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Applying For Scholarships Can Offset The Cost of Post-Secondary School

Step One: Search, Step Two: Apply for Scholarships

Post-secondary school is expensive. In addition to loans and bursaries, scholarships also offer an excellent way to help meet the costs of school. Scholarships are monetary gifts which are offered through educational institutions, all levels of government, charities, and philanthropic organizations. They are intended to help students with financial need continue their studies. You can apply for scholarships online.

Look in the Right Places

There are two schools of thought when it comes to searching for college scholarships. One is to take a highly selective and targeted approach. The other is to apply for absolutely every scholarship that you even come close to qualifying for. Ideally, you should combine both approaches to give yourself the best chance.

The selective and targeted approach zeroes in on scholarships where you are an ideal candidate. The more specific your qualifications, the greater your chances of getting approved.

However, many scholarships have a general criteria, and therefore attract a lot of applicants. This gives you more competition to beat. Don't get frustrated. Focus your efforts first on applying to scholarships with specific criteria that you match, and then move on to more general scholarships.

Scholarship information is also available through your school's financial aid office, if you need help finding opportunities.

Apply Online

The most important thing to remember when you apply for scholarships online is to provide all of the requested materials. If you have questions about particular requests, don't hesitate to contact the scholarship's administrator(s). Be sure you are also doing your best to save money for your schooling by tucking away part of your income to cover your education costs.

Before you submit a scholarship application, make a checklist of all the requirements and go down the list one by one, checking them off when you complete them. Also, make sure to proofread any written work you're submitting and double-check all your information to ensure it is 100 percent accurate.