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A guide to finding scholarships for students interested in business
College is hard enough without trying to figure out how to pay up. The amount of student debt in the U.S. is at a staggering all time high of $1.7 trillion as of 2021 for 45 million borrowers nationwide. Other than mortgage debt, it’s the second highest debt category. The average American owes around $36,000 in federal loans, which can pose a huge financial stressor post-graduation. A good way to alleviate some anxiety related to student debt ahead of time is by applying to scholarships, grants, and financial aid programs now, so you worry less later.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Biden Administration has postponed student loan repayments and collection of interest until January 2022. It’s caused the U.S. to rethink loan borrowing, and started a push in pursuing different policies surrounding higher education access. The notion of student loan forgiveness has been thrown around, however it’s still uncertain what changes will be implemented, and how long those changes will take to come into fruition.
That's why Grantford’s team is here to help students discover ways of finding scholarships specifically for business majors and other disciplines, and learn how to navigate the FAFSA and your university of choice’s financial aid process.
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Scholarship eligibility, requirements, essays and grant funds
In competitive and versatile fields like business, there are plenty of opportunities to find scholarships. From marketing to accounting, sales, human resources, auditing jobs and more, it’s a beneficial choice to pursue business for those looking to build a solid career that’s also flexible in several disciplines.
Even with assistance, applying to scholarships can feel overwhelming -- it’s a fast-paced environment with tons of deadlines. While you gear up for different opportunities, you need to prepare some materials ahead of time to prove your eligibility for the scholarship. Keep info related to your GPA, test scores, transcripts, calculated financial need, CVs/resumes handy and easily accessible. Preparing ahead of time will help in the long term so you don’t get trampled by the amount of work when the deadlines approach.
In addition to scholarships for undergraduate business programs, students pursuing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) can also find numerous scholarship opportunities to help offset the costs of this advanced degree.
Essays
Some scholarships will also require you to write multiple essays, some about specific experiences or hopes regarding your educational and career paths. It might be beneficial to write scholarship essays ahead of time and then later change aspects of them to reflect a particular application. It can be anything, such as your experience or barriers for pursuing an education, or a rant about your passion. Tell them a story about you.
Citizenship
Keep in mind that certain applications will require you to be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or DACA recipient to be considered. Check out our guide to finding scholarships for international students. This list also includes a few international scholarship opportunities, so scroll down to view the options for non-U.S. citizens.
We also recommend that you look for scholarships via the State Department of Education, our Go Financial Aid Facebook and Twitter pages, and free scholarship search engines like Niche, fastweb, College Board, Scholly, and CollegeScholarships.org. If you’re still looking to make a college decision, check out college selection search engines such as US News and Cappex. We’ve already done some digging, so here are some scholarships we found through these websites:
AfterCollege Business Student Scholarship:
This $500 scholarship is open to currently enrolled students working toward their AA, AS, BA, BS, MS, or PhD in business disciplines. AfterCollege’s website serves as a job, scholarship, and internship resource for students and graduates, encouraging people to network in their respective career fields. A minimum 3.0 GPA, transcript, education experience, and an essay is required before the September 30, 2021 deadline. Make sure it’s straight-forward and professional to be considered.
NSHSS Foundation Business & Public Policy Scholarship:
Aimed particularly toward the business field, this $1,000 scholarship is meant to support students interested in economics, politics, business, public policy, and finance. Their core beliefs are based in public policy, and are looking for students to make their visions become reality by being a strong influence in society. To be eligible, submit a 500-800 word essay response, color headshot, educator recommendation, transcript, and resume. The deadline is October 15 by midnight, EST.
University of Pitt Business School Scholarships:
The University of Pittsburgh’s College of Business Administration offers scholarships to students pursuing a degree in several business-related disciplines. This includes the Curka Accounting Scholarship, the Milton Fine Endowed Fund, the Paul J. Hanna Finance Scholarship, the Tony Komlyn Accounting Award, and many more listed here. Each scholarship has unique requirements, but to be eligible for any of these opportunities, you need to be enrolled or apply to the University of Pittsburgh’s College of Business Administration.
The LAGRANT Foundation 2022 Scholarship Program:
Aimed toward undergraduates seeking opportunities in business, this $2,500 scholarship selects 30 recipients per year. If selected, you attend mandatory career building activities in New York City including a welcome dinner, keynote speaker, networking events and workshops. The trip is from May 15 - 18, 2022. To be eligible, you must identify as African American/Black, Asian American/Pacific Islander, Hispanic/Latino or Native American/Alaska Native, be a full-time student at a four-year institution, have a minimum 3.0 GPA and be a US citizen, permanent resident or DACA recipient. The deadline is Monday, February 28, 2022 at 5:00 p.m. PST.
University of Iowa Business major scholarships:
Similarly to the University of Pittsburgh, the University of Iowa’s Tippie College of Business offers several scholarships to assist students in financing for their education. Through navigating their scholarship portal for undergraduate students, you can search for specific opportunities in your particular field of business. They have eclectic scholarships, such as their 13 Fishing Business Scholarship, Philip W. Parsons Engineering Scholarship, the Accenture Scholarship Fund, Andrew Code Scholarship in Business, and the B. L. Barnes Scholarship, for example. To be eligible for these opportunities, you need to be enrolled or have recently applied to the Tippie College of Business and be in good academic standing. For more specific qualifications and more information on the different opportunities they offer, visit their financial aid and scholarship portal.
GM Women's Retail Network Drive to Succeed Scholarship:
If you’re a woman interested in pursuing business or automotive management, this is the scholarship for you. To apply, you must be a woman, have a high school diploma or actively pursuing your diploma, and be able to verify enrollment at an accredited academic institution by the beginning of your next term. The scholarship amounts to $5,000 and applications are open for the 2022-23 school year applicant pool. The qualifications and required materials vary on whether you’re a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, DACA recipient or Canadian applicant.
Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarship:
An annual scholarship for women pursuing business is the Jane M. Klausman Women in Business scholarship. Women leaders in the business field around the globe are still scarce, and this organization wants to encourage women to make strides in roles that they were once denied. The program operates at the Zonta club, which annually awards up to 32 scholarships at $2,000 each for the U.S., and six international scholarships worth $8,000 each. The two different scholarships have different eligibility requirements, so make sure to distinguish between them.
Granger Business Association College Scholarship:
The Granger Business Association is a non-profit organization that helps Indiana students residing in the 46530 zip code pay for college expenses. Their annual program awards five $1,000 scholarships to local students. Criteria for selection includes a commitment to extracurricular activities, volunteer work, and writing several short essays. Although their 2021 scholarship round is closed, applicants are still encouraged to apply for the 2022-23 school year and for an individual grant request. Their grant requests are considered on a rolling basis and can be filled out via a simple form.
Global Business Diversity Scholarship:
The International Career Institute offers its annual scholarship to students interested in pursuing careers related to e-business, human resources, marketing, advertising, frontline management and retail management. This application requires a CV/resume, personal reference, and professional reference, and an essay that discusses their current position and why they wish to follow careers in this field of study. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until April 1, 2022, and decisions are made by April 30.
Need more advice?
Aren’t eligible for any of the previous options, or looking for more free cash? The best bet you have of getting a scholarship is to go local. Think of your marching band, local rotary club, non-profit organizations, and so on. If you’re still unable to find any business major scholarships, go to your high school’s guidance office for tips, too.
Also, check out Grantford’s Recycled Essay Scholarship, our guides specifically aimed toward Black women pursuing higher education, as well as our article for graduate student scholarships. Grantford keeps students up to date with other financial aid, scholarship, and student loan advice via our blog.
