All students are encouraged to look for scholarship opportunities outside of the Penn State system.
Community Resources
You may be eligible for outside scholarships from businesses or organizations in your local community with which you have affiliations.
- Your local chamber of commerce
- Your high school
- Your parents' employers (dependent students only)
- Your employer
- Private foundations
- Religious organizations
- Professional associations
In most cases, the awarding agency is responsible for selecting the recipient and determining the value of the scholarship.
Scholarship Search Sites
Start early. Most scholarships are awarded six months to one year prior to the start of the semester or academic year of the award. Some awards are available even as early as elementary school.
Don't pay. Penn State does not endorse any scholarship search engine or scholarship search service that charges a fee. You should never have to pay for a scholarship search. You should not apply for a scholarship that charges an application fee.
You may wish to try one or more of the following FREE scholarship search engines:
How to Process your External Award
If your external scholarship check is made out to you and Penn State, please endorse the check and mail it to:
Penn State
Office of the Bursar
Attn: External Awards
109 Shields Building
664 Curtin Road
University Park, PA 16802
Follow the Office of Student Aid on Social Media
Follow the Office of Student Aid on Instagram where new scholarship opportunities are posted several times a week.