It’s not news that college tuition is extremely expensive. Yet, there is something else that will wreak havoc on your bank account: textbooks. Some of them cost a fortune (especially the ones for STEM courses), and even if you can rent some and share others with friends, there are books you will have to buy no matter what. 

There are several ways you can reduce textbook expenses. Among them are renting and buying used books (from BooksRun, for instance), using textbooks that senior students sell after each semester, and using ebooks. However, these options are still not free, and having extra money won’t hurt. 

In this article, we’ll cover the list of textbook scholarships offered by various organizations—private and federal ones—that you can apply for. All the institutions have their own requirements and offer different awards (from $100 to $1,000 on average). We urge you to research each of these scholarship options and check if you are eligible to apply. 

Textbook Scholarships Options

We’ll first start with a few student loan options and proceed to textbook scholarships.

Federal Student Loans

Most likely, you’ve already applied for a federal student loan. If your income is lower than a certain amount, you have a high chance of getting your application approved for a loan to cover your college expenses. Federal loans can also be used to cover textbooks once the tuition is paid. It is not a scholarship, but applying for a loan is usually what most students do. 

Private Student Loans

Another alternative for you is to apply for a private student loan. Private loans are more expensive; however, if you were unlucky with a federal student loan, this option is worth trying. The loan money can also be used to cover your textbook expenses. 

Private Textbook Scholarships

Carl A. Scott Book Memorial Fund Scholarship

• Amount: Two $500 scholarships
• Requirements: GPA of at least 3.0; BSW or MSW student at a program accredited by CSWE; full-time enrollment

The Carl A. Scott Memorial Fund was established by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). The fund offers two book scholarships: “Two book scholarships in the amount of $500 each are awarded each academic year to students who demonstrate a commitment to work for racial, economic, and environmental justice in social work.” The scholarship is targeted at minority students but is not limited to these individuals. If you are committed to promoting equity, racial, and social justice and comply with the requirements, we encourage you to apply.

Barnes and Noble Scholarships

• Amount: from $500 each semester
• Requirements: Undergraduate students with a GPA of above 2.0

The Barnes and Noble scholarship is funded by corporate philanthropy funds. This scholarship doesn’t have rigid requirements, but you have to provide proof of financial need in the same way when you file for a federal student loan. The scholarship is usually provided by each participating campus, so check your college board for more information.

BookScouter Scholarship

• Amount: $500 for purchasing textbooks
• Requirements: Students from an accredited university or college

The BookScouter scholarship is available to a wide number of students from the accredited universities and colleges. Among the requirements is completing the questionnaire and adding a short video.

Graduate Student Book Award from AMPP

• Amount: seven $1,500 book awards
• Requirements: Students enrolled full-time in a graduate science and/or engineering program related to the study of corrosion or corrosion control

A more narrowly-directed scholarship for graduate students is offered by the Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP). It aims to assist graduate students in the “development of their corrosion libraries.” The participants will be able to use this award in the form of a credit in the NACE Bookstore.

Proyecto H.A.C.E.R. Book Scholarship

• Amount: $1,000 for the first place, $750 for the second place, or $500 for the third place
• Requirements: Female high school graduating seniors from marginalized backgrounds (in New Jersey); an essay of 300 words, cumulative grade point average, a letter of recommendation, etc., are required.

Latinas Promoviendo Comunidad/Lambda Pi Chi Sorority, Inc. offers textbook scholarships to “outstanding young women graduating from high school who are highly motivated and committed to community service, leadership, and academic excellence.”

Reach for the Gold Book Scholarship (RFTG)

• Amount: $1,000 annually
• Requirements: Must be a female student of color, a US resident, a senior in high school or secondary school with minimum 3.4 GPA

The Omega Phi Beta sorority offers one annual $1,000 scholarship for female students of color to help them succeed through the first year of college. Women from the following backgrounds can apply: Hispanic / Latina, Native American / Alaskan Native, Arab or Middle Eastern, Asian or Pacific Islander, or Black / African American.

Bowties and Books Scholarship

• Amount: $2,500 annually
• Requirements: 3.0 or higher GPA, a high school senior on track to graduate or a college student, a U.S. citizen or resident

Bottlinger Law LLC awards a one-time, non-renewable scholarship to be used for post-secondary education purposes, including books and course materials. The scholarship of $2,500 is given annually to “one deserving student from anywhere in the United States.”

Other Scholarships

• The Wilhelmina Foundation awards book scholarships to hundreds of Florida students who find themselves in need of financial assistance. Fill out the application form and provide proof of enrollment after you have registered for classes.
• Textbook Scholarship Program from the University of Dayton offers up to $500 per semester to full-time students towards the cost of textbooks when from the University Bookstore.
• Bold Great Books Scholarship from Bold.org offers a $500 scholarship to a successful applicant. All students from any field of study are encouraged to apply. The only requirement is to write an essay of 250–300 words explaining “What is your favorite book and why?”
• United Way of Greater Stark County, via their Young Leaders Society (YLS), offers a $1,000 scholarship (renewable for up to four years) to help students cover their textbook costs. 
• The Atwood Textbook Scholarship of the Hopkinsville Community College Foundation provides $500 per semester to help students with textbook cost coverage.
• The Paul L. Foster Success Center and First in Line established the Bear Book Scholarship to help students with financial needs to cover their textbook expenses. A one-time maximum award is $250.

The Final Thoughts

This list contains several possible textbook scholarships available to college students. We’ve’ picked the scholarships that have either been awarded this year or the ones that are still accepting applications. Most of them are annual scholarships offered once or twice a year, so we urge you to follow the updates from the aforementioned colleges and organizations not to miss the next deadline.