We want every Wittenberg student to go after every scholarship they can find — from your high school, a local civic group or Rotary Club, your church or community foundation, or a parent's employer. Outside scholarships are one of the best ways to lower what you and your family actually pay for college, and we encourage you to keep applying for them throughout your time here.
There's one thing worth understanding up front, though: an outside scholarship doesn't always simply add on top of the Wittenberg aid you already have. Federal and state rules sometimes require us to review — and in some cases adjust — your aid package when new assistance comes in. When that happens, we adjust the parts of your package that already cost you something (loans you'd have to repay, or work-study hours you'd have to work) before we ever touch your scholarships or grants.
In Plain English
Here's what typically happens when you report an outside scholarship:
- If you still have unmet financial need, we apply the scholarship there first — which means it doesn't reduce any of your existing aid at all.
- If your total aid would then go beyond your demonstrated need or your cost of attendance, we adjust your package in this order: Federal Work-Study first, then federal student loans, and only if still necessary, Wittenberg scholarships, grants, or other need-based aid.
- In many cases, this means your outside scholarship simply replaces a loan you would have had to pay back later. You may not see your total aid number go up dollar for dollar, but you still come out ahead — with less debt or fewer work-study hours.
What Counts as an Outside Scholarship?
Any financial assistance you receive that wasn't already included in your original Wittenberg financial aid offer counts as outside assistance and needs to be reported. Common examples include:
- Prepaid tuition plans
- Scholarships from a parent's employer
- Employer Reimbursement
- High school scholarships and awards
- Civic organizations, Rotary Clubs, churches, and community foundations
- Departmental awards or other assistance not already reflected in your offer
If you're not sure whether something counts, ask us — it's always better to report it and let us confirm than to guess.
Official External Award Policy (Academic Catalog)
The policy below governs how additional assistance is applied to your financial aid package and is reproduced exactly as published in Wittenberg's Academic Catalog.
Impact of Additional Financial Assistance
Students are encouraged to seek scholarships, grants, and other financial assistance from outside organizations, academic departments, and other sources. Wittenberg University seeks to allow students to maximize these resources whenever possible. However, federal, state, and institutional regulations may require the University to consider additional assistance when determining a student's eligibility for financial aid.
Students must notify Student Financial Services of any scholarships, grants, tuition benefits, departmental awards, employer assistance, or other educational assistance received or expected to be received that was not included in the student's initial financial aid offer. When additional assistance is received after a student's financial aid eligibility has been determined, Student Financial Services will review the student's financial aid package to determine whether an adjustment is required.
Whenever possible, additional assistance will first be applied toward the student's remaining unmet financial need. If the additional assistance exceeds the student's remaining financial need or otherwise creates an overaward, financial aid will generally be adjusted in the following order: 1. Federal Work-Study; 2. Federal student loans; and 3. Institutional or other need-based financial assistance, as necessary.
Wittenberg University will make reasonable efforts to preserve scholarship and grant assistance and maximize the student's overall financial aid eligibility. However, adjustments may be required when the student's total financial assistance exceeds demonstrated financial need, the student's Cost of Attendance, or other federal, state, institutional, or program-specific limits. Receipt of additional financial assistance may therefore result in a reduction or cancellation of previously awarded financial aid.
-Wittenberg University Academic Catalog
How to Report an Outside Scholarship
Notify Student Financial Services as soon as you know you're receiving a scholarship, grant, or other assistance that isn't already part of your Wittenberg aid offer — the earlier we know, the more options we have when reviewing your package.
Have the scholarship or organization send notification directly to:
Wittenberg University
Bayley Welcome Center
Office of Student Financial Services
P.O. Box 720, Springfield, OH 45501
No credit will appear on your account until the funds are actually received by Wittenberg, so please let us know as soon as you're notified of an award, even before the money arrives. Some donors require their own special forms to release funds — check with the organization that awarded your scholarship to confirm what they need from you.
Where to Look for Outside Scholarships
Not sure where to start? These are good places to look:
- Your high school counselor
- Local community foundations
- Your employer, or a parent's employer
- Fastweb - free scholarship matching based on your profile
- Cappex - free scholarship search and college matching
- Niche - free scholarship search, including niche and local awards
- CareerOneStop Scholarship Finder - a free tool sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor
A Word of Caution
Every resource above is free to use. You should never have to pay to search for scholarships, apply for one, or "claim" money you've already been awarded. Scholarship scams target students and families every year, especially in the spring — treat any of the following as a red flag:
- A company guarantees you'll win a scholarship, or asks for a fee to "unlock" matches or improve your odds
- You're asked for a credit card number, bank account information, or your Social Security number before a scholarship is released
- You're told to act immediately, or that a limited-time offer will expire, to create pressure
- You're notified of an award for a scholarship you don't remember applying for
If an offer feels off, or you'd just like a second opinion before you respond to it, reach out to us — we're glad to take a look with you.
Questions about how an outside scholarship might affect your aid? Contact us at studentfinancialservices@wittenberg.edu or 937-327-7321 — we're happy to walk through your specific situation before you accept an award.