Nearly half of the scholarships on CollegeData are limited to students with certain majors. For example, there are more than 150 scholarships for education majors. Could your major put you in the running?
As you'll see by using CollegeData's Scholarship Finder, there are scholarships for a wide range of majors—computer science, art therapy, marketing, petroleum engineering, journalism, music education, oceanography, and acting, just to name a few.
Your Major Is One of Many Criteria
Once you find a scholarship in your major, there will probably be other eligibility requirements. For example, you might be required to be a resident of a certain county, state, or region of the U.S. The scholarship provider might only consider students pursuing certain specialties, such as biology with a focus on genetics. Your ethnicity, career goals, and financial need may also be factors in your eligibility. If you win these types of scholarships, you will probably be expected to pursue studies related to your major throughout your time at college. If you change majors, you may lose the scholarship.
Consider Your Career
There is another way to find scholarship or grant money based on what you study in college. You can search based on your future career. Some scholarships reward students pursuing certain professional fields, regardless of their major. Popular fields include healthcare and teaching, but there are many others if you look diligently. If you win these types of scholarships, you will probably be expected to pursue studies related to your career throughout your time at college.
Scholarships Once You Get to College
Once you get to college, continue to look for scholarships or research grants for sophomores, juniors, and seniors in your area of study. You can usually find out about these opportunities from your department office or the financial aid office. Some of these scholarships and grants may pertain to a specialized field of study or a long-term research project that may be of interest to you. Some may require a faculty supervisor or mentor. Some may require participation over the summer or even travel to a foreign country.
It's worth giving your academic major some serious thought when applying for scholarships. If you win a major-related scholarship and do well in that program, the award will probably assist you throughout your time at college. And that's a very good deal.
