Study Abroad Scholarships

Studying abroad is an amazing opportunity for college students, usually taken during junior year. As a sophomore, if you want to study abroad but don’t know if you can afford it, the option may still be available to you. There are various study abroad agencies in America that offer scholarships to help students study overseas, like the IES Abroad or AIFS Study Abroad programs. When looking for a study abroad scholarship, the best way to ensure you get the money you need is to plan early and begin looking a year ahead of time.

Corporate Scholarships

Large companies and corporations often sponsor scholarships that are available to all enrolled students with no restrictive eligibility criteria. Though there is more competition for corporate scholarships, they are great to apply for because of their straightforward requirements and easy application process. Corporate scholarships can range from a few hundred dollars to a full tuition, and many are given on a rolling basis throughout the year.

Private Scholarships

Private scholarships are more commonly found through your university, are sponsored by benefactors, and often boast the name of whomever the scholarship is commemorating. Unlike corporate scholarships, private scholarships are likely to have specific target candidates related to characteristics of the benefactor, ranging from students who study a certain major to students who have overcome certain obstacles in the past. Though this information is often available online, meeting with your academic advisor to discuss university scholarships will ensure that you know you qualify before you begin the potentially complex application process.

Paid Internships

Finding a paid internship with a company in your career field can also be a productive way to find scholarships. If they see potential in you and want you to continue working for them in the future, some companies will have aid programs where they either pay your tuition while you’re employed or work out an arrangement to help you in the future.

Learn about more ways to find scholarships for college on Cappex!

The new budget aims to cut spending by as much as $1 trillion in order to reduce the national deficit. Federal financial aid programs including the Pell grant will be affected by the new legislation. Changes that students may face as part of the new budget include a reduction in the amount of time that individuals are eligible for Pell grants. At present, students can apply for Pell grants to cover up to 18 semesters. Under the new budget, this time period would be reduced to 12 semesters. Some scholarships for college may also be affected by the budget restructuring.

In addition, the current six-month grace period on student loan repayments – where the government pays interest on student debt after they graduate – would also be eliminated under the new budget proposals, saving the government approximately $400 million.

According to CNN Money, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said that the Obama administration is committed to the Pell grant system.

"The president is making very tough cuts, painful cuts," Duncan told the news outlet. "Pieces of our budget [are] being hit hard but we have to continue to invest [in education for this country's children]." 

For example, you should be weary of any scholarships that say they are guaranteed. Legitimate financial aid organizations do not promise students that they will give them scholarships.

Another trap that many students fall into is scholarships that say they need your bank account or credit card number to hold your place. Giving your financial information to a stranger or an unknown organization is always risky, and real scholarship programs will never ask you for this information. Along these lines, you should also avoid applying for any scholarships that say they cost money. The great thing about scholarships is that they are always free.

Some scholarships may also ask you to send just your information, telling you that they will complete the entire application process for you. Unfortunately, this is typically a sign that the opportunity is a fraud. Students almost always need to fill out an application in order to be considered for a scholarship. 

So yes, tuition can be pretty steep, but there are ways around it if you stay ahead of the game and keep your eyes peeled for scholarship opportunities.

On the other hand, there are some costs to college that are a bit unexpected, and we don’t want them to catch you off guard. So here are five unforeseen expenses that you might have to dole out  some cash for that are not included in your college tuition:

1. Tutoring
You are a very intelligent person, but your physics class is much more difficult than you could have imagined. You totally thought you owned that exam, but when you got your grade back, you realized you need to work a little harder. So you visited the physics resource center, you went to your professor’s office hours, you met up with friends in the class, and the concepts were just not hitting home. Sometimes, the many resources your school provides for you won’t cut it–you need a couple one-on-one sessions with an expert who can give you all their attention and focus on what you’re missing.

Yes, tutoring can be a bit pricey, but failing a class can cost you much more.

2. Labs and materials
This mostly goes for art and design students who can’t simply use a pen and paper to do their work. If you’re an art and design student, you might have to pay lab fees (that goes for science students as well), and you’ll probably have to purchase your materials for your art, which can add up. Try to budget in your lab and materials costs before the semester starts so you don’t overdraw your bank account on canvases and oil paints.

3. Printing
It depends on your school, but usually your college or university will give you an allotted number of pages you can print for free (or that’s already included in your tuition), and then it will start charging you. Be careful for this because many professors will have you print off your own course packs which may be hundreds of pages.

4. Healthcare
Being a student is hard. You’ll study hard. Work hard. And probably party hard. With that entire combination, there’s no doubt you’ll ultimately wind up with some sort of illness. Just be weary; a trip to your university care center isn’t free of charge. Don’t be surprised when you get a bill for the tests you took. Also, don’t be taking CAT scans just for fun. Well, you probably knew that.

5. Computers and computer emergencies
Most college students have their own computers. It’s an expensive tool, but it’s also incredibly helpful–you can do you work on your own schedule, not the computer lab’s.

So there’s the cost of the actual computer, but there’s also the chance that your computer might need to be fixed. Too often it all begins with an ill-positioned cup of coffee, a clumsy roommate, a banana slip on the floor, and boom! Your keyboard is drenched in hot coffee and making weird noises. Or, maybe you downloaded a shady file. There are so many reasons your computer can go rogue–like, maybe it’s one of those computers from the future that was sent back in time to take over the human race–but it’s one of the most important tools you have with you at college, so you’re probably going to put the money down to fix it.

What are some unforeseen costs you experience during college? Leave a comment!

All you have to do is see if you’re a match:

1. OP Loftbed Scholarship
Amount-$500
Deadline-July 31
Quick fact-High school seniors through doctoral-level students can apply.

2. Lincoln Forum Scholarship
Amount-$250-$1,000
Deadline-July 31
Quick fact- This scholarship is available for enrolled college students.

3. Family Travel Forum Teen Travel Writing Scholarship
Amount-$200-$1,000
Deadline-August 1
Quick fact-To qualify for this scholarship, applicants must sign up to be members of the MyFamilyTravels.com community prior to application.

4. Shut Up and Sweat Scholarship
Amount-$2,000
Deadline-August 1
Quick fact-This is the perfect scholarship for student athletes!

5. AFSA Second Chance Scholarship
Amount-$1,000
Deadline-August 24
Quick fact-5 awards will be granted.

Want more scholarship matches? Make a profile on Cappex!

You can be a scholarship winner too by making a Cappex profile! Your profile will then be used as your “application” for the Cappex scholarships, like, say, these two coming up:

A GPA Isn’t Everything and I Don’t Want to Pay for College.

That’s exactly what these two superstars did to win their scholarships:

“A GPA Isn’t Everything” Scholarship – Winter II Scholarship Winner: Rebecca D. from Mt. Prospect, Ill., will be attending college next fall.  During her high school career, she served as a member of SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) and eventually its President for two school years.  The program was recognized as one of the best programs in the state and won grants from the Operation Teen Safe Driver for its success. Rebecca was also a peer tutor and a member of her school’s service organization which works to better the community and help with special needs schools as well as the elderly.

“I Don’t Want to Pay for College” – Spring Scholarship Winner: Matthew J., from Murfreesboro, Tenn., is currently a college student with a broad background in volunteer and service with his church and Boy Scouts including canned food drives, making care packages for the 101st Airborne and community clean up.  Matthew’s a talented student who channeled his passion for music and science into an awesome project where he designed, produced and then performed with two homemade instruments.

Want to see past scholarship winners? Check them out on our Facebook page!

Before you take a looksy and get all choked up because your dream school costs $40,000 a year, remember that doesn’t mean you can’t apply for merit aid and scholarships to lower that price by whole lot.

Without any further delay, here are the top 10 most expensive private colleges:

1. Connecticut College
Tuition and fees 2010-2011: $43,990
Cool fact: Chartered in 1911, the founding of the college was a response to Wesleyan University’s decision to stop admitting women.

2. Columbia University
Tuition and fees 2010-2011: $43,304
Cool fact: Columbia is the oldest university of higher learning in the state of New York.

3. Vassar College
Tuition and fees: $43,190
Cool fact: Vassar has a student organization called The Barefoot Monkeys, which is aCircus Arts, Firespinning, and Juggling Club. You will not only be paying for a multidisciplinary education, but also some old school entertainment.

4. St. John’s College (MD)
Tuition and fees: $42,592
Cool fact: Founded originally in 1696 as a preparatory school, it received a collegiate charter in 1784, making it one of the oldest colleges in the United States.

5. Trinity College
Tuition and fees: $42,420
Cool fact: Trinity has a student to faculty ratio of 10:1.

6. Bucknell University
Tuition and fees: $42,342
Cool fact: The sixth president of the university, David Jayne Hill, had an epic mustache.

7. St. John’s College (NM)
Tuition and fees: $42,192
Cool fact: Both St. John’s College campuses are known for their Great Books Program where student-led discussion is the basis for most classes and teachers take a non-directive role.

8. Wesleyan University
Tuition and fees: $42,084
Cool fact: Wesleyan offers a BA/MA Program in the sciences leading to a Bachelor’s degree in the fourth year and a Master’s degree in the fifth year. Tuition for the fifth year of the Master’s degree is waived.

9. Bard College at Simon’s Rock
Tuition and fees: $41,990
Cool fact: Simon’s Rock is an “early college”, designed for students to enroll immediately after completing the tenth or eleventh grade, rather than after graduating from high school.

10. Carnegie Mellon University
Tuition and fees: $41,940
Cool fact: John Forbes Nash, the subject of A Beautiful Mind and winner of the 1994 Noble Prize in Economics, was a 1948 graduate.

How much does tuition price affect your college decision? Leave a comment!

To give you a head start, here are 11 scholarships you can apply to this summer.  See if you’re a match!

1. Abbot & Fenner Scholarships
Deadline-June 18th
Amount- $1,000
Quick fact- Available for high school juniors through doctoral-level study!

2. I Don’t Want to Pay for College Scholarship
Deadline-June 30th
Amount-$1,000
Quick fact- To apply, all you’ll need is a Cappex profile

3. Win-Win Scholarship
Deadline-June 30th
Amount-$500-$25,000
Quick fact- Fairly easy application and lots of scholarship money!

4. Castle Ink’s Green Scholarship
Deadline-June 30th
Amount-$2,500
Quick fact- Not academic-based

5. BBG Communications Scholarship
Deadline-June 30th
Amount-$1,000
Quick fact- Easy application process and need a 2.5 GPA to qualify

6. Share Your Story Scholarship
Deadline-July 15th
Amount-$1,000-$5,000
Quick fact- Financial need considered

7. A GPA Isn’t Everything
Deadline-July 31st
Amount-$1,000
Quick fact- All you need to apply is a Cappex profile! 

8. Lincoln Forum Scholarship
Deadline-July 31st
Amount-$250-$1,000
Quick fact-3 awards will be given away

9. Gen and Kelly Tanabe Scholarship
Deadline-July 31st
Amount-$1,000
Quick fact-Easy application

10. AFSA Second Chance Scholarship
Deadline-August 24th
Amount-$1,000
Quick fact-5 scholarships will be awarded

11. R2C Scholarship
Deadline-August 31st
Amount-$1,500
Quick fact-Application should take very short time

Want more scholarships? Here you go!

Part of the college search, that is supremely helpful if you start early, is the scholarship quest.  We’ve made list of 8 great scholarships for juniors that they can apply to now!

1. The Discus Award
Every month, there’s a new $2,000 scholarship winner.  The Discus Awards recognize well-rounded, versatile students following their passions.

2. National Peace Essay Contest
Over 50 scholarships will be awarded between $1,000-$10,000.  What do you have to do to win? Write a killer essay.

3. The Gen and Kelly Tanabe Scholarship
This is a merit-based program that helps students fulfill their dreams of a higher education.

4. Avar Press Literary Essay Scholarship
Avar Press is seeking to recognize, encourage, and reward scholarships to high school students who read a specific book and write an essay about it.

5. Abbot & Fenner Scholarship
This $1,000 scholarship is for a student who writes a 500-1000 word response to specified question. Easy!

6. Castle Ink’s Green Scholarship
Applicants must generate awareness of recycling by writing something inspiring and posting it online, including a link to castleink.com.  Not too difficult and good for the environment!

7. B. David Scholarship
College-bound juniors have the opportunity to win one of three $1,000 scholarships.

8. Win Win Plus Scholarship
Scholarships between $500 and $25,000 will be awarded to college-bound students who make a difference in at-risk kids’ lives.  It’s a win-win situation.

Looking for more scholarships? Go here!

Congratulations to the winner of the Trick Out the Cap scholarship, Mary L. of Highland Park N.J.! Her tricked out cap won by receiving the most “Likes” with 321 likes in the finalist round.  Let’s give a standing ovation for Mary’s intricate design that will bring her one step closer to paying for college.

Mary and her scholarship-winning design:

In addition to Mary’s winning entry, we’d also like to acknowledge a few of our favorites here at Cappex. These are tricked out caps that show such great innovation in their designs that we had to share them with you:

Amber L. of Sanibel, Fla.	Rachel C. of Amherst, N.Y.
Grace H. of Wheat Ridge, Colo.	Deyaun V. of Port Isabel, Texas [youtube width="250" height="180"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RA41khROZm0[/youtube]

Thank you to all of our Trick Out the Cap participants. You can see all of the tricked out cap submissions here.

Or, you can get a head start on the next Cappex scholarship here!