So you want to go to college or university? Get ready to spend a lot of cash. The cost of higher education is rising across North America.

But there is help. Governments, schools, companies, social groups, and even individuals hand out millions of dollars to deserving students for free through scholarships. That's right -- free money. And some of it goes unclaimed.

"There are some companies out there, donating scholarships, that fail to get applications," says Brian Harris. He is a former high school counselor who wrote a guide to scholarships.

But don't too get excited. Landing a scholarship takes a lot of time and work. It does help have a plan when you’re looking for the right scholarship. Here are some things you can do to improve your odds of success.

Study the different types of scholarships

Scholarships fall into two broad categories -- academic and non-academic.

Academic scholarships are the most common ones. The idea behind them is simple: outstanding marks deserve a reward, regardless of need. But institutions that offer academic scholarships may also consider other factors such as your volunteering history, leadership abilities and financial need.

Academic scores are actually starting to become less important. Volunteering, on the other hand, is becoming a more decisive factor.

Non-academic scholarships award money somewhat differently. You may not have to be an outstanding student to qualify for them.

You may qualify for an athletic scholarship if you are a great athlete with decent marks. Or you may be a talented musician or writer. Or you may have shown a strong commitment to volunteering.

You may also qualify for a non-academic scholarship if you want to go into a certain profession, come from a certain profession, win a competition, show severe financial need, come from a certain part of the country, have a certain ethnic background or are physically challenged.

You may even be eligible for a scholarship if you are left-handed, if you have a certain last name or if you have never smoked or cursed in your life.

"There are some really bizarre ones out there, because if it is your money, you can decide to put any strings on it that you want," says Cynthia Ruiz McKee. She and her husband wrote a guide to scholarships. They also run a company that helps students and parents wade through the large and often bizarre selection of scholarships.

Find out who offers them

So who offers scholarships? Colleges and universities, of course. But they are not the only ones. They can come from every area of private and public life: government, the military, corporations, unions, nonprofit groups, social service groups, foundations, fraternities, sororities, charities and individuals.

OK, so you can apply to a lot of different kinds of scholarships. But how do you find out about them? Find the office of your school counselor first. "That's really the ideal starting place, I think, for kids," says Harris.

You can also turn to scholarship search companies for help. For a price, they will find scholarships that fit your marks, interests and background, then help you apply for them.

Be careful, though. While some of them provide a legitimate service, many of these companies make unrealistic claims and deliver little in return, according to the American Council on Education. Bottom line: if you have to pay money to get money, it's probably a scam.

Parents are also a good source of scholarship information. Many companies now offer scholarships to the children of employees.

Start early

When should you start applying for scholarships? As early as possible.

The reason for starting early is simple. "I think a lot of students just don't realize the amount of work that could be involved in doing this, not only in terms of finding the scholarships, but the application process," says Harris.

"It's a fair amount of work. Sometimes, students have to write an essay, get references or whatever. And it's typical for most students to leave these things to the last minute. So a lot of kids end up missing a deadline."

Ask questions – and be confident!

"Every year, we see hundreds of students who missed applying to something that they might have [been] able to get," says McKee.

That's partly because it is impossible to find all the scholarships for which one might be eligible to apply.

But a lot of times, students miss out because they assumed that they wouldn't be eligible. Or they simply thought they didn't have a chance.

That's the wrong approach and attitude. You need to be aggressive, says McKee. And you need to be aggressive about staying informed.

"The more you ask questions, the more you stay in contact with your counselor the more you prepare, the better off you are going to be."