Nov

Unclaimed Scholarships – Do you want to claim them?

Author: Sally Croft

Surprisingly, many students are not aware that there is free money just waiting to be claimed. The reality is that there are hundreds of millions of dollars in scholarship money available and many, if not most, of these scholarships are attainable but remain unclaimed.

Types of Unclaimed Scholarships

There are two types of unclaimed scholarships. The first type is college scholarships that are applied for and awarded to specific individuals but not used by the student. The second type, and the one that you need to know about, is the scholarships that people just don’t apply for. Either they are not aware of the scholarships or the requirements are too rigid and they don’t think they stand a chance of winning them.

Who Qualifies for Unclaimed Scholarships?

Many students assume they will not qualify for scholarships because they don’t have a good academic record or any special talents or abilities. The vast majority of these scholarships do not have many restrictions and most of the unclaimed scholarships can be obtained by regular students with regular grades and accomplishments. Searching for these unclaimed scholarships, however, is time consuming and will require patience, hard work and determination, but the search is worthwhile.

Where to Look for Unclaimed Scholarships

So, where do I find these unclaimed scholarships? Well, there are several approaches that you can take. The first place to start, and the most obvious way to find these scholarships, is online. Do a search on ‘unclaimed scholarships’ or look up scholarship databases online. The databases collect your personal information and once you have completed the process, a list of available unclaimed scholarships and contests will be brought up. From this list you can choose the scholarships you want to apply for and begin your scholarship application process. You may also want to check with your high school guidance counselor. Some high schools have a list of local scholarships that are available to students. You can also check with your employer or parents’ employers and any organization they belong to for unknown scholarships opportunities. Another good resource for finding scholarships is through your community religious services; they usually sponsor scholarships programs.

Requirements

Unclaimed scholarships are easier to obtain because they do not have much competition or requirements. Some companies can be specific about who gets their award, other companies may award based on gender or nationality, interest or GPA. There are companies that award to female student pursuing a certain field or male students only or African American students or Asian students, or students with a 2.5 GPA or higher, or based on where you live, the school you attend, or your major. You could have a range of scholarships to apply for, with very few requirements.