The Oprah Winfrey Scholarship is gaining a lot of attention as one of the most high-profile scholarships around.But who is it for, and how can you apply for one? In this little post I'm going to tell you a bit more about it and what it means for you.


First of all, I should point out that the scholarship isn't actually a scholarship at all!It is actually a fund set up by Oprah Winfrey which is designed to give money to scholarship-awarding bodies that are strapped for cash.So the endowment fund allows other less well-funded scholarship funds with the resources they need to award scholarships to those in need. In particular, those from ethnic minorities who show a strong academic record but lack the funds to go through college.


The fund often targets scholarships designed to help ethnic minorities directly, and also scholarships geared towards underprivaleged women.The fund recently helped the Lori Hacking scholarship fund in Salt Lake City which is aimed at women business students "seeking an education in the face of significant life changes".It was set up by the mother of a young woman, presumed to be killed by her husband who herself faced 'significant life changes'.


Thinking about going for one of the Oprah Winfrey endowment fund scholarships? You should consider these points before applying for any scholarship or grant.


- Do Your Research!



There's no point trying to apply for a fund which does not accept candidates like you.The answer is to look through a large number of options, and then gradually narrow it down to the most suitable.If you want to research a lot of scholarships quickly, then there is more information at the following Oprah Winfrey Scholarship page which provides links to valuable resource / scholarship search sites.



Give the board what it wants!



Every scholarship is different, and you should tailor your application to suit each of them.If you have properly researched the scholarship you're applying for, you should have a clear idea of what you're going to say to fit the relevant criteria.If you can, try to get hold of the names and email addresses of previous scolarship winners who are usually more than happy to offer advice. Also, try to talk to someone associated with the scholarship itself.You'd be surprised how much a little phone call to the organization in question will help your application.


Aim to research the less popular scholarhipsYour best bet is to apply for scholarships that do not have many applicants. Sounds obvious, but most people will apply for only the most high-profile scholarships.Visit this resource page on the Oprah Winfrey Scholarship for more ideas on neglected scholarships.


Consider a grant

A Scholarship isn't for everyone; if you cannot prove that you require additional funding, then you may not be eligible anyway.If you can't, the likelihood is that the scholarship will go to someone else who really needs it.The main advantage of grants is that they are given out to a lot of people – so rather than everyone clambering after one single scholarship place, a grant is available to anyone who applies and who is eligible.



More resources including scholarship/grant sites available at the following Oprah Winfrey Scholarship page. It lists sites that make researching scholarships and grants a whole lot easier.