College Scholarships: Definition, Eligibility, and Requirements

College scholarships represent a vital form of financial aid, often referred to as "free money" or "gift aid," designed to help students pursue higher education without accumulating debt. These awards do not need to be repaid, making them an attractive option for students seeking to reduce student loans or the need to work while studying. Scholarships reward, encourage, and assist students in their pursuit of academic excellence and leadership roles.

What are College Scholarships?

Scholarships are monetary awards designed to assist students in financing their college education. They can range from covering a portion of tuition to fully funding all costs associated with college. Scholarships are designed to reward, encourage, and assist students pursue academic excellence and leadership roles. Additional criteria, such as campus or community activities, volunteer work, work experience, and financial need can be considered during the selection process.

Unlike loans, scholarships do not require repayment, making them a crucial resource for students seeking to minimize debt. These awards are typically merit-based, need-based, or non-need-based. Merit scholarships reward academic achievements, talents, or skills, while need-based scholarships consider the applicant's financial circumstances.

Types of Scholarships

Scholarships are available in various forms, each with specific criteria and objectives:

Merit-Based Scholarships: Awarded based on academic achievements, artistic talents, athletic abilities, or other exceptional skills. These scholarships often require a specific GPA, test scores, or portfolio submission. Since many scholarships are merit based, maintaining good grades and increasing your involvement in school and community activities are important. Some scholarships have GPA requirements, so keeping your grades up will help open more opportunities.
Need-Based Scholarships: Granted based on the applicant's financial need. These scholarships typically require the submission of financial information, such as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). For need-based awards, financial details are a common scholarship requirement. Applications may ask for your and your parents’ financial information, income, and assets.
Specific Scholarships: Specialized scholarships may require additional information and may have a priority deadline. For example, scholarships supporting the arts may require portfolios or writing samples.
Renewable Scholarships: Scholarships may be renewable, meaning you can receive scholarships for more than one year. If you receive a renewable award, you will be expected to provide them with an annual update.

Common Eligibility Requirements

Eligibility requirements for scholarships vary significantly depending on the awarding organization and the scholarship's purpose. However, some common requirements include:

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Basic Information: Every scholarship out there will at least ask for your basic information. It’s important to enter this information correctly as making an error in your contact details could mean the scholarship organization can’t reach you in the event they need more information or you win. This includes contact information, such as name, address, phone number, and email address.
Academic Transcripts: Merit-based scholarships almost always require your transcripts (high school and/or college, depending on your current education), as they are looking for students who have above a certain GPA. Transcripts from high school and/or college are often required to verify GPA and academic performance. For scholarships that are available for renewal, they may also require your transcripts to see that you’re maintaining the required GPA. Traditional students applying for the upcoming academic year who expect to attend an approved college or university in the academic year following their graduation from a public high school, a private or out-of-state high school, or homeschool must have one of the following to qualify.ACT composite score or superscore of 19+Accuplacer score of 246Classic Learning Test score of 58+High School GPA of 3.00Diploma of Merit.
Financial Information: For need-based awards, financial details are a common scholarship requirement. Applications may ask for your and your parents’ financial information, income, and assets. Some awards, such as state grants and scholarships from your college, will use the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine your eligibility and award amount.
Essays: It’s not uncommon for a scholarship to require you to send an essay along with your application. The essay’s criteria vary greatly from award to award, so read the rules before you start writing! Others may be more open-ended or allow you to write about anything you wish. The essay’s criteria vary greatly from award to award, so read the rules before you start writing!
Letters of Recommendation: Like college applications, many scholarships require students to submit letters of recommendation. The award type should help you determine who you get these letters from. For instance, if the scholarship is sports-related, you will want a letter of recommendation from a coach.
Extracurricular Activities: There are scholarships that require you to be part of certain clubs, participate in extracurriculars, or volunteer.
Citizenship: Your citizenship.
Location: Your location.
Age, Grade, or Education Level: Your age, grade, or education level.
Academic Achievements: Academic achievements.
Extracurricular Activities: Extracurricular activities.
Financial Need: Financial need.

Specific Scholarship Examples and Requirements

To illustrate the diversity of scholarship requirements, here are a few examples:

Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship:

This scholarship offers different levels of funding based on the student's year in college. Starting with the 2025-26 school year students are awarded at the following rates:

Four Year College
- Year 1: $2,000
- Year 2: $4,000
- Year 3: $4,000
- Year 4: $5,000
Two Year College
- Year 1: $2,000
- Year 2: $3,000

Starting with the 2024-2025 academic year, students are eligible for additional funding from Academic Challenge based on their FAFSA’s Student Aid Index (SAI). Students who have an 8,000 SAI or higher are not eligible for the additional funding, and that funding for the Academic Challenge is capped at $2,500.00 per semester. If your SAI is 7,999 or below, the additional funding is as shown below, depending on what type of institution you are attending.

Four Year Institutions
- First Year Award:
  - Student Aid Index 5,750-7,999: Additional PLUS Amount $500 per semester. Total Academic Challenge Award $1,500 per semester
  - Student Aid Index 3,200-5,749: Additional PLUS Amount $1,000 per semester. Total Academic Challenge Award $2,000 per semester
  - Student Aid Index -1,500-3,199: Additional PLUS Amount $1,500 per semester. Total Academic Challenge Award $2,500 per semester
- Second and Third Year Award:
  - Student Aid Index -1,500-7,999: Additional PLUS Amount $500 per semester. Total Academic Challenge Award $2,500 per semester
- Fourth Year Award:
  - If you are receiving the fourth year of the Academic Challenge Scholarship, you are not eligible for any additional PLUS funds since you are already being awarded at the maximum of $2,500 per semester.
Two Year Institutions

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- If you are receiving the fourth year of the Academic Challenge Scholarship, you are not eligible for any additional PLUS funds since you are already being awarded at the maximum of $2,500 per semester.

Traditional Students:

Traditional students must begin attendance in at least 12 credit hours in the first Fall semester following high school graduation and at least 15 credit hours each semester thereafter to receive their funds that semester. This means they must earn at least 27 credit hours in their first academic year and at least 30 credit hours each academic year thereafter, with a cumulative GPA of 2.5. Freshmen finishing their first academic year who did not apply for or qualify for the Academic Challenge Scholarship may be considered Traditional students if they were enrolled as a full-time, first-time student and earned 27 hours with a 2.5 GPA in their first academic year. If they do not have 27 hours at the end of Spring, they can still apply as a Non-Traditional student.

Non-Traditional Students:

Non-Traditional Students are defined as students currently in college who did not receive the Academic Challenge Scholarship, as well as adults who have completed some college, but do not have a degree. Students with some or no college credit can qualify. If a student has some college credit, they may be considered eligible with a cumulative college GPA of at least 2.5. A student with no college credit can qualify as a Non-Traditional student if they have an ACT composite score or superscore of at least 19 (or an equivalent of a 19 composite on an equivalent test).

Tennessee HOPE Scholarship:

Must enroll within 16 months following high school graduation at any eligible postsecondary institution.
Have a minimum 2.75 - 2.99 cumulative GPA and have a semester GPA of at least 3.0 at the end of the semester in which the student attempted 72 semester hours and any multiple of 24 semester hours thereafter.
If a student ceases to be academically eligible for the HOPE Scholarship, the student may regain the award one-time only.

UCLA Scholarships:

Priority consideration is given to admitted students who complete their application(s) WITHIN TWO WEEKS of admission decisions being released.
Newly Registered and Continuing Students: Scholarships awarded to undergraduate students require that you apply through the portal each year. To be considered: Submit the required questions on the general application by June 30. Submit a FAFSA or Dream Act application by the March 1 priority deadline EVERY YEAR to be considered for need-based scholarships. Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress in order to continue to receive scholarships.

Increasing Your Chances of Winning a Scholarship

To improve your chances of securing a scholarship, consider the following strategies:

Start Early: Begin your scholarship search well in advance of college enrollment. We recommend you start working on applications 6-9 MONTHS BEFORE the academic year you hope to receive the funding.
Use Scholarship Search Engines: Utilize online scholarship search engines to identify relevant opportunities. With College Raptor’s Scholarship Search Tool, it’s easy to search for scholarships.
Apply for Many Scholarships: You should apply for several scholarships-the more you apply for, the better your chances of receiving one.
Research Local Scholarships: Local scholarships tend to have fewer applicants, meaning you may be more likely to get them.
Craft a Strong Application: Provide all necessary information and documentation, and ensure your application is well-written and error-free. Save time and energy by creating a “scholarship resume” that you can use to quickly complete common application questions.
Highlight Your Strengths: Showcase your academic achievements, extracurricular activities, and unique qualities. Many scholarships are based on criteria other than, or in addition to, financial need and academic achievement. Take note of your interests, hobbies, background, work experience, career goals, etc.
Proofread Carefully: Before submitting your application, proofread it thoroughly to catch any errors or inconsistencies.

Avoiding Scholarship Scams

While numerous legitimate scholarships are available, it's essential to be aware of potential scams. Here are some tips to avoid falling victim to fraudulent scholarship schemes:

Be Wary of Fees: Scholarships should always be free to apply.
Protect Your Information: Be cautious about providing sensitive personal or financial information.
Use Reliable Search Engines: Using reliable search engines, like BigFuture, can help avoid this.

UCLA's Approach to Scholarships

UCLA provides donor-funded scholarships because of the generous philanthropic support provided to the university. Donors create these scholarships to help students like you succeed and take advantage of UCLA's multiple opportunities. UCLA shows its appreciation to donors by sending them each a stewardship report, generally comprised of the scholarship recipient(s) profile and thank-you letter(s). We may also provide video updates and messages from students. Donors look forward to and appreciate learning more about how their philanthropy has made an impact, and this is one way we can demonstrate how their support has helped students like you thrive at UCLA and beyond.

To demonstrate the impact of donor support, we need every recipient of a donor-funded scholarship to fill out a scholar profile and write a thank you note. LETTER SAMPLES ARE PROVIDED! These “post-acceptance” questions provide you with an opportunity to express your appreciation to the donors of your scholarship, many of whom are Alumni, and let them know more about your own experience and accomplishments at UCLA. If you receive a renewable award, you will be expected to provide them with an annual update. Our donors are proud to support you, and want to encourage you throughout your UCLA journey! Scholarship recipients can find the post-acceptance questions in the UCLA Scholarship Application. Once you accept your scholarship award, you will receive a link to the questionnaire that our stewardship colleagues will share with your donor. In some cases, you may receive a separate link provided by UCLA staff.

UCLA scholar profiles may contain the following prompts:

Why you chose UCLA
Academic interests and extracurricular activities
Career aspirations
Scholarship impact
Thank you note request

If you receive a private scholarship from an OUTSIDE AGENCY/DONOR, follow these 3 steps:

Request that CHECKS ARE MADE PAYABLE to UC REGENTS or UCLA.
Give the donor your 9-digit UID (UCLA Identification Number) and ask them to include it with your award.
Have the donor include a letter explaining the award terms when the scholarship check/payment is sent to UCLA.

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