Note: The term "scholarship" can mean either the methods employed by scholars (see scholarly method) or an award of access to an institution and/or money for an individual for the purposes of furthering their education. This article is about the latter meaning.
A scholarship is an award of access to an institution and/or a financial aid award for an individual for the purposes of furthering their education. A scholarship is generally awarded based on any number of arbitrary criteria, including:
financial need
academic achievement
athletic achievement
public service
nationality or ethnicity
Scholarships are generally funded by education institutions and/or non-profit foundations. In the United States of America, scholarship foundations are classified as 501(c)(3) organizations to which donations made are tax-deductible.
Scholarship awards can range from just a few dollars to full tuition. Locating scholarships can be arduous work. However, in recent years, locating scholarships has become easier due to the Internet.
You must be able to write about a variety of topics that may or may not be exciting to you in a fluid and thoughtful way, demonstrating that you are a scholar or would like to be a scholar.
Because scholarship committees award funding to candidates they can understand and relate to and who distinguish themselves from other candidates by their ability to communicate their special-ness.
Scholarships are the ideal form of student aid, as they're basically gifts that never have to be repaid.
Undergraduate scholarships and graduate fellowships are forms of aid that help students pay for their education.
The most prestigious scholarships and fellowships also attract a lot of attention because they are among the most lucrative and competitive awards.
Once you've identified the scholarships for which you are eligible, FinAid has many good suggestions on how to maximize your chances of winning a scholarship.