How college scholarships can help you pay for school

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Scholarships help pay for college and reduce student debt.

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College is awesome. It’s the ultimate chance to grow, learn, explore, and become the you that you’ll be in your adult life. And for a good number of us, what you’ll be is in debt, at least for a while.

Yep, college is expensive—right up there with buying a car, and sometimes even buying a house. You’ll probably need more than one strategy to cover the cost of your college education.

Before you submit to a big pile of student loans, consider other ways to get money, including applying for scholarships. There are several different types of scholarships available to help pay for college, and you might be surprised at how the money can add up and reduce your future debt burden.

A scholarship is money you receive to help cover the cost of attending college. Unlike loans, which must be repaid, college scholarships aren’t repaid. Here are some of the main types of scholarships for college:

In general, you must apply for college scholarships. Many scholarship applications also require an essay and a resume. Think about your experiences and write a general essay that covers the following points, as applicable:

Once you start applying, you can use this basic essay and customize it for each scholarship. Having a general essay written in advance can cut down on the time it takes to apply for college scholarships.

You might also need to provide documentation for different aspects of your schooling or financial situation. For example, a need-based scholarship usually requires some proof that your family requires help sending you to school. On the other hand, if you’re applying for merit-based scholarships based on your academic performance, you’ll need to provide a transcript of your grades.

Start by filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA isn’t just used by the federal government to determine whether you’re eligible for grants; it’s also often used by schools and states to decide whether you should get need-based scholarships.

In addition to the FAFSA, you might need to fill out some scholarship forms. Check with your school’s financial aid office to find out the process.

Many schools and other programs use the CSS Profile, which is managed by the College Board. The CSS Profile is often used for merit-based scholarships, so you’re more likely to get access to various academic, performance, athletic, and other merit scholarships when you fill out this profile. You can also get matched with scholarships based on your profile.

Many websites allow you to search for scholarships. Some of the most reputable include:

Some of these scholarship websites are free, while others charge a small fee. Depending on your situation, it might be worth paying a fee to access additional scholarships, but start with the free searches.

You’re also likely to see essays and contests on these websites. Not every opportunity is worth applying for (more on this below), so be careful about how much time and energy you invest. You may also find results for obscure or specialty scholarships, such as for people more than six feet tall or who have a certain heritage.

Don’t forget to check with local nonprofits and other organizations. Service clubs like Kiwanis and Rotary often offer small scholarships. Check with local banks and even stores—some national chains allow local stores to provide educational awards to students from local high schools. Many high schools keep (and often administer) a database of local scholarships.

Finally, check with local and state governments. There might be a special mayoral scholarship fund. Some states offer stipends for students who attend community colleges. You might be surprised at how many small scholarships can add up.

Generally, scholarship money isn’t taxable. As long as the money is used for approved educational expenses, including tuition, fees, books, and needed supplies, you likely won’t need to pay taxes on scholarship money you receive.

Sometimes excess scholarship money is taxed—that is, any money that’s over and above your total costs for college—but most students won’t owe taxes on scholarship money.

Whether it’s worth applying for scholarships for college depends on the situation and how much time you spend. Lesser-known and easier-to-get scholarships might have smaller award amounts, but if you can standardize the process by repurposing your general essay, for example, perhaps you can obtain several scholarships—and that money will add up.

On the other hand, some of the most lucrative scholarships are so hard to get that, even if you’re the perfect candidate on paper, you might still have only a tiny chance of landing them. Is it still worth a try? Maybe—or maybe not. The decision is yours. Just remember that time is money.

Scholarships can help you reduce your overall need for student loans. Setting up an assembly line and applying for a few well-chosen scholarships—that you have a reasonable chance of getting—can be part of a well-executed college funding strategy.

Any scholarship dollar you obtain is a dollar you don’t have to borrow and pay back later—with interest—when you’re trying to build your post-college life.