Sophia AlexanderContents
- What’s a private scholarship?
- How to find private scholarships
- How to find scholarships with Appily
Applying for scholarships might seem overwhelming, but it’s totally worth the effort. Every year, tons of scholarships go unclaimed—simply because students don’t apply for them.
So, how do you track down private scholarships? And what can you do to boost your chances of winning them?
Today, I’m breaking it all down to make the process less confusing. We’ll start by explaining what private scholarships actually are, and then we’ll dive into how to find them.
What is a private scholarship?
A private scholarship is financial aid funded by private organizations—not the government or schools. These organizations can be companies, nonprofits, foundations, local community groups, or even individuals.
Private scholarships are given out for all kinds of reasons—like academic performance, sports or arts talent, being part of certain groups, dealing with health challenges (such as cancer), or even your career goals.
Each scholarship has its own rules set by the group offering it. To apply, you might need to write essays, get recommendation letters, or submit other materials that show you’re a good fit for what they’re looking for.
The amount and length of these scholarships vary a lot. Some are one-time payments, while others renew each year. But here’s the cool part: private groups hand out more than $7.4 billion in scholarships every year!
How to find private scholarships
Now, let’s talk about how to actually find and apply for private scholarships.
Ask colleges about scholarships
First things first—check with the financial aid offices at the colleges you’re applying to. Often, just applying to the school can make you eligible for merit-based scholarships (thanks to your GPA or test scores).
Sometimes, there’s an extra application you’ll need to fill out beyond the regular admissions one. That’s why it’s smart to ask the financial aid team if there are any extra steps you need to take.
Check scholarship websites
There are tons of scholarship websites where you can search for opportunities. Sure, lots of students apply through these, but many scholarships still go unclaimed.
Some great sites to try are Bold, Sallie Mae, and Appily. Most of them require you to sign up and create a profile—but once you do, they’ll match you with scholarships that fit your background.
Vetting scholarship websites
A good scholarship website should have a few key qualities. First, it needs to be trustworthy—you should feel safe sharing your info.
Second, it shouldn’t be a hassle to find scholarships. The site should be easy to use, with filters that help you narrow down options based on what matters to you.
Start looking for scholarships early
Get a head start—this process takes time! You can begin as early as your freshman year.
Since most scholarships have the same deadlines every year, you can even make a list of ones you want to apply for and come back to them later. Staying organized like this helps you focus on the right applications when the time comes.
Look into niche-specific scholarships
Think about what makes you unique—your hobbies, interests, or background—because there are scholarships for almost everything.
For example, if you’re into engineering, search for scholarships for future engineers. If you’re adopted, look for scholarships specifically for adopted students. Some of these opportunities are open to all grade levels, too.
Read the fine print and know what you’re applying for
Always check the details to make sure you qualify. And gather everything you need ahead of time—like your high school transcript (ask your guidance office early) or recommendation letters (give your references plenty of time to write them).
How to find scholarships with Appily
Let’s be real—applying for scholarships takes work. But Appily makes the whole process way easier. Our scholarship database is huge and always updated. You can filter scholarships by your grade level, location, gender, ethnicity, and more.
