How do I find and apply for scholarships?

The best place to start is the financial aid office at the school you plan on attending. The financial aid counselors on staff can help you search for scholarships that you may qualify for.

Other resources for information on scholarships include:

    Catalogs, such as Scholarships, Fellowships, and Loans and Peterson’s Scholarships and Loans for Adult Learners, which can be found at your public library.
    The following websites offer information on many types of scholarships:
    U.S. Dep’t of Educ.: https://studentaid.ed.gov
    College Board: https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org
    CollegeNet: http://www.collegenet.com
    CollegeToolkit.com: http://www.collegetoolkit.com
    Fastweb: http://www.fastweb.com
    FinAid: http://www.finaid.org
    Go College: http://www.gocollege.com
    Sallie Mae Scholarship Service: http://www.salliemae.com
    Scholarships.com: https://www.scholarships.com

NOTE ON SCHOLARSHIPS: Be creative when you search for scholarships. They are awarded for all kinds of reasons and can be based on almost any criteria. Often funders do not even advertise that they offer them. You may even find scholarships specifically targeted at helping currently and formerly incarcerated people pursue higher education![2934]

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    For example, an organization called the Transcending Through Education Foundation (TTF) in Rhode Island offers $1,000 scholarships for people who are currently incarcerated or recently released from Rhode Island DEP’T of Corrections facilities to pursue a higher education degree. See Transcending Through Educ., Incarcerated Students Encouraged to Apply for TTEF’s College Scholarship, http://transcendingthrougheducation.wordpress.com. ↑