Scholarships

Now you’ll need to pay for that college!

Almost as soon as the first acceptance to college came in, so did the idea of actually having to pay for their tuition and room and board. When they were small it was something we always envisioned we would do and planned accordingly. We even invested in Florida Prepaid for all three of our kids and encouraged them to get as much as they could from Bright Futures Scholarships. Regardless of that, a little help is always appreciated and in some cases far more necessary. There are so many scholarships available these days; the question remains in finding the right ones that they may qualify for. Some scholarships are quite competitive, some last for four years, and some are downright silly, but pay for something. All make those bills for the next four (or more) years more bearable.

Below we address the scholarship opportunities through FSU. Read our blog on actual scholarships that are available to all students here. To learn about other scholarship opportunities, make sure you read our blog on Searching for Scholarships

FSU launched a new online platform for awarding donor-funded scholarships offered through the FSU Foundation. · The system, FS4U – Finding Scholarships For You, is a scholarship management software program that will be used to award all Foundation scholarships. · FS4U has many useful online features and benefits for admitted students. Click “Show Filters” and filter scholarships based on your major or anything that you qualify for.

To be considered for any of these scholarships, students must click Sign In at the top right corner of this page. This will direct them to the login screen of the campus scholarship portal where they can log in using their FSUID and password to access and complete the general application as well as any supplemental applications for scholarships that they may be recommended for. After completing each of these steps, students can follow their application status on their dashboard. Scholarship applications are currently being accepted.

Students can view available scholarships for which they may be eligible, apply for scholarships, view and accept scholarship offers and submit thank you letters or other post-acceptance requirements. Students may access the system here. Detailed instructions to assist you with logging in for the first time and becoming familiar with the system and its features can be found also at this website.

To be considered for any of these scholarships, students must click Sign In at the top right corner of this page. This will direct them to the login screen of the campus scholarship portal where they can log in using their FSUID and password to access and complete the general application as well as any supplemental applications for scholarships that they may be recommended for. After completing each of these steps, students can follow their application status on their dashboard.

Many Seminole Clubs and Chapters award annual scholarships to FSU students from their local areas or home states. The criteria, number of scholarships offered and amount of each award varies by club and chapter. In 2018, Seminole Clubs® and Chapters awarded more than $119,000 to Florida State University students. If you are an FSU student or prospective student interested in finding out if there is a scholarship available in your area or home state, you can contact local Seminole Club® or Keith Cottrell at kcottrell@fsu.edu or 850.644.2298. Go here for more information.

Note: Scholarships are considered a financial resource in determining your need for other aid, and must be reported to the FSU Office of Financial Aid through your Financial Aid Student Toolkit outside resource page.  Your financial aid award may be adjusted based on receipt of scholarships at any time during the academic year.

There are also quite a few scholarships specific to FSU that are worth checking into.

• Florida State University also has some scholarships for loyal Seminoles. The Ben Rosenbloom Memorial Service Scholarship recognizes rising Nole sophomores, juniors, seniors or graduate students with outstanding service and a minimum GPA of 2.0. The Seth Rossetti Memorial Scholarship is available to all current FSU undergraduate students with a minimum 2.5 cumulative grade point average and all incoming FSU freshmen with a minimum 3.0 high school GPA and is the child of a single parent.
• For a list of other scholarships available, click here. Check out the featured scholarships and private scholarships.

Some scholarships require essays and believe it or not, those are the ones most avoided; therefore have the least amount of people applying. Don’t steer away from these; seek help with the essay instead. It is also recommended to apply for any scholarships as early as possible and be sure to have your FAFSA form completed beforehand.

There are many options for free scholarship search engines as well as campus resources. Be cautious of scams and don’t pay for services that say they will find them for you or offer a money-back guarantee and never provide personal information such as bank account numbers, and credit card numbers.

Here Are the Tell-Tale Signs of a Scholarship Scam:

• Guarantee of a Scholarship – No company or organization can guarantee the receipt of a scholarship, especially before an application is submitted.
• Advanced Fees – There is no reason to pay upfront for a scholarship search since there are a number of free resources online.
• Financial Information – Bank account or credit card information is not required by legitimate scholarship grantors.
• High-Pressure Sales Tactics – No matter how much the promoter claims you can receive, don’t give in to pressure to sign up for any product or service immediately. Ask for written information and then research the company and the product before committing to any contract or payment.
• Dodging the Question – If you receive vague or evasive answers to your questions, this is a big red flag. Walk away.
• We have found Goingmerry.com as a reliable scholarship resource website.

Consider creating a separate email address just to be used for scholarships. Some scholarship websites sell your email information to third party companies. This will allow you to keep your personal email address and your .edu email address private.

Finally, we have found some other great scholarship opportunities for students that you can read about here.

If your students are lucky enough to land a scholarship (or a few), it is highly recommended that they write a thank you note to the donor.

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