The Homeschooler's Guide to Securing College Scholarships: A Practical How-To

Ginny
Jun 11
3 min read

College is expensive—but it doesn’t have to be. With the right planning, scholarships can significantly reduce or even eliminate the cost of higher education. The best part? Homeschooled students are just as eligible—and often more appealing—to scholarship committees when their applications are organized and tell a succinct and compelling story.

At The Homeschool Advisors, we specialize in helping homeschool families prepare for the college journey, including transcripts, course planning, course descriptions, college application documents specifically required for homeschooling families, and customized guidance to help your student stand out by clearly telling their academic story.

Here’s how you can get started on the scholarship path:

🎓 Types of Scholarships to Explore

Merit-Based Scholarships Awarded for academic achievement, leadership, artistic or athletic talent. Many colleges automatically consider students for these based on their application and transcript.

Need-Based Scholarships Based on family income, awarded through the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). It's generally recommended that all families complete this application, even if you know you won't qualify for aid. 🔗 studentaid.gov

Private Scholarships Funded by nonprofits, companies, or individuals. These often require an essay or portfolio and are open to homeschoolers who meet the eligibility criteria.

📋 Key Materials You’ll Need

To apply for most scholarships, homeschoolers should be prepared to submit:

A professional-looking transcript
A homeschool profile letter or academic summary
Test scores (even for test-optional schools, these can help with scholarships)
Recommendation letters from tutors, co-op leaders, or mentors
A strong personal essay

💡 Not sure where to start? We offer transcript-building services, custom course descriptions, and personalized support for writing excellent essays that stand out (in a good way).

⏰ When to Start (Hint: Sooner Than You Think)

You should begin scholarship research by junior year at the latest, and be actively applying by the summer before senior year. Deadlines can begin as early as August and continue throughout the senior year.

🔎 Use Trusted Scholarship Search Engines

Here are reputable websites that list thousands of real, vetted scholarships:

📚 General & Merit-Based:

BigFuture by College Board – https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/scholarship-search
Scholarships.com – https://www.scholarships.com
Cappex – https://www.cappex.com/scholarships
Going Merry – https://www.goingmerry.com
Fastweb – https://www.fastweb.com

💰 Need-Based:

FAFSA (Federal Student Aid) – https://studentaid.gov
College-specific financial aid portals – most colleges list additional scholarships on their websites for admitted students

🏅 Competitive or Niche:

National Merit Scholarship – https://www.nationalmerit.org (based on the PSAT/NMSQT)
RaiseMe – https://www.raise.me (earn micro-scholarships for achievements)
Courage to Grow Scholarship – https://couragetogrowscholarship.com

And don’t forget to check:

Local businesses and foundations
Community service organizations (Rotary, Elks, etc.)
Your target colleges’ scholarship pages
State-specific scholarships (In Arkansas, search the "Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship", the "Arkansas Future Grant", and "Govenor's Distinguished Scholarship".)

🧠 What Makes a Homeschooler Stand Out?

Scholarship committees want to know who your student is beyond the grades. Homeschooling offers an opportunity to tell a unique story—use it to your advantage.

Standout features include:

Dual enrollment or AP coursework
Volunteer and leadership experience
Passion projects or self-driven learning
A clear sense of goals and purpose

💬 What About College-Specific Scholarships?

Many colleges offer generous scholarships just for applying—especially for high-achieving or unique applicants. Make sure your homeschool records meet their criteria.

👣 Don’t Walk the Scholarship Path Alone

Applying for scholarships can be overwhelming—especially while finishing high school coursework, preparing for college, and handling applications. But you don’t have to do it alone.