While it’s well known that financial aid exists for undergraduates, many students are unaware that scholarships also are available for those seeking a graduate degree.
Funding amounts and availability of scholarships for graduate students vary by program, but every dollar counts, experts say.
The application process differs depending on the graduate scholarship, but may require filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, writing an essay and submitting a letter of recommendation.
For prospective professional and graduate students, here are some points to consider when tracking down scholarships to pay for an advanced degree.
[READ: 7 Strategies to Pay for Graduate School]
The Difference Between Grants and Scholarships
Grants and scholarships are forms of financial aid that don’t need to be paid back, also known as “gift aid.”
Scholarships are usually merit-based — such as for a certain GPA, athletic ability or hobby — or based on a student’s specific area of study or identity.
They “can come in all kinds of amounts and students can apply for several at a time to help cover the cost of tuition,” Suzanne T. Ortega, president of the Council of Graduate Schools, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization dedicated to improving and advancing graduate education, wrote in an email.
Grants, however, are typically awarded at the college, state or federal level based on financial need, like the federal Pell Grant for low-income students. Pell Grants are generally for undergraduate students, but graduate students may be eligible for other federal grants.
“There are different resources for graduate students that aren’t available to undergraduate students,” says Deanne Rivera, graduate student funding specialist at the University of California, Berkeley Graduate Division. “For example, if a graduate student is teaching an undergraduate course, that’s something that they receive a salary for and then also, in some cases, like a tuition waiver or tuition remission.”
Where to Look for Graduate School Scholarships
Different types of national graduate school scholarships are listed on database search websites, like Fastweb, Appily and Unigo. GoGrad is another online resource that lists niche scholarships for prospective and current grad students.
“Often, what is called a scholarship in the undergraduate sphere is frequently called a fellowship in the graduate sphere,” Ortega says. “So be sure to look for fellowships as well.”
[Read: 3 Ways Graduate School Pays Off]
Students can reach out to the school’s financial aid office or talk with a program department head or adviser to learn about degree- or research-specific scholarships.
Graduate students should also not look past applying to local scholarships, which are usually less competitive than national scholarships, experts say. A student’s employer, parent’s employer or even place of worship, like a church or synagogue, may offer scholarships.
Students shouldn’t have to pay to apply to scholarships, says Shannon Vasconcelos, senior director of college finance at Bright Horizons College Coach, a college admissions consulting firm.
“There’s scammy organizations out there that will charge you and guarantee they’ll find lots of scholarship money for you,” she says. “Anytime there’s guarantees and you have to pay money, I would keep my antenna up for those kinds of things.”
But applying to scholarships through professional associations is an exception, Vasconcelos adds.
“Sometimes you do have to pay a membership fee to be a member of this organization that awards the scholarships,” she says. “I would just get look carefully at your chances of winning the scholarship compared to how much the membership fee is. And does a membership in this organization come with other benefits that would make that membership fee worthwhile?”
When to Apply for Scholarships for Grad School
Deadlines for scholarships vary, but Ortega advises students to start their search as soon as they’re accepted into a graduate program — if not before.
“You can apply to scholarships year-round, so always be on the lookout for new ones that pop up,” she says. “Even if you planned to take out a student loan, you can still apply for scholarships to help reduce the amount of loan you need.”
[READ: A Helpful Grad School Application Timeline]
What’s the Best Strategy to Win a Scholarship?
For private, outside scholarships, it’s important to read the requirements of the award and determine who’s eligible, Vasconcelos says.
“You don’t want to spend a ton of time applying for a scholarship only to find out it’s not actually available to graduate students,” she says. “I think grad students maybe just need to be a little more careful in reviewing requirements — though, of course, everybody has to do that.”
Students should also understand the awarding organization’s mission, Vasconcelos says.
“Make sure you let that organization know that you getting this scholarship will allow you to forward their mission in some way,” she says. “I think that’s easier to do at the graduate level when you have maybe more of an established work history, you have a more specific vision of what you want your future career to be, as opposed to an undergraduate student, who is just starting out, is less clear on a future vision.”
Before submitting a scholarship application, have a peer or undergraduate adviser review the application for grammar mistakes and other errors, experts say.
“An advantage of applying for scholarships as a graduate student versus an undergraduate is that you have more life and educational experience to draw from when writing a scholarship essay,” Ortega says. “Since graduate school programs are more focused on a specific area, it’s easier to speak to why you are pursuing this degree or area of research, which may be a compelling story for the scholarship application.”
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How to Find Scholarships for Graduate School originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 10/30/24: This article was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
