Search for Outside Scholarships
Researching and applying for outside scholarships takes time and consideration. Generally, scholarship application cycles tend to open in the fall. To prepare for this process, we recommend you take the following steps:
- Do your research. Use the scholarship resources listed below to get started.
- Take note of scholarship application deadlines and requirements.
- Gather materials that track or highlight your achievements.
- Reach out early to professors, employers, and other professionals for potential letters of recommendation.
- If the scholarship application requires an essay or a writing sample, have someone you trust proofread it before you submit it.
- Search and apply for scholarships every year.
Outside Scholarship Resources
The websites below may help you with your scholarship search.
Be wary of scholarship scams on the Internet. Beware of sites or services that charge a fee to locate scholarships or that guarantee awards that seem too good to be true.
BestColleges.com offers a college scholarship database that includes nearly 20,000 scholarships for a wide range of fields of study.
The Cal Alumni Association offers scholarships for entering and continuing UC Berkeley undergraduate students. Alumni Scholarship applications are due by May 2 for incoming students and by June 1 for continuing students.
CareerOneStop helps you search more than 9,500 scholarships, fellowships, grants, and other financial aid award opportunities.
The College Board Scholarship Search will help you find potential opportunities from their database of more than 2,300 sources of college funding.
College Grant Resource Guide is a helpful directory of grants and scholarships for both undergraduate and graduate students, including government grants, career-related grants, and grants targeted to specific student populations, such as disabled students and black women.
College Scholarships.org lists a broad array of college funding opportunities. The organization also offers its own scholarships, including the $10,000 Blogging Scholarship, for students who maintain a weblog and attend college.
FastWeb is a free scholarship search platform that connects students to college scholarships, trade school scholarships, and financial aid news and resources.
FinAid has helpful information on how to look for scholarships, how to increase your chances for winning a scholarship, and how to avoid scholarship scams.
Financial Aid Opportunities for Minority Students on the BestColleges.com website includes a directory of minority student scholarships and aid programs offered by public and private organizations.
Finding and Applying for Scholarships is a section of the Federal Student Aid website and contains helpful links and information.
The Gates Millennium Scholars Program promotes academic excellence and provides an opportunity for outstanding students with significant financial need to reach their full potential.
Hispanic Scholarship Fund is a scholarship for students of Hispanic Heritage. If selected, scholars have access to a full range of support services, including career services, mentorship, leadership development, knowledge building, and wellness training.
iGrad is a personal finance platform, free to all UC Berkeley students, faculty, and staff. In addition to information on money management, like budgeting, saving, investing, and more, iGrad also offers a scholarship search engine that includes over 18,000 scholarship awards totaling over $199 million! Create your iGrad account today, using your CalNet ID and password.
Scholarship Directory for Undocumented Students is a database of undergraduate scholarships that do not require proof of U.S. citizenship or legal permanent residency.
Scholar Match is a website and service created by 826 National to connect college-bound students with donors.
Discovery Opportunities Database is a centralized database for undergraduates to search for research, internships, scholarships/fellowships, public service opportunities, and study abroad experiences beyond the classroom.
Please note: Federal financial aid regulations require that the financial aid awards you receive cannot exceed your student budget. It is possible, therefore, that outside scholarships could reduce a component of your package of financial aid awards. We may need to reduce your financial aid awards by the amount of the outside resources received to ensure that your total awards do not exceed your student budget. In these cases, the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office attempts first to reduce loan or work aid; fellowships, grants, or scholarships are only reduced as a last resort.