Flickr user Thjis van Exel
Searching for scholarships is a big part about heading to college, and even when for those who aren’t high school seniors. A great place to start finding the right ones for you is by looking for scholarships based on major.
Use Scholarship Databases To Search Based on Major
Thanks to the internet, it’s easier than ever to find the scholarships that are perfect for you. Databases play host to thousands or even millions of scholarships and you can be sure there will be a few (or more) on there that fit what you intend to study.
Many scholarship databases require you to sign up with them, asking for information such as your current grade in high school or year in college, location, and (of course) major. The database will then find scholarships based on the information you supplied, including ones dedicated to your major. It’s important to include the other things they asked for as some scholarships will only be available to you for certain years. One that is open to high school seniors and dedicated to English majors may not be open to those in their junior year of college, or vice versa.
Use Google and other Search Tools
Google is always a great way to find scholarships! Many search terms will bring back databases, but you can also search by entering in your specific major. An example would be “Scholarships for Journalism.” This will no doubt return results that list some of the best scholarships available to you. However, you’ll have to weed out the ones that don’t apply to you, if they’re location or grade based and you don’t fit the scholarship’s criteria for example.
You can even use other websites and search engines to help in your search for scholarships. Many websites publish articles that list their favorite 10 scholarships for a particular major or similar pieces. College Raptor actually regularly does this as well! Some recent posts provided scholarships for Liberal Arts majors and Meteorology majors.
Talk to Your High School or College Counselor
Talking to your high school counselors is a great way to find scholarships. They’ve been through this with other students so they may remember the perfect award for you based on your major. Ask them if they know of any that you have not applied to yet. They may even be able to direct you to a perfect local scholarship that fits you to a T.
You should do the same with your college. Do research into your future school. Many offer scholarships based on major and academic performance.
Taking these steps when searching for scholarships based on your major can help keep you from being overwhelmed. After all, there are probably 4 million or more scholarships available out there. You don’t have to go through each and every one. Searching by major can help you narrow down the field of awards you may qualify for.
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| Lender | Rates (APR) | Eligibility | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
5.34%-15.96%* Variable
3.99%-15.61%* Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT CITIZENS |
 |
4.92% - 15.08% Variable
3.99% - 15.49% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT SALLIE MAE |
|
|
4.50% - 17.99% Variable
3.49% - 17.99% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT CREDIBLE |
 |
6.00% - 13.75% Variable
3.99% - 13.75% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT LENDKEY |
 |
5.50% - 14.56% Variable
3.69% - 14.41% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ASCENT |
 |
3.70% - 8.75% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ISL |
 |
4.99% - 16.85% Variable
3.47% - 16.49% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT EARNEST |
 |
5.00% - 14.22% Variable
3.69% - 14.22% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ELFI |
