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How to Write a Personal Statement for a Scholarship + Examples

What’s covered:, what is the purpose of the scholarship personal statement, what to include in your personal statement, personal statement example: breakdown + analysis, how to make sure your writing is effective.

Either before or after you’ve gotten into your dream school, you’ll have to figure out how to pay for it. For most students, this involves a combination of financial aid, parent contributions, self-contributions, student loans, and scholarships/grants. Because scholarships are money out of someone else’s pocket that you never have to pay back, they are a great place to start!

Scholarships come in two forms: merit-based and need-based. Need-based scholarships are also often called grants. These designations tell you whether an organization looks at your financial situation when deciding about your scholarship.

Additionally, different scholarships fall under different categories based on the mission of the organization or person providing the scholarship’s financing. These missions typically emphasize different things like academic achievement, specific career goals, community service, leadership, family background, skill in the arts, or having overcome hardship. As you select scholarships to apply for and complete your applications, you should keep these missions in mind.

No matter what type of scholarship you are applying for, you will be asked to provide the review committee with standard materials. This includes your transcript, GPA, and resume/extracurriculars, but also, importantly, your personal statement. A scholarship personal statement is a bit different from your normal college essay, so we’ve put together this guide and some examples to help you get started!

The purpose of your personal statement is to help a review committee learn more about your personality, values, goals, and what makes you special. Ultimately, like with your college essays, you are trying to humanize your profile beyond your transcript, GPA, and test scores.

College essays all have one goal in mind (which is why you can apply to multiple schools at once through applications like the Common App or Coalition App): convince admissions officers that you would be a valuable addition to the university environment. The goal of your scholarship personal statement is different and differs more from one scholarship to the next. Rather than convincing various review committees that you are a generally good candidate for extra funding for college, you need to convince each review committee that your values have historically aligned with their organization’s mission and will continue to align with their organization’s mission.

Common missions amongst those who give scholarships include:

• Providing opportunities for students with career ambitions in a particular field
• Helping students who have experienced unexpected hardship
• Supporting students who show outstanding academic achievement
• Funding the arts through investing in young artists with strong technical skill
• Supporting the development of civic-minded community service leaders of the future
• Providing opportunities for historically underrepresented ethnic communities 

If a specific mission like this is outlined on an organization’s website or in the promotional material for its scholarship, the purpose of your personal statement is to show how you exemplify that mission.

Some scholarships ask for your personal statement to be guided by a prompt, while others leave things open for interpretation. When you are provided a prompt, it is obvious what you must do: answer the prompt. When you are not provided a prompt, you want to write a personal statement that is essentially a small-scale autobiography where you position yourself as a good investment. In either case, you should identify a focus or theme for what you are trying to say about yourself so that your application does not get lost in the shuffle.

Prompts include questions like:

• Why do you deserve this scholarship?
• How have you shown your commitment to (leadership/community service/diversity) in your community?
• When did you overcome adversity?
• Why is attending college important to you?

If you are provided a prompt, develop a theme for your response that showcases both your values and your achievements. This will help your essay feel focused and will subsequently help the review committee to remember which candidate you were as they deliberate.

Themes include things like:

• I deserve this community service scholarship because my compassion for intergenerational trauma has inspired me to volunteer with a local after-school program. I didn’t just sympathize. I did something about my sympathy because that’s the type of person I am. Within the program, I have identified avenues for improvement and worked alongside full-time staff to develop new strategies for increasing attendance.
• I overcame adversity when my mother had to have a major surgery two months after giving birth to my younger brother. I was just a kid but was thrown into a situation where I had to raise another kid. It was hard, but I’m the kind of person who tries to grow from hard times and, through my experience taking care of a baby, I learned the importance of listening to body language and nonverbal cues to understand the needs of others (baby and nonbaby, alike).

Without a prompt, clarity can be harder to achieve. That said, it is of the utmost importance that you find a focus. First, think about both your goals and your values.

Types of goals include:

• Career goals
• Goals for personal growth
• The type of friend you want to be
• The change you want to make in the world

Values could include:

• Authenticity
• And many more!

After you write out your goals/values, write out your achievements to see what goals/values you have “proof” of your commitment to. Your essay will ultimately be an exploration of your goal/value, what you have done about your goal/value in the past, and what you aspire to in the future.

You might be tempted to reflect on areas for improvement, but scholarships care about you living out your values. It is not enough to aspire to be exemplary in leadership, community service, or your academic field. For scholarships, you have to already be exemplary.

Finally, keep in mind that the review committee likely already has a copy of your extracurricular activities and involvement. Pick one or two accomplishments, then strive for depth, not breadth as you explore them.

My interest in the field of neuroscience began at a young age.  When I was twelve years old, my sister developed a condition called Pseudotumor Cerebri following multiple concussions during a basketball game.  It took the doctors over six months to make a proper diagnosis, followed by three years of treatment before she recovered.  During this time, my love for neuroscience was sparked as I began to research her condition and, then, other neurocognitive conditions.  Later, my love of neuroscience was amplified when my mother began to suffer from brain-related health issues.  My mother had been a practicing attorney in Dallas for over twenty years.  She was a determined litigator who relentlessly tried difficult cases that changed people’s lives.  Now, she suffers from a cognitive impairment and is no longer able to practice law.  Oftentimes, she has headaches, she gets “cloudy,” her executive functioning slows down, she feels overwhelmed, and she forgets things.  My mother has gone from being the strong, confident, emotional and financial caretaker of our family to needing significant help on a daily basis. Once again, with this illness came a lot of research on my part — research that encouraged me to pursue my dreams of exploring neuroscience.

Due to my experiences with my mother and sister when I was in middle school, I knew that I wanted to make a difference in the field of neuroscience.  I also knew that, to obtain this goal, I needed to maintain superior grades in school while also pursuing opportunities outside of school to further my education.  In school, I was able to maintain superior grades to the point where I am currently valedictorian in a class of 567 students.  In addition, in school, I challenged myself by taking 16 Advanced Placement classes and 19 Honors classes.  Two of the most beneficial classes were AP Capstone Seminar and AP Capstone Research.  AP Capstone Seminar and AP Capstone Research are research-oriented classes where students are given the opportunity to pursue whatever track their research takes them down.  As a junior in AP Capstone Seminar, I researched the effects of harmful pesticide use on the prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in children.  This year, as a senior in AP Capstone Research, I am learning about the effects of medical marijuana on the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis (MS).  

Outside of school, I furthered my education through taking advantage of the Duke TiP summer program. Duke TiP is a summer program run by Duke University where students who score extremely well on the SAT as middle schoolers are able to take college classes at different universities throughout the summers of their middle school and high school years.  I took advantage of this opportunity twice.  First, I went to Trinity University in San Antonio to expand my horizons and learn more about debate.  However, once I was done exploring, I decided I wanted to go into neuroscience.  This led me to take an Abnormal Psychology class at Duke University’s West Campus.  This class opened my eyes to the interaction between neuroscience and mental health, mental illness, and personality.  Years later, I am currently continuing my education outside of school as an intern at the University of Texas Dallas Center for Brain Health.  Through this internship, I have been able to see different aspects of neuroscience including brain pattern testing, virtual reality therapy, and longitudinal research studies.  With this background, I have positioned myself to be accepted by top neuroscience programs throughout the nation.  So far, I have been accepted to the neuroscience department of University of Southern California, the University of Virginia, the University of Texas, and Southern Methodist University, as well as the chemistry department at University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill.  

It is with this passion for neuroscience driven by my family and passion for education driven by internal motivation that I will set out to conquer my career objectives.  My educational aspirations consist of acquiring a bachelor’s degree in a biological or health science that would assist me in pursuing a medical career as a neuroscience researcher.  I decided to attain a career as a researcher since my passion has always been assisting others and trying to improve their quality of life.  After obtaining my Masters and my PhD, I plan to become a professor at a prestigious university and continue performing lab research on cognitive disorders.  I am particularly interested in disorders such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).  In the lab, I hope to find different therapies and medications to help treat the 3.5 million people around the world suffering from ASD.  Furthermore, I want to contribute back to underserved populations that struggle because they do not have as much access to medical assistance as other privileged groups.  As such, I hope to do a part of my research in less developed or developing Spanish-speaking countries. This will also allow me to pursue my love of Spanish while pursuing my love of neuroscience.  I think that following such a career path will provide me the opportunity to learn about the medical needs of the autistic community and improve their quality of health.  Furthermore, I hope to train a new generation of students to strive to research and make comparable discoveries.  Whether it be through virtual reality labs or new drug discoveries, I believe that research leads to innovation which leads to a brighter future. 

This student does a great job of making themself appear competent and dedicated to the field of neuroscience. This is primarily because they provided tangible evidence of how they have pursued their dedication in the past—through their AP Capstone courses, their Abnormal Psychology class at Duke TiP, and their internship at UTD. There is no doubt in the mind of a reader that this student is high-achieving. 

This student also engages successfully with a past-future trajectory, where they end with a vision of how they will continue to use neuroscience in the future. This helps the review committee see what they are investing in and the ways that their money will go to good use.

This student has two major areas for improvement. As we have said, the purpose of a personal statement is for a student to humanize themself to a review committee. This student struggles to depict themself separately from their academic achievements. A solution to this would be for the student to establish a theme towards the beginning of their essay that relates to both their values as a human and their achievements.

At the beginning of the essay, the student explores how their interest in neuroscience began. They explain their interest through the following sentences: “During this time, my love for neuroscience was sparked as I began to research her condition and, then, other neurocognitive conditions” and “Once again, with this illness came a lot of research on my part — research that encouraged me to pursue my dreams of exploring neuroscience.” The student made the great decision to tell the backstory of their interest, but they described their research in very mundane and redundant terms. Instead, they could have focused on their value of intellectual curiosity as a magnetic force that encouraged them to research their mother and sister’s ailments. Curiosity, then, could serve as a value-related thematic throughline to taking AP Capstone classes, taking college courses during the summer that weren’t required, and interning before even graduating high school.

A second area for improvement would be avoiding statistics. As the student identifies their valedictorian status and the number of AP classes they have taken, they might turn away certain personalities on a review committee by appearing braggy. Even further, these statistics are a waste of space. The review committee already has access to this information. These words distract from the major theme of the essay and would have been better used to humanize the student.

Throughout my academic career, I have been an avid scholar, constantly pushing myself towards ambitious goals. I held and continue to hold myself to a high standard, enrolling myself in rigorous curriculum, including Honors and Advanced Placement courses to stretch my mental potential. During my junior year of high school, I took four AP tests, two on the same day, and earned the AP Scholar with Honor Award. Additionally, I received the Letter of Commendation for the PSAT/NMSQT, and qualified for Rotary Top 100 Students both my freshman and senior year, a sign of my commitment to my studies. However, school has not been all about having the best GPA for me; beyond the numbers, I have a deep drive to learn which motivates me to do well academically. I truly enjoy learning new things, whether it be a new essay style or a math theorem. I always give each class my best effort and try my hardest on every assignment. My teachers have noticed this as well, and I have received school Lancer Awards and Student of the Month recognitions as a result. It is a major goal of mine to continue to aspire towards a high level of achievement regarding future educational and occupational endeavors; I plan on continuing this level of dedication throughout my educational career and implementing the skills I have learned and will learn into my college experience and beyond.

This fall, I will begin attending the University of California Los Angeles as an English major. I chose this major because I am fascinated by written language, especially its ability to convey powerful messages and emotions. I also enjoy delving into the works of other authors to analyze specific components of their writing to discover the meaning behind their words. In particular, I cannot wait to begin in-depth literary criticism and learn new stylistic techniques to add more depth to my writing. Furthermore, I recently went to UCLA’s Bruin Day, an event for incoming freshmen, where I was exposed to many different extracurriculars, some of which really piqued my interest. I plan on joining the Writing Success Program, where I can help students receive free writing help, and Mock Trial, where I can debate issues with peers in front of a real judge. The latter, combined with a strong writing background from my undergraduate English studies will be extremely beneficial because I plan to apply to law school after my undergraduate degree. As of now, my career goal is to become a civil rights lawyer, to stand up for those who are discriminated against and protect minority groups to proliferate equality.

As a lawyer, I wish to utilize legislation to ameliorate the plight of the millions of Americans who feel prejudice and help them receive equity in the workplace, society, and so on. Though this seems a daunting task, I feel that my work ethic and past experience will give me the jumpstart I need to establish myself as a successful lawyer and give a voice to those who are often unheard in today’s legal system. I have been a Girl Scout for over a decade and continually participate in community service for the homeless, elderly, veterans, and more. My most recent project was the Gold Award, which I conducted in the Fullerton School District. I facilitated over ten workshops where junior high students taught elementary pupils STEM principles such as density and aerodynamics via creative activities like building aluminum boats and paper airplanes. I also work at Kumon, a tutoring center, where I teach students to advance their academic success. I love my job, and helping students from local schools reach their potential fills me with much pride.

Both being a Girl Scout and working at Kumon have inspired me to help those in need, contributing significantly to my desire to become a lawyer and aid others. My extracurriculars have allowed me to gain a new perspective on both learning and teaching, and have solidified my will to help the less fortunate. In college, I hope to continue to gain knowledge and further develop my leadership skills, amassing qualities that will help me assist others. I plan to join multiple community service clubs, such as UCLA’s local outreach programs that directly aid residents of Los Angeles. I want to help my fellow pupils as well, and plan on volunteering at peer tutoring and peer editing programs on campus. After college, during my career, I want to use legal tactics to assist the underdog and take a chance on those who are often overlooked for opportunities. I wish to represent those that are scared to seek out help or cannot afford it. Rather than battling conflict with additional conflict, I want to implement peaceful but strong, efficient tactics that will help make my state, country, and eventually the world more welcoming to people of all ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. These goals are close to my heart and therefore I will be as diligent as I am passionate about them. My perseverance and love for learning and community service drive my ambition in both education and life as a whole, and the drive to make the world a better place is one that I will carry with me for my entire life.

This student emphasizes two values in this essay: hard work and community service. These are values that go together nicely, and definitely make sense with this student’s end goal of becoming a civil rights lawyer! That said, some changes could be made to the way the student presents their values that would make their personal statement more convincing and engaging.

Structurally, instead of using a past-future trajectory, this student starts by explaining their academic achievements, then explains their career goals, then explains their history of community service, then explains their future desires for community service. This structure loses the reader. Instead, the student should have started with either the past or the future. 

This could look like 1) identifying their career goals, 2) explaining that hard work and a commitment to community service are necessary to get there, and 3) explaining that they aren’t worried because of their past commitment to hard work and community service. Or it could look like 1) providing examples of their hard work and community service in the past, then 2) explaining how those values will help them achieve their career goals.

Additionally, like with our other example, this student shows a heavy investment in statistics and spouting off accomplishments. This can be unappealing. Unfortunately, even when the student recognizes that they are doing this, writing “beyond the numbers, I have a deep drive to learn which motivates me to do well academically. I truly enjoy learning new things, whether it be a new essay style or a math theorem,” they continue on to cite their achievements, writing “My teachers have noticed this as well, and I have received school Lancer Awards and Student of the Month recognitions as a result.” They say they are going beyond the numbers, but they don’t go beyond the awards. They don’t look inward. One way to fix this would be to make community service the theme around which the essay operates, supplementing with statistics in ways that advance the image of the student as dedicated to community service.

Finally, this student would be more successful if they varied their sentence structure. While a small-scale autobiography can be good, if organized, every sentence should not begin with ‘I.’ The essay still needs to be engaging or the review committee might stop reading.

Feedback is ultimately any writer’s best source of improvement! To get your personal statement edited for free, use our Peer Review Essay Tool . With this tool, other students can tell you if your scholarship essay is effective and help you improve your essay so that you can have the best chances of gaining those extra funds!

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How to write a financial need statement for your scholarship application (with examples!)

So you’re applying for a scholarship that asks you about your financial need. What do you say? How honest or specific should you be? What is TMI? In this article, we break down how to pen an awesome financial need scholarship essay or statement.

What to include in a financial need scholarship essay

Template to structure your financial need scholarship essay, introduction: your basic profile, body: your financial situation and hardships, conclusion: how you would benefit from this scholarship, was this financial need essay for a college financial aid application , now, reuse that same essay to apply for more scholarships, additional resources to help you write your financial need scholarship essay.

Many scholarships and college financial aid awards are “need-based,” given to students whose financial situation requires additional support. That’s why one of the most common college scholarship essays is a statement of financial need. This might be very explicit (“Explain your financial need”), somewhat explicit (“Describe your financial situation”), or quite open-ended (“Explain why you need this scholarship”).

In all cases, scholarship providers want to get a sense of your family’s financial picture: what your family income is, if you personally contribute to it (do you have a job?), and how much additional money you need to attend your target college (your “financial gap”).

If the essay prompt is a bit more open-ended (“Explain how this scholarship would help you”), your essay should probably be a combination of a financial need statement and a career goals / academic goals essay.  That’s because you want to show how the award will help you financially and in your academic or career goals.

Usually this statement of financial need is a pretty short scholarship essay (150-300 words), so unlike a college essay or personal statement where you have ample word count to tell anecdotes, you’ll likely need to get right to the point. 

Be sure to include: 

• If you are an underrepresented group at college, for instance, part of an ethnic minority or the first in your family to go to college
• Any relevant family circumstances, like if your parents are immigrants or refugees, as well as your parents’ occupation and how many children/family members they support financially
• How you are currently paying for college, including what you personally are doing to contribute financially (like working student jobs)
• What financial challenges/difficulties your family is facing, for instance, if a parent recently lost their job
• How you would benefit from the scholarship–including your academic and career goals (if word count allows)

Also remember to write in an optimistic tone. Writing about your financial situation or hardships might not be the most positive thing to share. But you can turn it around with an optimistic tone by writing about how these challenges have taught you resiliency and grit.

Give a short introduction to who you are, highlighting any family characteristics that might make you part of an underrepresented group at college. 

“I am a first-generation American and the first in my family to go to college. My family moved from El Salvador to New York when I was seven years old, to escape the violence there.”

Example 2: 

“I am from a working-class family in Minnesota. My family never had a lot, but we pooled our efforts together to make ends meet. My parents both worked full-time (my father as a mechanic, my mother as a receptionist at the local gym), while my siblings and I all worked weekend jobs to contribute to the family income.”

Dive into the details. How are you currently planning to pay for college? The idea here is to show that you and your family have made a good-faith effort to earn enough money to pay your tuition, but that it has simply not been enough. 

Make sure you describe your parents’ occupation, any savings (like a 529 College Savings Account), and any student jobs. You might also discuss any sudden changes in fortune (e.g. parent fell ill or lost their job) that have ruined your original financial plans. 

Example 

As immigrants with limited English, my parents have had to accept low-paying jobs. My father is an Uber driver, and my mother is a housekeeper. They earn just enough to pay our rent and put food on the table, so I’ve always known they could not help me pay for college.  So I’ve been proactive about earning and saving my own money. Since age 11, I’ve worked odd jobs (like mowing my neighbors’ lawns). At age 16, I started working at the mall after school and on weekends. Through all these jobs, I’ve saved about $3000. But even with my financial aid grants, I need to pay $8000 more per year to go to college. 

Bring it home by wrapping up your story.  Explain how you plan to use the financial aid if you’re awarded this scholarship. How will you benefit from this award? What will you put the money toward, and how will it help you achieve your academic and/or career goals?

Scholarship review boards want to know that their money will be put to good use, supporting a student who has clear plans for the future, and the motivation and determination to make those plans a reality. This is like a shortened, one-paragraph version of the “Why do you deserve this scholarship?” essay . 

Winning $5000 would help me close the financial gap and take less in student loans. This is particularly important for me because I plan to study social work and eventually work in a role to support my community. However, since these jobs are not well paid, repaying significant student loans would be difficult. Your scholarship would allow me to continue down this path, to eventually support my community, without incurring debt I can’t afford.

My plan is to study human biology at UC San Diego, where I have been admitted, and eventually pursue a career as a Nurse-Practitioner. I know that being pre-med will be a real academic challenge, and this scholarship would help me focus on those tough classes, rather than worrying about how to pay for them. The $2000 award would be equivalent to about 150 hours of working at a student job. That’s 150 hours I can instead focus on studying, graduating, and achieving my goals. 

Sometimes this financial need statement isn’t for an external scholarship. Instead, it’s for your college financial aid office.

In that case, you’re usually writing this statement for one of two reasons:

• You’re writing an appeal letter , to request additional financial aid, after your original financial aid offer wasn’t enough. In this case, you’ll want to make sure you’re being extra specific about your finances.
• You’re applying for a specific endowed scholarship that considers financial need. In this case, your financial need essay can be quite similar to what we’ve outlined above.

Now that you’ve written a killer financial need scholarship essay, you have one of the most common scholarship essays ready on hand, to submit to other scholarships too.

You can sign up for a free Going Merry account today to get a personalized list of hundreds of scholarships matched to your profile. You can even save essays (like this one!) to reuse in more than one application.  

You might also be interested in these other blog posts related to essay writing:

• What’s the right scholarship essay format and structure?
• How to write a winning scholarship essay about your academic goals
• How to write an awesome essay about your career goals
• Recent Posts

• Scholarships for Students in Pennsylvania for 2024 - November 11, 2020
• Counselor Starter Guide: How to Use Going Merry’s Scholarship Platform - September 9, 2020
• How to write a financial need statement for your scholarship application (with examples!) - August 13, 2020

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How to Write a Financial Aid Statement

Last Updated: February 1, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Michael R. Lewis . Michael R. Lewis is a retired corporate executive, entrepreneur, and investment advisor in Texas. He has over 40 years of experience in business and finance, including as a Vice President for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas. He has a BBA in Industrial Management from the University of Texas at Austin. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 561,625 times.

The financial aid statement is a simple, short piece of writing that students may include on a financial aid letter, in an essay, or in other communications to a financial aid department. The financial aid statement may not be a full communication on its own, but rather an element of a more complex financial aid appeal. If you need to write such a statement in order to reach out to a university or college's financial aid office, follow some basic steps.

Sample Statements and Things to Include

Writing a Statement of Financial Need

• For example, you could write the following: “My parents moved to the United States from Albania in order to give us better opportunities. As their oldest child, I will be the first in our family to attend college.”

• For example, write something like this: “I have worked to help support my family since I was 16 years old. Currently, I work on the weekends as a waitress to support myself. My parents also give me what they can each month. Since my parents didn’t speak English when we moved here, it was very difficult for them to support our family. My mother worked many hours as a housekeeper in a hotel. They saved what they could, but we do not have enough savings to pay for my college education."

• For example: “My earnings from my weekend job cover my living expenses. I worked extra shifts over the summer and saved enough to pay for a portion of this year’s tuition. However, I am seeking aid for the portion of the tuition I cannot cover on my own.”

• For example: “Receiving financial aid will allow me to focus on my studies during the week without having to worry about earning extra money. I would continue to work on the weekends to cover my living expenses, but I would be able to keep the weekdays free to focus solely on my school work.”

• For example: “Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to discussing my opportunities with you.”

Writing a Statement for a Scholarship

• For example: “I am applying for this scholarship in order to further my studies in education. My long-term goal is to work as an ESL teacher in an inner city environment. My academic, work and personal experiences have lead me to this career goal.”

• For example: “I graduated from my undergraduate institution with a 4.0 GPA. I had a double major of Elementary Education and Spanish, with a minor in Sociology. I applied for and received a prestigious internship working with the state government on developing educational policies.”

• For example: “My parents moved our family to this country from Albania when I was 12 years old. I did not speak any English when we arrived. The ESL teachers in my school helped me to be successful in school, and I want to do the same for other students in my circumstances.”

• For example: “Each summer, I volunteer for the Migrant Workers Education Association in Chester County, Pennsylvania. They service migrant workers who come here from Mexico to work on mushroom farms. We not only link families with community services, but we also tutor children in English and help them learn important school skills that will allow them to be successful in school.”

• For example: “My experiences as an ESL student and an English tutor have taught me the value of helping children to feel successful and empowered. I know the meaning of hard work, and I have learned how to overcome challenges in my own personal and academic life.”

Making Your Personal Statement Successful

Expert Q&A

You might also like.

• ↑ http://www.bestvalueschools.com/faq/what-is-a-statement-of-financial-need/
• ↑ https://www.goingmerry.com/blog/how-to-write-a-scholarship-essay-or-statement-about-your-financial-need-with-examples/
• ↑ https://www.laguardia.edu/uploadedfiles/main_site/content/supporters_friends/docs/scholarship_personal_statement.pdf
• ↑ https://scholarships360.org/financial-aid/how-to-write-a-statement-of-financial-need/
• ↑ https://custom-writing.org/blog/financial-needs-essay
• ↑ http://financialaid.ucdavis.edu/scholarships/tips/personal.html

About This Article

If you’re writing a statement of financial need, make it personal by sharing information about yourself and what's motivating you to pursue your studies. Try to be authentic, to write honestly about what you've already accomplished and what you hope to do with your education. Use specific examples if you can to reinforce the points you're trying to make. Finally, be sure to start your first draft early enough to get feedback from teachers or advisers and make revisions before you submit it. For more advice from our reviewer, including how to write a statement for a scholarship, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Write a Killer Scholarship Personal Statement: Definitive Guide With Examples

The Importance of an Effective Personal Statement

Whether you’re coming straight out of high school, are a transfer student, or are an adult student returning to college after a long absence, one of the first things you’ll want to do when preparing for college is to look for scholarships.

At all levels, college is expensive. Winning scholarships that cut down on costs is a priority for most of us, and writing an effective scholarship personal statement can help you do that.

There are many important parts of the process when it comes to scholarship applications. Locating the scholarships and gathering all the relevant information are key components, but your scholarship personal statement is arguably the most important part of a scholarship application.

Writing a powerful and memorable personal statement can really make your application stand out among the hundreds of other submissions.

Table of Contents

What Exactly Is a Scholarship Personal Statement?

A personal statement is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. It’s a statement, paragraph, or essay about yourself. It should tell who you are, where you came from, what your dreams, goals, and aspirations are, and more. It should focus on your strengths and tell scholarship committees why you deserve their money.

Sometimes, personal statements can be written in response to an open-ended question, such as, “ Tell us about yourself. ” More often, though, scholarship applications have a very specific prompt that you’re supposed to follow when writing your personal statement.

Following the Prompt

A prompt is something that many colleges or other types of scholarship committees will give you to help guide your writing. Some essays won’t have a prompt. We’ll discuss those later on in the article. For now, let’s focus on the applications that provide you with prompts.

When given a prompt, please stick to it and answer it fully. You don’t want to trail off onto some other tangent or write your statement how you want to write it simply because it sounds better or because you already have a standard scholarship personal statement you like to use. Answer the prompt that is given, and answer it honestly and completely.

Some prompts require you to respond to the questions asked in the order given, while for others ( most of them ), you can follow whatever order that suits you, so long as you address all questions.

Knowing about some common prompts beforehand will help prepare you for what you may be asked and will keep you from being blindsided. Knowing some common prompts early on can also prepare you a little more about what to write.

Common College Scholarship Personal Statement Prompts

1.   why do you deserve this scholarship.

This is probably the most commonly asked prompt for any scholarship personal statement. Most organizations that give scholarships know why you want the scholarship. What they don’t know is why exactly they should give it to you. Your answer to this prompt should be one that fully answers the question by telling the scholarship committee not only why you deserve the money, but also why you need it at all.

Why you deserve something and why you need it are two totally different questions. This prompt, though, requires you to answer both. The reasons you need the scholarship money could involve a number of factors, including:

• Financial hardship in your family
• Coming from a single-parent or foster-parent home
• Older siblings already at college
• Parent(s) is disabled, out of work, or incarcerated
• Coming from a low-income family, neighborhood, or Title I school
• Receiving government assistance (housing, food stamps, etc.)
• Being a ward of the state with no support system

All of these reasons – and more – are why you might need the money. Tell the committee that in your scholarship personal statement.

Telling them these things should not be seen as “feeling sorry for yourself” or begging for help. These are all legitimate reasons you could potentially need help paying for college. As long as you’re being honest, these are definitely things that should be included in your personal statement.

Telling the committee why you deserve the scholarship is a little different. While all those reasons are why you need the money, they don’t explain why you deserve it. This is the part of the scholarship personal statement where you sell the committee on YOU.

Tell them about all the great things you’ve done. If you were an honor roll student, a member of the BETA Club or National Honor Society, or a National Merit Scholar, put that in your statement.

Other reasons you could cite as to why you deserve a scholarship include:

• Exceptional athletic ability or talent
• Many hours of documented community service
• Having served your country honorably in the military
• Impressive personal stories of overcoming adversity
• Exceptional ACT/SAT scores
• A schedule that shows an impressive balance of grades, sports, community service, etc.

Just as listing the reasons you need the scholarship isn’t begging, listing these reasons for deserving the scholarship isn’t bragging. There are hundreds, possibly even thousands, of people, trying to get the same scholarships you’re trying to get. You need to stand out above the crowd.

2.  Tell us about overcoming your greatest challenge.

Although this prompt is worded quite differently from the first prompt, in essence, you can answer them both in a similar way. All of those reasons you might have for needing the money are also challenges you’ve had to overcome to succeed in life.

Other possible challenges could include the loss of parents, a physical or mental disability you’ve had to learn to cope with throughout your life, or a dangerous, scary, or upsetting life event you’ve lived through in your past.

For this type of prompt, you’ll want to start with the challenge you faced. Be as honest and descriptive as possible about what it was. Then be equally honest and descriptive about the steps you took to overcome it. If, after overcoming the challenge, you received some kind of recognition or award, make sure you mention that as well.

3. Why do you want to attend college?/Why is education important?

This is another very popular question that’s asked on scholarship applications. A scholarship committee wants to know that you have actual, obtainable goals for your education and your future before they give you money to use for college.

If you can’t effectively explain why college – and education in general – is important to your future goals, most committees won’t want to take a chance on you.

There are different ways to approach this particular prompt. If you fit into a category of people who have notoriously been excluded from higher education in the past, such as African Americans, women, or other minority groups, talking about that can help your case.

You can discuss how hard the generations that came before you fought for you to be able to attend college and how you want to honor that.

You can also take a wholly personal approach to answering this question. Mention any relevant struggles you’ve been through, and don’t be afraid to talk about your family. Did they go to college?

If not, discuss what an honor it’ll be to be the first in your family to graduate from college. Those types of things are all relevant reasons you might want to attend college.

No matter which way you decide to go with your answer to this question, don’t forget to talk about your goals and how college is the only way for you to achieve them in your scholarship personal statement.

Be specific. Talk about your intended major and how that major and the classes you’ll take for it will help you become what you want to become. If you’re applying for a college-specific scholarship, talk about why you want to go to that specific college.

4. Random and Unique Essay Prompts

Sometimes, no matter how hard you study and prep in order to write a good essay, a scholarship committee comes up with a personal statement essay prompt that seems like it’s entirely out of left field. These types of prompts can be anything.

For example, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has been known to ask students seeking scholarships in the past, “ What do you hope to find over the rainbow? ”. And for 2022/23, one of UNC’s application prompts required fill-in-the-blank type of responses, including:

• If I had an extra hour in every day, I would spend it…
• If I could travel anywhere, near or far, past, present or future, I would go…
• The last time I stepped outside my comfort zone, I…

The 2022/23 Yale-specific questions on the Coalition and Common App included the following short answer questions:

• You are teaching a new Yale course. What is it called?
• Yale’s residential colleges regularly host conversations with guests representing a wide range of experiences and accomplishments. What person, past or present, would you invite to speak? What would you ask them to discuss?

Another unusual prompt you might come across is “What would you do if you were a superhero?” .

There really isn’t a way to prepare for these types of prompts, but knowing they exist and that you might run across one is a good start.

For many people, these are the best kinds of prompts to receive. They give you a chance to let your imagination run wild, and they’re a nice change from the same old “Why do you deserve this scholarship?” type of questions.

So if you do happen to run across one of these, don’t immediately dismiss it. These types of prompts give you a chance to have a little fun. They are a chance to have your personality shine a little, and who knows- you might just impress the scholarship committee!

Writing Scholarship Personal Statements for Applications without Prompts

If you’re asked to write a personal statement but aren’t really given a prompt, simply tell the college a mixture of all those things listed above. Talk about your achievements, accomplishments, and instances of overcoming obstacles. Talk about your history, and tell them why you need the scholarship and why you deserve it.

There are also a few other Do’s and Don’ts to remember. Do be specific, but don’t get too complicated. Keep things simple and light, while also being thorough. Your personal statement is like a mini autobiography.

You want to highlight all the key points while putting a heavy emphasis on your strengths. You can mention a weakness, especially if you’ve learned to overcome that weakness, but don’t focus too much attention there.

Arrange your essay in a logical order that makes sense and flows well. Also, try to keep to one or two central themes throughout the entirety of the statement. Clear, concise personal statements are easily read and extremely memorable. Don’t be afraid to tell a story, though.

You never want to lie or exaggerate in your personal statement, but you should make it as interesting and as entertaining as possible while sticking to the facts.

Be very clear and precise about your goals and dreams. Don’t add in a lot of hypotheticals, maybes, or uncertainties. Scholarship committees want to know that you have a solid goal for your future.

They don’t want to give money to someone who might want to be an engineer and thinks botany is great but also really loves the idea of cosmetology and is just going to “stay undeclared until I figure it all out.” Umm…that’s an extreme example, perhaps, but you get the idea.

Don’t add in a lot of unnecessarily long words. Your personal statement should read like an actual story of your life, not a poorly written thesaurus. Trust us on this.

Scholarship committees will be much more impressed if you write an honest, well-organized, and coherent essay about yourself than they will if you find a way to use the words “ platitudinous ,” “ audacity ” and “ impecunious ” in your personal statement.

Also, avoid cliches and extremely long and wordy sentences.

Personal Statement Review: If you need help brainstorming or reviewing your essay, check our personal statement helper page.

Standard Scholarship Essay Format

The first thing you want to do when writing your scholarship personal statement is to set the formatting up correctly. Some scholarship applications will provide you with specific formatting requirements.

If not, the standard formatting requirements of a scholarship essay or personal statement are usually as follows:

• One-inch margins on all sides
• Double-spaced
• No additional line spaces between paragraphs
• Typed in Times New Roman
• Typed with 12-point font

Specific guidelines given in the scholarship instructions always supersede these formatting guidelines. Be sure to use proper grammar and punctuation. If these aren’t your strong points, ask a teacher, mentor, or friend to look over your essay for any errors.

You could also utilize this awesome  spellcheck and online grammar check tool , or use any other that works for you. 

After you’ve got the formatting correct, the next thing you want to do is put together your outline. This can be done on paper, on the computer, or just inside your head, but it does need to be done.

You need at least a loose outline to make sure your essay flows smoothly and makes sense as written. While the exact structure of your essay will depend largely on your own writing style and the essay prompt, here’s the general structure for most essays.

Step 1: Introduction

Your introduction should be no more than 2 paragraphs long, and you want to catch the reader with a very interesting and engaging first sentence. You should also outline the key points you’re going to be making in the remainder of your essay. If you were writing an English paper, this would be your thesis.

Step 2: Body Paragraphs

You should always have at least 2 body paragraphs, preferably 3. Remember, long paragraphs of text running together can be hard for readers to wade through and absorb, so try to keep your paragraphs to no more than 5 sentences if possible.

If you change topics, such as moving from talking about your family to talking about your strengths, you should also change paragraphs.

Your body paragraphs are where you really sell yourself as a great student with a lot of potential to the scholarship committee. Remember- be specific but simple!

Don’t get bogged down in big, thesaurus-like words, and avoid clichés. Just be honest about your life experiences, your accomplishments, and your future goals.

Step 3: Conclusion

In this last paragraph, you’ll want to sum up everything. This is also the paragraph where you talk about how much being awarded this particular scholarship would benefit you and what you would do with the money that will help you achieve your goals.

It’s also nice to thank the scholarship committee for taking the time to read through your application and consider you for the scholarship.

Scholarship Personal Statement Examples

Below you’ll find some examples of actual scholarship essays that were written by actual college students seeking scholarships. Some are examples of what to do, while others are examples of what not to do.

If you’re stuck and don’t know where to begin, hopefully, these will give you a little inspiration.

Sample Essay 1

“The day was May 28, 2014. My doctor told my parents that I would need Spinal Fusion Surgery with rods and screws, and it had to happen quickly. Before surgery, the doctor suggested strength training for the muscles in my back so that I’d recover faster. I immediately went to the local gym and began working with a personal trainer, Justin. I learned so much from him including how the body works and how surgery takes time to heal. After surgery, I knew that I wanted to use my experience to help others, just like Justin helped me.”

– Read the rest   here .

This is an excellent example of an introductory paragraph for a scholarship personal statement. With the author’s first two sentences, I was hooked. This student knows how to immediately capture the reader’s attention and pull him into his story.

He’s relating a true story in response to a prompt asking him about his after-college plans, but he’s doing it in such a way that it’s instantly interesting, and engaging, and makes us want to read more.

The student also has a great transition sentence. Although we only provided a portion of the essay that stops just before he tells us exactly what his goals are, it’s obvious by the last displayed sentence that that’s exactly what he’s about to do.

He’s about to tell us his plans for his future, after already telling us why he chose those plans.

In just a few short sentences, this student catches our attention, tells us about a horrible thing that happened to him that he had to overcome, explains how that situation shaped what he wants to do with his future, and transitions into telling us his goals.

This is a masterfully crafted introductory paragraph.

Sample Essay 2

“Unlike other teens, I’m not concerned about money, or partying, or what others think of me. Unlike other eighteen-year-olds, I think about my future and haven’t become totally materialistic and acquisitive. My whole outlook on life changed after I realized that my life was just being handed to me on a silver spoon, and yet there were those in the world who didn’t have enough food to eat or place to live. I realized that the one thing that this world needed more than anything was compassion; compassion for those less fortunate than us.”

In contrast to example one, this sample section is an example of what not to do when writing your personal statement. It starts off badly and just keeps ongoing.

The first couple of sentences of this student’s essay don’t paint her in a great light because of how they’re written. It’s fine to tell the scholarship committee that you aren’t a partier and that you care about your future, but it’s not okay to do it while sitting in judgment of other people.

The very first words of this essay are “Unlike other teenagers.” This automatically sets the writer apart, which would be fine if she were going on to say something positive about “other teenagers.”

For instance, if she were to say that she didn’t grow up getting to socialize and spend time with friends because she was homeschooled her whole life or that she didn’t learn about the advantages of technology because she grew up in a rural community, her opening words would’ve been fine.

Instead, she immediately jumps into saying harsh, degrading things about “other teenagers.” She lumps all teenagers into a stereotypical group of irresponsible partiers who care only about their appearances and material things.

Casting other people in a bad light is never a great way to let your light shine in any arena, but this is especially true when trying to craft a strong college personal essay.

The transition to her revolutionary life moment didn’t make a lot of sense, either. She says her “whole outlook on life changed” after realizing there were poor people in the world. This is off-putting for 2 reasons.

The first is that most people, including children, know there are poor people in the world. It isn’t really a secret and doesn’t usually come as a life-changing shock.

Secondly, the way her essay is written, she says she never did those bad things that other teens did. Then she says her whole life changed when she realized there were poor people in the world.

As written, this makes it sound like she changed and started doing these things after her revelation, which is certainly not what she meant at all, but because of the chronology of her essay, that’s how it sounds.

Sample Essay 3

“And, that strength was something that came not only from knowing how to cook my own food, lug armfuls of wood three or four times a day, and make my own safe and cozy place in the world, no matter where. It came from an inner sense of seeing things as they are. Life isn’t just out of a magazine with the best appliances and the nicest furniture. There are other things in life, like dirty floors, and relationships that don’t always work, and meals that have to be made. But, that’s not all bad.”

– Read the rest   here .

This is another example of an essay Don’t. The whole essay, which isn’t listed here, isn’t bad as a whole, but it also isn’t clear and precise. The sentences are long and wordy, and the student uses conjunctions, like “and” and “but,” to start sentences.

Grammatically, that isn’t the best way to write. This is an example of an essay that could have been quite good if only the student had spent some time editing it, proofreading it, and perhaps handing it over to someone else to look over it before he submitted it.

Never underestimate the power of revision and constructive criticism when writing your own scholarship essay.

Sample Essay 4

“Through the successes of my efforts, I also realized that poverty was just a societal limitation. I was low-income, not poor. I was still flourishing in school, leading faith-based activities, and taking an active role in community service. My low-income status was not a barrier but a launching pad to motivate and propel my success. […] Success is triumphing over hardships — willing yourself over anything and everything to achieve the best for yourself and your family. With this scholarship, I will use it to continue focusing on my studies in math and engineering, instead of worrying about making money and sending more back home. It will be an investment into myself for my family.”

– Read the rest here .

These are two paragraphs from the same essay, both excellently written. This student came from a very poor background and had to begin making money to help out their family at a very early age.

In this essay, the student does a great job of discussing hardships in the past in an honest, straightforward way that invites the reader’s admiration rather than pity.

The way he spends a brief amount of time talking about his hardships and then moving swiftly into how those hardships motivated him to want more from life is very well-done.

His conclusion paragraph is also spot-on. He acknowledges that the only way to overcome hardship is “willing yourself” to achieve. This shows that he has a willingness to work hard and experience to back it up.

He then goes on to tell how he’ll use the scholarship money if he receives it. He says that he’ll “invest into [him]self” and take this opportunity to work hard, even if it means he has to suffer financially for a few years, in order to achieve what he needs to achieve to ensure future financial success for both himself and his family.

This shows him to be a hard worker, someone caring and empathetic enough to put family first, and intelligent and enterprising.

These are all great things colleges want from prospective students, and he showcases these traits in himself without being overt or in-your-face about it.

Sample Essay 5

“To be able to hold onto your money you have to know how to manage it. Money management is a complicated process. As teenagers, we often have no idea how to manage money and we end up wasting a lot of it. But in a bad economy, most of us have had a crash course in what happens when you don’t manage your money properly. We have had to delve into a world foreign and unfamiliar to us and solve our own money problems. The most successful of us have managed to still have some semblance of a social life without going over our small budgets. The keys to doing this successfully are actually quite simple.”

The prompt for this particular essay was about managing money. In terms of staying on topic and having a good opening sentence, this writer did a really nice job.

The writer also makes the article very relatable because being a teenager and not knowing how to manage money is something most of us can remember quite easily.

In addition to being relatable, the first paragraph also holds our interest because it is easily read, not packed full of synonyms from the thesaurus, or written loftily.

The writer also does a great job with his “thesis” sentence. The last sentence of the paragraph is simple and straight to the point.

It lets us know what’s coming next; he’s about to list the keys to managing money successfully. This is a very well-organized introductory paragraph.

Where the writer falls short, though, is with his grammar. There are obvious run-on sentences and missing commas in that first paragraph. He also starts a sentence with a conjunction, which isn’t great as a general rule. The bad grammar and poor editing/proofreading take away from his entire paragraph, which otherwise would have been really good.

We’ve said it once, and we’re saying it again: Don’t skip the proofreading/editing stage ( fyi , we have great packages here to help with this ). If that isn’t something you’re good at doing, ask a teacher, mentor, friend, or loved one.

Grammar is important. You can have the best idea in the world, and bad grammar will keep people from hearing it because they’ll be too distracted by the errors.

When proofreading or editing for grammar, here are the most common questions to ask yourself:

• Did you write in complete sentences? (No fragments, run-ons, or comma splices)
• Did you run the paper through spellcheck and grammar check?
• Is all of your punctuation correct?
• Is it clear to whom or what your pronouns are referring?
• Are there any  misplaced or dangling modifiers  in your essay?
• Did you write in an  active voice ?
• Are you being repetitive?
• Did you use the right word between  commonly confused words ?
• Did you use proper subject/verb and noun/pronoun agreement throughout?
• Does your essay make logical, organized sense?

Before submitting your essay, edit through it using these questions as a guide.

Summing It All Up

The importance of writing a great, moving, and memorable scholarship personal statement cannot be overstated. Scholarship applications are uniform for all students.

Scholarship committee members are forced to read through the same types of information for all the students who apply. The one place you’re able to stand out and be creative is in your personal essay. That’s why it’s so important that you make it count.

A strong personal scholarship essay can be the tipping point between no money and lots and lots of money, so plan for it. Make time to do it right and edit it properly.

Consider it the most important part of your application process, and set aside the appropriate amount of time for drafting it, writing it, and editing it before the submission due date.

Finally, never be afraid to ask for help. Whether it’s an educator, parent, spouse, or friend, there is someone out there who wants to see you succeed. That person will be happy to help you craft the best possible scholarship personal statement.

How long should a scholarship essay be?

A scholarship essay should typically be between 500 to 1000 words. However, always adhere to any specific word limits set by the scholarship. If no limit is specified, aim for a concise essay within this range.

Focus on clear expression of ideas and experiences, and ensure to proofread for clarity and coherence. It’s more about quality than quantity.

Further Reading:

The Best GMAT Prep Courses, According to MBA Students

Best MCAT Prep Courses, According to Med Students

Best NCLEX Prep Courses, According to Nurses

Accredited ABSN programs in North Carolina

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Financial Aid and Scholarships

Important updates.

• Summer hours : Our front desk will be closed on Fridays from July through August . Phone lines remain open. 
• While awaiting your financial aid offer, we encourage you to utilize the UC Davis Financial Aid Estimator  to estimate your potential aid.

Writing a Personal Statement

Perhaps the most critical piece of many scholarship applications is the personal statement. It is often the chance for you to make the best case for why you should be given a scholarship. Personal statements allow the reader of your application to gain the strongest feel for who you are as a person, what sets you apart from other applicants, provide evidence of your intellectual and creative achievements, and show your writing ability.

Your personal statement should be treated as the equivalent of a face-to-face interview. A well-written statement adds clarity, richness, and meaning to the information collected in other parts of your application. It is also an opportunity to explain how factors outside of your school environment have enhanced or impeded your ability to maximize available academic and intellectual opportunities.

While there is no one correct way to write a personal statement, here are some tips that are universally applicable:

Start on your personal statement early.

Give yourself time to think about your topics, and carefully consider the rationale behind each question.

Be clear. Be focused. Be organized.

Make sure your personal statement follows a logical structure. Try to think about how it may sound to an audience who doesn’t know you. Getting input from people you trust—teachers, friends, relatives—can help you get different perspectives on how your personal statement affects those who are reading it. Avoiding long, drawn-out essay responses will not only help keep your reader’s attention but will also show that you were thoughtful about your writing.

Get personal.

The readers want to get a sense of who you are, and the only way to do this is to share a bit about who you are.  After all, it is called a Personal Statement. This is your chance to share with the reader what you feel they should know about you to make an informed decision.

Make it authentic.

A personal statement should showcase who you are and what you care about, not what you believe the readers want to hear. Remember that those reading your application will be reading many other applications as well and will be able to tell right away if what you are writing is honest and authentic. It is also worth keeping in mind that some programs require an interview for finalists where it will be easy to spot those who have not been genuine in their personal statements.

Be careful with humor and clichés.

What might seem funny or bitingly ironic to you might not seem that way to someone who doesn’t know you. Remember that the personal statement is an opportunity for you to give a complete picture of yourself. Don’t allow clichés to speak for you.

Be reflective.

A personal statement isn’t effective simply because it chronicles difficult circumstances. Strong personal statements should show that the writer has reflected upon and learned from their past experiences and achievements. Ideally, the writer will be able to show progression towards a clear perspective of how he or she sees the world, and what direction he or she is headed towards in the future. An effective personal statement gives a clear sense of your personal qualities and how you have used and developed them in response to your opportunities and challenges.

Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas.

Being too vague or writing too generally will not make your personal statement memorable. Thousands upon thousands of personal statements discuss initiative, but only hundreds show initiative using concrete examples of demonstrated motivation and leadership. But examples are only one part of the equation. You also need to show how you have assigned meaning to your experiences and how you have grown from them. Prove that you have a sense of who you are, where you are going, and how you are going to use your education and your experiences to accomplish your goals. Although some events have long-term or even lifetime ramifications, it is usually better to focus on recent events because they shed more light on who you are right now.

Finally, give yourself plenty of time for revisions.

Personal statements should go through several drafts before submission. Read your writing to others, and revise for clarity in content and in style. Pay attention to rules of correct grammar and punctuation, and don’t forget to spell-check. It is also recommended that you make use of campus resources (such as professor, teaching assistant, advisor, Academic Assistance and Tutoring Center, classmates, or friends) to gain valuable insight into how to improve your personal statement. If you are applying for prestigious scholarships, make sure to submit all personal statements to the Prestigious Scholarship Advisor for editing and guidance on re-writes.

We hope these tips will help you get organized and will inspire you. Your personal statement is the best tool you have to show us the individual gifts you have to offer.

Personal Statement Tips

The goal of your personal statement can vary based on the specific scholarship application, so be sure to tailor it to each application, rather than have a blanket personal statement to send to all programs. Often, a personal statement is a great place to explain any resume gaps, financial need, research interests- instances that are hard to convey on a resume and transcript. Be as specific as possible, a personal statement should be personal! Some programs may require a service component post-graduation, so if yours does, think of how you’ll complete that portion of it.

• Try to not use too many “I” statements
• Use active verbs and voice
• Make an appointment with the Writing Center to go over misspellings, grammatical errors and typos. The more eyes on your statement, the better.
• Be creative! It’s time to let your beautiful mind shine in the creative process.
• Plan ahead- be aware of scholarship due dates and deadlines. Make sure you have enough time for our office and the Writing Center to review your statement.

The Office of National Scholarships The Honors College Marshall University Old Main 230-E One John Marshall Drive Huntington, WV 25755-2170

Phone: 304-696-2475 Email: [email protected] Book A Meeting

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, financial aid personal statement examples.

Hey everyone! I'm working on my financial aid application and was wondering if anyone has any examples or tips for writing a solid personal statement specifically for financial aid purposes? Thanks in advance!

Hi there! A personal statement for financial aid should focus on your financial situation, any challenges or extenuating circumstances you face, and how receiving aid will impact your education and future aspirations. Here's a brief outline and example to help guide you:

1. Introduction: Start by introducing yourself and providing a brief overview of your financial situation. Make sure to engage the reader with an opening statement that reveals your enthusiasm for your education and future goals.

Example: As an aspiring engineer with a passion for sustainable living, I am excited to pursue my dream of attending XYZ College. However, my family faces financial constraints that limit my ability to cover the costs without significant aid.

2. Background: Explain the factors that contribute to your financial need, such as job loss, health issues, or a large family. Paint a vivid picture of the struggles you and your family have faced and how it has affected your educational journey.

Example: My mother, a single parent of four, recently lost her job due to company downsizing. We've faced numerous challenges, such as putting food on the table, paying rent, and affording healthcare. These circumstances have made it especially difficult for my mother to provide financial assistance for my college education.

3. Impact of financial aid: Describe how receiving financial aid would benefit you in your educational journey and impact your future aspirations. Highlight your goals and elaborate on how your passion will drive you to achieve them.

Example: Financial assistance will allow me to attend XYZ College, granting me the opportunity to study under renowned engineering professors and contribute to their groundbreaking research on sustainable energy solutions. This experience will enable me to develop the necessary skills to become an innovator in the field of sustainable engineering, empowering me to make a significant impact on the environment and communities worldwide.

4. Conclusion: Reinforce your enthusiasm and dedication to your education, and express gratitude for the opportunity to be considered for financial aid. Emphasize how the aid will not only benefit you but also contribute to the broader community.

Example: I am eager to embark on my journey at XYZ College and contribute my skills and ideas to the campus community. With your generous financial assistance, I can make the most of this invaluable opportunity and pursue my dreams of becoming a leader in sustainable engineering. Thank you for considering my application and allowing me the chance to contribute to a greener, more sustainable future for all.

Remember to be genuine and specific about your personal situation. Personalizing your statement will make it more powerful and compelling. Good luck!

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The sfbu blog, the best way to write your personal statement when applying for a scholarship.

Are you ready to begin your journey toward attending a university and obtaining a degree that will change your life? The career of your dreams awaits at the end of that journey. Your destination is right there on the horizon. But are you concerned about how you will pay for your education? At San Francisco Bay University, we take great pride in providing scholarships, including housing scholarships, and tuition grants for students who seek to study here. After all, some of the best companies in the world call our area home. Whether it be for an MBA or otherwise, we offer scholarships for multiple disciplines. From BSCS to MSCS scholarships and more, it is important to us that students obtain the help they need. But why is that?

Each year, more than 1.7 million private scholarships and fellowships are awarded. This may seem like a big number, but also consider that approximately 19.4 million students attended U.S. colleges and universities per data reported in late 2020. That represents only 8.76% of potentially eligible students who receive a scholarship to attend the university of their choice. There is no doubt that more students, both locally and globally, would benefit from obtaining a scholarship, whether it be an MSCS scholarship or otherwise. And yet, obtaining a scholarship is not as easy as simply asking for one. There are a series of steps you must take to be on the receiving end of financial aid.

Colleges and universities generally look at a series of factors when considering whom to award a scholarship, grant, or other forms of financial aid. They include everything from previous academic performance (including GPA) to volunteerism and a demonstrated aspiration or passion toward their chosen field of study. One of the ways students show their aspiration or passion is in their personal statement. The personal statement is used to determine your level of interest and passion. It can be just as crucial to the process as what your high school GPA was. That’s why we wanted to dive a little deeper into what makes a personal statement truly stand out. Let’s use an application for an MSCS scholarship as one example.

Taking a Closer Look at an MSCS Scholarship Personal Statement

Let’s take for example a student who has already received her or his BSCS degree (Bachelor’s of Science in Computer Science) degree. Now they want to take their education and career opportunities to the next level. Yet, they may have already put all their financial resources into getting their initial degree. A scholarship might be just the answer to getting them across the finish line towards receiving their MSCS (Master’s of Science in Computer Science) degree.

A critical part of scholarship applications is the personal statement. Remember, you want to stand out from the crowd. Your personal statement should represent your best characteristics and provide you with an opportunity to stand out from the crowd. After all, you need to convince the committee deciding who receives MSCS scholarships that you are worthy of the award. You might have a truly remarkable curriculum vitae, but you are not the only remarkable student applying for this scholarship. After all, in the United States, there are roughly 65,000 CS graduates, which is less than China and Russia , but the quality of education is higher in the U.S., according to international university rankings. This means competition for scholarships in computer science and other disciplines is much tighter.

In many cases, it will be your personal statement that really sets you apart from applicants who have equal if not better qualifications than you do. Personal statements allow you to show your writing prowess and provide you with an opportunity to tell your story in a compelling way. The veracity of how you tell your story might be just what wins you that scholarship. Let’s take a closer look.

How to Build a Beautiful and Compelling Personal Statement

Your personal statement is an important part of an MSCS scholarship application. It’s about more than your birth name and identification number. A personal statement represents the ability to show how unique you are. Your personal statement needs to be good. Really good.

First, consider eliminating your character counter. Just let the thoughts flow and tell your story. The last thing you want is for your word count to hit the ceiling just as you are halfway through telling your story. Don’t panic, just keep writing. You can edit it later. In the end, you’ll find it’s easier to compress and remove superfluous things than to limit yourself.

Second, do not place an arbitrary time limit on preparing your statement. There is no need to rush. Reflect on your accomplishments and take a couple of hours to really dig into who you are and why you would be an excellent fit for a scholarship award. Find the perfect words and expressions that demonstrate your qualities and what makes you special. A good writer’s technique is to write a composition, take a break for a day or two, then come back and read it. Revelations may come to you after you’ve had a night to sleep on it.

Lastly, consider your language. To ‘accomplish’ something sounds so much better than to ‘do’ it. For international students who do not speak English as their first language, there are some good translation and synonym programs and search functionalities on the internet or in a physical thesaurus or dictionary. Whatever you use, there are many great resources to help you find better words to complete a thought in a more elegant or effective way. But do not be overly flowery in your verbiage. The true master shows skill while practicing restraint.

Above All, It’s About your Strengths

In the limited number of words that you have, it is important for you to sell yourself to the university. When a product is being offered to someone, the proponent of the product generally talks about how great that thing is. You are not a product, but there should be no problem talking about how great you are. Write about your experiences, your skills, your knowledge, and your future plans and desires. Why dwell on where you’ve gone wrong? No, you want to focus on where you’ve gone right. But it also might not hurt to show a bit of humility and articulate an experience in which you learned from a mistake.

As you focus on what you do best, make sure you include it somehow in your opening and closing statements. How you introduce yourself and what you conclude on will make all the difference in how the university administrator remembers your story. Starting with something funny, interesting, inspirational, or surprising will often provide a good first impression. Making someone smile is a great way to be introduced. But don’t dwell too long on your opening and closing statements. As you write out your personal statement, the proper opening and closing statements may just come to you out of nowhere.

Finally, do it yourself . Don’t pay someone to write it for you. It must be written in your own voice and be constructed of your own work and ideas. Here’s a pro tip: don’t read any other personal statements before reading yours. You are unique, and it will do you little good to follow someone else’s rules or patterns as to what you should do and how you should write it.

Now, how do you feel? Are you ready to sit down and write the best personal statement of your life? If you aren’t quite there yet but would like more information on MSCS scholarships or otherwise, get in touch with us today!

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Examples of Personal Statements | Personal Statement Examples

Free personal statements resources and personal statement examples for college, law school, mba programs, medical school, and graduate school, category archives: scholarships and financial aid, getting ahead with your scholarship application.

So you’re finishing up your application package and you’re looking for some personal statement examples to help you on your essay when you came across some information on scholarships.  At first glance, it may seem as though scholarships are impossible to obtain and that you need to have impeccable grades and an outstanding resume.  While these things may definitely help you, there are a few other factors that can boost your chances of getting a scholarship plan.(1)  Read on for some helpful tips on scholarship applications.

Know what the sponsor is looking for, and gauge your success based on this

Before you start applying for scholarships, it’s important to get a good idea of what the sponsor is looking for.  Try to gather all of the information you need, and determine if you are eligible for a scholarship.  Aside from checking the websites of sponsors, you can also give them a call in an attempt to talk to someone who can give you all of the details you have to know.(2)  Just like using personal statement examples to help you understand how to write an admission essay, it is also important to gather sponsor information for better chances at landing a scholarship plan.

Send all requirements in advance

One of the golden rules when submitting applications of any sort is to make sure that you complete all of the requirements in full and send them before the deadline.  Not only will you get a head-start on your competition, but you will also let your probable sponsors know that you are responsible.(3)  Be sure to allot enough time for writing your personal statement, if it is required.  You can use personal statement examples to get the gist of what a scholarship personal statement should be like.  Before submitting your requirements, compare your essay with a personal statement example to ensure that you did a great job at writing.

Do well with your application essay by focusing on more meaningful discussions

When you are brainstorming on topics to write about in your essay, use examples of personal statements.  You’ll find that most examples of personal statements focus on meaningful discussions, such as goals and aspirations, your merits, and how you make a good candidate for the scholarship.  Some topics that would be great for use in your essay include your personal growth, your character, and your individuality.(4)

(1) http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/undergrad_adm/paths_to_adm/freshman/scholarship_reqs.html (2)  http://www.scholars.uci.edu/tips.asp (3)  http://www.iusb.edu/~scholar1/scholarlist.shtml (4)  http://www.finaid.wwu.edu/scholarships/pages/general_information/tips.php

Three Myths about Scholarships

With all of the financial troubles that are affecting the economy these days, one of the key goals of most consumers is to get the best deal possible.  College students and their parents can save loads of money by applying this same saving attitude to college education fees.  One of the best ways to get a good deal on college education is to get a scholarship.  If you think that you are not eligible for a scholarship, check out these top three myths on scholarships and think again:

You cannot get scholarships if you’re not an A student

You don’t have to be a straight-A student to get a scholarship.  Many schools are willing to give scholarships to students who show gradual improvement in their grades and other areas.(1)  If you want to bring attention to how you have improved over the years, you may want to do so in your admission essay.  Check out some personal statement examples to see how other people have discussed their academics by highlighting the positive aspects and downplaying the negative.

You cannot get scholarship if you’re not financially incapable

Another common myth when it comes to scholarships is that only people who are financially incapable are able to get scholarships.  Schools are obliged to assess scholarship applications based on the student’s records, personality, and abilities, and not just based on their financial status.  Before you count yourself out just because you are financially capable, try applying for a scholarship and see what happens.

It’s best to pay and let some organizations secure the scholarship grant for you

A lot of companies offer services and products based on searching for and acquiring scholarship grants for you.  While some of these services can be helpful, it is not advisable to pay for them.  You can get loads of information for free straight from the Internet and from the college or univeristy that you want to get admitted to.  Use what you have, and avoid spending extra money just to get the information that you can otherwise obtain for free.(2)

Before you get caught up thinking of what to do about your scholarship situation, make sure that you write a winning personal statement to get you into the college of your choice.  Make use of personal statement examples to help you think of ideas and topics to write about.  Examples of personal statements can also help you get an idea of what colleges and universities expect from their students.  You may want to find a personal statement example that was written specifically for the school that you are applying to.(3)

(1)  http://ia.utep.edu/Default.aspx?tabid=23038 (2)  http://www.orangecoastcollege.edu/NR/rdonlyres/EE349C5B-E995-484D-9860-C39321F211E6/0/ScholarshipMyths.pdf (3)  http://www.public.coe.edu/wac/samples.htm

What You Need to Know when Applying for Financial Aid

Aside from going over several personal statement examples for their writing their admission essay, students should also seek information on how they can best qualify for financial aid.  For many students who are trying to get through college, financial aid is one of their best friends.  With a little help from scholarships and grants, students can worry a little less about how to pay for their tuition and instead focus more on their studies at hand.  Basically, financial aid helps students pay for tuition, room and board, books and supplies, as well as other school fees.(1)  Here are some helpful information that they should know:

Freshmen have a better chance at getting good offers

Usually, freshmen have a better chance at getting good financial aid offers.  This is normally the case, because many school have specific financial aid programs for incoming first-year students.  Since freshmen still have a good four or more years of study in the school, they can be given long-term financial aid plans at lower rates.  This information shouldn’t discourage non-freshman students from finding a good deal, though.

You can negotiate for a better package

Perhaps the best way to get the most out of a financial aid deal is to negotiate.  Most lenders are willing to strike a deal with you, but they will probably wait for you to make the first negotiations.  There are a number of ways in which you can negotiate your financial aid.  One way is to ask for lower interest rates, which can shave off  a considerable amount from the fees and costs of your loan.  You can also try to get a longer grace period on your repayment schedule, so that you have more time to work out how you’re going to pay your bills.  Also, you can negotiate for a higher loan in case the initial offer made by the lender is not enough to pay for your schooling fees.(2)  What other students do is get ideas from personal statement examples so they can provide details in their admission essays on how they want to acquire college education despite their financial situation.

Students should not accept the first offer but should wait until they get accepted to more schools

Another strategy is to wait until you are accepted to more schools before finalizing your loan deals.  While waiting for a better offer, what applicants can do is to learn as much as they can from well-written examples of personal statement so they can have better chances of getting admitted to more colleges and universities.  A personal statement example can help boost your applications even if you don’t have excellent grades.

When it comes to federal loans, it is important for you to wait until you are accepted to more schools, because these loans are often linked to the school that you are attending.  You will then have more leverage to negotiate your financial aid. Just remember not to wait for too long, otherwise you may lose all your chances as you get closer to deadlines for financial aid applications.(3)

(1)  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Student_financial_aid (2)  http://www.finaid.org/fafsa/negotiation.phtml (3)  http://www.chaminade.edu/financial_aid/

A Guide to Financial Aid for Hispanic Students

Hispanic students have numerous financial aid options available to help them deal with the costs of schooling. Some of these types of financial aid programs are referred to as financial aid for minority students. Many of the financial aid solutions for Hispanic students are intended specifically for Hispanics only. Here are some of financial aid programs for Hispanic students.

The Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) This organization is the largest of its kind. Whether you are a Hispanic student attending a high school, a community college, or a university, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund may have the right financial aid program for you. Affiliated with the Hispanic Scholarship Fund Institute (HSFI), the HSF has a variety of solutions to your financial needs.

League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) As the oldest and one of the largest Hispanic organizations in the United States, the LULAC offers plans of varying amounts. Some of the plans offered by this organization require students to go into a particular field of study to be granted a loan.

Other options The organizations mentioned above are only two out of the many non-profit organizations that grant scholarships to Hispanic students. Some of the other institutions include:

* The Hispanic National Bar Association (for law) * The National Society of Hispanic MBAs * The Hispanic College Fund

You may also decide to apply for state-based scholarships, which are offered depending on a certain set of criteria as decided upon by the state. Also, companies and associations often offer scholarships or grants to employees who want to further specialize in their field. Companies know what an asset education and training is, so they sometimes offer financial aid plans. Before deciding upon a financial aid plan, be sure to read all of the information and know what you are signing up for.

Photo Credit : 2493

Top 7 misconceptions about financial aid

There are many misconceptions about financial aid.  Many people are afraid to request for financial aid because of these, especially because of the top 7 false beliefs.  Financial aid is actually more easily granted than most people give it credit for.  It is a purely defeatist attitude to say that it is just too impossible to get the grant before even trying to apply for it.

Requirement-based misconceptions

Financial aid seems to be the sort of thing that your straight A student friend has, or something that you can attribute to a classmate who is being raised by his grandparents.  Anyway, those are two misconceptions.  One misconception is that financial aid is only offered to the gifted ones: the straight A students, the outstanding athletes and the promising musicians or leaders.  Financial aid actually does not discriminate.  Once the need is established, you can be granted aid.  Two, you can only apply for financial aid if you are obviously poor.  This misconception can also be reiterated by saying that if you are wealthy, you cannot apply for financial aid.  Actually, the basis for the grant is not wealth but need.  Apply for the aid even if you think you are too well-off.  Then you will be given an Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) based on your family’s wealth and expenses.  A third misconception based on requirement is that a foreigner cannot apply for financial aid.  If you are a foreign student, look for schools that thrive on being multi-ethnic or you can try for athletic or academic scholarships.  The last but not the least misconception based on requirement is that part-time students cannot apply financial aid.  Having less credits in school does mean that you do not need help.  You have to maintain a minimum of six credits however.

Misconceptions on financial aid itself

Three misconceptions on the idea of financial aid are: that millions of dollars intended for financial aid are unclaimed every year, loans are not financial aid, and you can apply for it at the last minute.  The first two are somewhat related.  The first misconception can be a line from a scam.  Be wary of people offering financial aid that will be needing an initial fee.  Because the government is responsible for about 70% of the aid, there may not actually be enough for all those who need it.  This means that the government also offers financial aid through loans.  Student loans are also financial aid, but in a different form. Now that you know that financial aid reaches those who need it, you have to be on time with your application; many people will be needing the grant.

There are examples of personal statements that can help win financial aid

Do you know that your personal statement can help you not just get in a college or graduate school but it can also earn you financial aid?  Excellent examples of personal statements will show the admissions office that you are truly worth the grant.  You must be able to convey your purpose and goals.  Anyway, you must be more confident now that you know how much easier it is to get financial aid.

Photo Credit : jenn jenn

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Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships

Personal Statement

When applying for scholarships at Fresno State, you will be asked to submit a personal statement. Your personal statement is a very important part of your application for scholarships and should be given special time and attention.

Why is a personal statement important?

The purpose of the personal statement is to give you an opportunity to tell us important things about yourself that are not addressed or apparent in the application. In making decisions about scholarships, we want to consider your personal attributes and gain some sense of who you are; your experiences, accomplishments, and a variety of qualities such as motivation, self-discipline, leadership, commitment to others, your intended field of study and your career goals as well as your academic record. 

Each year, Fresno State receives applications from many more students than we can award, and the academic records of these students are usually very similar. In order to discover and evaluate the distinctions among these applicants, scholarship selection committees look closely at an individual's entire application. The academic record, information about accomplishments and activities, and personal statements help us gain insight into a student's level of achievement and character. Taken together, these factors enable us to weigh what we can offer the applicant. In some cases, the personal statement can be a critical factor in the selection process. 

Mechanics of writing the personal statement

Carefully read the instructions and/or questions on the application. A common mistake applicants make is to skim through the instructions contained in the application. Take time to read and understand all the instructions so your application is a true and complete reflection of you. 

Remember that your application will be compared to other qualified students, many of whom have shared similar experiences or academic achievements.  Your personal statement needs to clearly convey what you think is important for us to know about you. In reading your statement, we look for personal characteristics that include creativity, intellectual curiosity and achievement, personal initiative, motivation, leadership, persistence, exceptional recognition and rare talent, the ability to overcome hardship and get along with others, and service to others. In any case, your statement should clearly convey what you think is important for us to know about you and convey a sense of a full human being behind the GPA and test scores. If you are applying to a specific major, you should discuss your interest in your intended field of study.

We expect you to write the personal statement yourself; write in your own voice. At the same time, it is probably wise to have a friend, teacher, or parent read the statement to advise you on how well it conveys what you want it to say, and if it reflects who you really are. Remember: the purpose of the personal statement is to help selection committees know you on a personal level.

What the personal statement is not

It should not be a chronicle of events or an autobiography. The statement is about you, not about events. What is important is what you have learned, or changed, or how your sense of direction was solidified, or how your image of yourself and others has changed, and so on.  Also, please do not use bullet format or résumé style outline for your narrative statements.

What should I discuss if I'm a transfer student or a student returning to college after a long absence?

In addition to suggestions cited above, you should discuss your interest in your intended major, describing any related work or volunteer experience and explaining the way your interest in the field developed. In general, your statement should focus on relatively recent activities and experiences, although scholarship selection committees are  interested in any special circumstances that may have had a significant impact on you earlier in life. You should define your motivation, achievement, leadership, and commitment.

• Last Updated Aug 29, 2022

Scholarship Essays

Statement of Financial Need Scholarship Essay Example

Tell us about your need for this scholarship.

The value of education is something that I have understood since a very young age. Neither of my parents had an opportunity to attend college, and faced many struggles in their personal and professional lives because of this. They made a commitment early in my life to do everything within their power to instill in me a love of learning and an understanding of the importance of hard work and dedication.

Because of their love and sacrifice over the years, I have been able to devote the time and energy necessary to academic accomplishment even though money has always been tight. In my senior year at XYZ High School, I have a 3.9 grade-point average and have been named Salutatorian of my graduating class. In addition to focusing on my own studies, I also worked as a math and science tutor throughout my years in high school as a way of contributing to my family's budget.

Additionally, I have also been active in my school and community outside of the classroom, serving on the student council as Secretary Treasurer for two years, serving as an officer in the Future Engineers of America chapter at my school, and volunteering at a local Boys & Girls Clubs of America chapter during school breaks.

My family has made many sacrifices to allow me to focus on education throughout primary and secondary school. I now have an opportunity to become the first person in my family to attend college, though I'm in need of financial assistance to realize what has been a long-term goal for me and a dream for my parents.

If selected for this scholarship, I will continue to apply the same diligence to my collegiate studies as I have to this point, making education and service to others my top priority. I will represent your organization well during my years in college and beyond. Thank you in advance for your consideration.

Original Source: College.Lovetoknow

• How to Write the Perfect Financial Aid Suspension Appeal Letter (and a Sample)
• Financial Aid

Your financial aid can be suspended while you attend school for several reasons: You switch schools or change majors; your family makes too much money, which changes the information on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); or you do not make satisfactory academic progress (SAP) as determined by your school.

If your school suspends your financial aid, and private student loans are not an option, it makes sense to worry about completing your degree. Depending on the reasons your aid was suspended , you can likely file an appeal.

If you do not meet the minimum course or hour requirements, you may lose financial aid with no ability to appeal. However, if you have personal reasons for struggling academically during the school year, you can file an appeal.

As part of your financial aid suspension appeal, include a letter explaining what happened. This letter can help the committee determine whether to reinstate this help.

• How to Understand the Appeals Process During Financial Aid Suspension

Filing a financial aid suspension appeal starts when you go to your school’s student financial services office. Ask them about the appeals process and what forms you need. Be diligent about gathering correct information and file your appeal by the deadline. Schools generally only allow you to file an appeal when your financial aid is suspended due to an SAP problem. To have financial aid reinstated, you must: 

• Understand your school’s SAP auditing process and the specific causes for your financial aid’s suspension.
• Show that you have corrected the SAP problem.
• Submit the appeal.
• Have your appeal accepted by the SAP committee.

When your appeal is accepted, you will be placed on financial aid probation. This provides you another semester, trimester, or quarter of financial aid. The committee will then reconvene to determine whether you addressed your SAP problem in a satisfactory way. A successful SAP appeal will include information about why your academic status changed, you dropped courses or failed to sign up for enough courses, or otherwise did not meet your school’s standards. There are many reasons students struggle, but some common causes include:

• Personal struggles with physical or mental health
• Family struggles, including illness or death
• Financial catastrophe, making your living situation unstable

As you complete your SAP appeal , gather information like health records, financial records, family statements, and correspondence with professors, employers, and peers that may be relevant. You should also write a personal letter to the SAP committee, which acknowledges that you did not meet SAP standards, that you understand what happened, and that you will take steps to correct this problem. Components of a successful SAP appeal letter are : 

• Formal heading, including your name, student identification, the date, and the committee’s information
• Formal address, including names of committee members you have corresponded with
• Introductory and concluding paragraphs
• One or two paragraphs explaining events that caused your academic struggles
• Information in these middle paragraphs about how you will improve your performance in the coming semester, trimester, quarter, or year
• Formal signoff
• Information about relevant attachments, like doctors’ notes or personal statements from family members

You may also be required to create a plan, in a separate document, to improve your academic performance. If you have a good academic record from previous years, you can show that this is a temporary problem and you understand how to solve it. If you are a newer student, you may need to provide references from other school years or classes that show you are able to improve your performance.

• Financial Aid Suspension Appeal Letter Sample

To understand how all the components of a financial aid suspension appeal letter work together, here is a sample: Dear Dr. Smythe and Esteemed Members of the Committee, My name is Joan Doe, and I am writing this letter as part of my appeal to reinstate my financial aid. Because I struggled to complete classes during this past semester, it was determined that I did not make satisfactory academic progress per the institution’s guidelines. Consequently, my financial aid was revoked. While I respect the school’s decision regarding my grades, I need this financial support to continue completing my bachelor’s degree. My poor academic progress occurred because of struggles within my family this year. My father was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. While his prognosis is good and we now know that treatment is going well, it was a devastating emotional blow. I spent more time with my family, helping to take care of the household and my two younger siblings while my mother was with my father during his treatment. This included a hospital stay of about one week, during which time I was unable to return to class. I worked hard on my studies during this time, but because my time was much more limited, I was unable to focus on writing papers, studying for midterms and finals, and meeting some deadlines. My professors, including my adviser Dr. Smythe, have been as understanding as possible. I did not communicate as clearly as I should have, and I understand that my negligence has translated into lower grades. I even failed some courses, which is a first for me, if you look at my previous years at this college. I regret such poor performance, and I want to improve in the coming academic year. The school has accepted me as a student again for the upcoming semester, but without the financial aid provided through the Pell Grant and student loan programs, I cannot afford to attend. My academic record prior to this has been exceptional, and I believe I can return to this level of scholastic performance. Please consider reinstating my financial aid with my regret, my apologies, and my history as a good student in mind. Thank you for your consideration. I appreciate attending this school and look forward to graduation. Respectfully, Joan Doe

• Other Sources of Funding if Your Financial Aid Is Suspended

The SAP committee may not accept your appeal or your financial aid suspension could stem from other causes, like changing majors and no longer meeting scholarship requirements. Other sources of financial aid, like private student loans, can help you complete your semester or year if you are unable to get your financial aid reinstated.

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Home News How to Write a Personal Statement for Graduate School

How to Write a Personal Statement for Graduate School

Preparing to apply for graduate school? If so, then there’s a good chance that your program of choice will require you to submit a personal statement as part of your application. Specifically, a personal statement is a short essay that allows applicants to showcase their unique qualities, aspirations, and other traits that may make them a good candidate for the program.

Still, if you’ve never written a personal statement before, the thought of writing an essay about yourself may seem daunting. The good news? With some practical tips and tricks in mind, it doesn’t have to be.

Understanding the Purpose of a Personal Statement

Before you start writing or even brainstorming, it’s important to understand the purpose of a personal statement in a graduate school application. Ideally, this essay should complement the other components of your application by providing additional context, showcasing your personality, and demonstrating the passion that you have for your chosen field. This can provide the admissions committee with a more holistic view of you as a person.

The Role It Plays in Your Application

There’s a good chance that your application will be one of just dozens or even hundreds to get into your program of choice. Admissions committee members, then, must sift through all kinds of application material to help them make their final decisions.

Many admissions committees utilize personal statements as a means of assessing an applicant’s writing ability, critical thinking skills, and their overall fit for the program. These essays can be especially useful in distinguishing applicants who may have similar academic backgrounds or who may otherwise look similar “on paper.”

What Admission Committees Look For

So, what exactly are admission committees looking for when they read a personal statement or sift through other application materials? Some of the most important elements they are seeking include:

• Evidence of thorough program research and aligned goals.
• A demonstrated passion for the field or discipline of study.
• Articulated potential for success.
• Effective written communication skills.

Crafting Your Narrative

Not sure how to write a personal statement for grad school? One of the best ways to start is to transform your experiences, challenges, and pivotal life moments into a compelling narrative that really showcases where you’ve been and where you hope to go.

Identifying Your Unique Qualities and Experiences

This begins with doing a little self-reflection to uncover the distinct qualifications, experiences, and skills that make you a great candidate for the program. Take some time to write down what you believe to be the most pivotal moments of your academic and/or professional life. Can you pinpoint what sparked your interest in your chosen field?

How to Tell Your Story Effectively

From there, it’s all about using language to tell your story in a way both engaging and compelling. You can do this by using vivid language with plenty of concrete examples. When crafting your personal statement, it’s also important that the narrative is structured with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Outlining before you write your first draft can be a great way to keep yourself on track in this regard.

Key Elements to Include in Your Personal Statement

There are many important components you won’t want to leave out of your personal statement, ranging from specific academic achievements and career goals to professional experiences and research interests.

Academic Achievements and Research Interests

Your admissions committee wants to hear about your academic accomplishments and research interests, so don’t be modest here. Now is the time to let your accomplishments shine and to make connections between these achievements and your chosen program of study.

Professional Experiences and Goals

If you can incorporate any of your professional experiences and career goals into your personal statement, be sure to do this in a way that demonstrates your commitment to the field and the potential contributions you could make to the program itself.

Personal Motivations and Aspirations

Be sure to articulate your personal motivations for pursuing a graduate degree in your chosen field, including a detailed discussion of your future aspirations. Optimally, you’ll be able to connect these to the program’s specific values and offerings as well.

How to Write a Stand-Out Personal Statement for Grad School

As you get started in drafting your personal statement for graduate school, here are some tips and best practices to keep in mind.

Starting With a Strong Opening

Never underestimate the power of a strong opening. Preferably, you’ll want to begin with an attention-grabbing opening that hooks the reader and really sets the tone for the rest of the essay. A personal anecdote, quote, or surprising statistic can work well here, but don’t hesitate to get creative!

Maintaining a Cohesive Structure

Make sure your personal statement is well organized in a way both logical and coherent. This will ensure a smooth flow of ideas and a clear narrative arc. If you’re not sure how to do this, try outlining your essay first. When you read the outline back to yourself, the basic idea(s) should come across clearly.

Employing Vivid Descriptions and Examples

Using specific details, concrete examples, and vivid language can be a great way to bring your personal statement to life and make it more engaging for your readers. Vivid and descriptive writing can also help make your essay more memorable, which can work in your favor.

H2: How Long Should a Personal Statement Be?

When it comes down to how to write a personal statement for grad school, most notably how long should a personal statement be, the best way to determine this is to review the specific application requirements on your program page. Different schools and programs may have different requirements for number of pages, word count, and formatting. Typically, it is common for a personal statement to be about two pages long.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

As you write and revise your personal statement, there are also some common mistakes that you’ll want to avoid as much as possible.

Overused Phrases and Clichés

Admissions committees want to see unique, authentic writing. With this in mind, it’s important to avoid phrases and clichés that may be overused by other applicants. Some examples of phrases to avoid may include:

• “My passion was sparked when…”
• “I believe I am a good fit for this program because…”
• “I have been interested in this field since I was X years old…”
• “I am extremely passionate about…”

Neglecting the Program-Specific Details

Your personal statement should also demonstrate that you’ve actually taken the time to read through the details of the program and understand the curriculum. With this in mind, it’s important that you tailor your essay to the program itself. Don’t leave out details that will help highlight your understanding of the program and what it will entail.

The Revision Process

Completing a first draft of your personal statement is certainly an accomplishment, but it’s still important to revise and edit your draft multiple times before you submit it.

Seeking Feedback From Mentors and Peers

One of the best ways to get valuable feedback about your personal statement is to ask your trusted friends, classmates, and even professors to read it and identify areas of improvement. The people who read your essay don’t even need to be familiar with the program itself to provide useful feedback and perspectives .

Fine-Tuning Language and Tone

As you revise, work on fine-tuning your own writing to make sure your essay is as clear and concise as possible without sacrificing professionalism. You can avoid redundancies in your writing, for example, by using the active voice as much as possible and removing unnecessary prepositional phrases.

Finalizing Your Personal Statement

As you prepare your personal statement for submission with the rest of your application materials, there are a few more steps you should take to ensure that you’re submitting your absolute best work.

Proofreading for Grammar and Spelling Errors

First, make sure to proofread meticulously to avoid any spelling or grammatical errors. Understand that word processing software won’t always catch every typo, so it’s a good idea to read through your essay manually a few times. Another great way to catch typos that a spell-checker might miss is to actually read your essay word-for-word backwards .  Give it a try for yourself!

Ensuring Adherence to Application Guidelines

Finally, be sure to double-check that your personal statement adheres to all requirements outlined by your school/program. This means ensuring that the essay is formatted correctly, meets all length/word count requirements, and is in the proper style, like MLA or APA . Failing to follow application guidelines when you write your personal statement can throw off red flags for admissions committee members that an applicant doesn’t know how to follow directions, which may not bode well for your admission decision.

Ready to Apply for a Graduate Program?

There’s quite a bit to keep in mind when it comes to writing a compelling personal statement for graduate school. At the end of the day, you’ll want to remember that your personal statement is a unique opportunity to showcase what makes you such an ideal fit for the program to which you’re applying. By following these tips, you should be in good shape.

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what to write "a personal statement" for financial aid purposes?

I'm currently filling out a form for a second look at my financial aid package from Williams, my current top choice. Here's the link to the form (ignore the 'early decision' part, it's the same form for rd).

to put it briefly, my father injured himself at work last year and has been on sick leave ever since, with a reduced salary (about half of what it once was). FAFSA efc based on this is 025372 and the official net price calculator for williams suggests a tuition of $22,350, however my actual financial aid package says I'll be paying 58,000 a year, which is about the same as his income right now. my dad is the only source of income for my household of 6.

In the form, I ticked off the first and last options (change in employment circumstances and 'other') since we have a reduced income and we also spend our money on other things beyond our family (eg. other family members in the US since my dad makes the most money out of our family here, money for family back home + constructing a mosque, etc.) and we really can't spend that much on my college every year.

My question:

how do i write the "personal statement" for it? it must include details of the change in wages and detailed explanation of my circumstances with as much detail and documentation as possible. I don't think there's examples online and I worry that not putting enough information might prevent me from getting a better financial aid package. How long should this statement be?

right now, all i have is an explanation that my dad's the sole source of income, he got injured, and our income dropped from x to y.

also: should I include a comparison to another financial aid offer from another school?

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Financial aid •

January 4, 2023

Sample letter of extenuating circumstances for financial aid

Our guide to writing a sample letter of extenuating circumstances for financial aid.

Jessica Ancajas

Financial Aid Analyst

There aren’t many students out there who can afford to pay for college without financial aid. In fact, a whopping  86%  of college students rely on some form of financial aid to support them through college. 

Regardless, these grants, scholarships, and loan opportunities simply aren’t enough to help students bridge that financial gap. 

Want some good news? If you’re not offered enough financial aid to pursue your studies, you can usually make an appeal.

By launching an appeal for more financial aid, you might convince the financial aid office at your school to reexamine your circumstances—and potentially offer you extra cash as a result.

This appeals process normally starts by writing a letter of extenuating circumstances. 

This guide explains when you should appeal for more  financial aid  and what to include in a letter of extenuating circumstances. We’ll also walk you through a sample letter of extenuating circumstances so you know exactly how to craft yours.

8 reasons for appealing financial aid

Believe it or not, the teams that manage most financial aid offices at US colleges are pretty understanding and willing to listen. If you genuinely need a higher amount of financial aid to afford school, it’s possible to get help.

However, you can’t just call up your school’s financial aid office and beg for another scholarship because you’ve blown your tuition money on spring break. 

If you want to successfully appeal your financial aid offer, you need to have a good reason—and although each student has their own unique economic situation, there are 4 main reasons you may want to consider launching a  financial aid appeal .

1. Your financial situation changed

The first reason you might find yourself in a situation in which you’re going to want to appeal your financial aid offer is that your financial situation has changed.

The scope for this appeal strategy is pretty broad—meaning that there can be many different types of changes that could impact your ability to pay for school.

For example, perhaps your mom has lost her job, or she’s had to take a new job that pays much lower than her previous one—and she’s the sole source of income for your family. 

Let’s say you’ve included her old salary information as part of your  Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) . That means your financial aid office has come up with an aid offer based on outdated information. 

Because your parent is now earning way less money, you may now qualify for a higher grant or a different scholarship award because your financial need has increased.

The same rule applies to an extenuating circumstance like an unexpected healthcare issue that you’ve had to pay for out-of-pocket. It can also apply to dental expenses that are not covered by insurance.

Likewise, if your parents have recently divorced, it’s possible this big family change has had a negative impact on the amount of money you’ve got to pay for school.

These are all situations that finance teams generally listen to with a lot of empathy, and they could lead to a new assessment of how much aid you’ve been offered.

2. The information on your FAFSA is inaccurate

The second reason you may need to launch a financial aid appeal is that the income you listed on your FAFSA simply isn’t accurate. 

This inaccuracy could boil down to a drastic change in your personal finances (which we’ve already covered). But your FAFSA could also be wrong because you accidentally made a simple error. 

For example, maybe your FAFSA didn’t allow you enough space to fully demonstrate how a large portion of your family income is needed to cover existing debts—or you might have just filled in the wrong number in the wrong box. 

Don’t stress—accidents happen. You just need to clearly explain the problem and be able to provide accurate information to fix the mistake.

3. You’ve lost eligibility for a current offer

The third reason you might launch a financial aid appeal is that you've lost eligibility for an existing offer. A lot of colleges offer scholarships or grants based on the requirement that you have a certain GPA throughout your time at the school.

But if you’ve experienced a dramatic life event that impacted your grades and your financial aid was revoked, you might be able to launch a successful financial appeal. 

Examples include pregnancy, a new illness, bereavement, or ending up homeless. 

In some cases, your school will consider these events and overturn your loss of financial aid on compassionate grounds.

In order to qualify, you’ll need to file a Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) appeal.

4. Your aid was withdrawn

The fourth reason schools will often consider your financial aid appeal is because your existing aid has been withdrawn. 

For example, perhaps you’ve been awarded a grant by your school, but the  grant scheme  gets pulled before you’re able to get the full amount you were originally expecting. 

You should be able to appeal this loss of income—and, hopefully, get matched with a replacement grant or scholarship.

No matter your reason, the bottom line is this: if you haven’t been offered decent enough financial support to pay for your tuition, it’s always worth appealing. After all, those who don’t ask don’t get.

5. The size of your family has changed

If your family grows or shrinks through the birth or adoption of a child or the death of a parent or guardian, you should reach out to your school to let them know. A large portion of your family’s expected family contribution to the cost of college can be impacted by your household size, so a change could make you eligible for more aid.

It is helpful to have documentation showing how and when your household size changed, so have adoption paperwork, a death certificate, or other supporting evidence handy when you submit this request.

6. A natural disaster or another emergency has impacted your family

If your family lives in an area impacted by a natural disaster, such as a hurricane or major flood, you should communicate this to your financial aid office. This event likely had a major impact on your family’s financial situation, and, depending on the damage, it could have affected your living situation as well.

You might be able to get additional aid from your school, as well as more flexibility when it comes to things like move-in and move-out dates for your dormitory or other forms of assistance.

Some schools also have financial support available to people who are dealing with the fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic, so if your family has been impacted by that, let your financial aid office know.

7. You have a new or newly diagnosed medical condition

If you’ve been diagnosed with a medical or mental health condition, you may be eligible for additional financial aid. Depending on the nature of the condition, you might also want to reach out to your school’s disability resource center for additional support with things like taking notes or handling assignments.

When you send your letter of extenuating circumstances to your financial aid office, provide details about your condition and how it impacts your need for financial aid. Have medical documentation—preferably on official letterhead—from a healthcare provider to show the school.

8. You have a sibling in an elementary or secondary school that charges tuition

The federal government specifically notes that paying private elementary and secondary school tuition is a special circumstance that could impact your financial need and reduce your expected family contribution to the cost of college.

If you have a sibling or family member attending a private elementary or secondary school, let your financial aid office know after you submit the FAFSA. Provide supporting documentation to show how much the tuition costs. Some colleges may treat these expenses as a reduction in income and increase your need-based financial aid accordingly.

What is a letter of extenuating circumstances for financial aid?

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted some family incomes over the past couple of years. As a result, colleges are currently accepting more financial aid appeals than ever before. 

According to a new survey from the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA),  more than half  of colleges reported an increase in the number of “professional judgment requests” in 2020. 

A professional judgment request is just a fancy way of describing a third-party reexamination of a student’s FAFSA offer.

But it’s one thing to convince a university to reexamine your financial aid offer. Actually securing a better financial aid package is a whole different ball game.

That’s why any successful financial aid appeal must begin with a well-written and organized letter of extenuating circumstances. 

A letter of extenuating circumstances sounds complicated, but it’s really just an official request for help. 

The letter needs to clearly explain the problem and the current status of your financial award . 

Then, it needs to demonstrate why your existing financial aid offer simply isn’t enough to support your studies.

Before you sit down and write a letter of extenuating circumstances for financial aid, you should get in touch with your financial aid office. They’ll be able to tell you who to send the letter to and if it should be delivered virtually or physically.

You should also ask your financial aid office if the school has a particular appeals process and if there’s anything in particular you need to know before appealing for more aid. 

For example, your college might have a specific appeal form you’ll need to complete and submit alongside your letter of extenuating circumstances.

It’s also important to note that you’ll normally be expected to submit any supporting documentation relevant to your letter. Always provide evidence to support your appeal.

What to include in a letter of extenuating circumstances for financial aid

If you’ve never made an appeal for extra financial aid, it can be a little bit daunting trying to write a letter of extenuating circumstances for the first time. 

To help you get started, we’ll take a look at all of the stuff you should include in your letter.

A personal address

Most financial aid offices will have an appointed team member responsible for handling financial aid appeals. Address your letter to that person—not “to whom it may concern.”

By addressing your letter to that individual in particular, you’ll demonstrate that you’ve done your research, understand the school’s protocol, and you’re taking this matter seriously.

A specific reason

Remember: your college wants to help you. But if you don’t explain exactly why you need more cash to  pay for college , they probably won’t consider your appeal. You must be specific.

A letter of extenuating circumstances is your place to explain why you’re asking for help. 

Detail what’s happened with your parent’s career, describe ongoing medical conditions, or discuss any other specific reason you’re finding it hard to pay for college.

Documentation

Your appeal probably won’t be considered if you can’t provide proof of your financial need. 

After explaining the specific reason you require extra aid, you should include all of the appropriate documentation alongside your letter to prove your claims are true.

For example, if you’ve had an unexpected medical emergency that’s drained your life savings, a hospital invoice or letter from your health insurance company will be able to demonstrate the story in your letter is real.

A specific request

Your letter will be a lot more effective if you request a specific amount of money. 

After explaining your financial problem, include some basic math and show the person reading exactly how much money you need to make up the difference. This could be to pay for tuition, travel costs, housing, or anything in between. 

Explain what you can’t afford and how much more you need.

Likewise, a letter of extenuating circumstances is also a good place to outline any competing offers of financial aid you might have from other schools. If one college has offered you a bigger scholarship than another, write to your other schools asking them to match it.

Questions about the next steps

You should always close your letter by asking for details about the next step in the appeals process. 

Ideally, you’ll already have contacted your school’s financial aid office to figure out what those steps are, but by asking about the next step in your letter, you’re prompting the recipient to write you a response.

Above all else, your letter should be polite and show how thankful you are that you were offered anything at all.

Remember: your letter is a request for help. Nobody is going to want to help you if you write them an angry letter ranting about how unfair life is or how greedy you think the school looks. 

By showing a bit of humility in your letter, the person reading it’ll be more inclined to show you kindness in return.

Sample letter of extenuating circumstances for financial aid 

If you need a hand getting started writing a financial aid appeal letter, don’t worry.

Here’s an example of a sample letter of extenuating circumstances for financial aid we’ve written that you can use as a template:

Dear Ms. Xxxxxxx, 

I am an incoming freshman student planning to attend the University of College in the fall. 

I would like to thank you for the financial aid package the university has offered. Unfortunately, my family’s financial situation has changed significantly since submitting my FAFSA.

Prior to receiving my financial award letter, my father developed a chronic illness and has had to reduce his work hours dramatically. Meanwhile, our family is now facing significant medical bills of approximately $20,000.

Bearing in mind my father earned over half of our household income, our family no longer has sufficient funds to cover the cost of outstanding tuition and living expenses. We are now currently facing a shortfall of $5,750 per semester.

I sincerely want to continue with my plans to study at the University of College this fall. That is why I am requesting the university review my award in relation to my change in financial circumstances.

Enclosed, you will find supporting documentation, including my father’s medical diagnosis, payslips demonstrating his reduced hours, and evidence of monthly medical expenses. I have also attached a completed copy of the University of College’s financial aid appeal form.

If you have any questions or require any additional information about this appeal, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Thank you in advance for reviewing my appeal.

College Student

Student number: 123456789

At the end of the day, those who don’t ask don’t get. 

If you or your family have experienced serious financial difficulties, it’s always worth appealing to your school for more financial aid—and the best way to make it happen is by submitting a letter of extenuating circumstances to your college’s finance office.

When it comes to writing your letter, there are plenty of sample letters out there, so try not to stress. Take your time, be sincere, and don’t be afraid to ask for help writing your letter or collating supporting documentation to help your appeal.

Join Mos  now, and we can match you with loads of scholarships and other financial aid opportunities to help you make the most of your time in college!

To learn more about college financial aid, check out our article  Financial Aid FAQs .

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Thinking about Penn State or are a newly accepted student? Prepare yourself and your parent(s) or guardian(s) for the financial aid process.

Welcome to Penn State!

Understanding financial aid at Penn State is an important part of planning for your college experience. As a prospective student, you have access to a variety of resources, including scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study opportunities. We aim to provide you with detailed information on how to apply for financial aid, evaluate your options, calculate your cost of attendance, manage your aid package, and utilize the resources available to make your education more affordable.

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Grants and other types of financial aid for single parents.

Senior Associate, JPMorgan Chase

If you’re a single parent exploring your financial aid options for college, you might be on the hunt for grants that you’re eligible for. Since grants typically don’t need to be paid back, it’s a form of financial aid that’ll help reduce future financial hardship.

Of note, in addition to grants, single parents — like other students — also might have access to financial aid opportunities like work-study programs and scholarships they can take advantage of.

Let’s look at the various grants, scholarships, and other financial aid opportunities available to single parents.

How can a single parent pay for college?

For any student — including single moms or dads — a good first step to getting financial aid for college is to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA ® ) . This application helps students qualify for aid like grants, scholarships, work-study programs, and federal student loans.

It’s important to remember that the only way to qualify for many types of aid is to file the FAFSA ® before the deadline and to ensure you list all the schools you’re planning to apply to on the application.

If you’re accepted by schools that you have applied to, they’ll send you aid award letters after you complete the FAFSA ® , which will outline what financial aid, if any, they’re making available to you. Aid offerings will vary from school to school.

If you still need more financial assistance after you’ve received award letters, you can apply for other types of aid to assist with your goal of attending college.

How much can a single parent get from FAFSA ® ?

How much you receive from FAFSA ® depends on your financial situation, including your income and assets, like how much is in your bank account. As a single parent filling out the application, one key thing to note is that you'll likely be able to include your children on the form as dependents, which could impact how much financial aid you’re offered.

Financial aid appeal letter for single parents

If you received financial aid award letters and the aid offered to you is not enough to help you afford college, in certain circumstances it might be worth submitting an aid appeal. A financial aid appeal could be beneficial if you’ve had a substantial change in your financial situation, such as having a baby or unforeseen medical bills since the tax year asked for on the FAFSA ® .

Filing for an aid appeal shows your school that your financial situation differs from what they see on the FAFSA ® and could help prove your case that you need more financial aid. has a different process for its aid appeals, but generally, you need to fill out a form and write a letter stating your circumstances and financial impacts.

Schools typically set aside money for students who file aid appeals. If you’re going to appeal your aid package, it’s best to do it as soon as possible, when those additional funds are more likely to be available.

Filing for an aid appeal doesn't guarantee more aid, but based on your individual situation it might be worth a shot.

Grants for single parents

As we highlighted above, grants are a valuable form of financial aid because, for the most part, they don’t need to be paid back. Here’s some of the grants that may be available for single parents, including single moms.

Pell Grants

Federal Pell Grants, a need-based grant provided by the federal government, is a type of aid that undergraduate students who demonstrate exceptional financial need may be awarded, including single parents. The maximum award for the 2024-25 academic year (July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025) is $7,395. The U.S. Department of Education announces the amount for the upcoming academic year every February.

Other grants for single parents

In addition to the Pell Grant, many grants are open to single parents nationwide. They’re offered at the state and federal levels, as well as through private organizations and companies.

The best way to find grants for single parents is to contact the financial aid office at your school and ask if they know of any specific grant opportunities for students like yourself. They should be able to provide a list of available grants.

State grants for single parents

Many states offer grants and other financial aid programs for single parents. A great way to find grants that fit your needs is to check your state’s website, or the state website of the area you’re going to school in and see what’s available.

Hardship grants for single parents

If you’re going through a financial hardship and need additional help paying for college, contact the financial aid office at your school. They should be able to help point you toward financial aid opportunities to help you.

Being a single parent who's also attending school can be tough, especially if you’re already facing financial issues. There may be hardship grants or assistance programs out there to help.

The financial aid office is there to help students access the aid they need to complete their college education. Don’t hesitate to utilize this resource if you’re in need of help.

Scholarships for single parents

Like grants, scholarships are generally funds you don’t have to pay back . Luckily, there’re many scholarships available to single parents.

Some scholarships are accessible outside of the FAFSA ® and require their own applications and qualifications (although you may be required to also fill out the FAFSA ® in addition to their unique applications). It’s vital to read through each scholarship application and ensure you meet the qualifications.

The best way to find scholarships is to do an online search through a trustworthy scholarship database, such as the U.S. Department of Labor's scholarship search tool. Beware of scams , and make sure as you search that you’re on the lookout for scholarships available in the years you’re looking to attend school.

Final thoughts

There're many opportunities for single moms and dads to get financial aid for college. While it often takes research and dedication to secure aid, several resources are available to help you through the process, including your school’s financial aid office and other counseling services. As a single parent, don’t be afraid to use these resources to help you get the aid you need.

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News | Update: Two golds for Oriel athletes at Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Update: Two golds for Oriel athletes at Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Liam Corrigan and Charlie Elwes both won gold medals in rowing at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Update: 5 August, 9.16am.

Another gold for an Oriel athlete over the weekend. Charlie Elwes, a graduate student completing a master’s degree in Women’s and Reproductive Health, won a gold medal as part of Team GB’s men’s eight final on Saturday.

Also on Saturday, incoming graduate Tom Mackintosh placed fifth in the men’s single sculls.

Update: Thursday 1 August, 11.32am. Edited: Thursday 1 August, 13.24pm.

Congratulations to Oriel’s Financial Economics alumnus Liam Corrigan (2021), who has just won gold for the USA in the men’s coxless four final at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Update: Thursday 1 August, 8.26am .

Three athletes from Oriel College are currently competing at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

They are alumnus Liam Corrigan, current student Charlie Elwes and incoming graduate Tom Mackintosh.

Corrigan, rowing for the USA’s men’s coxless four, will compete in the final on Thursday, 1 August, at 11:10 BST.

Mackintosh will participate in the men’s single sculls final on Saturday, 3 August, at 9:30 BST. Previously, he won gold as part of New Zealand’s men’s eight in Tokyo.

Elwes, aiming for his second Olympic medal, will row in Team GB’s men’s eight final on Saturday, 3 August, at 10:10 BST.

John Donne’s personal copy of law book rediscovered in Senior Library

British composer elected visiting fellow in music at oriel college, oriel fellows’ spin-out oxford semantic technologies acquired by samsung electronics.