Geared Up For Success | Scholarship & Grants

Scholarships are free money! Think you won’t qualify for a scholarship? College scholarships are not always based on academic achievement or financial need. 

Being actively involved in the community or a certain sport can help you.  If you are a veteran or a minority- you may be eligible for certain grants or scholarships.

You can get financial aid for college because you . . . are financially qualified to receive it, have a good GPA, take hard courses, rank high in your class and/or standardized testing, have received awards, show special talents or exceptional promise, have received teacher /counselor recommendations, are the first in your family to attend college, show talent in sports, plan to major in specific subjects, serve in the military, are unemployed, agree to work in certain high-need locations or professions after graduation, have a special need or a disability… and many other reasons!  

Helpful Links

Career One Stop- Search more than 5,000 scholarships, fellowships, loans and other financial aid opportunities. www.careerinfonet.org/scholarshipsearch

College Board- Preparation for the SAT college admission requirement and free information on scholarships. www.collegeboard.com/student/pay/index.html

College Foundation of N.C. -This nonprofit organization helps students prepare successfully for college with a financial planner. https://www.cfnc.org/paying/schol/info_schol.jsp

FAFSA- See if you are eligible for Federal Student Aid/Grants with this free application- www.fafsa.ed.gov- By completing this, you will be considered for both state and federal grant and scholarship programs. Take a look at the federal programs for which you might be eligible. Our publication, Cash for College, gives an overview of the types of aid available and explains how the process works.

• Federal Pell Grant Program
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant Program (FSEOG)

• How to complete the FAFSA
• Deadlines for state financial aid programs 
• Mistakes to avoid 

FastWeb- http://www.fastweb.com/college-scholarships

Federal Student Aid- http://www.studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/index.jsp

Livingstone College Financial Aid & Scholarships- http://www.livingstone.edu/cms/Financial+Aid/24.html and http://www.livingstone.edu/cms/Scholarships/172.html

NCBioNetwork- Biotechnology careers, scholarships & grants. http://www.ncbionetwork.org/search/node/scholarships

Pfeiffer College Scholarships and Loans- http://www.pfeiffer.edu

Rowan-Salisbury School System- scholarship information and high school guidance department contact information. http://www.rss.k12.nc.us/index.php/Main/2nd_Page/239

Scholarship America- www.scholarshipamerica.org

Scholarships- www.scholarships.com

Scholarships offered by the U.S. Government

State Grants: Major grant programs for North Carolina students attending North Carolina colleges and universities are listed below. Detail information is provided under each listing.

• North Carolina Community College Grant
• North Carolina Education Lottery Scholarship
• North Carolina Legislative Tuition Grant
• State Contractual Scholarship Fund
• UNC Need-Based Grant

Tuition discounts: Many states have programs that allow residents to attend university in another state, without having to pay out-of-state tuition.

• The Southern Regional Education Board Academic Common Market provides tuition discounts for more than 1900 academic programs in the Southeastern states.
• The Regional Contract Program enables students to pursue a professional health degree at out-of-state institutions, but pay in-state tuition at public institutions or reduced tuition at private institutions.

Tuition Student Loan Guide

Here is a list of links for education loans. Please also seek financial advice from your financial advisor, college planning advisor or your local bank representative.

Are you confused about which college student loan you need and how to get one? Well, you’re not alone. 

·        Direct Stafford Loan is available to both undergraduate and graduate students who need to borrow money for college. You’ll need to complete the FAFSA every year in order to receive the Direct Stafford Loan and attend an accredited school at least half-time. There are two types of Stafford loans listed, subsidized and unsubsidized. Depending on your financial situation, you may qualify for some or all of your loan to be subsidized. That means that the government will pay for your interest while you are in school or during periods of authorized deferment. You can apply for a Direct Stafford Loan through the government’s website www.studentloans.gov.

·        Federal Perkins Loan is a need-based loan that you may qualify for based on your financial situation. You can apply for a Federal Perkins Loan through www.studentloans.gov.

·        Federal PLUS Loan is a college student loan for parents and made in the parent’s name. As a parent, you can borrow up to the total cost of attendance, minus any other financial aid received, for your child. You can apply for a Federal PLUS Loan through www.studentloans.gov.

Many students find that free money and federal student loans do not cover the entire cost of their education, and are in need of additional money.

An alternative student loan is a credit-based loan made in the student’s name and available for both undergraduate and graduate students. Most students without a significant income or credit history will need a credit-worthy co-signer in order to get approved for an alternative student loan.

Parents and students need to talk to their financial advisor, college planning advisor or bank representative for their options.