You’ve finished your undergrad, and now you’re ready to start grad school. The tuition for grad school is a lot higher than undergrad, so how are you going to pay? It’s possible to get scholarships for graduate students to help cover your tuition while you further your education. Here’s how you can find some funding assistance for your next degree.
Academic Merit
The first and best place to check is with your university to see if there are any grad school scholarships available for someone in your field. Universities are more than happy to help students find funding, especially if they have shown continual academic success.
As an undergrad, you probably worked hard to finish with a high grade point average. You then took the Graduate Record Examination to get into your favorite grad school. This sets you up to get a merit scholarship based on academic achievement.
Keep in mind that some of these applications may require other eligibility requirements for you to qualify. Some of the most common include community service or volunteer work and a desire to excel in your field. Scholarships usually have the eligibility requirements listed before you apply, so be sure to read those carefully.
Peterson’s
Peterson’s is hosted by Nelnet, a student loan provider, but that doesn’t mean it’ll only offer student loan options. This website was designed to show graduate students all of the scholarship opportunities available based on credit hours. It claims that there are over $10 billion in scholarship awards possible, although in varying categories. Peterson’s has a large number of fellowships, grants, scholarships, and prizes in sports, academic achievement, essay writing, and more.
Peterson’s lists a description of the funding opportunity, the award amount, renewable status, and the deadline for your application. You can even apply on the site without any trouble. Peterson's walks you through each step, so you don't make any errors.
Fastweb
Many undergraduate students have heard of Fastweb and use it on a regular basis to find scholarships and grants from companies, universities, and foundations. Did you know that graduate students can also use this site?
When you register your account, you complete a questionnaire that includes your grade level. Once you finish, you’ll find plenty of grad school scholarships for which you can apply. Fastweb claims that there are over 1.5 million scholarships on the site with over $3.4 billion dollars in awards.
Foundations
Another route you can take is checking foundations for yourself through groups or organizations. For example, the American Association of University Women has several scholarships for graduate students that are available for women around the world. The amounts vary based on need and academic merit, but you can apply for these scholarships as long as you meet the eligibility requirements.
If you’re a member of a professional club or organization, check to see if any grants are open to grad students. While this route may be more complicated than a typical Google search, you may find funding opportunities that others may miss, meaning less competition!
