Mountain Brook High School

Scholarships, Grants, Work-Study, and Loans picture

Scholarship/Financial Aid Resources

Begin with each college or university. Every college has different parameters. Visit each college’s website to learn more about their scholarship application process. Consider:

• What types of aid does the college award?
• Does the college have a separate application process for scholarships?
• What is the deadline to apply for scholarships?
• What GPA or standardized testing will be considered for scholarships?

Complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) through Student Aid. This free application will make you eligible for any need-based aid the college awards. Seniors and their parents can complete this form after October 1st of their senior year.

Complete the CSS Profile, if needed. In addition to the FAFSA, some private colleges and universities will require the CSS Profile in order to award financial aid. The CSS Profile can be completed online by visiting CSS Profile - College Board and may be completed at any point during a student’s senior year.

Review the college advising section of the e-Newsletter (sent through e-mail) and the MBHS morning broadcast. It is where the College Advisors will post scholarship information sent to the school by local organizations, employers, civic clubs, etc.

External scholarship search engines, like Going Merry or Fast Web (see more on the list below), automatically search for possible scholarships based on a profile set up by the student.

External scholarships are awarded by employers, companies, foundations, and professional associations independently of MBHS or your chosen college. Criteria for external scholarships vary greatly but generally include academic performance, financial need, personal or community affiliations, or other unique criteria important to the sponsoring organization. Students are encouraged to pursue as many external scholarships as possible.

Additional External Scholarships Search Engines

There are hundreds of independent scholarship search engines on the internet, some of them more reliable and legitimate than others. Students should not have to pay for a scholarship search or to apply for a scholarship, though they may have to “register” with an email address. Here are a few reputable search engines and a brief description of their specialty. Mountain Brook High School does not endorse or certify the legitimacy of any search engine listed on this page.

College Board
College Board (the same company that administers the PSAT, SAT, and AP tests) has a great database that allows students to input details for a tailored search based on gender, location, interests, and affiliations. This site does not require registration.
College Scholarships
CollegeScholarships.org allows students to browse scholarships based on minority status, degree level, academic interest, geography, student type, or athletic ability. CollegeScholarship.org also has several scholarships they sponsor. This site does not require registration.
Education Planner
Education Planner helps students from thinking about college, to choosing a college, to finding ways to pay for college. This complete resource has listings for both undergraduate and graduate students and uses a variety of filters to find scholarships that suit each student individually. This site does not require registration.
Edvisors
Edvisors provides insight regarding FAFSA completion, student employment, and student loans, as well as applying for scholarships, fellowships, and grants. This site does not require registration.
NerdWallet
NerdWallet allows students to review available scholarships based on degree level, geography, ethnicity, and gender, in addition to an optional keyword search. This resource has listings for both undergraduate and graduate students, and scholarships may be sorted by award amount or application deadline. This site does not require registration.
SallieMae
SallieMae is a great resource for understanding how to fund college. It offers resources for students and parents, complete with a great scholarship database. This site requires registration.
ScholarshipOwl
ScholarshipOwl is a platform designed to speed up your scholarship application time. It matches applicants with the award opportunities that best match personality, grades, lifestyle, and more. Once you've narrowed down your options, ScholarshipOwl takes the information from your initial application and puts it into the appropriate places on the scholarships of your choice. This site requires registration.
Scholarships.com
Scholarships.com provides several scholarships in an easy-to-use format where opportunities are ranked based on a personal profile. This site requires registration.
Scholarships and Grants
Scholarshipsandgrants.us is a great resource for students looking for additional scholarship funds. This resource has an easy to use layout that divides scholarships into majors and interests. This site does not require registration.
Unigo
Unigo.com/scholarships is an extensive database updated regularly and has information for undergraduate and graduate students. Timelines and general information about applying for college is also included. This site requires registration.