Studying at colleges in the United States on scholarship is possible! That’s why we’ve prepared this article: you’ll learn more about how American universities work and what the types of scholarships are.

It is that there are merit scholarships for students grade 10, scholarships for students who are successful sportsmen, scholarships for those who have a leadership profile… For each scholarship model, the responsible university or organization seeks a particular student profile.

For this reason, it is essential to know the types of scholarships. Thus, when you come across a “scholarship”, for example, you will already know that this aid is exclusive to students!

Best universities vs. cost

According to a survey released by the American magazine Princeton Review, the main concern among college applicants in the United States is the debts they will take on to pay for the degree after the end of the course.

In that same survey, in 2016, the result was quite different. This year, the biggest concern of the young people consulted was the possibility of not entering the best college.

This difference illustrates a very important point: the cost of American college education has increased over the past decade, to the point that even high school students are concerned about it.

And that’s why there are so many types of scholarships in the U.S. and this is a super important question for anyone who wants to study there. This is because many of them are open to students from other countries, including Brazilians.

Tuition and college fees cost about $3500 for a 4-year course at a public university in the 2000s. That figure jumped to an average of nearly $10,2017 in 275. That’s a <>% increase!

That is, the average price of college in the U.S. has increased a lot. And that’s because we don’t even cite the average values of private institutions, such as Ivy League universities, which are considerably higher.

For American students, higher college costs mean more debt. That’s because many of them make use of student loans to pay for the course.

However, there are other ways to pay for college. And the most common examples are precisely the scholarships and subsidies offered by these institutions themselves or by other bodies. Generally, scholarships and other resources intended for students are offered by the government, by institutions or even by the university itself.

In some cases, scholarships and grants are called gift aid because they don’t need to be reimbursed. That is, they are offered to students and they do not have to pay anything in return except to present good results or meet other requirements of the scholarship, such as grades, sports competitions or academic events. These criteria for maintaining the scholarship can vary greatly according to each opportunity.

These scholarships are the most crowded and so they are also the ones that most require applicants to meet certain prerequisites. In addition to the above requirements, maintaining an academic performance of excellence is almost mandatory in these cases!

You can be sure that you fit in at least one of these types of scholarships in the USA!

Anyone who is researching about scholarships can fall into a very common mistake! In common sense, it’s natural to think that scholarship and student aid opportunities are intended only for the smartest students with the highest grades. THAT’S NOT TRUE!

There are opportunities for all types of students in search of a quality university education. In the United States this number multiplies: no other country in the world has such a broad and diverse picture of opportunities.

Let’s show you now what are the most common types of scholarships in the U.S. and what you should do to earn them. But first understand the difference between scholarships and grants.

Scholarships in the United States vs. Grants in the United States

Although the words “scholarships” and “grants” are often used interchangeably, they have different meanings.

Scholarships in the United States are usually based on academic or athletic merit, while grants are intended to address financial needs.

Each year, it is estimated that about $46 billion is awarded by the U.S. government, universities and colleges in grants and scholarships.

In addition, about $3.3 billion in gift aid is provided by private sources, including single donors, foundations, corporations, churches, nonprofit groups, civil societies, veterans’ groups, professional groups, service clubs, unions, chambers of commerce, associations, and many other organizations.

As the price of college education in the United States has risen, the ability to pay for it has decreased. In this way, scholarships and grants play an increasingly important role in maintaining the dream of thousands of university students.

And this goes for foreign students too! This is so real that several scholarships are exclusive to international students. It is that universities seek to attract the most qualified students who fit their educational mission through scholarships. So don’t be surprised if you find a full-ride bag for exchange students.

Types of U.S. scholarships (and grants!)

There are many different types of scholarships and grants available in the United States. Students – and their parents – are advised to explore the full range of possibilities.

Scholarships and grants are usually awarded based on merit or financial need and may be specific to the university or college, the student, and/or the course.

Aid based on academic, artistic, or sporting merit

Merit aid is based on the student’s academic, artistic, or athletic achievements. It is also targeted at students who demonstrate leadership qualities or other skills, such as experience in extracurricular activities and/or community service.

This type of scholarship is most often awarded by private organizations or by a specific school or college within a university.

In addition, it is based primarily on high scores on standardized tests, a high grade point average (GPA) in school, or other forms of measurable academic performance.

However, some merit awards are of the grade-blind type. This means that they are not tied to academic grades, but rather to a student’s talent, ability, achievements, or potential. Sports and artistic achievement scholarships are included in this type of grade-blind bag.

Institutional merit aid usually makes up a small portion of a college’s financial assistance budget, and awards tend to be quite competitive. Typically, there are more applicants than the funds available and some schools do not provide merit aid.

Private merit scholarships are often awarded through selection processes based on the submission of applicants’ essays and/or other application criteria. This varies by the granting organization.

Generally speaking, merit-based scholarships are any scholarship that has some level of competition and is usually very much related to the academic performance of students in high school.

How to earn a scholarship in the U.S. and what are the most common opportunities?

Now that you’ve seen a general overview of how this world of scholarship works at American universities, it will be easier to understand the whole process.

From now on you will find out what are the most common types of scholarships there, which of these opportunities best match your profile and what you need to do to apply.

1. Scholarship for high school students

Within this more general group, there are scholarships intended even for students who have not been the best in High School, as we have already mentioned.

Average scholarships also take academic performance into account.

However, the focus of the evaluation will be on other factors such as leadership ability, participation in community service and the quality of candidates’ writing on access tests and motivation letters.

So even if you don’t just have 10 grades, you can be an excellent candidate for a scholarship. In the U.S., the application process for universities goes beyond grades: your goals, achievements so far, and even the motivation to choose that university are evaluated. You can count points, have initiative and willingness to make a difference in your community.

2. Scholarship for creative students

For those who have artistic spirit, there are creative scholarships available to help them pursue their passion.

Art, Music and Dance scholarships usually involve an audition or submission of a portfolio and can help the applicant get a place in an Art school or in an Art program of any university.

A very famous institution that offers this type of aid is the Juilliard School, which has an offer of scholarships based on both financial need and artistic merit. 

3. Scholarship for student athletes

For students with strong academic and physical abilities, athletic scholarships are the way to go. There is practically a scholarship for all sports: Soccer, Volleyball, Artistic Gymnastics, Swimming… There’s even for cheerleaders!

A big news is that recently scholarships are being offered to gamers. That is, even those who practice e-sports are an excellent candidate to be a scholar in the USA.

So if you excel in any sport, you should definitely pursue a sports scholarship, which is often a pretty generous aid category.

Students who receive this type of scholarship earn, in addition to the exemption in college, lodging, food and even travel expenses for games in other cities or countries.

4. Fellowships

This bag has a different concept. In addition to earning all the benefits of studying at a college for free, she even gives a salary for the student to work in research within the college.

So it is possible to develop, learn, participate in research, contribute to the world of science and technology and still earn for it.

A well-known program in this category is the Humphrey Fellowship, which is an initiative aimed at professionals interested in strengthening their leadership skills through a mutual exchange of knowledge on issues of common interest between the United States and their home countries. 

5. Scholarships and Grants

Many colleges already consider students automatically for scholarships at the time of application. Even because, in the application, the candidate already fills out a form with financial information about his family.

In this case, it is one of the simplest and easiest scholarships to be won, because it ends up having no other extra requirements. At the time of applying just choose the option to receive scholarship and that’s it.

It is important to note that not all scholarships are integral. One student may receive 100% of the course fee and another may receive 60%, for example. What will define the exact percentage of the aid is, among other factors, the financial need of the applicants and their families.

In other cases, it is necessary to make a separate application, through a separate form, to indicate interest in the scholarship. In these situations, it is already mandatory that the student has been accepted into the course or university of interest before applying for the scholarship. Additional documents may also need to be submitted.

The grant is a financial resource that will support the student’s studies and some project. Generally, the student applying for a grant will submit a project and may receive the financial resource if the project is approved, to cover their development expenses.

6. Assistantships and Work on Campus

Even those who do not get a 100% scholarship to study at American universities have the possibility to work directly or indirectly for the university and receive for it.

Assistantships are the scholarships distributed to students who work in some service focused on the educational part, such as being an assistant to a teacher or working in one of the institution’s libraries.

Work on Campus are work within the campus but not necessarily linked to the educational part. Some examples: snowing, mowing lawns, working in the college gym, working with events promoted on campus, room monitor in student accommodations, etc.

7. Aid for minority groups

Those who think that encouraging access to education for minorities is a Brazilian thing are mistaken. There in the USA there is also this, but in place of quotas they work with a policy of exclusive exchanges.

Some of them are general and targeted at all minorities as a whole. And then there are those aimed at individual ethnic groups. If you are part of a minority ethnicity this is a great way to study, earn money for it and still represent your culture in another country.

Aid for minority groups is awarded to students based on personal, social or demographic criteria such as race, religion, sexual orientation, family associations, place of origin, medical history, etc.

The different types of institutional and private aid specific to students are extensive and comprehensive. There are specific scholarships, for example, for international students studying in the United States.

On the other hand, some schools offer scholarships exclusively for students with disabilities, while certain pharmaceutical companies offer scholarships for students with specific medical conditions.

There are also scholarships for twin or triplet students and for those who have survived cancer… As you can see, the variety of opportunities and groups served is really huge!

In addition, there are scholarships for students who are part of certain ethnic or religious groups or for those with ancestors from specific countries. For example, some grants are granted only to students whose parents or relatives belong to a union, or who have worked in a particular profession or in a specific company. Some scholarships are reserved for students whose families have some military affiliation or historical significance.

Students who are military service veterans, or are spouses or survivors, may qualify for college assistance and assistance programs administered by the Veterans Administration (VA) and the Department of Defense (DoD).

Because of such a wide variety of groups and organizations that award or are the focus audience of these scholarships, it is important that students explore all possibilities for assistance. The values vary greatly: from a hundred to several thousand dollars.

But it is important to remember that each scholarship has its own prerequisites and deadlines for application. Even a considerable number of them are exclusive to students from the United States, so it is important to know how to filter the opportunities to understand which of them are really possible for you as a foreign student.

8. Aid for women

As with scholarships for minorities, there are also scholarships specific to women. Because colleges were dominated by men in the past, scholarships were created for women who needed assistance to pay for college expenses. And they have been maintained to the present day to bring opportunities to women fighting for gender equality.

If you are a woman, it is highly recommended that you look for these types of scholarships in the US. And a good piece of information is that they are usually available in just about any area.

Just to cite an example, women hold less than 40 percent of undergraduate majors in engineering, science, and mathematics in the U.S., despite making up more than 57 percent of the college population.

In an effort to increase interest in these fields, several groups offer scholarships to women pursuing undergraduate degrees in these fields. One of the prime examples is the Society of Women Engineers (SWE). Another example is the Center for Women in Technology (CWIT), which offers scholarships ranging from $5,20 to $<>,<> annually throughout the course period.

Raise the Nation is an organization that provides scholarships and grants to single mothers. She also helps repay student loans for women who have children and have already graduated from college.

9. Career aids

Career aids are awarded to students who plan to pursue a course that leads to a specific career, such as Nursing or Education.

Private and school scholarships are also available for students with more general career goals. That is, those who intend to work in specific areas, such as Government Service, Science, Mathematics, Arts, Cooking, Finance and Journalism, among others.

10. Specific aid from the college or university

This type of scholarship is awarded by individual colleges and universities to qualified applicants based on academic and/or personal outcomes in a variety of categories.

Often, these awards are the result of gifts or donations made by alumni of the institution. They can result in a full-ride scholarship — which covers all costs for the recipient — or a partial grant that covers only a portion of the expenses.

11. Aid for graduate students

In the case of graduate students working in large companies, there is still the possibility of looking for scholarships awarded by employers. These companies often pay so that their employees can get more qualification.

In addition to the scholarships offered by the companies, several universities and organizations offer the opportunity. Generally, these scholarships for those who want to continue with their studies are offered for master’s or PhD degrees.

How to apply for each of the types of scholarships in the USA?

Applying for aid based on financial needs requires submission of FAFSA (a standard form developed in the U.S.) or other financial documents requested by the college or university.

Aid based on socioeconomic needs, whether offered by institutions or private donors, also usually requires the applicant to provide sufficient and verifiable financial evidence, through bank statements, income history, among others.

Merit aid may be awarded based on a student’s initial application to the college or university, with no additional information required — especially if the award is for academic performance — or it may require, for example, an application, audition, rehearsal or special portfolio.

Sports scholarships are awarded only by certain schools and are the result of a complex process that is governed by rules and regulations promulgated by the Federal Government and administrative bodies such as the National College Athletic Association (NCAA) and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

All private grants and grants must be applied for through the approximately five thousand groups and organizations across the country that provide this aid. Importantly, each scholarship will have its own set of procedures, rules and qualification deadlines.

The secret to getting any kind of scholarship in the U.S. is: research, research, and research…

Researching and exploring all the possibilities of scholarships and grants is something that should be part of the routine of every student in American universities.

In addition, colleges and universities provide information about their own financial aid programs through their financial assistance websites and offices. And usually, these offices have a specific service sector for students or candidates from other countries, which makes the process a little easier.

Start your preparation to win your scholarship in the USA!

Which of these types of scholarships in the U.S. do you think could best fit your profile? Regardless of your answer, know that there are opportunities for everyone.

The great secret of scholarships is to prepare to find them and, especially, to be approved. So, don’t waste time!