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Tips for Winning a Public Service Scholarship


It often takes more than good grades in high school to impress a college or university. This is especially true when it comes to finding financial aid from a variety of different sources. A popular option for students who care involves winning public service scholarships given out by various organizations all across the country. These go beyond achievement, financial need, and extracurricular activities like sports or recognized clubs. Read on to learn more about how you can get a public service scholarship to help with your college costs.

Choose the Best Public Service Activities

As soon as a student begins to dream of their future college education, the time has come to start volunteering or getting involved in public service activities. Even without plans to apply for scholarships, this helps young people develop empathy, understanding, and a well-rounded mind. Although it makes sense to choose a type of service based on personal interests and values, you may want to know which make the biggest impact when it comes to applying for scholarships.

Most available scholarships seem to focus on serving communities from administrative angles. In other words, military veteran associations, government programs, or recognized social charities may get you more financial options than volunteering for an environmental group or an animal rights association.

Discover Public Service Scholarship Opportunities

Scholarships come from schools directly, companies, private and nonprofit organizations, and individual funds. Start your search by focusing on the type of public service activity you do and whether anyone offers extra money for education.

Some community and public service scholarship opportunities include:

DoSomething.org scholarship contests
Equitable Excellence Scholarships for volunteer service
Prudential Emerging Visionaries awards
• Jesse Brown Memorial Youth scholarship for veterans affairs volunteers
Young Women in Public Affairs Award
• NSHSS Passion for Public Service

Create a Winning Scholarship Application Package

Follow these simple steps to get the best response to your scholarship application no matter where it comes from or what its specific requirements are:

• Carefully research all requirements and requests for individual scholarships
• Fill out forms accurately and completely
• Provide all requested documentation of public service work
• Write a stellar essay with emotion and skill
• Always submit well before the deadline and follow up as needed

Public Administration and Service Degree Programs

Many of the tips specific to winning public service scholarships here focus on the actions taken during high school or prior to applying for college. In addition, some are also available for those intending to study public administration in a degree program. Other opportunities come for those interested in cyber security, criminal justice, and education. This is financial aid awarded to people who intend to make a specific career choice in the future. It has nothing to do with volunteering or charity work in the past, although those things always help the admissions and scholarship application process.

Some schools and organizations that award these include:

• University of Arizona School of Government and Public Policy
• University of North Carolina School of Government
• Rutgers School of Public Affairs and Administration
• Boyd N. Lyon Scholarship
• Edith Schwab Memorial Scholarship

Altogether, the opportunities for public service and public administration scholarships reflect the true benefit to students interested in serving others. Whether you are going into a government job or simply want volunteering and nonprofit organizations to be a part of your life, these tips for winning more free money for school will help you on your way.