ScholarshipOwl

Overview

ScholarshipOwl is a comprehensive platform that simplifies the financial aid search process. It uses AI to match students with thousands of relevant scholarships and automates the repetitive parts of applications. In 2023, it launched 'ScholarshipOwl for Business', allowing brands to create and promote scholarship campaigns as a targeted marketing channel to reach Gen Z and student demographics.

What it does

• Matches students with scholarships based on their profile and background.
• Automates the scholarship application process by pre-filling recurring data.
• Provides a central dashboard to track application status and deadlines.
• Offers 'ScholarshipOwl for Business' for brands to launch scholarship marketing.
• Features a 'Credibility Score' to help students identify high-quality awards.

Who it's for

• High school and college students
• Parents and Counselors
• Brands targeting Gen Z
• Non-profit scholarship providers

Why it works

• Efficiency: Reduces the hours spent searching and applying manually by consolidating everything in one place.
• Success Rate: Prioritizes scholarships where the student has the highest statistical chance of winning.
• Ease of Use: A 'common app' experience for thousands of independent financial aid opportunities.
• Monetization for Brands: Gives companies a positive, non-intrusive way to build affinity with students.

Founder story

Founded in 2014 by a team including Kenny Sandorffy and David Tabachnikov (current CEO). The founders saw that while billions in scholarship money went unclaimed, the process to find it was fragmented and outdated. They built the platform to democratize access to debt-free education through modern automation.

Alternatives

• Scholly
• Fastweb
• Going Merry
• Cappex

Comparison overview

• Scholly: Very popular mobile app; ScholarshipOwl is often preferred for its automated 'Apply once, apply many' web workflow.
• Fastweb: A traditional directory; ScholarshipOwl is the modern, automation-first alternative.
• ScholarshipOwl is for students who want to maximize their aid with minimal manual effort.