Introduction | Grants | Loans | Work Study | Scholarships

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Some scholarships are a blend of need and merit. But most of them are merit based, you have to get grades to avail scholarships. Though this is the best option but there are never enough of scholarships and grants.

But sometimes eligibility criteria for scholarships is not just merit but wide range of qualifications. These usually include academic achievement and may or may not include financial need. Many scholarships emphasize other qualities, such as leadership, talent, and community service. This makes them accessible to a wide range of students, since there are many ways to qualify and there is an incredible range of providers.

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There are scholarships available to the students but the big question is how to search them. One handy way to look for scholarships is to look inside and outside the college. Inside the college are scholarships given or administered by the college. Outside the college are scholarships offered by everyone else, including companies, the military, foundations and organizations. Never overlook your local scholarships, as there are many scholarships available only to the meritorious students of a particular state or county.

Tips for Scholarship Search sources

Almost all the colleges offer scholarships to talented and meritorious students. Besides the college there are other sources which need to be explored to get the scholarship. Some of them are listed below:

• Corporations, especially local businesses and your parents' employers
• Religious groups
• Unions, a major source of scholarship money
• Chambers of Commerce, which can also help you search for other community sources
• Community and service organizations, many of which have state and local chapters
• Clubs, foundations, and associations, which can be based on heritage, professions, hobbies – you name it
• City, county, and state education offices
• Your high school or school district

Scholarships – Offered by Military

Through the ROTC (Reserve Officers' Training Corps) program, the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps offer full scholarships (covering tuition, fees and textbooks). However, the student must agree to serve in the sponsoring branch of the military for a certain number of years after graduation. These scholarships are very competitive. They are not available at all colleges and may depend on your major. The military understandably favors majors that will benefit its mission, such as engineering or nursing.

Here's a tip: Each branch of the military has its own ROTC program. You can get information on all of them at www.military.com/education.

Introduction | Grants | Loans | Work Study | Scholarships