Understanding Scholarships: Importance, Application Process, and Options for Online Study

Get Help Paying for School: All About Scholarships

Do you want to go to school but don’t have enough money? Don’t worry! There are special kinds of help called scholarships. They’re like gifts that can pay for some or all of your school costs. And the best part? You don’t have to pay them back!

What’s a Scholarship?

A scholarship is money given to students to help them pay for school. It’s not a loan, so you don’t have to pay it back. Scholarships are for students who are smart, good at sports or talented in other ways. They’re also for students who don’t have a lot of money.

How are Scholarships Different from Grants?

Grants and scholarships are both kinds of help for students. But grants are usually for students who really need money to go to school. Scholarships are often for students who do well in school or are good at something.

Who Can Get a Scholarship?

Anyone can try to get a scholarship! Different scholarships are for different kinds of students. Some are for students from other countries, some are for students who live in certain places, and some are for students who are good at certain things.

What Do You Need to Apply for a Scholarship?

To apply for a scholarship, you usually need to:

Fill out a form on the computer
Write a story about yourself (called a personal statement)
Get a letter from someone who knows you (like a teacher)
Show proof that you got into school
Show proof that you don’t have a lot of money
Show proof that you’re good at something (like grades or awards)

How Do You Apply for a Scholarship?

Here’s what you do:

Find a scholarship you want to apply for
Fill out the form on the computer
Write your personal statement
Get your documents together
Check for mistakes and send it in
Wait to hear back from the people giving the scholarship

Scholarships for Online School

Some schools and organizations offer scholarships just for online students! Here are a few:

American University Online Program Scholarships (up to $10,000)
Berklee Online Music Scholarships (up to $1,497)
University of Edinburgh Online Distance Learning Scholarships (all costs covered)
Penn State World Campus Scholarship (all costs covered, part-time)
Western Governors University Scholarships (some costs covered)

Other Scholarships

There are also scholarships from organizations that aren’t schools. Here are a few:

Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships (all costs covered)
E-Learning Instructional Design & Learning Technologies Scholarship Program (some costs covered)
Open Colleges Photography Scholarship (all costs covered)
Online Study Australia Scholarship for Online Learners (some costs covered)
Education Future International Scholarship (some costs covered)

Important Things to Remember

Scholarships can really help you pay for school! Just remember:

Scholarships are like gifts that don’t have to be paid back
They’re different from grants, which are usually for students who really need money
There are scholarships for all kinds of students
You need to apply for scholarships and show proof of things like grades and awards
There are lots of places to find scholarships, like school websites and online databases