I'm interested in applying to Columbia College Chicago and want to know about potential scholarships there. Any current students or alumni have insights on the best scholarships to look at?
Columbia College Chicago offers different types of scholarships or awards that can certainly help cut down your tuition costs. Here are a few main categories worth focusing on:
- Institutional Scholarships: These are awards given by Columbia College Chicago itself. New incoming students are considered for academic scholarships at the time of acceptance based on their cumulative GPA and aren't required to submit any additional materials. But keep in mind that these are awarded at different levels (Trustee, Presidential, etc.) and can range from about $10,000 to $15,000.
- Portfolio-Based Scholarships: Specialized for art students, Columbia College offers portfolio-based scholarships such as the Fine Art Award which awards up to $5,350 to students who showcase exceptional talent in their portfolios.
- External Scholarships: These are a broad category of scholarships not given out by Columbia, but for which you might be eligible and that you can use at Columbia. They are often more competitive and require you to submit some sort of application package separately. This can include scholarships in your local community, scholarships tied to external organizations such as foundations, corporations, and non-profits, or scholarships specifically for college students.
Check on Columbia College's website for a more comprehensive list of scholarships available to students: https://www.colum.edu/columbia-central/scholarships/. Remember to read each scholarship's requirements carefully and work on any applications well ahead of their due dates to ensure your eligibility.
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