This post will be looooong, so grab a cup of coffee, sit back, and maybe take some notes. Learn how to win scholarships from yours truly packed with all the advice that I wished I knew on day one.
First of all, I want to reassure you that any, any student can apply AND win a scholarship.
Do not be discouraged and I hope this post will help answer some of your most pressing questions.
Be sure to read through the entire post for scholarships to apply for, which ones to prepare for, and what you need to cut up at least half your time applying for scholarships.
Is winning scholarships possible?
I understand how winning a scholarship-much less getting a full-ride may sound too good to be true.
But I am here to tell you it is completely possible.
You don’t need to be a valedictorian, won a competition, or be placed first in sports to win scholarships.
In fact, you can win scholarships because there are scholarships for everyone.
And I-(an average student I believe) am able to get a full-ride, so you should be able to too!
You just need to craft your applications to fit the prompt, answer them outstandingly, and touch people.
This means that it should resonate or speak to the reader who will be grading your application.
You also want to be involved both in and out of school so you have plenty of topics to write about.
It is imperative that you join some clubs, sports, or community service projects so you have the experience.
From there, you can write about your time/experiences and how you impacted your community.
Even if you think you are an average student with nothing that stands out, there is always something that differentiates you from another.
As a first-generation college student, I had to do a lot of my own research from applying for scholarships to college applications.
These are all the tips and advice that I have accumulated based on my journey with applying for scholarships.
Each person’s experiences are different and go on different paths.
So don’t worry if you are unsure about what differentiates you.
You don’t need to excel at everything, you just need to have an experience that you can recall and talk about.
Anything that resonates with you or is special to your heart can be written.
It isn’t impossible to win scholarships, you just need to locate the right ones and apply for the ones that are most suitable for you.
Is it too late to apply for scholarships?
No, you are never too late to apply for scholarships.
In fact, there are tons and tons of scholarships for different grade levels, college levels, and even for adults.
No matter if you are a graduating senior or an adult heading back to pursue a college education, there are a bunch of scholarships available for you.
There are even scholarships once you enter college, so the journey doesn’t just stop after your senior year!
The best time to apply is NOW!
How to determine how much scholarship money I need?
You should aim to just apply for as many opportunities that match your requirements, but if you want an estimate here are some methods:
- Look up the cost of attendance for your college and add in other costs
- Include costs like room, dining hall costs, college fees, etc.
- Colleges usually have a whole chart with the costs listed
- Based on the total cost, you can aim to apply for as many scholarships that cover that sum
- Use your FAFSA family contribution to determine the amount you need
- Based on how much your family contribution is, FAFSA may provide you with grants to help
- You can aim to apply for scholarships that cover that family contribution amount or subtract it from the cost of attendance
- Catch-Them-All Method
- Aim to apply for any scholarship that comes your way and matches your criteria
- This way you are doing a free-for-all and catching all the scholarships that come your way
What scholarships should I apply for?
There is not a one-size-fits-all answer to this question, but I can give you some direction to help narrow down your research process.
Apply for scholarships that are local, specific, and targeted.
What do I mean by that?
Well, look for scholarships that are local to your school or community.
There are dozens of those from your church or nearby fast food chain to the front office of your school.
Second, apply for scholarships that are specific and targeted.
These are the scholarships that have a bunch of requirements or fit a certain profile.
A scholarship can be for a specific major that you intend to enroll in, an affiliation with an organization, and demonstrated certain leadership abilities.
The more targeted, narrow scholarships that you can find AND fit your profile, the easier your chances of winning.
I applied for a bunch of scholarships, but I didn’t get any. What should I do?
If you applied and submitted a bunch of applications for scholarships and only received thanks for applying, check out this checklist:
- Do you have an application file?
- Did you do thorough research before applying?
- Did you check out past winners?
- Did you submit a tailored application for each scholarship?
- Did you look for scholarships that are tailored to you?
If you answered no to any of the above, then read the ones that you did not do.
Try to change what you are doing or it might be because you are applying for highly competitive scholarships.
Aim for less competitive scholarships that you match the criteria and eligibility for.
Application File
An application file should consist of everything that you need to apply for scholarships.
This should include:
- (3) letters of recommendation from a teacher, a club leader, and faculty/staff
- Your transcript
- Resume
- Test Scores
- Community service document
- Extracurricular activities document
Why do I need letters of recommendation?
Great question!
I recommend asking early for letters of recommendation from teachers, advisors, or staff for a general application.
This means their recommendation can be used to apply to multiple scholarships.
You can ask them about writing you a letter of recommendation for several scholarships, and they can use the same one but change the names.
The better and more compelling the letters of recommendation are, the more likely your chances of winning a scholarship that asks for recommendations.
If you are worried to ask for letters of recommendation, don’t be!
And it is likely that other students are afraid or think it’s a hassle so they opt out of scholarships that require letters of rec.
This limits the competition pool and you will be able to have a higher chance of winning.
After your teacher, advisor, or academic staff writes you a letter of recommendation, be sure to handwrite them a thank you card.
It shows your appreciation and handwritten cards just hit differently.
Why do I need my transcript?
It is helpful to have a copy of your transcript close by so you can refer to it when needed.
Sometimes applications may ask for your GPA.
Make sure you input the right GPA as there are weighted and unweighted GPAs based on course difficulty and grade levels.
A common misconception is that only high achieving students win scholarships.
No, you can still win scholarships if your grades aren’t stellar.
In fact, there are specifically scholarships for students with low GPAs as there are scholarships for students with high GPAs.
Those scholarships don’t take into account your GPA, and instead look for other traits that you have.
Why do I need a resume?
This is not as significant as the other documents, but it is still good to have.
You want to prepare a resume to list all your past and current internships or job positions if you had any.
This will also be great to refer to when asked about any special roles you have participated in.
You want to keep this current and update it whenever you have a new role.
A tip for applying to jobs or internships is to include roles that relate to the job you are applying to.
You also want to list any skills, awards, honors, and special extracurriculars that you did here.
Why do I need my test scores?
You should have a printout and stored file of all your SAT, ACT, AP, or SAT subject test scores.
Even though some colleges don’t require tests right now, it is still nice to have a copy of test scores.
For scholarships that require these documents, you can input them.
You may want to take AP tests since some colleges give you college credit for introductory courses if you pass with a score of 3 or higher.
This saves you time and money by exempting you from taking a course.
Why do I need a community service document?
Many scholarships want to see if you have been using your time effectively.
Were you involved with any volunteer or community service work?
This document can be as simple as just documenting all the hours that you have done for volunteering work.
A community service document will be extremely helpful for answering questions like:
- What commitment have you made to make the world a better place?
- How have you helped or done to help your community?
- What impact have you made on your community, people, or the environment?
Are you stressing out about something else other than how to win scholarships? Check out How to Pick a College the Right Way.
Why do I need an extracurricular document?
This document should contain all the information about any extracurriculars that you have done in your high school career.
It can also contain activities that started early on and continued through high school.
It should include:
- The extracurricular activity
- The dates you have done it
- A couple of bullet points of what you did/impact
- Any awards/prizes
- What impact you contributed
- Anything you learned from the activity
Extracurricular activities can range from clubs, jobs, internships, tutoring, babysitting, and sports to name a few.
These are any activities that you have done outside of schoolwork.
This document will be helpful to answer any questions regarding any extracurriculars that you do, what makes you stand out, and how different you are.
It demonstrates your integrity and perseverance based on how long you have stayed in an organization or club.
The more impact and longer that you have stayed with an organization, the better as it shows your dedication and effort to improve yourself.
It is far better to be in one or two organizations for all four years than be in six organizations and clubs for one year.
How helpful is an application file?
If you are thinking of skipping this step, DO NOT!
Having an application file cuts back on so much time and helps with winning scholarships.
You should have a corner or file that includes ALL the papers in the application file.
It should also include any flyers, printouts, or scholarships that you are applying for.
Once you have your application file, the process of applying for scholarships will be a breeze.
Whenever you need to talk about a special circumstance or experience, you can just whip out your file and dig through there.
This is like an extension of your brain with resources that will help you determine what topics to write about.
You can cut back at least half of your time since you don’t have to dig around everywhere to look for the documents you need.
Additionally, you can cut back time on brainstorming since there are many topics that you can write about based on your resume, community service document, or extracurricular document.
I also recommend keeping a copy of your application file in digital form so you can access it online.
This will be super quick if any application asks for your transcript and you can just submit it from your desktop.
Why should I apply for scholarships?
You might be thinking why should I spend all my precious time applying to dozens, hundreds, maybe even thousands of scholarships with a small chance to win any?
The truth is-you don’t need to apply to thousands of scholarships; you can get enough if you win a few high-payout ones.
But how?
You need to find scholarships that are targeted, local, and specific for you.
I know I have been repeating myself, but this is super important and I need to drill it into your head.
Focus on finding local scholarships so the competition isn’t too fierce.
And the reason to apply for scholarships?
Well, free money of course!
Who doesn’t want free money?
You can be saving a ton of expenses and come out of college debt-free.
Not only will you not be stressing over costs, but you will be able to focus on your academics, social life, and building your career.
How much time should I spend applying for scholarships?
There is no definite answer, but I can tell you the more you apply, the bigger your chances of getting a scholarship.
If you follow the steps I created, you can cut back half your time and spend way less time applying.
Whenever you have free time or have nothing to do, apply for a scholarship!
The most important step is to apply and start on the application.
This is why it is extremely important to have your scholarship documents nearby so you quickly input the information.
That way the only thing you need to do is fill out the application or write an essay.
Interested in more posts similar to how to win scholarships? Check out 11 Top High School Sophomore Scholarships.
Is it worth spending so much time on scholarships if I don’t win any?
Do not be discouraged!
The amount of time and effort you are inputting now is compiling skills for you.
By applying for scholarships, you are working on your writing skills, persistence, and time management.
Even if you don’t win scholarships, you are still practicing your other skills.
The time you put in will all be worth it once you win your first scholarship.
That ecstatic-’wait what me?!’ will overcome all your previous doubts, stress, and worries.
You just need to keep trying and putting in the time to reap your efforts.
Similar to volunteering, you are not getting paid to help out, but you feel good about yourself, helped your community, and established some great connections.
You are putting in the time for yourself, so don’t lose that motivation for applying.
I feel discouraged applying for scholarships, what can I do?
If you are ever worried or scared about scholarships, it’s ok.
I am going to give you a mini mindset talk.
Think of scholarships as a game where you can win and advance to the next level, or lose and start over.
Approach scholarships as a point system, the more you do, the more points you accumulate.
If you don’t win, start over and continue until you can advance to the next level.
When you feel doubtful about your application or writing skills, it might be because of the angle you are writing it.
Maybe try approaching the prompt differently, ask for feedback, and revise.
Sometimes the competition is just too fierce and your application might be hard to stand out.
What contact information should I include?
You want to input an email that you will always check.
Make sure that you use an email that you use regularly and be consistent with applying the same one.
Do not use multiple email accounts or different accounts on different applications.
If you don’t want information sent to your personal email, you can always open up a new account.
This way you will receive all the information that you need and all in one place.
Make sure all the information you submit matches your profile or identification.
If you changed your name, make sure you input the right one.
Some scholarships require your proof and verification once you won, so be careful with inputting your information.
Research
We are finally at the research phase!
This is the part where you will look for scholarships to apply for.
DO NOT just submit your materials and apply.
Instead, you should create an excel or google sheet that documents:
- The scholarship name
- The dollar amount it is awarding/prize it is offering
- The deadline
- Requirements/things it asks of you
Then, after you submit your application and receive a notification, you can highlight the ones you won.
This is EXTREMELY important as you can check and replicate what helped you win those scholarships at that time.
You should work on finding at least 10 scholarships before you start applying for them.
Bold the deadline and set reminders so you can make sure you don’t miss any deadlines.
How to look for scholarships?
If you are unsure of where to start, I recommend browsing scholarship sites like:
Then, from there you can narrow down your searches by looking for scholarships that pertain to you.
The more narrowed down you can get with your scholarships, the better since the competition will be less fierce.
You also want to check your counseling office for scholarships that are solely for your school or community.
Those are SUPER easy to win and you will want to apply to these.
But beware of scams online.
There are scholarships that may ask for too much of your personal information.
You should be very careful and make sure you are applying to trusted scholarship sites.
Ok, I have my list of scholarships. Now what?
Once you have at least 10 scholarships on file, you want to dedicate some time to work on them.
Pick a specific day-maybe chunk out every Wednesday and Thursday night for four hours.
Then during that time, you want to aim at answering and brainstorming the prompt.
An example schedule may be:
- 1st setting: brainstorm an idea of what you are going to write about for each of your scholarships
- 2nd setting: write a draft for your first scholarship
- 3rd setting: revise and edit your draft/ask others to proofread
- 4th setting: gather all documents/finalize and submit your application
- 5th setting: continue on your next one
Each of these settings can be a chunk of time you work on your scholarships.
If you finish earlier on your task for a specific block of time, you can move on to the next application.
The goal is to go through each of these steps as thoroughly and efficiently as possible.
This way you will be able to apply for more scholarships and look for more.
Once you are done applying to those ten scholarships, don’t stop!
Go research for the next ten and continue the process.
Remember to aim for QUALITY instead of QUANTITY since applying to 10 greatly written applications is far better than applying to 100 poorly submitted applications.
1. Applying to Scholarships: No-essay Types
These scholarships are the ones where you don’t need to write an essay and just click to apply.
There are a ton of these out there-and EXTREMELY difficult to win.
However, you should still apply because you never know if you will be the next lucky winner.
These scholarships are LOW EFFORT but HIGHLY DIFFICULT to win.
Set a reminder on your phone each month or bi-weekly to remind you to apply to no essay scholarships.
Take about an hour or two of your day and just submit.
You should compile a list of scholarships that are recurring and require no essays.
Some examples are:
- $2,000 Niche No Essay Scholarship
- $50,000 Niche No Essay Scholarship
- $25,000 Be Bold No Essay Scholarship
These usually only require a sign-up or submission of your email.
They require little work and the prize range drastically.
Usually, the higher the money amount, the more competitive it will be.
These are more based on luck, so don’t completely rely on applying for these scholarships.
Think of them in terms of the lottery, so make sure you put in more effort on the essay and task scholarships.
2. Applying to Scholarships: Essay Requirement
If you dread writing essays, do not worry.
I will guide you step-by-step on polishing your essays for submission.
You need to hit the ballpark with:
- Addressing the prompt
- Following the guidelines
- Grammar free
The MOST important step to standing out?
And only then, to stand out, you need to address your essay authentically and uniquely.
What does this mean?
You need to not only answer the prompt but write it from a special perspective.
The more unique or more connective you are with the prompt, the higher your chances are of winning.
You can brainstorm some ideas and jot down whatever you have.
Then, you can pick one topic that you think is the most interesting, unique, and easy to write a lot about.
If you are ever stuck on a topic, seek others for help.
Ask for their opinions and what they think is more interesting or likely to read.
Make sure to break it into chunks.
Don’t tackle everything all at once or you might get overwhelmed or lose motivation.
Instead, write out an outline of what you need to do and when the deadlines are.
An example of an outline preparation template:
- Brainstorming ideas
- Picking the topic
- Gathering information on what to write about
- Adding details, supporting evidence, and voice to your essay
- Proofread and ask for feedback
- Revise and edit
- Submit
3. Applying to Scholarships: Task Requirement
These scholarships are any that require either submission of artwork, poetry, videos, or task-oriented.
You have more artistic freedom for these types of scholarships.
When applying for these scholarships, keep in mind to address the prompt while also making your submission eye-catching.
If a task asks that you submit a campaign for raising awareness for an issue in the world:
- Brainstorm some ideas that you are passionate about
- Narrow down your choice to the most unique one
- Create your content and edit it
- Show it to your peers/teachers and get feedback
- Revise and show again
- Finally submit the project
These task-oriented scholarships are less competitive since not everyone wants to show their face, create an art project, or spend time developing a project.
If the tasks require a video submission, here are some ideas to make it better:
- Edit your videos
- Include sound effects
- Include smooth transitions
- Include voiceover or audio
- Fade-in and fade-out sound when talking
Try to make your projects cohesive, complete, and unique.
You should aim to maximize your chances of winning by having entertaining content, professional video editing skills, and the full prompt answered.
Which type of scholarship should I apply for?
It is best to have a mix of these.
Try to aim for this ratio: for every 8 no-essay scholarships that you apply to, also apply for 2 essay types and 1 task type.
You can mix and match the numbers, but this is a way to space it out and not overload yourself with too many tasks or essay scholarships.
Aim for however many you are capable of doing and don’t worry about the type as much.
You should do a mix of the different types, so you have a variety, and not put all your eggs in one basket.
Similar to investing, you want to diversify your options so you can have a safe return for the work you put in.
If you find yourself winning a specific type of scholarship, then spend more time targeting that type.
How can I make my application stand out?
Similar to college applications, scholarships need to be unique in order to be picked.
Think about any experiences or skills that make you different.
This is where your extracurricular activities, volunteer experiences, or internships come in.
Were you in a club that did a special project?
Did you make an impact on your community and changed something for the better?
How about your volunteer experiences? Did you help out and contribute to the community?
It doesn’t have to be extremely bizarre-but make sure it is authentic it’s YOU.
Are there any experiences that you have that you don’t think others have?
Then, incorporate it into your essays and submissions.
After you have identified the experience, you can utilize it for multiple submissions.
Want to apply your knowledge to win scholarships? Check out 11 Amazing Scholarships for Transfer Students.
How do I know what they are looking for?
If you are ever unsure about how your writing/project is, there is a specific field you can check.
Locate any past winners and browse through their work.
Then, ask yourself:
- What made those projects stand out?
- Can you produce something of similar or higher quality?
- How did the past winners articulate their writing/project to answer the prompt?
You want to do a bit of digging and research to check how others are doing.
Then, work on your piece and make sure it is above par compared to past winners.
If the scholarship doesn’t have a past winners section, don’t fret.
You can get inspiration for what direction to go by:
- Reading and analyzing the prompt
- Creating a draft and getting feedback
- Asking for suggestions on your topic
Which scholarships are easier to win?
Based on my personal journey, I vouch for writing essays and task-oriented scholarships.
I have won a scholarship that required sending in my transcript, an essay, and a personal recommendation.
The number of papers that it required and the process of having to mail the application in deterred many applicants.
This greatly cut back on the submissions and increased my chances of winning.
Any type of high effort, going above and beyond, and tedious applications-in my opinion- is the best to apply for since there is usually barely anyone.
My second favorite is community scholarships.
These are scholarships that appear in your community or school so it is only eligible for students in that area.
I freaking LOVE these scholarships since the competition is local and highly increases your chances to win.
Go to your counselor’s office and check out the bulletin boards, and ask the counselors or the office to get a list of scholarships in the community or school.
Then, target a large chunk of your time and effort on these scholarships.
You should definitely maximize your time and revise your essays or application for community/local scholarships since they have a better chance of you winning it.
What if I don’t have any motivation?
If you want to apply for scholarships, but just don’t have the motivation to-here are some tips.
Create a routine so you can get into the habit and it becomes less of a chore.
Make it into an assignment and treat it like a project.
Some tips to get into the mood:
- Make yourself a cup of tea/coffee
- Pick a comfy spot designated for applying to scholarships (it can be a nook in your room, kitchen, coffee shop, library, etc. )
- Play ambient/motivational music if you are ok with working with music
- Apply for scholarships with a friend
- Set up a group to keep each other accountable
- Post a poster of all the things that will make you proud and stress eliminated after you win scholarships
Think about winning a scholarship.
How will it help you?
Think about how much burden it will take off your shoulders.
You want to think about all the incentives for winning a scholarship.
Picture yourself and how proud your family and you will be for going to college debt-free.
I didn’t secure any scholarships before college, what else can I do?
Don’t stress as you can still apply for scholarships while in college.
You can apply for specific scholarships for your program and keep looking during your college years.
Don’t let the process stop!
You can also work a part-time job or apply for some loans to assist with your college journey.
Look for loan forgiveness programs, career paths, or jobs to help repay your loans.
But before you take out loans, try your best to secure at least one scholarship!
Some money is better than nothing at all!
Extra Tips
Here are some extra tips and advice for applying for scholarships.
Make sure that you are consistent and keep applying.
Don’t give up!
I know it can be tough to just send out a bunch of applications that you spend so much time on and get denied.
Think of those thank you for your time but… statements as a motivation.
Keep trying until you don’t see that line anymore.
Maybe you should alter the way you approach the application.
If you are unsure, make sure to go back and read through the post to get an idea of what you need to do.
Once you identify which parts you are weak on, target improving those areas and retry.
Then, once you win a scholarship, go back and check what steps you did right.
Remember, applying for and winning scholarships is a process.
Everything takes time and this process too.
Keep going, don’t give up, and you can do this!
Last Piece of Advice…
If you are ever lost and don’t know what to do, refer back to this post.
You should also get an accountability buddy or friend and apply for scholarships together.
Make sure you guys do your own research on which scholarships to apply for and set times to keep each other accountable.
Don’t lose motivation if you ever feel like it’s not working out.
Nothing always works the first time around!
Thomas Edison failed at least 1,000 times before the light bulb was invented.
So if you don’t win scholarships the first few times around, buckle up and strap down to keep going at it.
Once you win your first scholarship, you will get a lot more motivation and push yourself to keep going.
It’s not the end of the world if you don’t win scholarships, but be proud that you put in the time and effort to do something to improve your future.
That also sounds like a great essay topic about a big obstacle…applying for a bunch of scholarships and not getting any.
You see, anything can be a writing topic as long as you find it around you.
Hopefully, this article was helpful for you and it includes all the tips and advice I wished someone told me when I applied for scholarships.
Good luck with winning scholarships and you can do it!
