ScholarshipUniverse helps students broaden their horizons

When Lilian Frank left in January to spend the semester studying in the United Kingdom, the Purdue University Fort Wayne junior already had plans to spend the fall semester of her senior year studying in Japan. These trips came after Frank spent previous summers traveling to Italy and South Korea.

So, how in the world—no pun intended—could she afford all that?

Frank utilized the funding awarded from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and as an Indiana resident, her status as a 21st Century Scholar. Studying for a semester overseas also has a very similar cost to a semester on campus, and she learned to make the most of the opportunities that exist. They include using the Office of Financial Aid’s ScholarshipUniverse tool to find scholarship and grant options.

“It’s about knowing where to look for scholarships,” said Frank, an English major who is also earning an international studies certificate while minoring in art and design. “There is a plethora of study abroad scholarships. If you dig deep enough, there are some for specific countries that will cover that for you.”

Frank said the international company she works with through PFW’s Study Abroad Program also makes suggestions for other resources.

But the best place to start is the ScholarshipUniverse program PFW implemented in 2018. Financial aid’s Laura Zeigler, assistant director of enrollment management and university scholarship, guides students in the program to match their academic history with strong options.

“ScholarshipUniverse is a tool that allows them to search for both internal and external scholarship opportunities, matching where their academic success has been and allowing them an opportunity to receive funds if they are selected,” Zeigler said. “Yes, we have a lot of scholarships, but not every student will be awarded, and that is the hard part. That’s why we encourage them to look for outside scholarships, too. The more scholarships they apply to, the more opportunities they have to increase their financial support, reducing out-of-pocket costs.”

Zeigler said more than 3,200 PFW students received scholarships during the fall semester, and there are more than 150 institutional scholarships in the tool. The average award during the fall was approximately $1,550. Scholarships are awarded on merit and/or need and may be application-based, which requires supplying additional personal information such as community service or possibly an essay.

ScholarshipUniverse is a matching tool and a great resource to save time. If a student uses the program and matches a potential scholarship, Zeigler emails them directly with an instruction to submit the necessary documentation. There are plenty of resources available, and students need to dedicate time to searching.

That’s something Frank has become adept at. Whenever she finds a potential scholarship, Frank said she checks on the legitimacy with John Jensen, director of PFW’s Study Abroad Program and National Student Exchange. Frank sometimes needs to apply to 10 scholarships to receive one.

And she hits on enough of them to keep her looking for more.

Part of Zeigler’s position includes spending time in PFW classrooms and special events talking about financial literacy and trying to educate students about what is possible, including using the ScholarshipUniverse tool.

“A lot of it depends on the time a student is willing to spend on looking, because there are hundreds of thousands in scholarships out there that go unused every year,” Zeigler said. “The spring term is the best time to apply to be awarded during the next academic year.”

Zeigler said ScholarshipUniverse currently has 4,057 open and future scholarship opportunities available.

“When you take a few minutes every day to research scholarship opportunities, it can pay off,” Zeigler said.