Sell Hard: Snag a Sales Scholarship

Sales is a specialized aspect of business that not everyone is drawn to. Scholarships for students majoring in business, especially those with a particular knack for salesmanship, are not as common as those in general marketing or business. However, when you know where to look and what to look for, you have an edge over the competition also looking for scholarship dough.

Narrow down your scholarship list: create a simple profile for yourself that includes your educational and career interests. Include the industry you’re targeting for a career, as well as any special skills and academic merits. Remember, business and sales are ultimately niche-specific. You could go for hospitality sales, healthcare sales, automobile sales, and much more. The more specific you are in your aims the easier to target very accessible scholarships for sales students.

College and University Sales Scholarships

Sure-fire resource is your college or university. Every business school sponsors scholarships, including those that reward outstanding sales and/or marketing students. For example:

  • Baylor University business students with special aptitude for sales and selling could qualify for one of a number of scholarships in the Professional Selling, Sponsorship, and Sales category. Awards—funded through the Hankamer School of Business—range from $1,000 to $3,000.
  • Eller College of Management at the University of Arizona sponsors the Charles M. Pettis Scholarship Endowment for Salesmanship Excellence. This scholarship program is open to Business Marketing majors that exemplify excellent salesmanship and ultimately “get the sale.”

Private and Professional Sources for Sales-Based Scholarships

Look to private business and industry, especially within your intended specialty. Of particular note—don’t miss out on including the various professional associations and societies around the country. Many national organizations have local and regional chapters, as well. A few examples:

  • The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) sponsors a variety of student scholarships, including those that reward outstanding students pursuing a sales career pathway in the field. Eligible students include undergraduate and graduates in a hospitality major field of study.
  • Pi Sigma Epsilon, a fraternal organization designed specifically for dedicated and motivated Sales and Marketing students, educators and professionals, makes part of its mission scholarship sponsorship for outstanding students. The organization administers a stable of scholarships—many funded by companies and individuals—that total over $31,000. Most awards are valued between $1,000 and $1,500.
  • Sales and Marketing Executives International (SME) is a worldwide organization open to students and professionals at every level of the marketing industry. SME chapters throughout the U.S.—ie, Cleveland, Sioux Falls, and New York—sponsor student scholarships for members in business marketing and sales majors.