Can Scholarships Pay for Off Campus Housing?

Scholarships can cover many college costs – from tuition to fees to books. But do they cover everything? Can they pay for meal plans, off-campus housing, or spring break trips? Knowing ahead of time what scholarships can and cannot cover will help you better pay for school, which will impact how you live not only during school but also after school.

How to Find Scholarships that Pay for Off-Campus Housing

Finding college scholarships for off-campus housing is just like finding any other opportunity. First, it’s helpful to fill out a profile on Fastweb. Filling out a profile is free and just takes a few minutes. Furthermore, it gives you access to Fastweb’s entire scholarship database. With the information provided, we can match you to opportunities for which you actually qualify. Essentially, we do all of the hard scholarship search work for you. After you fill out a profile, you will be given a list of scholarship matches. These are opportunities that you actually qualify for and can apply to immediately. Each scholarship will have a detail page. You can find helpful information like the deadline, amount, and eligibility requirements here. Additionally, you may find information about what the scholarship will cover. Check the scholarship provider's website to see what it will cover on the detail page. You can also email the scholarship committee directly to see if they will pay for off-campus housing.

How to Win Scholarships that Pay for Off-Campus Housing

Winning scholarships is a numbers game and requires a bit of strategy. The more you apply, the greater your chances of winning one – or many. That means treating the scholarship search and application process like a part-time job. Commit to applying to several weekly, and make sure they vary by type. Split your application time between easy-to-apply-for scholarships and those requiring more work. Scholarships that are easy to apply for and require little time to complete have hundreds, if not thousands, of applicants. While your chances of winning are small, the payoff can often be big. However, those opportunities that require a little more work, like essays, video submissions, or letters of recommendation, tend to have a smaller applicant pool. While applying may take more time, the chances of winning are more significant.

Using Your Scholarships that Pay for Off-Campus Housing

Once you have won, you must talk with the scholarship provider about what the funding covers. Almost every opportunity will cover tuition. After that, scholarships get specific about what they can be used for in terms of college costs. Some scholarships cover room and board at the college only. Others cover expenses like books, computers, and fees. However, you will find that there are scholarships with less rigid stipulations which can pay for off-campus housing. Any scholarship you win outside of your college or university must be reported to the school – even if you use them to pay for off-campus housing. If you have been over-awarded between scholarships and financial aid, the college will remove money from your financial aid package. They are not doing this to punish you. Typically, they’ll remove the student loans first, meaning you will have less to pay back after graduation – if any at all. You can also indicate that you want to use the scholarships to pay for off-campus housing. While the college will likely lessen your financial aid package, you will all be on the same page about the award amount and the college costs it covers.

When Scholarships Don’t Pay for Off-Campus Housing

As you apply for scholarships, you may win an award not covering off-campus housing. You will have to look strategically at the funding you do have to see if you can move money around to allocate to your biggest financial needs. Merit scholarships that you received from the school when they admitted you will not cover off-campus housing. You are more likely to find that outside scholarships will provide the financial help you seek. However, even outside scholarships—which come from a group or organization other than the school—can dictate whether or not the award can pay for off-campus housing. That is up to each scholarship provider and the committee's rules and regulations. So before you apply, ask about the stipulations if they’re not otherwise stated. If the opportunities you find don’t pay for off-campus housing, but you still need funds to cover tuition or books, apply anyway.

Strategize for Scholarships that Pay for Off-Campus Housing

Some people indeed get lucky, but you need to plan to work hard to find and win scholarships that pay for off-campus housing. Don’t wait for opportunities to be handed to you; go out and seize them. Fill out a profile on Fastweb to be matched with scholarships for which you actually qualify. Ask your guidance counselor about local awards that could help you pay for college. Commit to applying to at least two scholarships per week, and remember to start early. You can search for scholarships before your junior or senior year of high school. Start during the freshman year – and find opportunities through your final year of college or graduate school. The point is that there is an abundant amount of scholarships out there for every type of person, student, and age. With a bit of research and a lot of time spent applying, you could find awards that pay for off-campus housing – among other college costs. Start with Fastweb today and earn scholarships that will enable you to pursue your higher education, career, and life dreams.