College is expensive, but it doesn’t have to leave you with a mountain of debt.
A college scholarship is free money that doesn’t need to be repaid, and they’re available to far more students than you might think.
Over 85% of college students receive some form of financial aid, yet many miss out on thousands in scholarship opportunities simply because they don’t know where to look.
The stakes are high: the average student graduates with over $30,000 in student debt. That’s a car payment, or multiple car payments, following you into your first apartment, your first job, your twenties, and beyond.
But using the right scholarship resources can help you find legitimate opportunities faster and chip away at that potential debt before it ever becomes real.
20 Excellent Resources to Help You Find a College Scholarship
National Scholarship Search Platforms
These trusted databases match you with opportunities based on your profile, interests, and background.
Fastweb lists over 1.5 million scholarships and updates regularly. Create a profile once, and it’ll match you with relevant awards. Keep your information current, like life changes or interest shifts, and new scholarships appear constantly.
Scholarships.com covers both national and local opportunities, including college-specific awards. Filter by GPA, field of study, or demographic factors to narrow your search and save time.
College Board’s BigFuture comes from the organization behind the SAT, so it’s particularly useful for high school juniors and seniors. Beyond scholarships, it includes internships and financial aid programs worth exploring.
Niche.com specializes in smaller, less competitive scholarships, including “No Essay” options worth $2,000 or more. The interface is user-friendly, and applying takes minutes instead of hours.
Local & Community Resources
This is where competition drops and your odds improve dramatically. Local scholarships often go unclaimed simply because students focus only on national awards.
Start with your high school guidance counselor or career center. Many schools maintain lists of regional and alumni-funded scholarships that never appear in national databases. Ask early—some deadlines hit before graduation.
Community foundations manage funds specifically for local students. Organizations like the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta or the Cleveland Foundation favor applicants from specific counties or high schools. Research your area’s community foundation and mark their deadlines.
Don’t overlook employer and union scholarships. Companies like Walmart, Starbucks, and Boeing offer awards for employees’ children. Professional associations and unions often fund industry-specific scholarships. Check HR portals or member newsletters. These opportunities hide in plain sight.
Government & Institutional Resources
FAFSA isn’t just about loans. Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid qualifies you for federal and state grants like the Pell Grant, and many private scholarships require FAFSA completion for eligibility.
State programs vary widely but can be substantial. California’s Cal Grant, Georgia’s HOPE Scholarship, and Florida Bright Futures all offer significant funding. State deadlines often differ from FAFSA’s federal deadline, so mark your calendar separately for each.
Your college’s financial aid office manages internal scholarships, like merit-based, need-based, and department-specific funds that current and prospective students can access.
Check your school’s financial aid website regularly; new opportunities appear throughout the year.
Niche & Identity-Based Platforms
Organizations supporting specific communities often have more funding than applicants.
The Hispanic Scholarship Fund supports Hispanic and Latino students across all majors. UNCF (United Negro College Fund) offers more than 400 programs for Black students nationwide.
Organizations like AAUW and P.E.O. support women, particularly in STEM fields. Point Foundation and First Generation Foundation focus on LGBTQ+ students and first-generation college students, respectively.
These targeted scholarships often receive fewer applications while offering meaningful awards.
Tools & Apps That Simplify the Process
Scholly was created by a student who won $1.3 million in scholarships—and now helps others do the same by matching users to active opportunities.
Going Merry lets you apply for multiple scholarships with one reusable form, cutting application time dramatically.
RaiseMe helps you earn micro-scholarships for achievements throughout high school, building college funding incrementally.
Bold.org centralizes donor-funded scholarships without spam or sketchy ads—just legitimate opportunities.
Making It Work
Create a spreadsheet tracking deadlines, requirements, and award amounts. Treat scholarship hunting like a part-time job for a few weeks. The hourly return often beats actual part-time work.
Watch for scams: Legitimate scholarships never charge application fees. If someone asks you to pay to apply, walk away.
Apply early and often. Reuse essays strategically, tailoring them slightly for each application rather than starting from scratch every time.
College Scholarship Resources: Small Effort, Big Payoff
Scholarships represent free money that reduces future debt.
No interest, no monthly payments, no decade-long burden. Even winning one or two can save thousands per year, and those thousands compound when you consider the interest you won’t pay on loans you didn’t need to take.
Start small. Choose 2–3 resources from this list today. Spend an hour setting up profiles and marking deadlines.
Your future self, the one not juggling student loan payments with rent, will thank you for every application you send.
