Scholarships are financial aid awards designed to help students pay for an undergraduate degree. They can be a one-time payment or renewable, providing money to students each semester or school year. Full-tuition scholarships generally cover the cost of education, including tuition, book rights, and other education fees, but may not offer help with room and board, living costs, or travel expenses. So what can scholarships be used for? Generally speaking, they can cover a number of costs related to higher learning, from laboratory fees to books, room and board, transportation, tuition, and even more.
In some cases, the money is made in the student's name and paid directly to them; in other cases, it is paid to the student's institution or school. If scholarships and other financial aid are sufficient to cover the direct costs of higher education, the excess fund is reimbursed to the student. It is important to note that scholarship money should be considered an asset and not a license to waste on non-essential items. The fund is intended to cover school expenses such as tuition, housing, books, food, and necessary resources like a computer or software.
A significant sum of money is required to purchase books and other course materials needed for studies at a higher institution. Most scholarship funds can be used for tuition along with other college-related expenses such as room and board. For physical and applied science students, scholarships may specifically cover the costs of their research and laboratory fees. Transportation can include airfare if you're studying abroad and local transportation fees like bus tickets.
Some scholarships cover room and board expenses while others are designated for living expenses such as food or travel. Regardless of the amount of scholarship funds awarded to you, each and every scholarship will describe exactly the things for which the money can be used. Carefully read the details of your scholarship award so you understand what is included in the agreement and what is needed outside of it. Full scholarships generally cover all college costs including tuition, housing, meals, textbooks, fees, and possibly even a stipend to pay for any additional personal expenses.
In some cases there may also be a commitment to work for a specific number of years after graduating from college.
