A full-ride or full-tuition college scholarship is every parent's dream then one that lots of students wonder if they are permitted to apply for and win, but these kinds of awards don't just magically appear and are often misunderstood.
It is essential to understand the difference between full-ride and full-tuition scholarships when searching for schools and making college decisions.
What’s a Full-Ride Scholarship?
Full-ride scholarships usually cover all college costs including; tuition, housing, meals, textbooks, fees and perhaps even a stipend to cover any extra personal expenses.
Full-ride scholarships are the cream from the scholarship crop, but usually have strict guidelines as well as for students to help keep the award for their entire college career.
These generous scholarship awards aren't simple to come across, but they're worth researching and achieving acquainted with when trying to acquire funds for school.
What’s a Full-Tuition Scholarship?
Full-tuition scholarships are those that cover the price of tuition only in most cases do not include all of the late charges of attending college. In a nutshell, the scholarship money will pay for tuition and absolutely nothing else.
There are exceptions to this however, as each award comes with its very own criteria about what the scholarship money enables you to pay for.
Many parents as well as their students may be surprised to discover that despite a full-tuition scholarship, only half (or less) of the total price of attendance may be covered, as room and board and other expenses really are a huge a part of affording university.
Like full-ride scholarships, full-tuition awards aren't simple to win, but they are scholarship gold if awarded.
Which Colleges and Organizations Offer Full-Ride or Full-Tuition Scholarships?
Full-ride and full-tuition scholarships are mainly provided by universities and colleges and therefore are known as “institutional awards”, but there are also private organizations or businesses that offer such large awards to pick students.
One example may be the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation College Scholarship. This award is really a $40,000 each year scholarship that will pay for tuition, room and board, books and any other college fees.
National Merit Scholarship and Full-Ride and Full-Tuition Scholarships
Many full-ride and full-tuition scholarships are offered to National Merit Scholars or National Merit Semifinalist and therefore are sponsored through the individual colleges.
A few universities offer substantial scholarships to Semifinalists, but many schools require that students obtain Finalist status in order to be eligible for full-tuition scholarships. Some of them also have GPA requirements.
Below is a sample of faculties that offer full tuition or full ride scholarships to National Merit Scholars and Semifinalists….
Schools Offering Full Ride/Full Tuition for National Merit Scholars
Guidelines to Keep Your Full-Ride or Full-Tuition Scholarship
Full-ride and full-tuition scholarships, whether institutional or private, have the ability to very specific guidelines regarding the students who are permitted to apply.
Many possess a financial need requirement and mandate the submission of the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) each year.
In order to keep receiving the scholarship money, students may also call for a minimum G.P.A. which is often up to a student to submit grade reports each semester.
Other stipulations may also include exactly what the student needs to do after college graduation, as some full-ride and full-tuition scholarships come with a job commitment for a specific number of years.
State Schools Offering Full-Ride or Full-Tuition Scholarships
Many states, or specific cities or counties inside a certain state, offer “promise” full-ride or full-tuition scholarships to those students who meet certain criteria. The Florida Bright Futures program is one such scholarship that helps public school graduates pay for advanced schooling. Find a list of state and county promise scholarships here.
Always Search for College Generous With Merit-Based Scholarships
Doing a little research into what institutions offer full-ride or full-tuition scholarships is a smart method to strategize in the effort to locate money for college, but families should never count on students winning these elite awards.
Early college planning should also include figuring out schools that offer probably the most merit money to students who meet certain baselines; such as G.P.A., SAT/ACT scores, valedictorian/salutatorian status, etc.
Filing the FAFSA should always be around the college planning “must do” list, as well as having students apply as numerous for national, state, and native scholarships as possible.
Using our College Insights tool can make finding schools that'll be generous with their merit scholarship money very simple. Get more information at details.
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