Applying for scholarships can be a daunting task. However, you can make this task less challenging by organizing your efforts. Conducting an organized search will improve your chances of finding the money needed to complete your educational goals. All you need to do is search and apply. The following information will help you with the scholarship search and application process.
Researching Scholarships
The booklet, PowerPoint, and websites listed below can be helpful when looking for scholarships to assist you in paying for your education.
- Searching for Scholarships Booklet – A booklet to help you find and apply for scholarships.
- How to Get Free Money for College – A PowerPoint presentation on applying for scholarships.
Scholarship Search Websites
The following websites list hundreds of potential scholarships available to college students.
- Bellevue College Scholarships (available scholarships for BC students only)
- The Wash Board (Washington State students only)
- Washington State Business & Professional Women’s Foundation
- Financial Aid Basics
- Fast web scholarships
- Fin aid scholarships
- Princeton college advice and tips
- Scholarships search engine
- Novoresume scholarships
- Sallie Mae scholarships
- 200 free scholarships for minority students
- Scholarships for minority students
- Learn the basics of Financial Aid, scholarships, and loans
Beware of Scholarship Scams
Writing Personal Statements
Most scholarship applications require you to write a personal statement about your educational and career goals. Writing a successful personal statement requires providing information about yourself clearly and concisely.
You may also be requested to state how you meet the scholarship requirements. Resources to help you write your personal statement are listed below.
- How to write a personal statement – A list of specific information to include in personal statements.
- Action verbs – List of action verbs to use when writing your personal statement.
- BC Academic Success Center workshops – Offered quarterly
- BC writing lab – They help you proofread and provide feedback on your personal statement.
Requesting Letters of Recommendations
We advise you to obtain a Letter of Recommendation when applying for scholarships. To get the best possible letter of recommendation, it’s essential to select the right person to write your letter.
Ideally, this person should be someone with the proper credentials and a good grasp of your abilities. You may need to provide this person with a letter about your education and background to help them write your recommendation.
The links below can help you with this process and provide tips for requesting letters of recommendation.
- A list of information to provide when requesting a letter of recommendation. Request for letters of recommendation Information to assist you in getting started.
Thank You letters
Congratulations, you received a scholarship! Now what? You should write a thank you letter to the donor.
For additional assistance, please see your TRIO Advisor.
Last Updated February 28, 2024