Scholarship Programs

Non-University Aid (External Awards)

External scholarships may be awarded through churches; professional, civic, or service organizations; private foundations; the military; etc. Resources available to help you find additional scholarships include your high-school guidance counselor, libraries, your local chamber of commerce office, and the internet. You and your parents should also inquire at your current places of employment to determine if financial aid benefits are offered.

If you have received an aid award from outside sources, you and your award donor can obtain information about Ohio State's process for disbursing those funds to you at sfa.osu.edu/forms/award/external.pdf.

Remember, the total aid a student can receive annually cannot exceed the cost of attendance at Ohio State. Your other aid awards (especially those which are need based) may be adjusted upon our receipt and review of your external award notification.

Federal regulations require that all external scholarships and financial resources are to be considered part of a student's overall financial aid package. The external resources received, may also affect other types of aid awarded to a student. Students may not receive financial aid in excess of the annual cost of attendance at Ohio State.

Estimated Financial Assistance includes any educational benefits paid because of enrollment in postsecondary education, such as:

• Pell Grant
• Unsubsidized and subsidized Stafford and PLUS (Federal Family Education Loans and Direct Loans)
• Chapter 1607/REAP Benefits
• Long-term loans made by the school, including Federal Perkins Loans (short-term emergency loans are not considered to be Estimated Financial Assistance)
• Grants, including Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOGs), state grants, and Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) living allowances
• Scholarships, including athletic scholarships and ROTC scholarships, and scholarships that require future employment but are given in the current year
• Waivers of tuition and fees
• Fellowships or assistantships
• Income from insurance programs that pay for the student’s education
• Net income from need-based employment
• AmeriCorps funds

External Scholarships

The Ohio State University does not post individual external scholarship opportunities to its website. Instead, OSU advises students to utilize any or all of the following free scholarship search engines:

• https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/scholarship-search
• http://www.collegescholarships.com/
• http://www.fastweb.com/
• http://www.zinch.com/scholarships

Other Financial Aid Resources include:

• http://ohiomeanssuccess.org/
• http://studentaid.ed.gov
• http://finaid.org

Choose Ohio First Scholarship Program (COFS)

The Choose Ohio First Scholarship Program awards Ohio colleges, universities and their business partners that have developed innovative academic programs to recruit and retain more Ohio students into STEMM fields. The funding that they receive is used to offer scholarships for those programs to current and potential students.

STEMM = Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and, Medicine

To date, Choose Ohio First scholarships have been awarded to more than 4,000 students in 28 programs involving 41 Ohio public and private institutions. Scholarship awards range from $1,500 to $5,200 per student, per academic year. Those interested in applying for COFS opportunities at OSU should contact the individuals as listed below.

* offered at Marion, Lima, and Mansfield Campuses for GRD students only, refer to extended campus websites for application

** offered at The Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute

Verify the legitimacy of any financial aid consultants or search services you may use. For tips on avoiding scholarship scams check these resources.

• Better Business Bureau at www.bbb.org/us/consumers
• Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov/scholarshipscams
• U.S. Department of Education at studentaid.ed.gov/students/publications/lsa/index.html