LPS Scholarship Resource Board
Lincoln Public Schools has created a district Scholarship board that all students can utilize in their search for scholarship opportunities. Use jump code RCGL to connect with this resource. Students should check this board weekly as it’s always in a constant state of change.
UNL’s Office of Scholarships & Financial Aid
A comprehensive list of local and national scholarships, vetted by UNL.
MyEducationQuest
MyEducationQuest is a portal on EducationQuest’s website that will make it easier for students to access ScholarshipQuest and Activities Resume. This free database contains over 2,000 Nebraska-based scholarships. This site is a secure site and your personal information will be kept confidential. After you create a profile, you’ll be matched with scholarships that fit your criteria. Please note:
- You will need an email address to log in to MyEducationQuest
- If you don’t have one, check out free services such as Gmail, Yahoo and Hotmail.
National scholarships can be found through the following sites:
- Chegg
- College Board
- Fastweb
- International Scholarships
- Kaleidoscope
- Peterson’s
- Scholar Snapp
- Scholarship America
- SuperCollege.com
Winning The Scholarship Game
Follow these tips to increase your chances of earning scholarships:
- Don’t pay for scholarship searches. Free scholarship search sites are available on the Internet including ScholarshipQuest at EducationQuest.org, which has over 2,000 state and local scholarships.
- Visit your guidance counselor for information about local scholarships.
- Get organized. Place scholarship applications in deadline order and prioritize each award. Local awards and college-specific applications deserve top priority because you’re more likely to earn them.
- Continually update your activities, honors and volunteer or paid jobs using the Activities Resume at EducationQuest.org.
- Earn the best possible ACT/SAT scores by taking the exam in the spring of your junior year and again in the fall of your senior year.
- Use quality references such as a teacher, coach or counselor. Encourage them to write specific examples of your leadership skills. Give them advance notice and a specific deadline.
- Get an early start on essays. Describe your interests, hopes for the future, and leadership abilities.
- Pay close attention to grammar, spelling and neatness. Ask at least two people to proofread your application.
Letters of Recommendation
Some applications for admission and scholarship applications require letters of recommendation. Be sure you give the writers at least 2 weeks notice and provide them with the Student Information Summary sheet to help them write a more personal letter. Reminder: Any application with a January 1 deadline must be in the hands of the counselor two weeks prior to the winter break.
Financial Aid FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Aid)
Federal financial aid provides both need and non-need based aid, and it’s the largest source of aid used by students and parents to pay college expenses. To apply for aid you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) after October 1 of your high school senior year and reapply each year you are in college. Start a Free Application for Federal Student Aid at StudentAid.gov.
The FSA ID (Federal Student Aid ID)
A username and password you create to access the FAFSA and federal student loan websites. It will also serve as your signature for the FAFSA and federal student loans.
Follow these steps to get your FSA ID.
Worried About Paying for College?
In these tough economic times when more and more students and families are worried about how to make ends meet, paying for college can seem like an impossible burden. Let us tell you about a few ways to help ease the strain. There are many programs available based on the income requirements for free or reduced lunch/breakfast at school. Even if your son or daughter has no intention of eating at school once a family qualifies, other options open up. Be sure to notify your school counselor and we can help you with the application process for free or reduced lunch. If your family already qualifies, let your counselor know so we can help connect you with programs like these:
ACT or SAT Fee Waiver—to cover the basic cost of taking the ACT or the SAT. Students can receive two waivers through ACT. For the SAT program an eligible student would be entitled to use fee waivers to cover the cost of two SAT registrations and two SAT Subject Test registrations. Waivers are available only through your counselor, so please work with your counselor well ahead of the test deadline.
Waiver of College Application Fees—colleges/universities will frequently waive or reduce the application fee for students who qualify for free or reduced lunch. Again, work with your school counselor to request this well ahead of the deadline for the admissions application.
ACE Scholarship—pays tuition and mandatory fees for qualified, low-income high school students to enroll in college courses from Nebraska’s colleges or universities, either through dual-enrollment or early enrollment agreements with these institutions. School counselors can help you obtain the application needed.
Learn to Dream—students who qualify for free or reduced lunch in high school will receive the Learn to Dream scholarship as long as they apply. Learn to Dream is a partnership between Union Bank and Nelnet and it covers tuition and fees for up to 45 quarter credits at Southeast Community College. See your school counselor for additional information.
Nebraska State College Advantage—first-time students who qualify for Pell Grants (based on information from the FAFSA—Free Application for Federal Student Aid) will pay no tuition at Chadron, Peru, and Wayne State Colleges.
College Bound Nebraska—students who qualify for Pell Grants pay no tuition at the University of Nebraska. Some families don’t qualify for Pell but might still qualify for full-tuition assistance because of other factors (generally a family of four with one student in college and income of less than $45,000).
