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Financial Aid and Scholarships

Financial Aid and Scholarships

One of the greatest barriers to achieving a college education among first generation, low-income and/or underrepresented communities is money. Can you pay for college? Yes, you can! The federal and the state government have money set aside to help students pay for college. Colleges and universities also have their own funds set aside to help students meet the cost of attendance. Other national and local organizations, churches and businesses provide scholarships for college expenses. The earlier you learn about the financial aid process and how to pay for college, the smoother your senior year will go. Use the resources below to help you get started.

Resources:

  • APIA Scholars provides college scholarships to Asian and Pacific Islander Americans (APIA) with financial need. Their mission is to make a difference in the lives of APIA students by providing them with resources that increase their access to higher education.
  • CFNC’s Scholarship Search Tool has scholarships listed from all over North Carolina. You can search by county, college type, deadline and more. Pro Tip: there are many more local scholarships available through your high school counselor’s office.
  • Dell Scholars is a scholarship for students with academic potential, determination, and a definite need for financial assistance.
  • EAA offers scholarships for aviation and other related fields.
  • FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. All students planning to attend or are currently in college must complete the FAFSA to receive federal student aid. The FAFSA opens every October 1 and must be completed by the deadline set by the college.
  • Federal Student Aid (FSA) is an office of the U.S. Department of Education. FSA provides more than $120 billion in financial aid to help students pay for college. They offer great information on ALL types of aid, applying for aid, the financial aid process and more!
  • FSA ID is the website you will use to create a username and password that gives you access to Federal Student Aid’s online systems and can serve as your legal e-signature. Pro Tip: you are only allowed one FSA ID account per social security number.
  • Hispanic Scholarship Finder has a database of great information which includes scholarships, financial aid, careers, internships and more for Latinx/e and/or Hispanic-identifying students.
  • JLV College Counseling has scholarships listed by the month they are due as well as many other resources on their website.
  • National Center for Learning Disabilities offers annual scholarship and awards that celebrate the work and achievements of those students and leaders working to improve the lives of the 1 in 5 with learning and attention issues.
  • NCCF is the single statewide community foundation serving North Carolina and has made more than $184 million in grants since its inception in 1988. Visit their website and apply to local scholarships based on the county you live in.
  • NCHSAA Endowed Fund Scholarships has scholarships for student-athletes.
  • North Carolina First in FAFSA is a myFutureNC Collaborative that focuses on increasing the number of high school seniors who complete the FAFSA. 
  • Road2College has scholarships and other great resources to help you on your college application process.
  • Ron Brown Scholar’s Guided Pathway Support Program is a FREE College Access Initiative open to African American high school juniors and seniors, their parents and counselors. GPS guides students through the entire college application process.
  • Scholarship databases and additional financial aid help: Cappex, Fastweb, Student Scholarships, Scholarship Owl, CollegeBoard, FinAid.org, Best Colleges. These are general websites, where you can create an account and apply to different scholarships based on specific search criteria. You do not have to sign up for all, pick one that fits your needs the best.
  • Scholarships for Women has scholarships for women based on ethnicity, major, family, and religion.
  • The Jackie Robinson Foundation is a national, 501 non-profit organization, which gives scholarships to minority youths for higher education, as well as preserving the legacy of Baseball Hall of Fame member, Jackie Robinson.
  • Think College has a list of college and career programs available to students with disabilities in North Carolina.
  • Thurgood Marshall College Fund is a non-profit organization that supports and represents nearly 300,000 students attending its 47 member schools which include public historically black colleges and universities, medical schools and law schools.
  • UNCF awards 10,000 students each year through 400 scholarship and internship programs so that students from low- and moderate-income families can afford college tuition, books, as well as room and board.