Because of rising costs of college and university tuition, ever more students have to apply for scholarships to strengthen their financial support in order to successfully complete their studies. Money that is usually given to a student who has achievements in a variety of areas, not just academics. An award that does not usually have to be paid back.

A scholarship is usually awarded to students who demonstrate or show promise of high achievement in an area such as academics, athletics, music, art or other disciplines. The actual monetary value of the scholarship may be negligible, the scholarship being meant to motivate the student and promote the study of the subject. However, this is not always the case and the largest scholarships are almost always merit-base.