Backpack offers three ways for scholarship providers to send payments to universities. They serve different organizational needs, from one-off submissions to high-volume programs spanning the country.
This article explains each option, what it costs, who it's for, and how to choose.
TL;DR:
Guest Checkout is free, requires no account, and works for one-off scholarship submissions to a specific Backpack-partner university.
Free Scholarship Provider Portal is free, requires a quick signup, and is the right default for any organization that sends scholarships to Backpack-partner universities more than once.
Premium Provider Portal is a paid tier for organizations that send scholarships at scale or need to reach universities that aren't Backpack partners. Best for foundations, corporate scholarship programs, and large institutional providers.
Option 1: Guest Checkout
What it is
A university-specific submission page accessible at backpackpay.com/universities. Select the university you're paying, then submit the scholarship without creating an account. Payment is handled in the same flow using Pay Now, Send a Payment Link, or Manual ACH.
Who it's for
First-time submitters who want to try Backpack before deciding whether to set up a portal account.
Individuals paying personally on behalf of a student (family members, mentors, employer reimbursements).
One-off submitters sending a single scholarship to a specific school with no expectation of doing it again.
What you get
Submit single scholarships, multiple scholarships in one combined payment, or a bulk CSV roster.
Email confirmations at each stage of the payment journey.
All three payment options (Pay Now, Send a Payment Link, Manual ACH).
What you don't get
Saved provider details (you'll re-enter organization info every submission).
A dashboard to see past submissions.
The ability to submit to schools that aren't Backpack partners.
How to get started
Visit backpackpay.com/universities, select your university, and click Submit a Scholarship.
Option 2: Free Scholarship Provider Portal
What it is
A free account at scholarships.backpackpay.com that saves your organization's information and lets you submit scholarships to any Backpack-partner university from a single dashboard.
Who it's for
Repeat providers who send scholarships more than once a year to Backpack-partner schools.
Foundations, school districts, employers, and community organizations with a defined scholarship program tied to specific partner universities.
Anyone who's tired of re-entering the same provider details every time they submit through Guest Checkout.
What you get
A free account with saved organization details (name, contact info, address, phone).
Single, multiple, and bulk CSV submission flows.
What you don't get
Submissions to universities that aren't Backpack partners. If you need that, look at Premium.
Role based permissions for creating and approving scholarships
Audit reports and ability to set the ACH description for funding transactions
How to get started
Sign up at scholarships.backpackpay.com. Setup takes a few minutes. You can start submitting scholarships immediately.
Option 3: Premium Provider Portal
What it is
A paid tier for organizations that send scholarships at scale or need to reach universities that aren't Backpack partners. The Premium Portal is purpose-built for foundations, corporate scholarship programs, and large institutional providers with complex operational needs.
Who it's for
National scholarship programs that pay students attending universities across the country, not just at Backpack partner schools.
High-volume providers sending hundreds or thousands of scholarships per term.
Organizations with formal finance, accounting, and reconciliation requirements that need richer reporting and audit tooling than the Free Portal offers.
Programs replacing paper check operations that want full electronic delivery to any US university.
What you get
Send scholarships to any university in the United States, regardless of whether they're a Backpack partner.
Single and bulk CSV submission flows.
Enhanced reporting and reconciliation tooling.
Shared team access / RBAC for finance, operations, and program staff.
Integrations with accounting systems, ERPs, or scholarship management software.
Dedicated support and account management.
What it costs
Pricing depends on scholarship volume and the features your organization needs. Contact us to discuss your program and get a quote.
How to get started
Email [email protected] or reach out through Backpack Support to talk to our team. We'll learn about your scholarship program and help you decide whether Premium is the right fit.