Scholarships

Undergraduate scholarships and graduate fellowships are forms of aid that help students pay for their education. Unlike student loans, scholarships and fellowships do not have to be repaid. Hundreds of thousands of scholarships and fellowships from several thousand sponsors are awarded each year.

Generally, scholarships and fellowships are reserved for students with special qualifications, such as academic, athletic or artistic talent. Awards are also available for students who are interested in particular fields of study, who are members of underrepresented groups, who live in certain areas of the country or who demonstrate financial need.

Sample Scholarships

• Apple Scholars

  The Apple Scholars scholarship program is sponsored by Apple Computer. Ten high school seniors will receive $2,000 scholarships for innovative use of technology in their schoolwork. Winners also receive a MacBook Pro and iPod nano. The deadline is May 30.

• Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship Program

  The Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship program is funded by the federal government and administered by the state governments in each state. This merit scholarship program is open to high school seniors. Winners receive a $1,500 scholarship. Approximately 6,300 to 6,500 new scholars will be awarded each year. Students apply through the State education agency in their state of legal residence. Each state has its own deadlines.

• Coca-Cola Scholars Program Scholarship

  The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation Scholarships are open to US high school seniors who have a GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. A total of 250 scholarships are awarded each year, with 50 National Scholars receiving $20,000 scholarships and 200 Regional Scholars receiving $10,000 scholarships. (The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation also awards 50 $2,000 scholarships and 350 $1,000 scholarships to outstanding community college students.) Recipients are selected based on leadership, character, civic and extracurricular activities, academic excellence, and community service. This is an extremely competitive program, with more than 100,000 applications received each year. The application deadline is in late October or early November. For more information, call 1-800-306-COKE.

Sample Fellowships

• Beinecke Scholarship Program

  The Beinecke Scholarship Program is open to college juniors who intend to pursue graduate study in the arts, humanities, and social sciences at any accredited university. Each scholar receives $2,000 prior to matriculating in graduate school and $30,000 while attending graduate school. The funding must be used within five years of completing undergraduate studies. A total of 18 new scholarships are awarded each year from among more than 100 nominations. Nomination by a participating college or university is required. The nomination deadline is March 1 and each college can nominate only one student for the award.

• Bell Labs Graduate Research Fellowship Program

  The Bell Labs Graduate Research Fellowships are available to female and minority students pursuing a PhD in science, mathematics, engineering and technology. They are sponsored by the Lucent Technologies Foundation. The fellowship provides full tuition and an annual stipend of $17,000 for up to four years of graduate study. Fields of study include Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Communications Science, Computer Science & Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Information Science, Materials Science, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Operations Research, Physics and Statistics. College seniors and first year graduate students are eligible to apply.

• Canon National Parks Science Scholars Program

  The Canon National Parks Science Scholars Program for the Americas provides eight fellowships to PhD students throughout the Americas (Canada, the United States, Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean) to conduct conservation-related research projects in the biological, physical, social and cultural sciences, and technological innovation in support of conservation science. The program aims to support research on critical problems facing the region's national parks. The fellowship provides $26,000 a year for up to three years. In addition to the eight fellowship winners, four honorable mentions will receive a one-time scholarship of $1,000. The application deadline is in early May.

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