I’m a 23-year-old single white guy with an associate’s degree (graduated in 2021 with a 3.53 GPA) from my local community college. I want to attend my local university (still waiting for their decision) for the 2025-26 school year, but I won’t go unless I can cover most of the tuition. I live alone and didn’t get much help from FAFSA for various reasons.
The issue:
Almost every scholarship website I’ve tried won’t let me apply. Either I’m not a high school senior, or I’m not enrolled anywhere right now. Some sites won’t even let me make an account because I don’t fit their criteria. I can try for big-name scholarships, but they seem like a long shot with so many people applying.
Does anyone know where people in my situation can go? Are there websites or resources for someone like me? I can’t be the only one dealing with this.
I work at a place called Digital Workshop Center. We focus on tech certifications through small classes with mentors and career coaching. Over the past 18 years, we’ve helped people gain skills to get jobs in tech.
There are lots of scholarship options for programs like ours. If you do need to pay out of pocket, we have flexible payment plans, and our costs and timelines are much lower than traditional schools.
I might be biased since I work there, but I genuinely think it’s worth looking into. Our scholarship application process is super simple. Feel free to reach out if you’re interested!
Always focus on the most local scholarships possible. The less advertised, the better—it means fewer people are applying. If you qualify for FAFSA, you’re probably eligible for need-based scholarships. Check with your school’s financial aid office, talk to advisors, and look into workshops. If your school has a TRIO department, reach out to their advisors. Even librarians can be a great resource.
Search for scholarships tied to your city, county, or state. Surprisingly, lawyers often have scholarships (probably for tax reasons). Also, look for scholarships related to your specific major through professional associations.
It might feel like you have no options, but there’s likely more out there than you think. For me, most of the scholarships I’ve received were need-based, merit-based, or specific to my field—not because of race or gender.
Your situation isn’t unique, but you’re not the main focus for most scholarship donors. Non-traditional students, especially undergrads, often have fewer opportunities available.
Milan said:
Your situation isn’t unique, but you’re not the main focus for most scholarship donors. Non-traditional students, especially undergrads, often have fewer opportunities available.
That’s exactly what I was worried about. If I had known taking time off would make me ineligible, I never would’ve done it.