Finding scholarships without paying anyone

You can find and apply for scholarships without paying a fee to anyone. Real scholarship sponsors give money away, and they do not charge applicants to be considered. Here is where to search, how to spot a scam, and how to keep track of what you send.

Where to search

Start close to home. Your college's financial aid office and your academic department often list scholarships open only to their own students, with far fewer applicants than national contests.

Look at employers, including a parent's employer, along with unions, religious groups, community foundations and local service clubs. The US Department of Labor's CareerOneStop site has a free scholarship search tool. Your state higher education agency may list state scholarships too.

Warning signs of a scam

Be wary of any service that asks for an application fee, a processing fee, or payment to search for awards on your behalf. Be equally wary of a message saying you have won a scholarship you never applied for.

Never give a bank account or card number to hold an award. Watch for free seminars that turn into a sales pitch for paid help with the FAFSA, which is free to file. The Federal Trade Commission takes reports about scholarship and financial aid scams.

Before you apply

• Check that the application is free
• Note the deadline and every required document
• Ask for letters early
• Plan to report any award to your aid office

Keeping applications organized

Keep a simple list with each scholarship's sponsor, deadline, requirements and the date you applied. Many ask for similar essays, so you can adapt one strong draft rather than starting over each time.

Ask for recommendation letters at least a few weeks before the deadline. Give the people writing them your deadline and a short summary of what you have done.

After you win one

Tell your school's financial aid office about any outside scholarship. Federal rules require it to count all your aid, and the office may adjust another part of your offer. Ask whether it will reduce loans before grants.

Scholarship money used for housing or food can count as taxable income. A separate article covers how that works.