For students from low-income families, there are many sources of financial aid. One is the federal Pell Grant, which also qualifies students for additional merit-based grants, such as the National SMART Grant and the Academic Competitiveness Grant, reserved only for Pell Grant recipients. Another grant offered only to low-income students is the National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant.
Many scholarships are based on merit and a student's academic and extracurricular achievements. Some cover a broad range of studies, but others are purely major-specific. For example, the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation awards scholarships to math, science and engineering students who show academic excellence, as does the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship. The Ronald Reagan College Leaders Scholarship is reserved for students who demonstrate outstanding leadership skills while promoting American values. The Morris K. Udall Foundation provides $5,000 merit-based, major-specific scholarships for those studying environment-related fields.
Thousands of lesser-known scholarships are available for commending an eccentric mix of traits and achievements. Many of these are available to college students of any year. The Blogging Scholarship is one example, awarded yearly to a student who demonstrates exceptional blog-writing. The Kor Memorial Scholarship is available for someone studying foreign languages.
Some scholarships are reserved for students who wish to do a study abroad. The Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholarship, for example, gives out more than 1,000 scholarships a year, covering the costs of a year of study abroad up to $25,000.
Other scholarships are set up like contests, and applicants must submit essays, science projects or other original work. The money is awarded to the top-rated submission. One example is the Elie Wiesel Prize in Ethics Essay Contest. A more creative contest of this sort is the SAMMY Milk Mustache Scholarship.
Individual schools often will award a number of scholarships to enrolled students who excel in academics, extracurricular activities or leadership roles, or to those stand out for unique skills or qualities. These scholarships might be funded by alumni who wish to give back to their school by supporting today's students. Consult your school's financial-aid office, or search your school's website for what is available.