• What is a scholarship?

    A scholarship is a form of financial aid given to students to help cover the cost of college education. Scholarships are typically awarded based on academic achievement, talents, community involvement, or financial need, and they do not need to be repaid. While scholarships can provide significant assistance, they are just one aspect of the larger financial planning process for college, which may also include savings, grants, loans, and work-study programs. 

     

    Where can I find scholarships? 

    1. Omaha Public Schools maintains a database of scholarships that are frequently awarded to our students. To access that database: 

      • Log into your SchooLinks account via your Clever portal 

      • Select Finances then Scholarship Matching 

      • Enter as much or as little information as you choose 

      • Click Next and View Matches 

      • Use the Matches, Favorites, District-Posted, and Search tabs to navigate 

      • Click on the name of the scholarship to access the description and application link. Applications are completed on the scholarship website, not in SchooLinks. 

      • Use the “Favorite” and “Mark as Applied” buttons to organize 

    1. The Omaha Public Schools Foundation provides support for OPS students in many ways. One of their roles is to accept and distribute scholarships donated by community members. Their scholarships application, found online at OPS Foundation Scholarships, should be completed by all OPS graduates as these funds are intended only for OPS grads! 

    1. EducationQuest is a trusted partner, and their ScholarshipQuest includes carefully vetted national and local scholarships.  

    1. You may find other scholarship opportunities online, through a parent/guardian's work, etc. You should never have to pay to apply for a scholarship, and if a scholarship seems "too good to be true" it probably is. See your counselor if you have questions or concerns about a particular scholarship. 

    1. Your college/university will offer scholarships to applicants, and you should apply to any/all scholarships you are eligible for from your college/university. 

     

    Updated October 2024


Attention Third-Party Scholarship Providers

  • We are actively seeking scholarship opportunities to share with our Omaha Public School students and families. We encourage you to send your scholarships to schoolcounseling@ops.org. Please include all information regarding the scholarship, including deadlines, application links and/or documents. Additionally, you can consider briefly mentioning the scholarship type (merit-based, need-based, etc.) and target student demographics (e.g. STEM fields, community service involvement). Attaching a flyer or one-pager with detailed scholarship information is also encouraged.

     

    Why It's Important

    • Direct Reach - By sending your scholarship information to us, you'll reach our dedicated district school counseling staff who work directly with our scholarship database, SchooLinks, to ensure our college-bound students see scholarship entries live as they are added.
    • Targeted Audience - Our counselors can effectively distribute scholarship details to students who meet your specific criteria.
    • Increased Visibility - Sharing opportunities through our database ensures wider student awareness and a strong applicant pool.

     

    Thank you for your support in helping Omaha Public Schools students achieve their educational goals!