Sprinting across campus to clock into work, cramming a final into your lunch break, scrambling to throw together an essay as the clock strikes midnight — this is the reality for thousands of students trying to lighten the burden of college tuition. However, many students enter college unaware of financial aid they may be eligible to receive.
Weber State University awards millions of dollars annually to students through scholarships, yet many miss this opportunity. The university’s Financial Aid & Scholarships office offers a range of student resources to search and apply for these awards.
“Many scholarships go overlooked because students assume they aren’t eligible or simply don’t know about them,” Heeuk Dennis Lee, an associate professor in the Department of Criminal Justice, said. “Students should look for more scholarships via Scholarship Universe.”
Scholarship Universe, found in the eWeber Portal, is a program that matches students with eligible scholarships based on their profile. To get started, students must first submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, then answer questions ranging from the user’s identification to topics the student is passionate about.
“Checking Scholarship Universe frequently and answering questions will help students find scholarships for which they may qualify for inside and outside of Weber State University,” teacher education academic adviser Angie Collinwood said. “All of our scholarships are accessed through Scholarship Universe.”
The university offers financial aid to all students, including scholarships for Utah residents, nonresidents, international students, home-schooled students and students without U.S. citizenship or a Green Card. Students can explore scholarship options through the Weber State University Financial Aid and Scholarship site or by visiting scholarship offices at the Ogden and Davis campuses.
Students can also search for financial aid within their academic department. Many departments offer scholarships specific to their majors that can be found on department websites or by speaking with faculty advisers.
“The criminal justice department at Weber State University helps students find scholarships through the department website, scholarship announcement in March, financial aid office and advisers,” Lee said.
The criminal justice department is not the only department offering scholarship assistance to its students.
“Our department has scholarships specifically for students who have declared a teaching major,” Collinwood said.
By reaching out to advisers, students may learn of scholarships that tend to be avoided. Lee and Collinwood both recognized scholarships that seemed to be overlooked.
“The Nowak scholarship requires a few more steps, so not as many students apply for this one,” Collinwood said.
Students who take the time to research and seek assistance may uncover more funding opportunities.
“Advisers and faculty can guide students toward funding opportunities they might not find on their own,” Lee said. “Start early, apply to multiple scholarships and ask for help.”
