Scholarships come from a variety of different sources, including clubs, organizations, charities, foundations, businesses, colleges and universities, government and individuals. These funds are provided to give financial aid to students and their families while they attend college. Merit-based scholarships offer an opportunity for truly talented minds to flourish rather than simply go unnoticed. For example, the Rhodes Scholarship is one of the most prestigious scholarships in the world.
It is named after the diamond baron and fervent colonialist Cecil Rhodes, who founded Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). He created a trust in his will that pays a select group of exceptional students to study at Oxford University in England each year. Notable former Rhodes Scholars include Sports Host Pat Haden, Expert Rachel Maddow and Former President Bill Clinton. Scholarships are financial aid awards designed to help students pay for college.
They can be a one-time check or renewable and provide money to students each semester or school year. The money is given to the student's financial aid department, which applies it to their student account. The student would then pay the university for the difference on any money owed for tuition, fees, room and board. If scholarships and other forms of financial aid are sufficient to cover the direct costs of college, the excess money is reimbursed to the student. When calculating the amount of financial aid that should be awarded to a student, most universities count scholarships as part of the student's financial assets and offer help accordingly, rather than allocating those funds for tuition.
Scholarships come with conditions such as requirements to maintain a minimum grade point average, take certain types of classes or pay for specific items as mentioned above to ensure that you will use the scholarship for your education. If you are lucky enough to get a scholarship that gives you money for more than one semester, conditions such as maintaining a certain GPA may apply. Merit scholarships are what comes to mind when you think about the general idea of a scholarship: the money awarded to the girl who scored perfectly on the SAT, to the class president who is also a virtuoso violinist or to the guy who spends 30 hours a week working in a soup kitchen.Living expenses scholarships can cover these costs but it's important to understand the types of living expenses that scholarship money can cover before you spend them. While money for most large scholarships is sent directly to your university, part of the scholarship money may be paid directly to you. If you have any questions, talk to your financial aid office for guidance on how to use scholarship money and what expenses can be covered by scholarship money. Remember that scholarship money can be used to pay for any educational expenses that your school deems necessary.
Regardless of whether you excel academically, you should be able to find several scholarships that work for you. Sure, you weren't lucky enough to get a free travel grant that pays for tuition, books and living expenses but everything helps. In short, look for scholarships that require some type of additional qualification to apply for to increase your chances.
