your writing abilities, applying a few straightforward strategies might assist your essay in advance.

Essay Tip #1: Study the Guidelines

The most crucial part of your scholarship application is to follow the directions completely. Additionally, read the directions for drafting your essay.

Essay Tip #2: Give yourself time

Giving yourself enough time to complete the essay will allow you more time to organize your thoughts and more time for editing. Planning will help you prevent mistakes and feel secure about the procedure.

Essay Tip #3: Forge Your Course

When you apply for a scholarship, you share the same writing prompt with hundreds or maybe thousands of other candidates. How can you differentiate your essay from the competition? What unique contribution can you provide to the situation? Set aside some time to reflect on your advantages and come up with ideas for how to make your essay stand out.

Essay Tip #4: Make an outline

An outline may ensure that your essay is smooth and presents the events in a logical order. You don’t always need elaborate summaries to help you arrange your thoughts; a simple one will do!

Essay Tip #5: Make It Livelier

Nobody wants to read an essay that is dull and lifeless.
fewer yet are the scholarship committees that are reviewing hundreds of applications! In your writing, be yourself and let your passion come through.

Step 5: Submit Your Materials

The final step in applying for scholarships is to simply submit your materials now that you’ve gathered them all. Check the conditions because some scholarships demand submissions by mail, while others just require online submissions. Make sure the individual writing your recommendation knows the deadline if you ask for letters of recommendation. Additionally, give them a stamped envelope with the appropriate destination address or email address.

Step 6: Verify Your Scholarship Status, but Take Your Time!

The majority of scholarships will inform you of the deadline for receiving a response. Once you’ve submitted your scholarship, you can check its status to make sure you’ve filled it out completely.

After you’ve submitted your application, breathe deeply and unwind. As you wait for a response from the scholarship sources, keep a positive outlook.

To estimate how much money you have applied for, we also advise keeping a detailed list of the scholarships you have applied for. Update this list once you learn the results of your scholarship applications!