8 Best Scholarship Websites of 2024

Best Scholarship Websites of 2024

Best for Free Searching: Fastweb

Why we chose it: One of the most popular websites for finding free money for school, Fastweb is the largest scholarship searching database available today. It’s completely free for students to use, and it matches users with relevant scholarships for both college and trade schools.

Pros

• Entirely free to use
• The largest scholarship database available today
• Matches users to both college and vocational school scholarships

Cons

• May not include local or niche opportunities
• Users may receive a high volume of emails after signing up
• Though Fastweb vets all posted scholarships, scams are still possible

Best for Getting Matched With Scholarships: College Board

Why we chose it: Most scholarship platforms allow users to search for various scholarship opportunities, but College Board makes it even easier by automatically matching you with offers that fit your needs, interests and qualifications. This company is also well known for its college prep programs and search features, but it can also help connect you with great scholarships. 

Pros

• Automatically get matched with relevant scholarship opportunities after entering your info
• Find free funds, financial aid and internships for 23,000+ different programs
• Free to use

Cons

• Users need to create a profile to begin searching
• Can be tricky to navigate
• Limited local results

Best for Searching the Most Offers: Scholarships.com

Why we chose it: If you’re looking to cast a wide scholarship search net, Scholarships.com is the best place to start, with more than 3.7 million scholarships and grants to choose from (worth over $19 billion in financial aid).

Pros

• The most financial aid opportunities to search through
• Free to use
• Has a scholarship management tool to keep applications and awards organized

Cons

• With so many scholarships listed, some scams are bound to get through
• Primarily focuses on scholarships, so it doesn’t have the same college prep and application tools as other sites

Best for Finding Niche Opportunities: Bold.org

Why we chose it: If you’re looking for niche scholarship opportunities, Bold.org is a great place to search. This website makes it easy for students to specifically filter their scholarship searches and also allows smaller companies and even individuals to post their own scholarship or grant offers.

Pros

• Posts large and small scholarship opportunities, including those for graduate students looking to pay off existing debt
• Easy-to-use interface
• Various filters and search tools to custom tailor your search, including filtering out applications that require an essay

Cons

• Registration/sign-up process can be a bit lengthy
• Scholarships are awarded and funded through Bold.org, so students aren’t communicating with the companies or organizations directly

Best for Scholarship Application Help: Scholly

Why we chose it: Scholly makes applying for scholarships easier with an AI search platform and both editing and proofreading tools. It was recently acquired by Sallie Mae and while Scholly was previously on a paid subscription model, the website is now free to use.

Pros

• Recently updated to be a free-use website
• Users are automatically matched to scholarships based on search criteria, qualifications and a “Scholly Score”

Cons

• No scholarship help or application tools
• Can’t directly apply from within the Scholly app or website

Best for Searching Local Awards: Going Merry

Why we chose it: Rather than compete against thousands of other students for large, national scholarship awards, Going Merry can help you find local opportunities and niche awards that may not only be better suited to your qualifications but also less competitive. Through the app or online platform, you can also auto-fill applications and even submit to multiple scholarships after only entering your information one time.

Pros

• Apply for multiple no-essay scholarships at a time by only entering your information once
• Offers many local and niche scholarship awards
• Free to use

Cons

• You’ll still need to write essays and complete lengthier applications for certain scholarships
• Smaller awards are less competitive but may also be lower in value
• Results may include non-scholarship awards, such as work-study programs

Best for Automation: ScholarshipOwl

Why we chose it: Applying for multiple scholarships can be daunting, even if they don’t require essays. With ScholarshipOwl, though, you can automate the process and apply for new scholarships (or reapply, in some cases) without lifting a finger. You can also bulk apply for no-essay scholarships with a paid subscription.

Pros

• Free to search
• Can automatically apply (or reapply) to relevant scholarships on your behalf
• Entered into a monthly scholarship sweepstakes just for searching

Cons

• After a seven-day trial membership, you’ll pay $10 to $69 per month if you want to apply for scholarships through the site
• Website can be a bit glitchy at times
• Difficult to filter by interests or niche qualifications

Best for Vocational School and Associate’s Degree Opportunities: CareerOneStop

Why we chose it: College students aren’t the only ones who can benefit from financial aid and free funds for school. With CareerOneStop, you can also search for scholarships and grants even if you’re planning to attend vocational school, get an associate’s degree or enter a professional development program.

Pros

• Searches for opportunities available to vocational and professional development program students as well as those seeking an associate’s, bachelor’s or graduate degree
• Results include scholarships, grants and fellowships
• Easy to filter options

Cons

• Limited number of search results
• Can’t apply directly from the site
• No scholarship application assistance or deadline reminders

What Are Scholarship Websites?

Scholarship websites are databases that allow users to view multiple scholarship opportunities in one place. These websites typically include information about the scholarship itself—who is eligible, what the award will be, the deadline for application and how to apply—and may also provide users with an opportunity to apply directly.

Some scholarship websites will help match you to scholarships that meet your criteria or fit your school, degree plan and interests. You might be able to search by award requirements, get notified of upcoming deadlines and even automatically reapply for recurring awards. Some of these websites even offer tools to create the best possible essay and even connect you with professors who can offer feedback on your application quality.

How Do Scholarships Work?

Scholarships are funds awarded to an individual who is enrolled in (or will be enrolling in) an educational program such as vocational school or college. These cash awards may be given directly to the school or to the student but are not required to be repaid the way that a student loan would be. 

There are many different types of scholarships available today, which are provided by schools, organizations, small businesses and even local government entities. These educational awards can be given on merit, based on academic or athletic achievement or can be “won” by a student who applies and submits an essay, completes a challenge, etc.

How To Get a Scholarship

Applying for a scholarship is a pretty simple process, but the exact steps you’ll need to take may vary depending on the award given and the requirements of the sponsoring company, institution or individual. Here’s what this process typically looks like, though:

1. Search for opportunities. When it comes to most scholarships, you’ll need to take a proactive approach to find the ones that fit you and your qualifications. Check out the websites mentioned above to search for scholarships and grants, submit applications and even check your progress.
2. Check (and track) the deadline. While some scholarships accept applications on a rolling basis, most will have a hard deadline. If you miss this deadline, you’ll miss out on the opportunity to apply.
3. Carefully check the requirements. You won’t qualify for every scholarship, and that’s okay. Be sure to check who is eligible to apply, who the scholarship is intended to help, and what you’ll need to submit in order to be considered. In some cases, it’s as simple as sending in an application, while other times you may need to answer questions or write an essay.
4. Have someone else review your application before you submit. Another set of eyes on your application never hurts and can help give you a competitive advantage. Be sure to check for grammatical errors, missed questions, etc. If you don’t have someone who can offer advice or edit your submission, many of the best scholarship websites offer tutoring and advisor services.
5. Submit your application. Once you’re sure you’ve completed every requirement, it’s time to send in your application. You may be able to do this through a scholarship search website, the organization’s page, via email or even through snail mail.
6. Wait to hear back. Some scholarships will list when winners are to be announced, so if you haven’t heard back by then, you can assume that you didn’t get picked. During this wait, though, you may want to check your spam email in case you receive a notification that doesn’t end up in your inbox. 

Additional Places To Find Scholarships

Local Groups, Foundations and Organizations

Depending on your town, city or state, you may be able to find scholarship opportunities with local businesses or organizations operating in your area. For example, if your town has a Knights of Columbus council, a local veterans association or a YMCA, these types of organizations typically offer scholarships.

Be sure to check for scholarship opportunities with organizations you’re a part of as well. Are you a Boy Scout or Girl Scout? Do you participate in a 4-H club? Are you a member of Future Farmers of America (FFA)? Many youth-centric groups feature scholarships for members transitioning into college.

Your High School’s Guidance Office

Stop and speak to your high school’s guidance counselor. Many high schools offer a list of available scholarship opportunities in the area, which can help you search for scholarships from local groups, foundations and organizations. Your counselor may also be able to offer tips or advice on your scholarship applications.

Your College’s Office of Financial Aid

If you’re already a student at a particular college or university, visit your college’s office of financial aid online or in person. A college will typically list internal scholarships, grants, Federal Work-Study (FWS) opportunities and more, along with eligibility and process requirements for each option.