Scholarships are very similar to grants in that they can provide you with money for college that doesn’t have to be paid back. They can total up to your entire cost of attendance, and the actual amount you are able to receive for any particular scholarship will of course depend on the specifications of that specific award. Most scholarships are given to students by various organizations, included among which are the government, colleges and universities, secondary schools, towns and municipalities, sports teams, civic organizations, and even employers and businesses.
Scholarships are awarded to students for a number of reasons, any are typically awarded when the student demonstrates certain traits, skills, or achievements. This is not to say that all scholarships are based on this sort of criteria, and if you don’t think that you exemplify such outstanding characteristics, you can still go out and apply for various awards if you can meet the initial application requirements. Due to the fact that there are so many scholarships in existence, it is almost silly to not at least put the time to apply for a few awards, especially if you have a high need for aid to attend college.
Scholarships and Financial Aid
You can under most circumstances still get a Pell Grant in conjunction with any scholarship you may be able to receive. The only time this may not be true is if you are able to get a scholarship that can provide you with enough aid to cover your entire cost of attendance. When this is the case you should not be able to get a Pell Grant for that particular award year, as the Pell Grant can only be used when you haven’t already paid for your entire cost of attendance.
If you do somehow get awarded a Pell Grant along with a full scholarship it is critical that you inform your college’s financial aid department so that they can correct the situation. If you do accept any sort of Pell Grant aid along with a full scholarship you may risk having a Pell Overpayment on your record. When this happens you must either pay the aid you weren’t supposed to receive back, or risk becoming ineligible for the future reception of all types of federal student aid.
If the scholarship, or scholarships you have been allocated for any particular academic year cannot pay for your entire cost of attendance, you can then still get a Pell Grant with no issue. You can then use your scholarship money, Pell Grant funding, and any other aid you may have received for that award year to create a final award package that should be able to pay for a good proportion of your education-related expenses for that academic term.
The Reality of Scholarship Aid
While most students don’t get scholarship aid when they are attending school as an undergraduate student, you shouldn’t let this trend deter you from seeking out what aid may be available to you in the form of a scholarship. There are thousands upon thousands of scholarships in existence that are relatively easy to apply for, and are for the most part fairly uncompetitive.
While yes you do need to have some sort unique trait, ability, or achievement for most scholarships, there are countless “general purpose” scholarships that can be applied for without the need to fulfill any sort of outstanding criteria. You can find these awards by asking your college’s financial aid department, by searching online, or by asking what various organization that you are associated with have to offer. By doing this you’ll maximize your chances at getting the most aid you can for a particular year, and because scholarships don’t have to be paid back, it never hurts to at least apply to see what happens.
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