Frequently Asked Questions:
Who are the scholarships for?
Our scholarships are for everyone. High School Students, College Students, Parents, Students attending College and vocational schools etc… There are scholarships for almost everyone!
Do I have to be a great student to win scholarships?
No, there are scholarships for everyone.
Do I have to fill out the FAFSA to get a scholarship?
No, but some schools won’t allow you to qualify for school awards without one on file so it’s always a good idea to fill out the FAFSA.
My immigration status is complicated. Can I still apply?
Yes, but it depends on your specific status. Undocumented and DACA students are not able to access federal or state grants, but individual colleges and private scholarship providers may be able to help.
If I win a scholarship, how do I get the money?
In most cases, the money is given directly to the school.
What kind of awards are in the Imagine Scholarships system?
While we mostly offer scholarships to our students and schools, we occasionally add an internship opportunity and a few college loans. Our favorite loan option is 0% interest.
What is a scholarship?
A scholarship is a financial award that does not need to be paid back.
How many scholarships can I apply to?
You can apply to as many as you’d like. We recommend 3-5 per week.
Who is eligible to apply?
Each scholarship fund has specific eligibility criteria that have been defined by the donor. Please read through the specific criteria per scholarship to see if you are eligible.
What are the requirements to get a scholarship?
Each scholarship is given by a different entity and has its own unique requirements.
Where do I get a code for the scholarship database?
This is available to you through your school or organization.
How important is it that I have all the information on my profile?
The more information you provide for us, the better chance we will have at finding the right scholarships for you. However, if you don’t know the answers to all questions on the profile, just fill out what you can. A few fields are mandatory for filtering purposes.
Why do I have so many matched scholarships?
The first few times you log in, you will have a significant amount of scholarships to look through. We would rather you have too many options rather than not enough. Save the ones that interest you and delete the ones that you don’t qualify for.
How do I actually apply to the scholarships?
Clicking on the apply button is only half of the equation. After you click “apply” you’ll be directed to the site of the scholarship sponsor. Each scholarship will have its own requirements for you to follow. Be sure to follow their requirements and submit any needed documents.
What if I have scholarships in my applied bucket that I didn’t actually apply to?
You can remove these if you didn’t actually apply. If you did apply, please click on the question at the bottom of the scholarship it says “did you apply? “ Then put in the appropriate response. This is very important in keeping track of your funds.
Why do I see some scholarships that are expired in my saved scholarship section ?
We update our system daily to make sure no expired or deleted scholarships are in the system. We delete expired scholarships from the “matched scholarships” section. However, in the “saved scholarships” section, you will need to delete those that expire before you apply to them. All scholarships that you’ve applied to will remain in the “applied scholarships” section.
How can I be successful in finding scholarships?
While there is no magic formula to winning scholarships, those students who consistently apply to 3-5 scholarships per week are most successful. If your school has provided access to our video resources we update that page regularly to give you tools and tips to be most successful in finding money for college.
What do I do if I have IT trouble with the system?
Contact us on the chat box and we will get back to you soon.
Have you seen students be successful in paying for college?
Yes, yes, yes! We love helping students be successful in finding money for college and see it happen on a daily basis. In fact, many of our students who are committed to applying for 3-5 scholarships per week have paid for their college 100% through scholarships! You can do it too! We are here cheering you on each step of the way!
Why do some scholarship say “varies” instead of having a date?
This is a great question! This is actually good news! When we find a scholarships that is renewable, meaning you can apply for the same scholarship several years in a row, then we don’t want you to miss it so we put a date of “varies.” We do the same for scholarships that are offered several times throughout the year or on an ongoing basis. We just want to make sure you don’t miss it!
Many students ask .... Why do I have so many scholarships to look through?
This is a great question. We decided we would rather you have too many options rather than not enough options.
There will only be an excessive amount on the first few times you log in. After that, it will add additional scholarships at a much slower rate as they become available.
Here is what we recommend.
After filling out your profile, you'll be directed to "Matched Scholarships." Once in "matched scholarships," begin looking through the options. Be sure to look carefully. Often some scholarships may not seem like a perfect fit for you but end up being great options once you look closer.
While looking through your "matched scholarships," use the red "X" to delete any that you don't want to see again.
Click the "Save" button for scholarships that might be a good fit for you.
Finally, go to "saved scholarships" and begin applying.
Be sure to check your "applied scholarships" section and keep track of which scholarships you receive and how much you've earned. It is also important to keep track in this section of the ones you are still waiting on or didn't receive.
We are so excited about the thousands of scholarships just waiting for you. We recommend applying to 3-5 scholarships per week to be most successful.
We have occasionally encountered an issue where the user is notified that they are not authorized to use this site. If you are using a site provided to you through your school, we have secured the site in a way that no one else can enter.
This problem is usually resolved by making sure the student initially uses their unique code to sign in. This unique code tells the system that you are authorized to use your school’s site!
For example:
Go to the address of the site your school has provided for you
Click on the "Get Started" button
You'll be directed to a second page, click "get started" again on the second page
Then you'll be directed to a sign up page - BE SURE TO ENTER YOUR CODE on this page
Then you'll be directed to a personal profile that will help us find the best scholarships for you
This should help you be on your way to finding amazing scholarships!
We are always happy to help with any questions you may have. :)
Some schools provide online videos to give you updated and personal information on how to find scholarships. If your school has provided this, then you have free access and the videos are updated frequently to help you win the scholarships you apply for!
Want to know more? If your school has provided this, look for the video resources tab once you’ve logged in with your code.
Build your account on teachable and start enjoying videos that are designed to help you be successful!
The videos cover topics related to:
FAFSA
How to write a winning essay for scholarships
How to be successful in your scholarship search
Scholarships, Grants and Loans
How to build a resume to help win scholarships
Setting Yourself Apart
Mistakes you don't want to make
Take a look today! You'll be glad you did and we will be cheering you on in your scholarship search, each step of the way!
I need help filling out my profile.
Here is a helpful guide to filling out the "user profile"
On the profile, there are some questions that are mandatory and many that are not.
The mandatory fields help the system find scholarships just for you:
Mandatory fields:
The first question requires you to let the system know if you are:
1. A high school student
2. college student / graduate student
Be sure to answer this question correctly as you'll be matched with scholarships just for you.
Next you'll be asked to fill out your name and email and if you are the student or parent.
Additional Mandatory Fields:
City
State
Zip Code
Citizenship Status
Current Grade
While the above questions are the only mandatory fields, the more information you include in your profile, them more we can help find the best scholarships for you.
Non Mandatory Questions:
Sex
Religion
Race
School you are currently attending
GPA
Test Scores
First Generation College Student
What you want to study in college - Major
Colleges that interest you
Type of degree you are pursuing
Hobbies
Interests
Unique Gifts or Talents
Organizations or Clubs
Military Affiliation
Additional Information
While some of these may seem like unnecessary information, the more information we have, the more we can help you in your scholarship search.
Don't worry if you don't know all of the information or if you don't feel like your answers are strong answers. There are scholarships for everyone.
We are excited to help you find the scholarship just for you!
