Investing in your future – it’s easier than you think
Education, friendships, experiences – getting excited about all the new things that come with pursuing higher education? College is one of most exhilarating times in the lives of many people. You’ll have the opportunity to learn more about your future career, relationships, and yourself.
But the question remains – how do you finance it? Liberty University offers a variety of institutional aid opportunities and accepts federal aid. But did you know that you can bring outside scholarships to Liberty? Our College of Applied Studies and Academic Success (CASAS) can assist you with your search for academic support and outside aid, or…
Take a look at some of the ways you can find legitimate outside aid:
Ready to start your new experience?
Scholarship Search Tips
Taking the time to look for outside scholarships is a valuable investment, so make sure you’re prepared to do it right! If you’re a current student, or planning on visiting for College For A Weekend (CFAW), take a look at our Scholarship Search classes.
In the meantime, get your scholarship search started with these tips:
Brainstorm
What is unique about you? Compile a list of characteristics about you and your family. Be sure to include some of your hobbies and talents. You’ll find scholarships for just about everything. Have you ever experienced an embarrassing situation? Do you like to make people laugh? If so, check out the Make Me Laugh Scholarship!
Pull out your thesaurus. Instead of searching for “Wool Scholarships,” pull out your Webster’s Dictionary and Thesaurus and substitute the word “scholarship” with synonyms (like fund, foundation, or society).
Take a Look Around
What’s in your fridge and your closet? There are brand names everywhere. Many of these companies offer scholarships. Next time you take a sip of your favorite soda, check to see if there’s a related scholarship.
Community outreach. Are you from a small town? Check out your local Elk Lodge, community library, or women’s groups. The possibilities are endless.
Be Professional
Got a résumé? Now that you’re in college or preparing for it, it’s time for you to sharpen your professional portfolio with a résumé. Visit Liberty’s Career Center for free résumé workshops!
Build relationships. Make sure you have at least three references you can entrust to give good feedback to potential scholarship donors. Mentors, pastors, and teachers are a good place to start.
Get Started
Google it. Bing it. Yahoo! it. Take your list of characteristics (or personal identifiers) and combine them with your list of scholarship synonyms. When you utilize the internet to help you search for scholarships, the possibilities are endless.
Write it out. Writing support letters is a great way to find scholarships. Ask for prayer and financial support as you share your heart, your mission, and your goals with potential donors, and the Lord will do the rest!
Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover
You never know who will be willing to create a scholarship for you or donate funds to your education. Keep an open mind about every business and organization. Even the ones you wouldn’t expect may be willing to provide financial assistance for your education.
Scholarship of the Month
Every month, College of Applied Studies and Academic Success (CASAS) hosts a Scholarship of the Month. This is a legitimate scholarship opportunity that the CASAS has found on your behalf. All you have to do is apply and see what happens.
Depending on the scholarship, you could receive up to $5,000! Plus, you can apply every month for the new, highlighted scholarship.
More Scholarships
Take a look at Chegg scholarships, as well as the below scholarship opportunities offered by Unigo.com:
Scholarship Search Classes
Our College of Applied Studies and Academic Success (CASAS) offers free, one-time courses on campus to help you find outside scholarships. This class will teach you tips and techniques for successful online scholarship searches. Plus, you’ll hear Liberty University student success stories and get all your questions answered.
If you’re a current student, you can sign up to attend a Scholarship Search 101 session. If you’re still considering Liberty, you can attend one of these sessions when you visit us during College For A Weekend (CFAW)!
Additionally, check out these resources to get started:
Beware of Scholarship Scams
Although there is a multitude of legitimate outside scholarship opportunities recognized by Liberty University, please be cautious as you conduct your scholarship search. If you have questions about the legitimacy of an outside scholarship, please email the your Professional Advisor at advising@liberty.edu.
Watch out for these signs of a scam as you look for scholarships:
- Money back guarantees or extra fees, as typically one should not have to pay to apply for a scholarship
- Guaranteed receipt of a scholarship or grant, since being awarded a scholarship is never guaranteed
- Requiring credit or bank account information
- Requiring personal information, such as a social security number
- Extremely high success rates or large amounts of hype
- Not providing the name or direct contact information of the actual institution offering the scholarship
- Excessive spelling, grammar, or formatting errors
- Scholarships from “Federal Agencies” that cannot be substantiated by that agency’s direct website
- No specific deadline or other important application information provided
- Contact and notification by phone with no email, address, or other forms of written documentation being exchanged
- Being awarded a scholarship when no application was submitted
- Inability of institution to provide any information of previous award history
Questions?
Contact the College of Applied Studies and Academic Success (CASAS) if you’ve got any questions about outside scholarships!
Hours
CASAS Front Desk
Monday-Friday
8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Tutoring & Writing Coaching
Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m.
Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Closed for Convocation
Wednesday & Friday, 10:15-11:45 a.m.
Contact
Call | (434) 582-7200
Fax | (434) 582-2297
Email | casas@liberty.edu
Location | DeMoss Hall, Room 1100
