1 Grants and Scholarships
Information on undergraduate and graduate scholarships, grants, internships, loans, workstudy, and various forms of aid and funding
Prepared by Casey Welch
Strategies and Tips for Searching, Preparing, and Applying for Aid.................................. 1
Resources on the WEB ....................................................................................................... 2
Government Sites and Sources ....................................................................................... 2
Some Recent Government Programs .......................................................................... 4
Non-Governmental Sites and Sources ............................................................................ 4
Graduate School .................................................................................................................. 6
Resources on Campus ......................................................................................................... 6
Resource Books .................................................................................................................. 7
Career Resources................................................................................................................. 7
Strategies and Tips for Searching, Preparing, and Applying for Aid
1. Apply to two scholarships each semester. That way if you receive only 25% then you
are still getting one scholarship or grant per year.
2. Meet with the school's Financial Aid office, as well as with your advisor, to discuss
map out good ways to learn about and apply for scholarships.
3. Keep a folder with a copy of each application in it, as well as other information that
can be used for researching or applying for grants.
a. Don’t hesitate to reuse your statements and if possible letters of rec., as long
as you tailor them to fit the present application and the authors of the letters
know you will be using them for more than one.
4. Keep a folder of all scholarship, grant, and loan info on your desk top.
5. Every time you do something that's noteworthy, enter that into either your paper or
digital folder.
a. You may want to keep an ongoing Miscellaneous document that you can
add things to as they arise. That way when you go to apply to your next
one you don't have wrack your brain trying to remember your past
accomplishments.
6. When selecting people to write you letters of recommendation, give them at least 4
weeks advance notice and make it as easy as possible for them. If it has to be
mailed, supply them with a stamped and addressed envelope. Supply them with all
the relevant information (see below) and ask them if there is anything else you can
provide.
7. Be sure they are submitted on time.
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8. Be sure the material is cleanly presented: all sections completed, letters typed,
material proofread, etc.
9. If possible, request past winning scholarships so that you can use those as a model of
successful applications.
10. Keep in mind, there are many sources of aid, that you will not be eligible for many,
and that you will be eligible for some.
a. Many are scholarships are granted to how well you perform in school or
community activities (merit based), many are based on your income (need
based) are merit based, and some are based on traits, e.g. gender, place of
birth, race, club association, and so on. Often a scholarship will draw on
more than one of these categories.
Resources on the WEB
CAVEAT: I have not vetted carefully all of these sites and do not endorse the content or
veracity of any of them. Also, some may have changed since I last reviewed
them. I include them as possible resources for educational information, esp.
sources of money. I recommend that you do not pay any money or give any
confidential information (SSN, DOB, etc.) for any informational services unless
you are absolutely sure of the honesty of the organization and the utility of the
product it is selling. All information on scholarships can be obtained free through
the internet and publications available at the reference section of the library (esp. a
large university library). If you use a private for-profit scholarship search
agency, check first with the Better Business Bureau and/or the state attorney’s
general office.
NOTE: Please let me know if you come across other useful sites regarding education and
grants. I may add them to this list so that they will be available to students in the
future. Also, please let me know if you have problems with any of these sites.
search words: financial aid, student aid, scholarships, higher education funding,
internships, etc.
Government Sites and Sources
ed.gov/studentaid. US Dept of Education
ed.gov/prog_info/SFA/StudentGuide. To order or review The Student Guide
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http://www.ed.gov/edtv/.
fafsa.ed.gov. Free Application of Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the US Dept of
Education.
 Request Funding Your Education
 Aid administered on a first come basis; the application should therefore be submitted
as soon as possible after Dec. 31.
 This program links you to various aid, including federal work-study, Pell grant,
Perkins Loan, and other loan programs.


For technical assistance, call 1800 801 0576) or www.ed.gov/prog_info/SFA/FYE
1800-4-FED-AID (1800 433 3243)

TTY: 1800 730 8913
College.gov, FAFSA4caster, and College Navigator are helping millions of families
navigate the process of selecting and paying for college.
studentaid.ed.gov. Teaches you the lingo of financial aid and provides links.
students.gov
cns.gov. AmeriCorps: earn education awards for volunteer-like services
 contact the Corporation for National Service: www.cns.gov, or 1800 94 ACORPS
grants.gov. This site was introduced in 2004 as part of President Bush's Electronic
Government Initiative. It pulls together 800 grant programs involving all 26 federal
grant-making agencies, e.g. Departments of Commerce, Education, Energy, Justice, and
HHC.
govbenefits.gov. All sorts of info on government benefits.
nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cool. Gov. site, College search per criteria
http://oeri.ed.gov/free/ . Federal Resources for Educational Excellence, offers hundreds
of internet educational resources supported by many Gov. agencies.
http://ocfo.ed.gov/fedreg/announcement.htm. Monthly announcement of grants.
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US Commission for Scholastic Assistance provides info on over 1000 private scholarship
sources.
 Send self-addressed stamped, business size #10 envelope to: The US Commission for
Scholastic Assistance, POB 650067, Potomac Falls, VA 20165-0067, or P. O. Box
668, O’Fallon, IL 62269.
Hope tax credit or Lifetime Learning tax credit: these apply some of your college costs to
reducing your tax liability.
 www.ed.gov/budget/97918tax.html

IRS publication 970, Tax Benefits for Higher Education.
 order at 1800 TAX FORM (1800 829 3676), or www.irs.ustreas.gov
Some Recent Government Programs
Student20aid programs, tools, and resources
loan20volume
Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans Act (ECASLA)
Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP),
Non-Governmental Sites and Sources
aacu.org
aft.org/scholarships. AFT union-sponsored scholarships
collegeboard.com
cur.org
www.estudentloan.com
Fast WEB (http://web.student services.com/fastweb/): answer a few questions and will
cross reference your info with 180,000 scholarships.
finaid.org. Free online search
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www.freschinfo.com
ncur.org
NSF
nea.org (or, nea.org/he/). National Education Association, much info on education in
general and grants.
petersonsons.com. Free online search
www.studentrewards.com
http://www.usip.org/fellows. The Jennings Randolph Program for International Peace
awards fellowships to outstanding scholars, policymakers, journalists, and others for
research on important issues concerning international conflict and peace.
waggledancer.com, run by Ben Kaplan
winscholarships.com
Working Abroad: Council Information Center; 205 E. 42 St.; NYC 10017
 Info on college students and grads working abroad.
www.worksource online.net
Also check with organizations you or your parents may have ties with
 Unions
 military or veteran
 employers
 churches



clubs and associations
Chamber of Commerce, etc. of your home town
State departments of education (be sure to check the state sites of where you are
going to school, where you were born, and where you currently reside)
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Graduate School
http://www.usnews.com/articles/business/paying-for-graduate-school/2008/03/21/6-stepsto-getting-free-money-for-grad-school.html
http://www.usnews.com/articles/business/paying-for-graduate-school/2008/03/21/moregrad-school-free-money-taxes.html
--may be tax deductible
http://www.nextstudent.com/NextPath/NextPathOnline/blogs/graduates/archive/2008/04/21/finding-free-money-for-grad-school.aspx
http://www.nelliemae.com/managingmoney/grad_tips.html
http://www.petersons.com/gradchannel/file.asp?id=1080
http://supercollege.com/gradschool/gradschool.cfm
http://blogpublic.lib.msu.edu/index.php/2008/03/25/paying-for-grad-school?blog=51
http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/Departments/eLearning/?article=FinAidGradSchool
http://education.yahoo.com/college/essentials/articles/grad/hunt-money.html
http://www.kiplinger.com/magazine/archives/2006/01/gradschool.html
http://www.gradschool.cornell.edu/?p=132
Resources on Campus
Campus Web sites, campus resource books, and counselors.
Make appointments to meet with financial-aid counselors. They can introduce you to the
process.

Contact career centers, advising offices, and financial aid offices at local high schools
and any college or university. The college offices will often provide you with
assistance even if you are not a student there.
Work study programs
Internships
7 Grants and Scholarships
ROTC
Resource Books
College Student's Guide to Merit and Other No-need Funding. Reference Service Press.
How to go to college for free, by Ben Kaplan
Go to reference desk at a university library and ask for books listing grants and
scholarships, and for books advising on how to apply.
Career Resources
bls.gov: Bureau of Labor Statistics
careers.wsj.com: Free job search provided by Wall Street Journal
compensationlink.com: source of researching salaries for particular careers.
erieri.com: Economic Research Institute
jobsmart.org
jobdirect.com: Advertised as free job search for students.
oalj.dol.gov/libdot.htm. Dictionary of Occupational Titles
stats.bls.gov/ocohome.htm. Occupational Outlook Handbook, by the US Dept of Labor.
wageweb.com