There is no scholarship where you can simply turn in your name and be handed a check, but there are many scholarships that are easier to win than you might think. Not all college scholarships, for example, require outstanding grades, strong athletic ability, lengthy essays, or high test scores. Students who are willing to take the time to research and apply for scholarships that fit their interests, may find themselves winning more scholarships than they ever thought possible.
Scholarship Programs
Many of the easy scholarships fall into two categories: easy application requirements and easy to win. Check out just a few offerings that fall into the definition(s) of easy:
- If you love donuts, get yourself over to the Dunkin' Donuts Scholarship page to learn more about qualifications and applications. Franchises give out $1,000 scholarships and there are more than 6,000 restaurants in the U.S., which means there's a lot of scholarship money to be had!
- Zinch gives out $1,000 scholarships weekly if you provide the most creative answer in three sentences or less to the Three Sentence Essay Scholarship question. Apply every week to increase your chances of winning.
- Scholarship search engine Cappex has several interesting scholarship opportunities for users, including the, "I Don't Want to Pay for College" Scholarship and "A GPA Isn't Everything" Scholarship. Register to learn more.
- Fill out the registration and use ScholarshipPoints to earn points for doing Internet searches, playing games and more. Earn more points and have more chances to win on this Better Business Bureau accredited site.
- Take quizzes, score well and win scholarships from the Common Knowledge Scholarship Foundation (part of the National Scholarship Providers Association). Scholarships are awarded monthly, so be sure to check the scholarship calendar to find out when you can take the quizzes.
Scholarship Listings
There are hundreds of scholarship directories and resources available for students who are interested in finding free money to pay for college. Most high school counselors will have local and regional scholarship directories available. Students should also check with the financial aid offices of colleges they are interested in attending. Many parents' employers offer scholarships, and local service organizations may have a scholarship fund - it just takes a phone call or a visit to a website to find out. Annual scholarship directories are available in bookstores, or students can search for suitable awards online through many different free college scholarship listings, including:
- SuperCollege
- College Board
- FastWeb
- Scholarships.com
- Careers and Colleges
- College Tool Kit
- Student Scholarship Search
- EdFed
- Scholarship Experts
When searching for scholarships, check to be sure the information is updated and read the scholarship's requirements carefully.
Making It Easier to Find Scholarship Money
Some types of scholarships are easier to win than others. To maximize your efforts, use clues about the awards to help you figure out what might be easier to obtain.
Award Amount
Every student wants to win a $10,000 scholarship, but the competition for those big checks can be fierce. On the other hand, smaller scholarships that range from $100 to $2,000 often have fewer applicants and can be easier for qualified students to win.
Small Applicant Pools
The less competition there is for a scholarship, the easier it may be to win. Students should look for very specific awards to help narrow down the competition. Scholarships are available for students who skateboard, couples who fashion prom attire from duct tape, specific minority groups, unique sports, and simply for students who meet a minimum height requirement as well as many other unusual scholarships.
Local Awards
Scholarships that are awarded from local businesses, churches, and organizations will be more willing to offer assistance to local students. Some of the finest awards may be available in a student's home town, where they automatically have a local edge for winning the scholarship.
Scholarship Applications Are Worth the Effort
Easy scholarships may not be easy to find, and they do take work to apply for, but students who are prepared to find the right awards and to apply for them effectively can find plenty of easy money to help pay for college.
