Financial Aid and Scholarships

Financial Aid Information: Paying for College

There are several types of financial aid: grants, scholarships, work-study jobs, loans, aid for military families, and aid for international studies. To obtain any of these forms of financial aid, you will need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). For more information on the types of financial aid and how to complete the FAFSA, please review the website: Federal Student Aid

Need a guide to help you complete the FAFSA? Here is a step by step process just for you: FAFSA Application Completion

Summer Programs 2025

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Apply for Georgia Ready Summer Institute Application - Occurring July 8-13, 2025

Scholarships

2025 - 2026

General Financial Aid Information

FinAid – Links to scholarships, grants, loans, and graduate aid.
StudentAid– Information from the U.S. Department of Education on preparing for and funding education beyond high school.
College Affordability Guide – This site’s mission is to provide clear, correct info and advice on the many options students have to reduce the cost of their degree, and to offer a fresh analysis of which colleges are doing the most to make high-quality education affordable.
Student Loan Guide for Future College Students

Scholarships! Scholarships!

Scholarships are gifts that typically don’t have to be repaid and are designed to help students pay for costs related to earning a college degree or certificate program. They can be a one-time gift or are renewable, depending on the scholarship.

Types of Scholarships

Some scholarships are earned by meeting or exceeding certain standards set by scholarship providers. Some scholarships reward a student’s academic achievement or a combination of academics and special talents, traits, or interests. Other scholarships are based on a student’s financial needs.

Financial need
Merit
Talent (visual and performing arts, athletics)
Volunteerism and service
Religious affiliation
Organizational affiliations
Other qualifications

To be considered for most scholarships, students will have to submit applications that require basic information including, transcripts, activities resume,s and in most instances complete an essay.

Tips for Qualifying for Scholarships

Eligibility varies by scholarship, but students can improve their overall chances of winning a scholarship by:

Getting good grades
Preparing and practice to do well on the ACT or SAT tests
Being involved in school clubs and extracurricular organizations (outside of school)
Submitting through college applications
Submitting applications prior to deadlines and meeting eligibility criteria
Following directions carefully
Writing exceptional essays to respond to questions within scholarship applications

Additional Scholarship Information

Finding scholarships can be quite a chaotic challenge; however, we have provided a kick-start to the process. Need tips on how to write a college essay? Check out these sites:

https://www.collegeessayguy.com/blog/college-essay-tips
https://www.princetonreview.com/college-advice/college-essay
Scholarships and Resources for Low-Income College Students - www.onlinecolleges.me/resources/low-income-students/

Check out scholarships and colleges by creating an account on the following sites:

Scholar Snapp - A free, simple to use data standard that allows students to reuse their application information - including contact information, essays, transcripts, etc. - from one scholarship application to another thereby streamlining the college scholarship application process.
Career One Stop- Search for more than 8,000 scholarships, fellowships, grants, and other financial aid award opportunities.
Scholly – A mobile app that provides students with a fast and simple way to find scholarships for college. (Created by Christopher Gray, a Coca-Cola Scholar!)
Peerlift - Proven scholarships, internships, summer programs, and more gathered by fellow students like you. (Founded by a team of 2017 Coca-Cola Scholars!) Learn more about the creation of Peerlift.
Fastweb – Create a profile and let Fastweb do the research on scholarships, internships colleges and more for you.
Questbridge- The National College Match: Are you a low-income high school senior who has excelled academically, but feels that the nation’s best colleges are financially out of reach? The QuestBridge National College Match can be your pathway to a top college. Through this college and scholarship application process, you can apply for free to the nation’s best colleges and be considered for early admission and a full four-year scholarship from the college
CashCourse – Information that helps college students stay financially informed.
Common Knowledge Scholarship Foundation – Educational and scholarship opportunities for students of all levels.
Cappex – A free website where you can learn which colleges want you, before you apply and learn about more than $11 billion in merit aid scholarships.
Scholarships360.org- Free scholarship search tool.
Scholarships.com– A free college scholarship search and financial aid information.
Scholarship America – Provides information and resources for your scholarship search.
KnowHow2GO – Complete information on college prep, whether in middle school or seniors.
HS Finder (Hispanic Scholarship Fund) – Scholarship information for Latino students.
Thurgood Marshall College Fund – Provides scholarships, programmatic and capacity-building support to the 47 public Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
Gates Millennium Scholars – Provides outstanding low-income African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian Pacific Islander American, and Hispanic American students with an opportunity to complete an undergraduate college education in any discipline they choose.
Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund – The nation’s largest non-profit organization devoted to providing college scholarships for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI).
American Indian College Fund – Provides Native American students with scholarships and financial support for the nation’s 33 accredited tribal colleges and universities.
Dell Scholars Program – Recognizes academic potential and determination in students that have a definite need for financial assistance.
UNCF – Awards 10,000 students each year through 400 scholarship and internship programs so that students from low- and moderate-income families can afford college tuition, books and room, and board.
Chegg – A place to connect with scholarships and learn about colleges.
Reagan Foundation Scholarships - Scholarship opportunities for outstanding student leaders.
Goizueta Legacy Scholarship - Provides scholarships for the children of Coca-Cola employees.
American Indian Graduate Center & AIGCS - The largest scholarship provider to Native students in the United States, awarding $15 million in scholarships annually and more than $200 million since inception. For almost 50 years, AIGC has funded students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees in any field of study at any accredited institution of choice, working with over 500 tribes in all 50 states.
The NSHSS Foundation - The NSHSS Foundation fosters the growth of students pursuing the STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math), business, economics, public policy, and environmental science and sustainability fields. Through special programs, including the NSHSS Honor Society, the NSHSS Foundation connects young scholars with additional opportunities to advance their education, personal growth, and career interests.
Purdue Global - 45+ Scholarships for Minority Students.

Scholarship Opportunities

Fort Valley State University (FVSU) Cooperative Developmental Energy Program (CDEP)

The Fort Valley State University Cooperative Developmental Energy Program (CDEP) has one of the best track-records in the nation for recruiting minorities and women in science and engineering disciplines. Since 1993, CDEP has provided over twelve million dollars in scholarships for students. These students are creating a human resources pool that addresses the issue of diversity in America’s STEM workforce. Deadline: January 15, 2025.

CDEP Application

CDEP Scholarship Requirements

University of Georgia (UGA) Scholarships

If you are interested in applying for the Foundation Fellowship scholarship (Deadline: November 1), you must apply Early Action. As always, students are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships by applying for first-year admission.

United Negro College Fund (UNCF) Scholarships

UNCF manages various scholarship programs and each program has its own eligibility criteria, open/close dates, and required documentation. To apply for a UNCF scholarship, students must apply using the online application process. Deadline: Varies for each scholarship