Outside Scholarship Opportunities

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Find Additional Scholarships

Student Financial Services offers the following list of scholarship search engines and opportunities as a tool to help you pursue additional funding for your education. High School students should check with their counselor since they are considered a great resource. While most scholarships are offered to incoming freshmen who are beginning college, there are organizations that offer funds to upperclassmen or to graduate students as encouragement to pursue a degree that leads to a career in that field (for example, the large number of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics scholarships).  

Unlike applying for need-based university, state, or federal aid using just the FAFSA, finding and applying for scholarships requires much more time and effort on the part of the student. Based upon feedback from our students who've received outside scholarships, most take the approach of applying for as many scholarships as they can find. 

One of your best bets for finding potential scholarships is to spend time searching for opportunities that match your major, interests, activities, involvement, and biographic background. You’ll find that each organization’s application is different, and some are more involved than others. Filling out and submitting numerous applications takes time as well. This isn’t meant to discourage you from looking for outside scholarships; just be aware that this process requires patience and persistence. But if you’re fortunate, being selected for a scholarship, even a small one, represents a good return on your time invested.

As a reminder, legitimate scholarship organizations will never charge you an application fee. If a group wants to charge you money to apply for their scholarship (or to receive a list of potential scholarship opportunities), you're probably being scammed. Free Information about Scholarship Scams (Federal Trade Commission)

Here are some helpful tips on applying for outside scholarship opportunities:

  1. Start Your Search Early: The earlier you start looking for scholarships, the better luck you’ll have. Not sure where to start? Visit stedwards.edu/billing-and-financial-aid/resources for a list scholarship search sites.
  2. Only Apply for Applicable Scholarships: Make sure you know and meet the requirements of a scholarship before starting the application. Applying for a scholarship when you don’t meet 100% of the requirements is not a good use of your time.
  3. Make Note of Application Deadlines: When you find a scholarship that you’re interested in, make sure to mark the application deadline on your calendar. Even better, start the application early so you have plenty of time to complete it by the deadline. If you find multiple opportunities, list them out on a spreadsheet for easy tracking.
  4. Pay Attention to the Application’s Instructions: Even if you have a great application, submitting it incorrectly can automatically disqualify you from being considered. So, make sure you read the instructions on how to submit your application, and any other instructions noted.
  5. Avoid Scams:  Do not share sensitive information such as your social security number. Do not pay to apply. An application should be a free. Look at Privacy Policy. We recommend using a separate email account.   Free Information about Scholarship Scams (Federal Trade Commission)
  6. Focus on the Essay: Your essay will likely be the most important part of your application. As with your college admission application, your essay can help paint a picture of who you are. Take your time writing your essay, proofread it as much as you can, and even enlist a friend or family member with help in proofreading what you’ve written. Some things can elevate your essay, such as details on your involvement in your school and community, your goals and ambitions, and why you believe you should be chosen for the scholarship. Remember, a lot of other students may be applying for the same scholarships, so think about how you can make your essay stand out. And, most importantly, take your time with your essay—don’t rush it!
  7. When You’re Ready, Submit! Make sure you’ve completed the application, confirmed the requirements and instructions, and that you’re confident with your essay. Now you can submit your application! After you submit your application, you’ll have to wait for a response. Most scholarships will let you know when to expect a decision. 
  8. What to Do if You Receive a Scholarship: If you’re selected for a scholarship, congratulations! Know that your hard work paid off. Now, make sure to notify Student Financial Services of any additional scholarship(s) you receive, regardless of the amount. These scholarship funds must be counted as a resource in meeting your educational costs and coordinated with your other sources of financial aid. Email seu.finaid@stedwards.edu and include your name, student ID number, the scholarship amount, and the expected funds per semester. Use the subject line: Outside Scholarship.  Scholarship checks should be sent to: 

Student Financial Services
St. Edward's University
3001 S Congress Ave
Austin, Texas 78704
Attn: Outside Scholarship Coordinator

In order to successfully match on a search engine, you need to need to know a lot about yourself.  Complete the questions below and you should have a good reference sheet to help you search for outside scholarships. 

What is your classification (FR, SO, JR, SR)?
What is your highest ACT/ SAT Scores?
What is your current GPA?
What are your Academic Honors?
What is your Citizenship (U.S. Citizen, Permanent Resident, Refugee, not a US Citizen)?
Did you file a FAFSA?
What is your educational experience (prior college or trade school?
What is your State of Residence?
What careers are you interested in?
What are your Future Goals (Planned major/minor)?
What are your Interests?
What are your Activities (Performing Arts)?
Do you participate in Community Service activities?
Do you participate in any Athletics/Sports?
Do you hold a Leadership Position? 

As a courtesy, St. Edward's University provides a list of search engines that list possible outside scholarship resources. This is by no means an all-inclusive list.  A site’s inclusion on this list does not constitute endorsement by the university. The University does not endorse, sponsor, or have any role in the administration of these private aid programs, and therefore disclaims any responsibility or liability for the information provided. St. Edward’s has not received any goods, services or remuneration from these sites for inclusion on this list.

Note: This is a list of outside scholarships given out by external entities. If you would like to learn about the financial aid that St. Edward's can offer you, please see types of aid. 

Scholarship Search Engines -you can find many more scholarship opportunities by using a website, such as:

For Veterans

For Psychology and Counseling Students

For Study Abroad Students

For unDACAmented students

For International Students

We hope that this provides a great starting point for scholarship options.