Recommendation from Student Financial Services
We recommend that you do not pay for a scholarship search. Scholarship scams are common, and the scams can be difficult to spot if you do not know exactly what you are looking for.
Here are some general rules-of-thumb in regard to both finding and applying for scholarships:
1. If you have to pay money to get money, it might be a scam.
2. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
3. Spend the time, not the money.
4. Never invest more than a postage stamp to get information about scholarships.
5. Nobody can guarantee that you will win a scholarship.
6. Legitimate scholarship foundations do not charge application fees.
7. If you’re suspicious of an offer, it is usually with good reason.
More tips on avoiding scholarship scams can be found here and here.
Alumni-Funded Scholarships
The Office of Student Financial Services is pleased to post scholarship opportunities made available to students by our generous alumni. If you are a Colby College alum, please use the form below to submit your scholarship opportunity.
If you have any difficulty completing the form or any questions, please feel free to contact our office at fastuwrk@colby.edu.
Alumni-Funded Scholarship Submission Form
Outside Scholarship Search Engines and Links
Scholarship Search Engines and Other ResourcesFEDERAL STUDENT AID: FINDING AND APPLYING FOR SCHOLARSHIPS
The Federal Student Aid Office of the US Department of Education publishes this resource. This site includes information regarding scholarship verification and the application process. Associated with this resource is a scholarship search engine on CareerOnestop, which is powered by the US Department of Labor.
FASTWEB
Fastweb is a free searchable database of scholarships. Upon registration, the data you enter is used to match you with scholarships in the Fastweb database, while ruling out any scholarships which you do not qualify for. Fastweb also offers advice on applying for scholarships and other financial aid resources.
FINAID.ORG’S GUIDE TO SCHOLARSHIPS
Finaid.org’s webpage dedicated to scholarships provides helpful links and tips for finding and applying for undergraduate scholarships and graduate fellowships.
THE COLLEGE BOARD SCHOLARSHIP SEARCH
The College Board’s Scholarship Search was created with the purpose of helping students locate scholarships, internships, grants, and loans that match their education level, talents, and background. There is a brief questionnaire for demographic information, but no account registration is necessary. The Scholarship Search contains more than 2,200 sources of funding totaling nearly $6 billion in available aid.
PETERSON’S COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP SEARCH
Peterson’s is one of the largest databases of college scholarships available. The Scholarship Search is free, and it connects students with over $10 billion in scholarships, grants, fellowships, and prizes from 5 thousand providers.
SALLIE MAE’S SCHOLARSHIP SEARCH
Sallie Mae’s free Scholarship Search offers access to an award database that contains more than 5 million scholarships worth over $24 billion. The database is said to be expanded and updated daily. You must register to use the Scholarship Search, but it offers neat, personalized tools to aid your search, including, but not limited to: a printable calendar listing filtered scholarships by deadline, the ability to rate scholarships in order to prioritize which to pursue, and an adjustable setting to see more or fewer awards based on accuracy.
COLLEGESCHOLARSHIPS.ORG
This website does not require you to create an account or profile but still allows you to search for scholarships based on your background and interests. You can browse scholarships under the following criteria: athletic, minority, degree level, by subject, by state, or by student type.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION’S EDUCATION RESOURCE ORGANIZATIONS DIRECTORY
This directory provides information on each state and territory’s higher education programs, colleges and universities, financial aid assistance programs, grants, scholarships, and more. Once you choose your state or territory, you are provided with a list of contacts for different educational departments within your state.
OPEN EDUCATION DATABASE
This database has developed a list of about 20,265 scholarships and grants with filtering options, such as: areas of study, the ability to renew, minimum GPA required, enrollment level, race, and state.
Scholarships by StateOPPORTUNITY MAINE
Developed in 2006, Opportunity Maine is a program that works to address Maine’s educational, economic, and energy challenges. In the context of education, Opportunity Maine provides a state income tax credit for student loan payments made by Colby graduates who subsequently reside, work, and pay taxes in the State of Maine. Thus, if you live, work, and pay taxes in Maine at any time within 10 years after graduation while still repaying undergraduate student loan debt, you will be considered for the tax credit. The average student credit is worth about $2100 each year, though this figure will vary based on tax liability and how much student loan debt has been repaid. Some students can claim up to the credit cap of $5,500 each year.
THE FINANCE AUTHORITY OF MAINE (FAME)
FAME is a resource that promotes the access to and completion of post-secondary education by providing free information on planning and paying for college. FAME has a searchable database of Maine-based scholarships in addition to other resources regarding education financing.
MAINE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
The Maine Community Foundation awards over $2 million each year from more than 525 different scholarship funds. The Maine Community Foundation scholarships provide financial assistance for Maine residents attending accredited colleges and universities; each scholarship has its own eligibility requirements, which are often based on county of residence or high school attended, and review process.
MES FOUNDATION: RICHARD H. PIERCE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship was established in honor of MES founder, Dick Pierce, who passed away in 2011. It was Dick’s life-long commitment to promote higher education. The number and size of the scholarships are determined annually by the MES Foundation Board of Directors. Scholarships are awarded based on merit and financial need, with the goal of assisting students who might not otherwise continue their post-secondary education without the financial assistance. Scholarships are awarded on a renewable basis for up to 4 years (depending on the grade level of the student). In order to receive the renewable awards, students must maintain satisfactory academic progress.
MAINE METROPOLITAN SHUTTLE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOR COLBY STUDENTS
“Metropolitan Shuttle awards scholarships to students born in the state of Maine. We award $1,000 to one student per participating institution each year. We offer these awards to students born in the great state of Maine because our company founder was born and raised there and he wants to give back to the state and lend a helping hand to his fellow Mainers trying to get their way through costly and rigorous academic institutions.” More information regarding the Metropolitan Shuttle Scholarship Program can be found on their website.
THE MAINE STATE SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON, D.C. FOUNDATION, INC. SCHOLARSHIP
The Maine State Society of Washington, D.C. Foundation has established a scholarship program to recognize Maine students. Each scholarship is in the amount of at least $1000 and is awarded to full-time students who have completed at least one year of undergraduate study at a four-year degree granting, non-profit institution of higher learning in the State of Maine.
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION’S OFFICE OF STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
The Massachusetts Department of Higher Education’s Office of Student Financial Assistance has compiled a list of grants and scholarships available to Massachusetts students to assist with financing their educations.
NEW HAMPSHIRE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
The New Hampshire Charitable Foundation distributes more than $5 million in student aid annually from over 383 separate funds. The majority of scholarships available from the Foundation are available to New Hampshire residents, though a few may also open to students of Maine, Massachusetts, or Vermont who live in border towns.
VERMONT STUDENT ASSISTANCE CORPS SCHOLARSHIPS
The VSAC’s scholarship division provides information and links to more than 140 scholarships available to Vermont residents.
Scholarships by Interest and/or BackgroundABBOTT & FENNER BUSINESS CONSULTANTS SCHOLARSHIP
Abbott & Fenner are committed to continuing their efforts of helping those who have the desire and ambition to succeed. The winners of this annual scholarship will receive a $1000 award. The A&F Scholarships are available to high school juniors, seniors, and students currently registered at any accredited post secondary institution. The scholarship application is relatively short and simple and is mainly comprised of an essay.
AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY SCHOLARS PROGRAM
The American Chemical Society awards renewable scholarships to underrepresented minority students who want to enter the field of chemistry or chemistry-related fields. Awards can be up to $5,000 for qualified students. African-American, Hispanic, or American Indian high school seniors, college freshmen, sophomores, or juniors pursuing a college degree in the chemical sciences are eligible to apply. Applications open in November and are announced in April every year.
AGI SCHOLARSHIPS PROGRAM
The American Geosciences Institute has a limited number of scholarship programs that are directly offered. All AGI-related scholarships are restricted to U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents who are declared majors in recognized geoscience programs in the United States.
AMERICAN POLITICAL SCIENCE ASSOCIATION MINORITY SCHOLAR RESOURCES
The American Political Science Association awards grants, fellowships, and scholarships with the aim of advancing education and research in political science. There are also many outside organizations that provide important sources of funding and support for political science faculty and students. The information provided represents a selection of grants, fellowships, and other opportunities sponsored by APSA and major funding organizations. APSA also maintains a listing of open grants, awards and fellowship opportunities submitted by outside organizations.
AES ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS SCHOLARSHIP
The consulting firm of AES Engineers is offering a $500 scholarship to a deserving student on the basis of character, as determined by evaluating the essays that are submitted. The firm states that achieving a high grade point average should not be the only criteria for determining who deserves to be helped and therefore they would like to support worthy students pursuing higher education on the basis of their character.
ASSOCIATION ON AMERICAN INDIAN AFFAIRS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
The AAIA currently offers scholarship programs for undergraduate and graduate students who are from federally recognized tribes.
FORD FOUNDATION FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
Through its Fellowship Programs, the Ford Foundation seeks to increase the diversity of the nation’s college and university faculties by increasing their ethnic and racial diversity, to maximize the education benefits of diversity, and to increase the number of professors who can and will use diversity as a resource for enriching the education of all students. Ford Foundation Fellowship awards are offered at the Predoctoral, Dissertation, and Postdoctoral levels. Fellowships are awarded in a national competition. Awards are made to individuals who, in the judgment of the review panels, have demonstrated superior academic achievement (such as grade point average, class rank, honors, or other designations), and are committed to a career in teaching and research at the college or university level. Awards will be made for study in research-based Ph.D. or Sc.D. programs; practice oriented degree programs are not eligible for support.
THE UNITED NEGRO COLLEGE FUND
UNCF is the nation’s largest private scholarship provider to minority group members. Each year, UNCF awards more than $100 million in scholarships to more than 10,000 students at more than 1,100 schools across the country. UNCF manages various scholarship programs and each program has its own eligibility criteria, open/close dates and required documentation. To apply for a UNCF scholarship, you must apply through the on-line application process.
THE NATIONAL ITALIAN AMERICAN ASSOCIATION SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) awards scholarships to 60-70 outstanding students in a variety of academic disciplines for use during the following academic year. Scholarships range from $2,500 – $12,000. To be considered for a NIAF scholarship, a student must 1) Be a member of NIAF or have a parent, grandparent or guardian who is a member of NIAF, 2) Be enrolled in a US accredited institution of higher education for the Fall 2017 semester, 3) Have a grade-point average of at least 3.5 out of 4.0 (or the equivalent). Some scholarships require a lower GPA requirement for eligibility. Students that are a part of a pass fail system are also welcome to apply. Be a United States citizen or permanent resident alien.For the purposes of the NIAF Scholarship Program, to be considered “Italian American,” the student must have at least one ancestor who has emigrated from Italy.
Visit the NIAF website for more information regarding individual scholarships and the application process.
TYLENOL FUTURE CARE SCHOLARSHIP
The Tylenol Future Care Scholarship program awards annual scholarships to students pursuing careers in healthcare. Award recipients display academic excellence, exemplary leadership, community involvement, and dedication to a career of caring for others. Scholarships are for $10,000 and $5,000.
THE POINT FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP
The Point Foundation (Point) is the nation’s largest higher education scholarship-granting organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) students. Point’s multifaceted support of its scholarship recipients extends far beyond direct financial contribution toward the cost of their education. Each scholar is paired with a mentor and participates in leadership development programs and events. The Point Foundation considers many factors when assessing scholarship applicants, including academic performance, leadership skills, financial need, personal goals and the applicant’s involvement in the LGBTQ community. Please visit the Point Foundation’s website for more information.
Other Funding Resources on www.colby.edu
DAVIS CONNECTS
Davis Connects offers an array of fellowship, scholarship, internships, and funding materials on their website. If you are interested in any of the fellowships or scholarships, or would like to know more about application processes and requirements, you can contact Davis Connects by email at davisconnects@colby.edu or schedule an appointment through Handshake using your Colby login.
STUDY ABROAD SCHOLARSHIPS
The Office of Off-Campus Study, located in Eustis 103, has compiled a list of scholarships specifically for study abroad. For more information, contact the Office of Off-Campus Study by phone at (207) 859-4500, by email at offcamp@colby.edu, or by stopping in during office hours (8am to 5pm, Monday through Friday).
INTERNSHIP FUNDING
Colby College supports students’ professional development by providing funds to enable students to accept internships and conduct research around the world and have some of their expenses, such as travel and housing, reimbursed. As a result, many students have been able to travel and complete internships that they would not otherwise be able to accept.
The College appreciates the generosity of donors who have created the endowed funds that make this possible. In a typical year, over $100,000 is generated in income from these funds to support student internships.
Students may apply for funding through various on-campus offices. Each office manages its own program and application process. All recipients of funding should expect to write a report at the conclusion of their internship.
Last updated: November 8, 2018 at 14:03 pm
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