Eastern Encourages Students to Apply for Outside Scholarships

Outside scholarships are scholarships that are awarded by agencies, business, and individuals outside of Eastern New Mexico University. There are billions of dollars in outside scholarship opportunities available to college students from all backgrounds. While each student is personally responsible for finding and applying for these private awards, ENMU does offer practical advice on how students can best utilize these opportunities.

Avoid Scholarship Scams

While there are many generous organizations that offer legitimate scholarship awards to students, there are unfortunately some organizations that use their scholarship awards to take advantage of students in financial need. It is important that students carefully review each outside scholarship opportunity and the awarding organization carefully. Here are some steps you can take to avoid scholarship scams:

• Use reputable scholarship search engines to find scholarship awards. Check with your financial aid counselor for a list of scholarship search engines Eastern recommends.
• Never pay for scholarship information!
• Legitimate scholarship awards should not charge an application fee.
• Avoid “guaranteed” scholarships, drawings, and sweepstakes.
• Avoid scholarship applications that ask for too much personal information such as your social security number or copies of your identification.
• Apply for scholarships that are offered from organizations in your local community.
• Apply for scholarships that are awarded through major corporations and foundations.

Outside Donor Scholarship Opportunities

Over the years, many ENMU students have won private college scholarship awards. Here is a sample of some of the scholarship opportunities previously awarded to ENMU students:

• Albuquerque Community Foundation: Offers several scholarship awards for New Mexico high school and college students.
• Amarillo Area Foundation: Texas based community organization which awards a variety of high school and college scholarships.
• Elks National Scholarship Programs: Awards over 500 four-year scholarships ranging from $50,000 to $1,000 to the top high school seniors in the United States.

Eastern New Mexico University offers dedicated faculty who are committed to academic excellence and emphasize liberal learning, freedom of inquiry and cultural diversity. With affordable tuition and flexible course schedules, ENMU offers an education that fits your lifestyle and puts your career goals within reach. Visit the ENMU website to learn more about how Eastern New Mexico University can help you be successful.