ASU Online Scholarships

Scholarships and grants are types of financial awards that you can earn to reduce college costs. You can use these awards to pay for tuition, fees, books or other college expenses depending on the scholarship. Some scholarships might have specifications and will only cover certain expenses.

Scholarships are often awarded based on academic merit, but can also be given based on your background, financial need, special talents, degree program and other factors. A wide range of organizations offer scholarships, including schools, companies, nonprofits, community groups, professional organizations and more.

Grants differ from scholarships because they’re usually awarded based solely on financial need. Another difference is that grants are most often given by public institutions, including federal and state governments, as well as colleges and universities.

Sometimes these awards are a one-time payment and other times they’re renewable and provide assistance each semester you’re in school. Some scholarships do not give you a payment and instead simply provide a reduction in cost.

Learn more about financial aid for online students.

The first step is to submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is an application required to qualify for most scholarships, grants and other types of financial aid. You can start your application at fafsa.ed.gov. ASU’s Federal School Code is 001081.

The FAFSA will determine if you qualify for any federal financial aid including grants and low-interest loans. ASU also uses your FAFSA information to create a personalized financial aid package, which can include additional scholarships and grants. You’ll be able to view your financial aid offer and act on your awards in the finances tab of My ASU.

If you still want or need more help paying for school, you can apply for additional scholarships from ASU and other organizations. Learn more about how to file the FAFSA and apply for scholarships.

No. Scholarships are a type of aid that does not need to be repaid. A few grants might require repayment, but the majority do not. Student loans are the most common source of financial aid that does require repayment after you graduate.

ASU offers a number of scholarship options for eligible online students along with a variety of private scholarships. Scholarships have specific criteria, varying deadlines and application requirements. The best way to find any relevant scholarships is to use the scholarship search tool.

Every scholarship has different eligibility criteria and application processes, but many require you to submit transcripts, an essay, letters of recommendation and other documents proving eligibility. Scholarships also usually have varying timelines and deadlines, so it’s important to pay close attention to the requirements and check back frequently for new opportunities. View additional scholarship resources.

The amount of money awarded by scholarships varies greatly from a few hundred to many thousands of dollars. Some scholarships help cover tuition while others are designed to help cover other education costs. There’s no limit to the number of scholarships that you can apply to or be awarded, so even getting a few smaller scholarships can add up.