A scholarship can help pay for college, yet still leave you without the laptop you need for class. Essays, online exams, and course portals are much harder to manage on a phone.
Scholarship students can sometimes get a free laptop through their award, a college technology grant, or a nonprofit program. Other options include borrowing a device or using approved student aid to buy one. Receiving a scholarship does not, by itself, guarantee a free computer.
The best place to start is your award letter and your college’s financial aid office. Both can help you find out what is covered before you spend money.
Can a scholarship student get a free laptop?
Yes, but the answer depends on the scholarship and the program. A laptop may be part of your award, or you may need a separate application.
Keep these options in mind:
| Option | What you receive | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Scholarship with a laptop benefit | A device included in the award | Selection rules and when the device is issued |
| College technology grant | Funds or a voucher for an approved laptop | Eligible models, award limits, and school rules |
| Nonprofit computer donation | A donated or refurbished device | Local availability and whether you can keep it |
| Campus or library loan | A device to borrow | Return date, renewals, and damage charges |
| Student aid or a discount | Money toward a purchase or a lower price | Whether the money is a grant or a loan |
A device loan can help you attend class right away. A laptop bought with borrowed money adds to your debt. Ask which type of help you are receiving.
Which programs offer laptops to scholarship students?
Dell Scholars: A scholarship that includes a laptop
The Dell Scholars program lists a $20,000 scholarship, a laptop, textbook credits, and support for college and career goals.
Its 2027 application cycle has specific Texas requirements. Applicants must:
- Be a graduating senior at a Texas high school.
- Participate in a program on Dell’s approved college readiness list during both junior and senior year.
- Choose an accredited public Texas college or university for a four-year degree.
- Meet federal Pell Grant eligibility rules.
- Earn a 2.4 GPA or higher.
Applications opened October 1, 2026. The listed deadline is January 12, 2027.
Meeting the rules allows you to apply; it does not guarantee selection. The laptop is a benefit for selected scholars, rather than a separate giveaway for anyone who needs a computer. Check the program’s current criteria if you are applying in a later year.
Wake Forest: A technology grant tied to student aid
Wake Forest offers a WakeWare Technology Grant to eligible undergraduates. Students with merit or need-based aid, and certain athletic scholarships, may qualify.
The grant covers the full cost of a standard WakeWare laptop. Students can redeem it once during their first two years at Wake Forest. Eligibility appears in the school’s financial aid portal.
An upgraded model can leave a balance for you to pay. The school says a laptop bought through the grant belongs to the student and can be kept after graduation.
There is an enrollment condition: students who redeem the grant but never begin their first semester must return the grant funds. Read the redemption terms before placing an order.
An outside scholarship for attendance at Wake Forest does not automatically establish eligibility for this grant. Confirm your award status with the university.
Your own college: Ask about a separate laptop grant
Your school may use a different name for device help. Ask about a technology grant, computer voucher, emergency fund, or student support fund.
Contact financial aid first. If that office cannot help, ask student affairs, the campus library, or your department.
Be specific about the problem. Explain whether you have no computer, share one with family, or own a device that cannot run required software. Include the date your classes begin.
Also ask whether you need approval before buying. A reimbursement program may have rules that a device giveaway does not.
Can you use scholarship money to buy a laptop?
Check the award terms before using the funds. Ask your scholarship provider whether a computer is an allowed expense. A tuition-only award should not be treated as money available for any school purchase.
Federal aid can also help with computer costs. The 2026–2027 Federal Student Aid Handbook includes a reasonable personal computer purchase or rental allowance in the cost of attendance.
Cost of attendance is the school’s budget for your education. It helps determine aid eligibility; it is not a promise to pay every listed expense.
Ask financial aid:
- Does my budget already include a computer allowance?
- Can I request a budget review for my required laptop?
- Would any added help be a grant, scholarship, or loan?
- When would funds become available?
A larger budget does not guarantee extra grant money. Avoid buying a laptop on the assumption that the college will later refund its cost.
Our guide to FAFSA and laptop assistance explains the difference between applying for aid and receiving a device.
Where else can students find free computers?
Compudopt: Local giveaways with selection rules
Compudopt’s college giveaway page lists an opportunity for students attending a college in the metro Atlanta area who do not currently own a computer.
Registration enters you for a chance to be selected. It does not reserve a device. Selected students receive pickup details, and the page says the computer is theirs to keep.
Students elsewhere should check Compudopt’s local programs. Do not assume the Atlanta rules apply nationwide. Confirm the service area, available device type, and pickup requirements before making travel plans.
Computers with Causes: Donated devices based on need
Computers with Causes accepts requests from people who need a working computer, including students.
Its current process asks individuals to download an application, complete and sign it, and mail it as directed. The organization reviews need, checks information, and considers available inventory.
Explain how a computer would help you finish coursework. A scholarship award may support your application, but it does not guarantee approval. Ask whether a laptop is available if you cannot use a desktop.
PCs for People: A lower-cost option
PCs for People offers low-cost technology to eligible customers. Its current eligibility page lists the Federal Pell Grant or qualifying financial aid among accepted assistance programs.
Applicants generally qualify through an accepted program or household income within its 80% area median income limit. Photo identification and eligibility documents are required.
A FAFSA application alone is not accepted as proof of eligibility. Use the documents the organization requests, such as current proof of qualifying aid.
Treat this as a discounted purchase unless a specific local offer clearly provides a free device. Confirm the computer price and any shipping charge before ordering.
What if you need a laptop before an award arrives?
Ask about borrowing while your application is reviewed.
For example, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Technology Loaner program serves currently enrolled students. Approved loans depend on stock and last up to 45 calendar days, or less if the student stops needing the device or is no longer enrolled. Pickup and return must be in person.
Your own school may have different terms. Ask whether the laptop can leave campus, whether renewals are allowed, and which software is installed.
Public libraries are another place to check. Our guide to free library laptops and Wi-Fi hotspots explains how to search for local lending programs.
Keep the return date in your calendar. Borrowing provides temporary access; it does not transfer ownership.
How do you apply for laptop help?
1. Read your scholarship award
Look for computer benefits, equipment funds, or approved educational expenses. Ask the provider to clarify any unclear terms.
2. Check your student portal
Review your aid offer and messages from the college. A technology grant may have its own notice or redemption process.
3. Gather the requested documents
Depending on the program, you may need:
- A scholarship award letter.
- Proof of enrollment or admission.
- A student ID or other accepted identification.
- Proof of a Pell Grant, qualifying benefits, or income.
- A laptop price quote or course equipment requirements.
Send documents through the school’s or program’s approved channel. The publisher of this guide does not process applications or collect benefit records.
4. Explain your need clearly
Keep your request brief and specific. You could write:
I am enrolled at your college and receive a scholarship. I do not have a laptop that meets my course requirements. Does the school offer a technology grant, emergency device fund, or laptop loan? Please let me know what documents I need and whether approval is required before purchase.
5. Confirm the full terms
Ask whether the device is yours to keep. Check for delivery costs, upgrade charges, return dates, and any rules tied to continued enrollment.
6. Keep a backup option
If an award decision comes after your first assignment, request a loaner or arrange access to a campus computer lab. Keep studying while you wait.
What should you check before choosing a laptop?
Start with your department’s requirements. Ask which operating systems and programs your courses use.
Check that the device can run required exam software, video calls, and any specialist tools. Also ask about the battery, charger, storage, warranty, and repairs.
A refurbished laptop may meet your needs. A free device that cannot run your coursework may still leave you needing another computer.
Confirm whether required software is included or available through your school. Ask about internet access too if your classes require regular online work.
Common questions about free laptops for scholarship students
Does a full scholarship always include a laptop?
No. Read what the award covers. A tuition scholarship and a scholarship with an equipment benefit are different offers.
Does filling out FAFSA get you a free laptop?
No. FAFSA is an application for student aid. A laptop benefit requires a separate award, grant, purchase, or lending arrangement.
Can a student with a merit scholarship get help?
Possibly. Wake Forest provides an example of a technology grant that can include eligible merit aid recipients. Other schools set their own rules.
Can online or international students apply?
Ask each program directly. Check enrollment, residency, aid, and pickup rules. An award available to one group of students may not serve another.
Start with the help connected to your scholarship
A free laptop for a scholarship student is possible when a specific award or program covers the device. Your scholarship status alone does not settle eligibility.
Read your award, ask your college about technology funds, and confirm whether approved aid can cover a purchase. If you need a computer now, request a loaner while you pursue longer-term help.
The goal is a reliable laptop that meets your course needs, with costs and ownership terms you understand before you accept it.
