Third Party Scholarships

Expanding Your Search

By far the biggest sources of financial aid are the federal and state governments. Applying for private scholarships can supplement what you may be eligible for from government programs. The internet provides a variety of tools for searching for private scholarships.

You should be careful with the information you obtain from the Web. If it is too good to be true, it usually is. Before you start your scholarship search, you should visit our fraud page to avoid some common traps.

CollegeBoard Scholarship Search

An online tool to help you locate scholarships, internships, grants, and loans that match your education level, talents, and background. Complete the brief questionnaire and Scholarship Search will find potential opportunities from a database of more than 2,300 sources of college funding, totaling nearly $3 billion in available aid.

Fastweb.com

Fastweb’s enhanced college search is the only place where you can research and compare colleges based on the relevant scholarship matches at each school. The jobs & internships service lists part-time job opportunities close to home, along with career-launching internships around the country. Contains over 1.5 million scholarships worth over $3.4 billion.

Every Chance Every Texan.org

The Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation Compendium of Texas Colleges and Financial Aid Calendar contains a list of colleges and universities in the state of Texas, admission requirements, total expenses for an academic year, financial aid data and related information, helpful hints for the college-bound, together with a calendar of various scholarship deadlines.

Sallie Mae’s Scholarship Search

Sallie Mae’s free Scholarship Search offers access to an award database that contains more than 3 million scholarships worth over $16 billion, and it is expanded and updated daily.

CareerOneStop

CareerOneStop is the flagship career, training, and job search website for the U.S. Department of Labor. The website helps individuals plan, locate, and pay for education, training, and other credentials to help them start, change, or advance their career.

Helpful Tips

Many scholarships are based on criteria other than financial need and academic achievement. Take note of your interests, hobbies, background, work experience, career goals, etc. There may be specific scholarships related to these.
Try to plan ahead when applying for scholarships. It is recommended you apply six to nine months before the academic year in which you hope to receive the funding.
Outside agency scholarships (from foundations, organizations, groups, and individuals) can be an excellent way to help fund your education.
Getting a strong letter of recommendation is a vital component of many scholarship applications.
Writing an excellent personal statement will help you stand out as a strong candidate for scholarships. Show your essay to an advisor, teacher, parent, or other trusted source who can critique your work. The Writing Center in the UT Dallas Student Success Center is another resource you may want to consider.
Many departments at UT Dallas offer scholarships. Watch for listings on bulletin boards, ask departmental counselors, and check department website listings.
Most importantly, be proactive and diligent in applying for scholarships. It takes a lot of work, but in the end all your efforts could pay off.

What to Do if You Receive a Third Party Scholarship

If you receive a scholarship from an outside donor, make sure you follow these simple steps:

Request that outside scholarship checks are made payable to The University of Texas at Dallas.
Give your donor your UT Dallas issued email address (e.g. [email protected]) and ask to have it included with your award.
Have the donor include a letter explaining the award terms when the scholarship check is sent to UT Dallas.
Make sure to report any outside scholarships to the Office of Financial Aid.
Please mail scholarship checks to the Office of Financial Aid.

Disclaimer

Students in search of scholarships may find some of these links helpful. The links are provided for informational purposes only. Inclusion does not constitute endorsement. Neither the Office of Financial Aid nor The University of Texas at Dallas can guarantee the accuracy or the timeliness of the information on these sites.