Building a Scholarship Database: Strategies for Counselors

As scholarship season ramps up, counselors are often the first point of contact for students and families eager to find financial support for college. But keeping track of hundreds of deadlines, eligibility requirements, and award amounts can quickly become overwhelming 

Creating and maintaining a living scholarship database that evolves throughout the year can help counselors streamline the process, ensure equitable access, and make it easier for students to find opportunities that fit their goals. 

Here are some strategies to help you build, organize, and maintain an effective scholarship database. 

Start Local, Then Expand Nationally 

Begin by identifying local scholarships offered by your community: 

• School district education foundations 
• Local businesses and civic organizations (Rotary, Sororities/Fraternities, Chamber of Commerce) 
• Parent-teacher associations and booster clubs 
• City, county, and regional community foundations 

Once you’ve established those, add state and national scholarships that apply to your students broadly. Prioritize scholarships that are renewable, reputable, and align with specific student populations (first-generation, underrepresented groups, STEM majors, etc.). 

Choose the Right Platform 

There’s no single right way to track scholarships. What matters most is consistency and accessibility. Consider these formats: 

• Google Sheets or Excel: Create sortable categories (deadline, GPA requirement, application link, eligibility, award amount). 
• Google Form submissions: Allow students or staff to submit new scholarships that can be auto-fed into your database. 
• School website or shared drive: Post a read-only version so students and families can browse independently. 

If your school uses a college-planning platform (like Naviance, SCOIR, or Xello), upload the spreadsheet there so students can access everything in one place. 

Organize by Category 

To make the database user-friendly, include key filters: 

• Deadline Month (so students can plan ahead) 
• Grade Level (9th–12th, dual enrollment, alumni, etc.) 
• Award Type (academic, leadership, service, athletic) 
• Target Audience (local, minority, first-gen, STEM, fine arts, etc.) 
• Renewable vs. One-Time Awards 

Counselors can also color-code deadlines such as green for “open now,” yellow for “closing soon,” and red for “closed.” 

Make It Collaborative 

Invite teachers, coaches, parents, and community partners to share opportunities. 

• Schedule a quick check-in each semester with staff to refresh listings. 
• Encourage seniors to share scholarships they’ve applied for. Peer-to-peer motivation goes a long way. 
• Use a shared form to submit updates or remove expired links. 

Keeping your database living means it’s never static. It’s always growing with your community. 

Promote It Regularly 

A scholarship database only works if students know about it. 

• Feature it in your school newsletter, counselor webpage, or school website. 
• Post monthly “Scholarship Highlights” on your school’s social media. 
• Share reminders during classroom visits. 
• Highlight scholarships that have no essays or open early deadlines to draw interest. 

Keep Access at the Center 

Ensure the scholarships you highlight reach all student populations, especially those who may not see themselves as scholarship candidates. 

• Offer workshops on how to write strong essays or request recommendation letters. 
• Translate resources into other languages where needed. 
• Create a “No GPA Requirement” or “Career & Technical Scholarship” section to include all pathways. 

Revisit and Refresh 

Set aside time at least twice per year (summer and winter break work well) to: 

• Remove expired links 
• Update award amounts 
• Add new opportunities 
• Double-check submission portals 

Making this part of your annual counseling workflow ensures the database remains a trusted resource for years to come. 

Ready to Get Started? 

You don’t have to build it alone. Start small with five local scholarships and expand from there. Over time, your database will become an essential resource that saves you time, helps students find funding, and strengthens school-community connections. 

If you’ve built a scholarship database that works for your school, we’d love to hear your tips.
Email us at counselor@act.org to share what’s been most helpful. Your strategy might inspire another counselor to get started.