Scholarships For Transfer Students
Scholarships and Financial Aid for Transfer Students
Scholarships are available to students who already process an associate degree from a community college or have existing college course credits and wish to transfer to a college or university. There are many different types of transfer scholarship programs available. Some are sponsored by private foundations and companies, state and federal governments, and others are founded by colleges and universities. Eligibilities for scholarships are based on the requirements set forth by different scholarships.
Colleges and Universities
The first place to look for transfer scholarship programs is within your college in which you are transferring to. Almost all colleges and universities offered some type of scholarship and financial aid for transfer students. Most of the time, scholarships are offered to students without the need to fill out a separate application. These scholarships are usually based on the student’s academic merit.
Many scholarships are available base upon the student’s academic achievements. Students need to keep in mind that some of these scholarships are offered through the individual departments within the school. For example, the business department might offer scholarship for business majors like accounting or marketing. Therefore, students should check with the financial aid department and the individual departments as well to see what type of scholarships are availability. It is always helpful to do some research online first. You could do so by visiting the school website because many schools publish scholarships offered to students in their website.
State and Federal Governments
There are many state and federal scholarship programs that are designed to meet the needs of community college and transfer students. In order to obtain any form of aid from the state and federal government, you must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
The state of New Jersey offers a scholarship program called NJ Stars that cover the full cost of tuition and other fees for high achieving high school students who reside in New Jersey to attend New Jersey community college. New Jersey community college NJ Stars students who earn their associate’s degrees with a 3.25 grade point average or better are eligible for NJ Stars II to attend any New Jersey public four-year college or university. The NJ Stars II provides:
- $6,000 per year scholarship for students earning their associate degree with a 3.25 to 3.49 grade point average.
- $7,000 per year scholarship for students earning their associate degree with a 3.5 or better grade point average
New Jersey is not the only state that offers scholarship programs for community college and transfer students. States like Alabama and Florida have millions of dollars earmarked to assist students in the form of financial aid and scholarship.
Do not forget that as a college student, you are eligible for federal grants such as Pell grants and student loans as well. Make sure you file for Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) before the deadline.
Private Foundations and Companies
Private foundations and companies are great sources of scholarship for transfer students.
Companies sponsored scholarships are used by companies to foster a good employee relationship, boost employee recruitment and retention. Some these scholarships might be available to you if you meet one or more of the following requirements:
- You have relatives working for the company
- You work for the company that offers the scholarship
- Chick-fil-A and McDonald offers such scholarship
- Have 3.0 or above GPA
- Have preformed community services.
The above are just some of the requirements that need to be fulfilled in order to be eligible for scholarships provided by companies. Make sure you check with the companies in which you are interested in obtaining the scholarship.
Most company sponsored scholarships are managed and administered by private foundations. Some of these private foundations include National Council for Innovation Scholarship/Fellowship and Scholarship America. Researching on private foundations could provide you with a list of different scholarships offered by different companies.
Below are two notable scholarships offered to students transferring to a four-year college or university:
- Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship
- provides up to $30,000 per year to each of approximately 50 deserving students selected annually
- Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship
- provide scholarship to college students who intent to pursue careers to become scientists, mathematicians, and engineers
You should always begin your research for scholarships either in the Internet, your public library, your high school guidance counselor, and the college financial aid office of the college you are planning to attend. Doing so gives you an idea of what is available to you.