Types of aid

There are three basic types of financial aid: scholarships and grants, work-study, and loans. Most of these programs are applied for by filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); if a program requires supplemental forms, it will be noted* below.

Grants and scholarships are like gifts because you don't have to pay them back. Work-study is a part-time job, usually on campus, that helps you earn money to pay for college expenses. Loans must be paid back. Generally students get a package with a mix of aid types.

Scholarships

Scholarship opportunities are a great way to fund your education at Humboldt State University and are available to a range of students from all backgrounds.

All applicants who file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) indicating Humboldt State University by March 2, 2008, will be considered for scholarships administered by the Financial Aid Office for the 2008-09 academic year.

There is no quick shortcut to locating scholarships. Scholarship search organizations advertise their services to students who hope to decrease the amount of work involved however, these organizations are not consistently successful and charge varying fees for services usually available at no cost.

Additionally, while many scholarships are reported to go unclaimed each year, this is typically due to donor restrictions, which are so narrow that few students even qualify. Most scholarships have broad general qualifications, which many applicants will meet. Consequently, there are often many applicants for each scholarship.

The successful student is one who will independently pursue possible sources with attention to applications details. Searches take time, but are often profitable.

HSU Scholarships

All applicants who file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) indicating Humboldt State University by March 2, 2008, will be considered for scholarships administered by the Financial Aid Office for the 2008-09 academic year.

While no separate application is required for the majority of our scholarships, several do have specific criteria, which our Scholarship Information form (pdf; deadline May 1st) helps identify. Scholarships typically range from $500 to $1000. Of course, there are many more scholarships and fellowships available by expanding your search beyond those offered by HSU.

HSU scholarships are generally awarded late spring through summer, separately from the initial aid determination; scholarship recipients will be notified by mail.

HSU's Scholarship database

Humboldt State University has provided a searchable scholarship database with over 500 scholarships. Included are HSU scholarships, local area scholarships for both high school grads and college students, and national scholarships, which may be of interest to HSU students.

California Governor's ScholarShare Program

California public high school students who received notification may be eligible for a $1,000 Governor's Scholars Award for exams taken in the 2000, 2001 and 2002 school years. Students eligible for a Governor's Scholars Award who also earned qualifying scores on certain math and science examinations may also be eligible for an additional $2,500 Governor's Distinguished Mathematics and Science Scholars Award.

Governor's ScholarShare Program (http://www.scholarshare.com/).

Tips:

– Be prepared to take notes and/or make copies of scholarship announcements. Remember to list the name of the organization, contact address, deadline and specific requirements.

– Study all information in the announcement carefully. If only female descendants of Confederate soldiers are considered for the award, it may not be worth applying. However, if there is some indication of eligibility, you should inquire further.

– Start early. If you are a high school senior, you should start searching for scholarships in October and November. Your high school counselor should have information regarding a range of scholarships, many available from your local community. While one award may be as low as $250 to $500, you may be eligible for more than one award.

– If you have Internet access, try searching for aid sources on the web. Check college financial aid sites and look for links to scholarships, fellowships and grants. Extend that search to the web at large, but be aware of scholarships scams. There are many pages dedicated to warning the public against these and you may wish to conduct your own search on this topic.

– Libraries are another good source of financial aid opportunities. Information found in libraries generally reflects national and statewide organizations. The Humboldt State University library has a variety of books in the reference section and additional sources that can be found by using CATALYST (computer–assisted search).

You may also use one of the available free Internet searches. We have provided links to various web sites to assist you in searching for scholarships. We are not endorsing any of these sites, but are listing them for review. When reviewing links to scholarship databases, we DO recommend you read carefully and avoid sites that may charge a fee. There are many FREE searches available.

– Keep your search broad. Don't limit yourself to scholarships for history majors, but look for awards related to career tracks. Inquire with current and past employers, parents' employers, unions, clubs and other organizations. Many have funds designated for educational endeavors.

– Make sure that the time you invest is time well spent. Neatly print or type applications; complete them thoroughly, and submit them on time. Pay careful attention to grammar and spelling. Incomplete applications are generally discarded in favor of well–done and complete applications. Take the time to represent yourself well. Don't just hope for a financial aid opportunity ... work for one.