Scholarships
There are many different types of public and private scholarships available to a diverse range of students. Scholarship programs can be university related or come from an outside source. They usually require applicants to meet specific academic, social, or economic requirements that are unique to each scholarship program.
Philanthropy in the United States is alive and growing. More than 65% of the available scholarships, fellowships, grants, and loans are from the private sector. These private scholarships are directly controlled by the donor, not the university. The application process, selection criteria, and recipients are determined by the donor. The donor will notify you of the award, but will send the money to the University for distribution.
Scholarships can be awarded on many different requirements. For example, you may have to be a resident of a particular city, be involved in extra-curricular activities, have a special talent, or be pursuing a specific major. Don’t think that you can’t apply because your parents earn too much money; 80% of the private sector does not require a financial need. Application deadlines occur throughout the year. Private sector deadlines are variable because they are often set to coincide with organization dates. Grades are not the only consideration for an award; many application requirements deal with personal, occupational, and educational background, organization affiliation, talent or ethnic origins; 90% are not concerned with grades. Don’t be too concerned with age; 42% of all college students are non-traditional and many organizations are interested in the returning student. Keep in mind that the majority of the scholarships available are focused on undergraduate students, not graduate-level students.
Make sure to thoroughly explore all scholarship materials for detailed requirements and disbursement information.
HIMSS Foundation Scholarship Program
The HIMSS Foundation Scholarship Program annually awards scholarships to student members studying in the health care information or management systems field. Visit the HIMSS site athttp://www.himss.org/ASP/scholarshipsHome.asp for more information.
AHIMA Foundation of Research and Education
Financial aid is available to qualified students through the AHIMA Foundation of Research and Education. The organization offers both loans and scholarships. For more information, see http://ahimafoundation.org/.
Graduate Students/Tuition Waivers:
There are many types of tuition waivers for graduate students—assistantships, fellowships, Board of Trustee waivers, and several others. The Office of Student Financial Aid is not involved with selecting the recipients of graduate waivers. The Graduate College has information about graduate waivers.
ELIGIBILITY
Your eligibility for the various forms of financial aid is dependent on several factors. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is used to determine what type of federal financial aid you qualify for, and how much federal assistance you can receive.
The FAFSA is used to calculate your Expected Family Contribution (EFC), or how much you are expected to contribute towards your education.
The Expected Family Contribution is subtracted from a school’s unique Cost of Attendance (COA) total, which includes tuition, fees, room and board, transportation, and other related costs. This will help to determine your overall financial need, and what type of financial aid you qualify for.
For more information on eligibility requirements click here.
