As of June 2019, the amount of student debt reached $1.6 trillion in the United States alone. Of course, many incoming college students would like to avoid contributing to this total amount. One way you can do that is by getting scholarship money.
There are numerous places you can go to apply for them. Unfortunately, so many go unclaimed every year, and that may be because students don’t knowwhen to apply for scholarships.
Read this guide for more information about the best times of the year to apply for college scholarships so you can lower the cost of your tuition.
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When to Apply for Scholarships
You don’t want deadlines to pass before you start asking yourself, “When should I start applying for scholarships?” Once you know where you are going to school, you should start looking for ones to apply to because many of them have deadlines at the end of the school year—between May and June.
You can start your search by going to your university’s website to see what types of scholarships they have to offer. You might even be able to sign up for emails that notify you when there’s a new scholarship available.
Sometimes local companies and organizations will give away college scholarships to high school seniors, so do your research as you begin your college applications to ensure you make the deadline. Otherwise, places like Fastweb and Niche will list new scholarships year-round, so you can check back any time to see if you qualify for them.
Even if you didn’t receive a scholarship as a freshman, that doesn’t mean you can’t earn one at all. Whether you are well into your undergraduate or graduate career, there are plenty of opportunities out there for everyone.
Related Read: 18 Types of Scholarships to Explore for Your College Needs
What Applying for a Scholarship Entails
Now that you know when to apply for scholarships, you may want to learn more about how to apply for scholarships. There’s a wide variety out there—including ones for military service people, undocumented students, and those battling cancer. Furthermore, if you are conducting a research project and need a grant, you can find listings for them on scholarship websites, as well.
When you apply for scholarships, you’ll fill out all your personal information, including what college or university you plan on attending. Sometimes that’s all you need, and other times you have to write an essay that is usually around 500 words long.
Don’t get discouraged by the word count, as there are plenty of resources that have the tips needed for you to nail your essay. Additionally, you might find that the themes for these scholarships overlap, so you can make tweaks to former essays and use them to apply to other ones.
🎁 Click here to get our FREE scholarship application tracker! This spreadsheet will help you keep tabs on where and when you applied so you don’t miss any opportunities. Click on “File” > “Make a copy” to save it to your Google Drive for your own use. Good luck!
Start Applying for Your Scholarships Today
So, when do you apply for scholarships? The trick is you should always be prepared to submit applications for them, but especially in the late spring and early summer.
College is expensive, but you don’t have to pay the sticker price to get your degree. The first step in earning financial assistance as you begin your higher education is knowing when to apply for scholarships.
Need help finding scholarships? Join the Goodwall community and make the most out of your higher education by taking on opportunities you wouldn’t find anywhere else.
Related Read: Why Are Scholarships Important? 7+ Benefits of Scholarships 🎓