Everything you need to know about scholarships

It’s that time of year again - time to apply for scholarships.

In 2013, the University of Toledo awarded approximately $48 million in scholarships alone, according to Angie Roach, assistant director of scholarships in the Office of Student Financial Aid.

According to Roach, UT awards 85 percent of incoming students a scholarship, and the average total scholarship package awarded to each student is around $4,200 per year. She urges all students to apply for scholarships if possible.

“UT offers a tremendous education for an outstanding price, but why not make it more affordable for yourself if the opportunity is there?” Roach said. “Scholarships are a great way of lowering your potential student loans and also can look good on a resume. UT already provides a great amount of scholarship opportunities for students and we are continually working with donors to increase that amount.”

To help make the scholarship application process a little easier, here are answers to some common questions students have regarding scholarships.

When are most deadlines for scholarships?

Roach said the majority of scholarship deadlines fall anywhere between Jan. 31 and April 1.

“Deadlines vary so students should double-check the dates listed on the website,” Roach said.

UT offers both merit-based and need-based scholarships. What’s the difference?

“Merit-based scholarships are those that are awarded because of a student’s academic credentials, such as GPA and test scores,” Roach said. “Need-based scholarships are awarded based on the student’s financial need as determined by their FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid.”

The Housing Award is an example of one UT need-based award, which Roach said is an academic award that is provided for students who live on campus.

What is the FAFSA and why do I need it to apply for need-based scholarships?

In order to apply for need-based scholarships, students must have a completed 2014-2015 FAFSA on file in the Office of Student Financial Aid. FAFSA is a U.S. Department of Education form that can be completed annually by current and prospective college students in the United States in order to determine how much federal financial aid they are eligible for.

The priority deadline for filing the FAFSA is April 1, 2014, and the FAFSA can be completed online at www.fafsa.gov.

What do those who award scholarships look for in an applicant?

Most scholarships require students to meet specific qualifications in order for their applications to be considered. Many scholarships note academic performance, financial need, area of study, extracurricular activities, community service, employment experience, leadership opportunities, age, location of residence, ethnic background, gender and citizenship status.

As a continuing student, can I apply for any scholarships?

Yes. UT offers scholarships to both incoming (freshman and transfer) students and to current students. Current students can apply for departmental scholarships.

What are departmental scholarships?

Academic departmental awards and scholarships are provided to UT from donors and scholarship organizations, Roach said. 

Departmental scholarships only apply to students who qualify in a particular academic department or field of study. Each academic department offers scholarships for students within their programs. 

According to Roach, UT offers more than 800 academic departmental scholarships. She said although the criteria for winning these scholarships vary, most require a 3.0 GPA.

What are general scholarships?

General scholarships typically apply to a large crowd of students and only one application needs to be filled out - the Office of Student Financial Aid General Scholarship Application. By filling out that one application, students will automatically be considered for all general scholarships, including the Susan M. Beilstein scholarship, Edward S. Herzog scholarship, UT Black Community scholarship and the ZONTX Association scholarship, just to name a few.

However, some of these scholarships do filter applicants for specific criteria such as gender, ethnic background and citizenship requirements.

To be considered for these general scholarships, applicants must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher and a completed 2014-2015 FAFSA on file in the Office of Student Financial Aid.

Where and how do I find UT scholarships?

For a complete list of all UT scholarships, awards, deadlines, and applications, visit www.utoledo.edu/financialaid/scholarships.

Once on the UT website, students can scroll through all scholarships and awards and search for ones they are eligible for. PDF file applications will be attached to the scholarships that have been updated for this academic year. 

If there is no PDF file, students should wait a few weeks and then check back to see if the scholarship has been updated. If not, that scholarship may not be available for this academic year.

What about outside and third-party scholarships? 

These are scholarships offered by organizations, both local and national, that are not affiliated with UT.

According to Roach, UT students received almost $6 million in outside scholarships this year and Roach said students “should definitely take advantage of scholarship opportunities outside of the university.”

“[Students] can utilize larger scholarship organizations such as Fastweb or CollegeBoard, but also can look at local and community organizations such as banks, service clubs, and churches in the area,” Roach said.

However, Roach advises students to be cautious when applying for outside scholarships to make sure they are reputable and don’t charge an application fee.

“I would caution against any organization that requires you to pay something in order to apply for a scholarship,” Roach said. “Students can always contact the Scholarship Office at UT and we can help them determine whether a scholarship is legitimate or not.”

Some outside scholarship websites students can visit include www.fastweb.com and www.scholarships.com.

How can I get more information about scholarships?

Students can visit Rocket Solution Central in Rocket Hall or email the Scholarship Office at [email protected]