Though the cost of a college education continues to rise, there are many opportunities to help pay for your education. Locating scholarships and grants before going to student loans will make achieving your education goals easier.

Talk to the School

Specify to college Financial Aid Counselors that you want scholarships not just 'financial aid', which to schools includes loans. They will direct you to scholarships based on your major and within those departments of the school.

Online Scholarship Searches

There are several scholarship search sites like: Scholarship Experts and College Scholarships which by using your family, work and background locate scholarships available to you. But this is not one stop shopping. There are many scholarships that are not listed with these search engines. So use as many as you can find.

Do you belong?

Look at groups, churches, employers for help with your education bill. Check the company education benefits of your parents work. Many unions offer scholarships for the children and spouses of union members. Check with your religious affiliations for help. And don't forget family members, and remember, if you don't ask, you don't get.

Government Grants

Grant money differs from scholarships because it comes from Government or Non-profits, where scholarships come from private citizens and businesses. Check with your state website for education grants and for national Pell Grant website.

Private Scholarships

There are lots of groups that want to fund scholarships based on who you are and what you want to do. For example there are grants specifically for women, like the Jeannette Rankin Foundation, for minorities like the black MBA's, Engineers or Accounting association. Also fraternal organizations and business associations provide scholarships as part of their community service.

Source:

Scholarship Experts

College Grants

Scholarship Scams

Resource:

College Grant Sourcing