Here in the University Scholarship Office at UNC Charlotte, we often use words like “institution” and “outside” when classifying scholarship opportunities. The end result of these is usually similar – they’re both scholarships. However, there are differences in how you apply for these types of scholarships and how they are awarded. While the terms institution and outside scholarships apply to most universities, this post will discuss what these terms mean at UNC Charlotte.
Institution
Institution scholarships are those offered directly through the university, and are provided by donors or departments that have distributed the funds. There are hundreds of institution scholarships at UNC Charlotte, and many that are specific to academic colleges or departments. Most institution scholarships are based on academic merit, incoming freshman test scores, and leadership or service qualities. That being said, many institution scholarships are specific to students who demonstrate financial need through their FAFSA, are from an underrepresented population, or are considered non-traditional students. Some institution scholarships require an essay about a given topic, and many require academic or community recommendations.
Almost all institution scholarships at UNC Charlotte are found in the NinerScholars Portal, which will automatically match you to available scholarships for which you may be eligible to apply. The one exception to the NinerScholars Portal is the Levine Scholars Program, which has its own portal and application process. Once you have created your profile in NinerScholars, you’ll be able to check the requirements for each institution scholarship that you are matched with. NinerScholars allows you to upload “common materials” such as a resume, academic recommendations, and some essays, which are automatically uploaded to any scholarship applications which require those materials. For example, most scholarship applications require a resume. In the NinerScholars portal you can upload your resume to one scholarship application, and it will automatically upload that same resume to all other scholarships you’ve been matched with that require a resume
Outside
Outside scholarships are started by various companies, individuals, or organizations, and are sent to our office for review. After we thoroughly assess the opportunity, we will post it on our website for all UNC Charlotte students to access. Outside scholarship opportunities typically range from $750 - $5,000. While our database size fluctuates throughout the year, there are usually more than 30 outside scholarship opportunities available on our website under the “scholarship listings” - “outside scholarships” page.
Outside scholarships do not have the same types of guarantees that institution scholarships do, and may be more subjective in their selection process. There may be thousands of applicants for high-profile opportunities, and you will never know exactly who is judging your submission. Outside scholarships often don’t judge by merit either, and may use terms like “creativity” or “boldness” as their qualifying criteria. This can make it difficult for the student to know exactly where to focus their efforts during the application process. If you’d like to learn more about outside scholarships, click here.
Use All of Your Resources
A good scholarship opportunity is a good scholarship opportunity, whether it is an institution scholarship or an outside scholarship. We understand that college expenses are rising, and most students will appreciate a scholarship regardless of where it comes from. However, it’s important to remember that institution scholarships are naturally more “official” as they are managed directly by the university, whereas outside scholarships are managed by the organization that has established the fund. Either way, our office is here to help you find the best scholarships opportunities that fit your skills and academics. Always feel free to contact us to learn more about institution and outside scholarship opportunities at UNC Charlotte.
The original blog was written by Taylor J. Valley, a Graduate Assistant in the University Scholarship Office at UNC Charlotte, and a student in the Master of Public Administration program. It was most recently edited by Katie Franck, an Undergraduate Project Assistant in the University Scholarship Office, and a student in the Bachelor of Science Psychology program.