Are you worried about how to pay for higher education? Most students and parents are. However, with a little bit of work, you will find many scholarship opportunities you qualify and can apply for! It will take some digging around, but there are scholarships available for everyone!

When you think about possible places to look, we will give you some helpful websites to check below. However, also think about your own community. Many local governments, businesses, clubs and organizations offer scholarships to their residents. Ask around! Also, think about what your interests and talents are. You can search online for scholarships using those key words. You’ll be surprised at what you’ll find! Finally, talk with your counselor and brainstorm some additional ways you can search for scholarships.

A Scholarship Guide for Women

BestColleges.com has put together a very thorough scholarship and financial aid guide for women. It also has information on colleges, applications and other important information on the college search process.

Utah offers its students opportunities for scholarships. Read below to find out more about each one.

Opportunity Scholarship (replacing the Regent Scholarship)

New legislation passed during the 2021 session created a simplified, statewide, achievement-based scholarship—the Opportunity Scholarship. This scholarship encourages high school students to prepare for college academically and financially by taking college courses in high school when the tuition cost is very minimal (CE courses are $5 per credit hour).

The Opportunity Scholarship can be used at Dixie State University, Salt Lake Community College, Snow College, Southern Utah University, Utah State University, Utah Valley University, University of Utah, Weber State University and the following private, non-profit institutions in Utah: Brigham Young University (Provo), Ensign College, Westminster College, and Western Governors University.

Students may defer use of the scholarship to attend a technical college that is part of the Utah System of Higher Education and then transfer to an eligible institution listed above. Deferment of the Opportunity Scholarship may also be granted for students who plan to provide a religious, humanitarian, or military service, face medical reasons they cannot attend school, or other reasons approved by an eligible institution. Scholarship recipients must coordinate any deferment with individual institutions before departure.

To earn the Opportunity Scholarship, you must:

• Earn a 3.3 cumulative high school GPA
• Complete 3 advanced courses
• Complete 1 Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), or Concurrent Enrollment (CE) course in each of the core areas of high school graduation, including: math, science, and language arts. (Make sure to verify the specific courses that qualify in each of these categories)
• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
• Graduate from a Utah high school

For the class of 2022 only: Students graduating with the class of 2022 may qualify for the Opportunity Scholarship through a Regents’ Track by completing the requirements previously set for the Regents’ Scholarship or the Advanced Course Track by meeting the [new Opportunity Scholarship] requirements detailed above. Details regarding Regents’ Track can be found here.

For the class of 2023 and beyond: Students may only qualify for the Opportunity Scholarship by completing the advanced course track described above. No exceptions will be made.

The scholarship can be amended each year by Utah Legislation. It is important that you consistently check their website as your resource for the most up-to-date information.

Sterling Scholar

ELIGIBILITY/ QUALIFICATIONS

The Sterling Scholar Awards are open to Utah high school seniors.  The selection process and nomination of students to compete on the region level is determined by each high school, but the students must meet the Sterling Scholar Standards listed below.

• Sterling Scholar officials consider a high school senior if they will be graduating with the senior class in the expected year.
• High school seniors who attend college classes full or part time or are classified as foreign exchange students are eligible for the Sterling Scholar Awards.  However, the program is designed to recognize scholastic achievement in Utah high schools. The student has to be still enrolled in high school.
• To be selected as a Sterling Scholar nominee, students must have extraordinary scholarship scores as well as service in leadership and citizenship opportunities in the Utah high school.  It is up to each high school to determine if an individual has been in attendance enough to experience these leadership and citizenship opportunities.

Selection of winners and runners-up will be made on the basis of scholarship, leadership, and citizenship as demonstrated through activities and interests in an area of high school education characterized by one of the program categories. The general measurement will be defined and applied in this manner:

Carson Smith Scholarship Program

If you are the parent of a child with an IEP enrolled in a public school, we are required by Utah Code Section 53A-1a-704(10) to inform you of the availability of a scholarship to attend a private school through the Carson Smith Scholarship Program. Find more information here.

T.H. Bell Scholarship

The T.H. Bell Scholarship is for those intent on entering the teaching profession in Utah. It can be used at all public or private institutions in Utah that offer an approved program.

Utah Promise Scholarship

The Utah Promise Scholarship is a needs-based scholarship program in Utah. It is available to recent high school graduates and adult learners at Utah’s public colleges and universities, as well as Utah’s public technical colleges. It is available for up to two years, four semesters, or an associate degree, whichever comes first. Award amounts vary based on individual circumstances. For questions regarding this program students should contact Financial Aid office at the college or university they plan to attend.

Career & Technical Education Scholarship

Career and Technical Education Scholarship is a scholarship for noncredit programs at select USHE institutions including Salt Lake Community College, Snow College, and Utah State University Eastern and USU-Moab. This scholarship is available to students who enroll in high-demand, non-credit certificate programs. For questions regarding this program students should contact the Financial Aid office at the college or university they plan to attend.

ScholarBox

ScholarBox is a free online resource to find scholarships for you!

MHA students are encouraged to create an account and link their profile to Mountain Heights Academy. Scholar-Box.com provides FREE web based scholarship tools to help students find and apply for scholarships. They are a locally based company that helps connect students with local scholarships. Student info is protected and not sold to third parties. They’ll keep track of scholarships you have viewed, applied for, or chosen to ignore. Scholarships are rated by competitiveness and amount of time needed to complete based on the information required. Students can go directly to the scholarship’s website to apply.

College Greenlight | Cappex

College Greenlight or Cappex is a free online resource to find local and national scholarships for you.

• View local and national scholarships available to you
• Get matched with scholarships based on your interests
• Scholarships are rated by competitiveness and effort to apply.

Zinch

Zinch connect students to scholarships based on your comprehensive student profile.