The Best Scholarship Search PlatformsCollege is the. A great way to manage the growing cost is scholarships. Because there’s no single source for scholarship listings, your best option for finding funding is dedicated scholarship search platforms.

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These sites compile thousands of active scholarships and match you to them based on your unique qualifications. We found four that promise to maximize your scholarship potential with large databases, smart filters, application tools, user-friendly designs, and educational resources. How We Chose the Best Scholarship Search Platforms Up to date and inclusiveTo determine the best scholarship search platforms, we first compiled a master list of 28 of the most popular sites. We then studied existing rankings, read hundreds of student reviews, and followed the recommendations of several state departments of education and college admissions offices to establish a set of criteria to ensure the sites’ legitimacy and relevancy. Any additional educational material for students. Any additional planning toolsNumber of search resultsA key arbiter of a platform’s quality is its total number of listings, but it’s nearly impossible to get an accurate count. Many platforms give inflated numbers or don’t make the information available.

We chose to grade each site’s listing size by the average number of results a typical student can expect. We created 25 profiles representing the “average student” based on data from the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau, and the College Board.These included profiles from five race categories (Caucasian, African American, Hispanic, Asian, Native American), with each profile seeking one of the five current most popular degree majors (Business, Nursing, Psychology, Biology, Teaching). Our prospective students had a GPA and test scores equal to the national average for incoming college freshman. We searched every scholarship site using each profile, recorded the number of scholarship results, then averaged them.

The more results returned for every profile, the more powerful and inclusive the site, and the higher it moved in our ranking. Why we chose it Easier to use than competitorstook the lead in every category. Out of the 17 platforms we considered, Fastweb aced the most elements that impact the scholarship seeker’s experience. Perhaps most notable was its inviting and interactional functionality and high dollar amount scholarships. However, we also appreciated that Fastweb’s search platform can be tailored for all levels of student — high school, undergraduate, graduate. Exceptional toolsFastweb also had the most tools of any platform we looked at. A detailed search is the first win, but we also appreciated the ability to manage deadlines and track ongoing applications.

Many sites offer application management along these same lines, but Fastweb does a better job at making progress visible at a glance. Points to consider Fewer search results than other platformsThe only thing that could be considered a drawback about Fastweb is the smaller number of search results it turns up in comparison to Cappex. Although Fastweb still finished third out of 17 competitors in this metric — and its top-tier search functionality promises greater search relevance — it won’t have quite the same volume of results as some competitors. Why we chose it Expansive databasescored consistently high in all of the most important categories — scholarship availability, ease of use, extra tools — but it really stood out for its large database.

More search results than any other site, plus every desirable search tool, pushed Cappex ahead of the competition. For students who are looking to cast a wide net in their scholarship search, Cappex comes with the assurance that you won’t be leaving any money on the table. Plenty of search toolsYou have two avenues for retrieving scholarships from Cappex’s database: personalized matches and category search. Personalized matches filters every scholarship through the profile you’ve created, making it an easy way to locate targeted opportunities. Manually browsing by category, something other sites don’t offer, allows you to identify potential scholarships that your list of qualifications might not bring up. There’s actually a scholarship for left-handed redheads, for example, but those aren’t characteristics your demographic information reflects. Points to consider No military filtersThe main drawback of the Cappex platform is that it offers no filters for military affiliation.

Veteran scholarships may appear in its database, but with no filter, they won’t appear in your list of personalized recommendations. You’ll have to browse for them the old-fashioned way — searching keywords. Why we chose it Stellar search functionalityranked first in our most heavily weighted metric, Search Functionality. It has more filters and scholarship categories than any other platform — nearly 2,000 in total. The sheer number of filters increases your likelihood of finding promising scholarships faster.

Intuitive layout and navigationUnigo is also exceptionally easy to use. Those 2,000 filters, which have the potential to be overwhelming, are easy to find and easy to remove, thanks to an intuitive site layout. In fact, Unigo garnered our highest score for “ease of use,” which is a large reason why it was elevated to third place.And the gap between third and fourth place is large: The nearest competitors would have to make significant improvements to the intuitivity and organization of their platforms to overtake Unigo’s spot, while Unigo would only have to make a few minor changes to its site (like beefing up additional resources) to claim our first-place position. We suggest making an account with all of our top three, which together boast the best features of the field. Points to consider Fewer resources than competitorsThe only areas in which Unigo falls short are tools and additional resources. Without new match notifications, you’ll have to be more diligent in organizing your searches, findings, and ongoing applications so you don’t get bogged down by the huge fund of scholarships Unigo can turn up.

Why we chose it Tons of educational toolsis a scholarship search platform operated by the College Board, the administrators of the SAT. Where the site stands out is in the wealth of additional college planning tools it offers. It’s a one-stop-shop for financial aid information and tuition planning. Experiment with eight different cost calculators, browse helpful articles, and get informed with instructional videos and in-depth guides. Even if you don’t utilize Big Future’s scholarship search, it is worth checking out for its helpful tools alone. Simple but powerful searchThe search function of Big Future is basic, but thorough.

Our favorite element is the option to search multiple scholarship categories at once, including all of the key filters such as GPA, test scores, gender, and ethnicity. Points to consider No saved profileWhile Big Future allows you to read up on every facet of college financing and get a general picture of scholarships available to you, we found it lacking in other key areas. There are no saved profiles or personalized matches, so you’ll need to re-enter your search every time you use it.Our suggestion: Use Big Future to get informed about college finances, then use its resources in conjunction with our top-ranking search platforms, which enable you to return to previous searches and store applications. Guide to Scholarship Search Platforms How to land your dream scholarships Start early and keep trackYou should start your scholarship search as soon as possible, ideally no later than the beginning of your junior year. Even if you can’t apply to the one you want until your junior year, knowing all of the details and requirements as a sophomore gives you more time to make sure you meet all of the qualifications by the time you’re eligible.Since this is a long process, it’s wise to organize your application materials.

Scholarship search platforms often provide organization tools, but you can’t go wrong keeping things tidy in a dedicated spreadsheet of your own. Create a list of your qualificationsWrite down all your personal accomplishments, academic achievements, awards, extracurricular activities, and group affiliations. Next, list out your ethnicity, gender, geographical location, talents or passions, military service, your desired major/career, and anything you can think of that defines you and makes you unique in some way.The more categories you fit into, the more opportunities you’ll find.

That said, be honest about categories you don’t fit into. It’s always smarter to focus on the scholarships you are clearly eligible for than to lie or exaggerate to apply for one that you aren’t. Gather paperworkMost scholarships ask for supporting materials. Have all of the most commonly requested ones on hand so you don’t get snagged last-minute by a forgotten detail. High school transcript: A documented record of your entire high school career that you’ll need for any scholarship with a GPA requirement.

Standardized test scores: Your SAT/ACT results are usually included on your high school transcript but can also be obtained separately from the school or the school district’s administration office. As fun as that might be, scholarships are not blank checks you can use for just anything. In fact, most scholarship applications will have financial requirements for how to spend your award. You can check with your school’s financial aid office and the scholarship organization for more information on these requirements.Since scholarships are meant to help you pay for school, you should use them for school and school-related expenses. That means your award money should go toward your tuition, books, and any resources pertinent to your area of study.How you spend your scholarship money will also have an impact on your financial aid package and tax return. That means you might get a bigger break come tax season if you used that award money for books and tuition as opposed to flat-screen TVs, game consoles, and movie tickets. Before you start to apply for schools and scholarships, you should familiarize yourself with some basic terms and definitions.

Work-study, for instance, gives students the opportunity to seek part-time employment in exchange for tuition assistance. The following list isn’t exhaustive, but it includes the terms you’re most likely to come across during your search. Award letter details all of the various forms of aid you’re eligible to receive through your prospective school, including grants, scholarships, and loans.

It’s a statement of all the aid that you qualify for — you’re under no obligation to accept any of it. Cost of Attendance (COA) is the total price for one year of college after all tuition, fees, and required personal expenses are calculated. Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is the amount of money the government expects your family to contribute to your tuition. They determine that contribution amount based on your parents’ financial information that must be submitted as a part of the FAFSA. Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the form used to apply for federal financial aid.

The information you provide determines your Expected Family Contribution and your eligibility for grants and many scholarships. Federal student aid consists of federal student loans, grants, and work studies that are awarded by the government based on financial need.

Financial Aid Package is the combination of all forms of aid, from all sources, that you are eligible to receive. Your aid package is detailed in the award letter sent to you by your prospective school. Grants are a form of tuition assistance typically awarded by federal and state governments based on financial need and demographic requirements.

Unlike federal loans, they don’t need to be repaid. Student loans are tuition money that must be paid back to the lender over time with interest. Net price is the true cost of college after all gift aid and educational tax benefits are deducted. It’s what’s left for you to pay out of pocket. Room and board is the cost to live on campus.

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Scholarships are a form of financial aid that doesn’t need to be repaid. Unlike grants, they are most often merit-based (academic achievement, volunteer work, etc.).

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Student Aid Report (SAR) is the notice sent to you after completing the FAFSA. Unlike an award letter, it doesn’t list the aid you’re eligible for. It is simply a copy of your processed FAFSA that now includes your official EFC. Tuition is the money charged for class instruction. It’s either charged on a per-credit basis or as a flat fee. It doesn’t include room and board, textbooks, supplies, or other fees. Tuition reimbursement or tuition assistance is when a company refunds some or all of the cost of tuition for employees studying in a work-related area.

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Work-study or work award is a form of federal financial aid in which students are given tuition funds in exchange for part-time employment. Broadly, scholarships are either school-sponsored (affiliated with a specific institution) or external (sponsored by outside donors and unaffiliated with a specific institution).