It is an unfortunate fact that due to financial constraints some of Bermuda’s youngsters will never attend a university or college.

However, there is hope in the form of hundreds of scholarships offered by local companies and trusts. The money is there - it is up to you to ask for it.

The first step on the road to obtaining a scholarship is finding the right one and The Royal Gazette <$>found a list of every scholarship available to local students at www.bdacareers.bm.

The list is endless and you will need to spend some time filtering through all the scholarships and focus on the ones that match your area of study.

Find scholarships that are supported by your achievements, essays, recommendations, and interviews.

While there is a lot of advice out there about the best way to apply for scholarships, including how to “package” yourself in your essay, what extracurricular activities to emphasis, etc.

The Royal Gazette <$>discovered that much of this advice can vary widely, depending on the author.

What works for one applicant may not necessarily work for another and you can soon discover that most of the scholarship secrets you will read about boil down to using your common sense and following directions carefully.

Why worry about a scholarship now, when you finish school next year? According to www.collegeboard.com, the more time you can put into your scholarship search, the more options you will have.

You will need time to research scholarships, request information and application materials, and complete your application, plus some scholarships have deadlines early in the fall of senior year of high school.

Should you have a question about your eligibility for a particular scholarship, contact the scholarship sponsors, but you will have to provide the following:

[bul]Birth certificate

[bul]Medical history

[bul]Transcript

[bul]Proof of Bermudian status

[bul]Standardised test scores - GPA and SAT scores

[bul]Parent’s financial information

[bul]One or more essays

[bul]One or more letters of recommendation or references

[bul]Proof of eligibility (e.g. membership credentials)

[bul]You may also need to prepare for a personal interview

Once you have completed your application, use your computer’s spelling and grammar to check features and have a parent, teacher, or friend proof read your essays. Never leave required fields empty and contact scholarship sponsors if you are not sure how to fill out a particular part of the application.

Follow instructions to the letter and avoid going over the length limit for the essay.

Also resist the temptation to send supporting materials that are not requested in the application.

Remember to type or print all forms and essays.

It is also advisable to make copies of everything you send in case your application materials are lost, you will have copies on hand to re-send.

If you are reusing material, including a cover letter or essay from another scholarship application, be especially careful you have not left any incorrect names or blank fields and do not forget to sign and date your application.

Do not miss your deadline and consider using certified mail.

For more information visit www.collegeboard.com or www.bdacareers.bm, who can also be contacted at 292-5056.