Can You Use College Scholarship Money for Anything?

Just curious if there's any flexibility in using scholarship funds. Do these funds have to go directly toward tuition, or can they be used for other college-related expenses like books or living costs?

Yes, there is often flexibility in how your scholarship money can be used. The specifics largely depend on who is providing the scholarship and the terms of the scholarship itself. Some scholarships might be specifically for tuition, whereas others might be broad enough to cover any education-related expenses.

For instance, many scholarships are disbursed directly to the school and applied to your billed costs, which typically include tuition, fees, on-campus housing, meal plans, and sometimes textbooks. However, if a scholarship covers more than your billed costs or it is sent directly to you, you can use the remaining amount toward other educational expenses, like off-campus housing, meal costs, transportation, or personal supplies. In many cases these living expenses are considered part of Cost of Attendance (COA), which financial aid can help cover.

It is vital that you carefully read the fine print of your scholarship agreement to understand how your funds can be used. If the usage of your scholarship fund isn't explicitly defined, you may need to reach out to the scholarship provider for further clarification. Remember, misuse of the funds (using them for non-approved expenses) could possibly result in requiring you to repay the award or forfeit future scholarship payments.