Are there college scholarships for students who took a gap year?

I'm considering taking a gap year after high school and was wondering if there are specific college scholarships for students who've taken time off before starting college. How can I find these opportunities?

Yes, scholarships for gap year students do exist, although they might be less common compared to scholarships for traditional students. These scholarships are typically related to the activities you plan on pursuing during your gap year. For instance, you may find scholarships available for students participating in specific volunteer programs, internships, or research opportunities.

In terms of finding these scholarships, platforms like Appily can be helpful, as well as searching for "gap year scholarships" online. Remember that these websites centralize a myriad of scholarships available, including those provided by private organizations, nonprofits, and universities themselves, so it can save a lot of time compared to checking each potential source separately. Always be cautious with scholarships from sources you're unfamiliar with, and never pay any sort of application fee for scholarships.

Additionally, a great resource would be your high school guidance counselor or a college advisor. They could possibly direct you to lesser-known local or regional gap year scholarships.

Finally, in the same way you'd approach other scholarships, pay attention to each scholarship's eligibility criteria. Some may focus on what you plan to do during your gap year or what you wish to study once you start college, others might be based on your academic performance or other achievements. Crafting a compelling personal statement that communicates your motivations for the gap year and how you intend to use the experience to enhance your college studies can also boost your chances of securing a scholarship.