External Scholarships are awarded by employers, individuals, companies, high schools, religious groups, and professional associations independently of Northern Oklahoma College. Criteria for External Scholarships vary greatly from scholarship to scholarship, but generally include academic performance, financial need, religious affiliation, minority status, heritage, community affiliations, or other unique criteria important to the sponsoring individual or organization. Students are encouraged to pursue as many External Scholarships as possible.
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. Auburn University does not endorse or certify the legitimacy of any search engine listed on this page.
Black Excel
A great resource for underrepresented students (students of color, women, and first generation college students) and a list of over 200 scholarships with a variety of opportunities. This site does not require registration.
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 fit 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.
FastWeb
One of the largest and widely known scholarship search engines in the United States, FastWeb offers advice on how to apply for scholarships, complete the FASFA, and search for scholarships for all types of students. This site requires registration.
NerdScholar
NerdScholar 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.
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.
Scholarship Experts
ScholarshipExperts.com has been helping students finance their education since 2001. Their extensive database is updated regularly and has information for undergraduate and graduate students. Scholarship Experts also has timelines and general information about applying for college. 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.