According to the federal student aid office, students should start applying for scholarships during the summer prior to their final education year in high school. However, note that applying sooner can help you qualify for more scholarships.
Sending application forms as early as high school guarantees that students can become conversant with scholarship application processes. Most students start looking for scholarship opportunities in their junior year of high school. Junior year is jam-packed with higher education preparatory activities, such as taking the ACT/SAT as well as visiting different colleges.
As students start preparing for their upcoming years, they begin to consider more analytically what economic assistance they will require as well as how they will obtain it. Scholarships are strongly promoted to high school seniors because they are close to college, however, the earlier you apply the better your chances of being selected.
Students can start applying for college scholarships as young as 14 years old. Students below the age of 14 are ineligible to apply for scholarship opportunities; howbeit they can get in front by focusing on extracurricular activities, volunteer work, as well as educational achievement.
Ideal Time to Start Applying for College Scholarships
-
Every Spring and Fall Semester
Each year, a large number of scholarships are made available. That implies that you can apply even after you’ve entered college. The due dates for these scholarships differ between the fall and spring semesters. You can search for scholarship opportunities in both semesters as well as throughout the school year.
You will even discover that there is more financial aid available in the fall, with due dates in the spring. Or alternatively, you could be focusing on spring due dates in the fall. The goal is to plan your submissions so that you can submit them correctly, increasing your possibility of success.
-
After January 1st
Anyone submitting for government financial assistance through the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) can do so after January 1st. You can’t submit your request before January 1 since you have to demonstrate your economic requirement using your earnings from the last financial year, which ends on December 31.
You can submit when you receive your financial statements for the year following January 1. Because some states have relatively early timeframes than others, the earlier the better.
-
Apply for Scholarships Before Graduating from High School
It is advisable to begin applying for scholarships prior to actually graduating from high school. Using this method, you will have enough time to compare the scholarship opportunities provided by the government, non-profit organizations, as well as institutions you would like to attend.
As such, it is recommended that you begin in your senior year of high school, speak to your school counselor, and conduct some research on the internet to know about more scholarship opportunities.
-
Consider the Scholarship Deadline
When you apply for a scholarship is also determined by the closing date for that scholarship. Several due dates will come while you’re in high school, whereas some will come later. As such, if you intend on applying to multiple scholarships, categorize them by the closing date and act on them in that sequence to avoid missing any due dates.
-
Before the end of your senior year of high school
You are not mandated to wait until you become a senior to apply for scholarship opportunities. There are numerous college scholarships available to juniors too. If you are awarded one of these scholarships, you may not be able to use it until you are a sophomore in college. However, by applying sooner, you will significantly decrease your competition.
Conclusion
Always consider applying for scholarships as soon as possible or even as often as possible. Note that you aren’t required to apply until you have made your final ruling regarding your school. Howbeit, do not bother if you didn’t get in on the early financial aid application. There are numerous scholarship options open, each with a varying closing date.