Carl B. & Florence E. King Foundation: Scholarship Links

Scholarship Links

Student financial aid comes in several forms, including grants (outright gifts that are not repaid) and loans (either to students or to parents, often at subsidized interest rates). The federal government is the primary source of student financial aid, although private scholarship providers like the King Foundation also play a role.

For many years, the King Foundation awarded scholarship grants through partnerships with several different nonprofit organizations in Texas and Arkansas. The Foundation, however, began phasing out its participation in scholarship programs in 2006. We are honoring prior commitments, but are no longer awarding new scholarships.

Students seeking scholarship support have a wide range of information available to them on the Internet about all forms of financial aid. You will find suggestions of other websites to search for scholarship support below.

One note of caution about Internet scholarship search services. Be cautious of any firm that charges a fee and promises it will find you scholarships, or trumpets that billions in scholarship aid go unclaimed each year, yours simply for the asking. The scholarship process is highly competitive, so no one can guarantee you will receive a scholarship. And while some scholarship aid does go unclaimed each year, it amounts to only about 3 percent of all the scholarship moneys available. You can find more information on avoiding scams through the links at the end of this section.

General Financial Aid Information

Financial Aid.org
www.finaid.org
General information about student financial aid. Links to FastWeb for scholarship searches.

U. S. Department of Education
http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/publications.jsp
The Student Guide to Financial Aid is a comprehensive source of information to explain financial aid and how to apply for it.

Government-Sponsored Sites

College for Texans
www.collegefortexans.com
Site offering information about financial aid programs available to Texas residents, especially the new Texas Grant program. A project of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

FAFSA
www.fafsa.ed.gov
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), a form that provides the data on which financial aid decisions are based. Students may complete the FAFSA starting on January 1 prior to the fall when they will enroll.

Students: First Choice Arkansas
www.arkansashighered.com/student_site/students.html
Site offering information on pursuing a college education in Arkansas. A project of the Arkansas Department of Higher Education.

Scholarship Search Sites

The College Board
www.collegeboard.com
Good overall site for information about financial aid. Also provides free scholarship search service.

College Connection Scholarships
www.collegescholarships.com
Free scholarship searches.

College View
www.collegeview.com
General information about college and financial aid, including free scholarship searches.

FastWeb
www.fastweb.com
Information about choosing a college, paying for college, and finding jobs during and after college.

Foundation Center Grants to Individuals Online
http://gtionline.fdncenter.org/learnmore/index.html
A great resource for individuals seeking grants for scholarships, fellowships, artistic endeavors, and research. Subscription required, but it is modestly priced.

Michigan State University Libraries Grants for Individuals
www.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/3subject.htm
A helpful compilation of funding opportunities for individuals, organized by academic level, population group, and subject matter. Some listed opportunities are only for Michigan students, but many are national in availability.

The Scholarship Page
www.scholarship-page.com
Free scholarship searches.

Scholarships.com
www.scholarships.com
Free scholarship searches.

Other Programs

Community Foundation Locator
www.communityfoundationlocator.org
Community foundations are community-based, publicly supported grantmaking foundations. There are currently four community foundations in Arkansas and 32 in Texas. Many community foundations have scholarship programs that may not be listed in national directories. Go to the Community Foundation Locator to find a community foundation near you, and then visit that foundation’s website (or contact the foundation) to research available scholarships. A project of the Council on Foundations.

Jeannette Rankin Foundation
www.rankinfoundation.org
Foundation offering scholarships to low-income women ages 35 and older. Also contains links to other sites of interest to nontraditional students, including specific scholarship programs.

Scholarship Scams

FinAid.org
www.finaid.org/scholarships/scams.phtml
Advice from FinAid.org on identifying, avoiding, and reporting scholarship scams.

Federal Trade Commission
www.ftc.gov/scholarshipscams
Guidance from the federal consumer protection agency on finding legitimate scholarship search help.