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Important Information
Welcome to TERI College Planning Massachusetts Local Scholarship Database!
We have created this database to allow traditional and non-traditional students with some connection to Massachusetts to search for additional Financial Aid for all areas of higher education.
FINANCIAL AID
First, it is important to understand the place that Private Local Scholarships play in the larger Financial Aid picture. Financial Aid is any form of assistance to help a student fund their education. This includes:
- Funding from the FEDERAL and STATE GOVERNMENT in the form of various Grant Programs [funding that does not need to be repaid by the student], Work-Study [funding that must be earned by the student through employment], and Loan Programs [funding is lent and then must be repaid by the student].
- Your first step in applying for Financial Aid should be to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This single application determines a student's eligibility for Federal and State Programs.
- If you would like assistance in completing the FAFSA, please contact our hotline or come and see us at one of our Access Centers; see below for our phone number, locations, and hours. All of our services are free to all.
- Funding is also available directly from the COLLEGE or POST-SECONDARY SCHOOL of your choice.
- Your completed FAFSA student aid report is also forwarded to the schools you select, and many schools base their Grant/Scholarship Programs [funding that does not need to be repaid by the student] on this report.
- Some schools also require the CSS Profile [another Financial Aid application] or individual Institutional Financial Aid Applications to help them determine eligibility. Double check with your individual school to see if they require either or both of these applications in addition to the FAFSA.
- Schools are not obligated to distribute their funding based on need, as Federal and State Programs must. So individual schools often use various other criteria to determine funding, as well. Check with your school's Financial Aid Office to learn more about their individual policies.
- Sometimes schools also create individual grant or scholarship funds that must be applied for individually and separately from the FAFSA / CSS Profile / Institutional Application process. These can include funds to commemorate certain alumni, or to encourage students to pursue specific majors and careers. Contact your school's Financial Aid Office to determine if you are eligible for any of these programs and for information on how to apply.
- In addition to Federal, State, and School funding, PRIVATE FUNDING is also available to students. This can include Private Scholarships [students do not need to repay] and Private Loans [must be repaid]. This funding is not intended to substitute for the Federal, State, and School funding, but to help fill remaining need for the student.
- Students must apply for Private Funding directly. Private Loans often advertise directly to students, or market through individual schools. Private Scholarships, however, are often very difficult to identify...
PRIVATE SCHOLARSHIPS
Since Private Scholarships do not need to be repaid, they are very desirable. However, since you must apply for them directly and individually, they are often difficult to locate and it is time-consuming to apply to multiple ones.
Private Scholarships can be very helpful for students hoping to fill a final financial need, after applying for Federal, State, and School funding, however. And with some patience, and remembering some important tips, private scholarships can be very practical, as well.
PRIVATE SCHOLARSHIP TIPS:
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1. Try to find scholarships that match your background and interests as closely as possible. Scholarships sometimes focus on a student's racial, ethnic, or religious background; gender; major or career focus; specific affiliations; etc. The more specific the scholarship, the fewer number of people likely to apply, and the higher chances of winning the award. Many scholarships especially seek to entice groups that don't traditionally pursue higher education to apply, or hope to motivate students to pursue less popular majors or careers by providing funding towards those programs.
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2. Remember that scholarships are almost always awarded based on a competition, not on need alone (like the FAFSA). While need is sometimes a criteria for the competition, it does not automatically determine eligibility. This means that you should not count on winning any scholarship, and should make sure that you have explored other Financial Aid opportunities, as well. It also means that you should apply to several scholarships, in hopes of possibly receiving one or two of them. Finally, it also means that you should work hard on the application for the scholarship (which often requires transcript copies, essays, recommendations, and/or interviews, just like applying to schools). The better your application, the better your chances of winning the scholarship.
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3. Watch the deadlines! Just like school admission applications, the FAFSA, and other application forms, these Private Scholarships also have their own deadlines to apply. Keep an eye on them, and plan ahead! The earlier you begin to research, the more potential and appropriate-for-you scholarships you can identify.
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4. Think locally! Just like it's important to apply to scholarships that fit your background and interests because there is likely to be less competition, scholarships that are open to students from around the country will have more applicants than scholarships designed for local area students. Check with local organizations and companies to see if they offer scholarships that might not be listed in the national directories or databases (though these can be useful, as well). Check your local library or community resource center to see if they keep listings of Local Private Scholarships.
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5. If you're from Massachusetts or interested in going to school in Massachusetts, check out our database of Local Private Scholarships for Massachusetts!
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Go on to Our Database at a Glance, to find out more about what is in our Local Scholarship Database, and to see listings by specific background and interest categories...
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Go directly to Start a Search, to combine different backgrounds and interests for a more advanced search...
Please note that all uses of the Database are subject to the College Access Terms of Use.
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Find a College Planning Center
Toll-free education hotline (Massachusetts only) 1-877-ED-AID-4U | Outside Mass. 1-617-536-0200