FAQ
Answers for parents/guardians and students choosing scholarship websites and places to look on Where to Find Scholarships.
About the directory
What is Where to Find Scholarships?
A free directory of scholarship websites and places to look, not a list of every individual award. It helps parents/guardians and students choose where to start.
Who is this for?
High-school students headed to college, current undergraduates, and the parents/guardians helping them.
Is this a scholarship matcher? Will it find awards my student can win?
No. We don't pick awards for your student or promise wins. We help you choose which scholarship websites are worth opening; you apply on those sites.
Is this free? Do I need an account?
Yes, it's free, and no account is needed to browse, filter, save, compare or visit sources. Saved and Compare lists stay in your browser on your device until you clear them. We may show labeled ads, and optional email updates are free to join and leave.
How do I use Type and Location?
Type is the kind of website. Location is where you live, one place at a time. Nationwide platforms still show when you pick a place.
How sources are selected
What kinds of sites do you list?
Sites for finding and applying to gift-aid scholarships (money you don't repay) for undergraduates: scholarship search platforms and apps, statewide and regional common-application programs, foundations and programs whose main product is scholarships, and field-specific hubs (for example nursing and healthcare, or engineering). Multi-sponsor scholarship marketplaces are included.
Where?
The United States and Canada.
How big does a source have to be?
Every source needs about 10 distinct scholarships at minimum; a single program with many winners counts as one. For local, regional, community-foundation and field-specific sources we aim for about 20 awards. Anything in between is a judgment call, and we note the reason. Each listing shows its size as a range, never an exact count.
Do you list government sites?
Yes, when a state, provincial or federal site's main offering is undergraduate gift-aid scholarships. We list about three government agency sources per state or province. Foundations have no per-state limit, but each must still meet the size rules.
What don't you list?
Loans, work-study, tuition administration, bank-style financial-aid tools and portals, college aid packages, foundation locators that only point elsewhere, social-media-only pages, scholarship application software sold to sponsors, and graduate-only, research-grant or study-abroad programs.
Do you list sites that charge money?
Yes. A paywall never keeps a site off the directory. Each listing shows a price label, Free, Freemium, Membership Required or Paid, based on what we saw on the site. The price label does not change a score by itself. Features behind a paywall are scored on what a free user can see, and only deceptive or coercive billing counts against Privacy & Marketing. We do leave out sites with thin listings, no real listings, or scammy lead generation.
How scoring works
How do you score a source?
On four score types: Matching Power (40%), Scholarship Quality (25%), Ease of Use (20%) and Privacy & Marketing (15%). Each type has three checks graded 1 to 5 against written descriptions. The score for each type is calculated from those grades on the same 1 to 5 scale, in half steps, never typed in. The overall score is the weighted average. Each published score covers all four types. See How we rate.
What do the scores mean?
Our editorial judgment, based on our own research and site checks, of how useful a website is for finding awards. A higher Matching Power score means a site does a better job helping students find the scholarships it lists, by filtering on things like location, need, merit, major, college and high school. It isn't a prediction you'll win, a check that you qualify, or an endorsement.
How do you check matching?
We look for common problems such as location filters that stop at the state, need-based awards shown to merit-only students, identity filters that don't exclude, and wrong-major results. Each source page shows two to four points per score under What our research found. Our research records, source links and check dates stay internal. The Updated line at the bottom of each source page shows the month and year the listing last changed, not a check date.
Do you look at what other people say about a site?
Sometimes. Where relevant we check public discussions such as Reddit, Facebook groups and forums for repeated complaints. It can support a score's reason but never sets a score on its own.
Do you apply for scholarships on the sites you rate?
No. We do not submit scholarship applications. Features available only on a paid plan are scored on what a free user can see.
When does a source appear?
Only once all four score types have a score and a written reason.
Is cost part of the rating?
Not by itself. Each listing shows a price label based on what we saw on the site. Features behind a paywall are scored on what a free user can see, and only deceptive or coercive billing counts against Privacy & Marketing.
Can money buy a better rating or placement?
No. Listings aren't endorsements, and sources can't pay for placement or a better score. Ads are labeled and separate from listings.
Updates and corrections
What are directory email updates?
Optional emails about sources being added, removed or materially changed. Unsubscribe anytime; we don't sell your email. See our Privacy policy.
How do I report an error?
Use Report an issue on the source page, or Claim this source if you represent the organization. You can also email admin@wheretofindscholarships.com with the source name or page link. A claim doesn't change the listing by itself.
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