How To Get a Scholarship to Study Abroad?

A scholarship is financial help often offered by the university, government, and other nonprofit organizations to the best academic achiever based on international students merit, talent, or academic achievements. Obtaining it is a big help which can be sometimes easy as well as hard to get. Here we will know how to get a scholarship to study abroad.

Want to get a scholarship to study abroad?

Are you looking for a scholarship to study abroad? International students who are applying from a developing country are in need of this to fulfill their dream to study abroad. Besides, getting an attractive scholarship makes study abroad affordable. Thinking of pursuing it and the journey to get it are totally two different things. You have to follow some important steps to get it done effortlessly. But before that, let’s know how it is different from the other financial aid.

How is a Scholarship different from the Grants and Student Loans?

A scholarship is financial help offered to students who have academic achievements or need monetary support to complete a degree. It is usually offered in two ways. Either the amount of this will be cut off from students tuition fees or they will send the amount to a student\’s address. For international students, scholarships, grants, and loans are some of the options to pay the tuition fees or cut off the expenses.

What is a Grant to Study Abroad? 

The grant is an aid that is awarded to a student who needs financial help. Grant and Scholarship or bursary also known as gift aid that need not to be repaid. The main difference between these two are eligibility criteria and application process. Mainly it is given to the meritorious and grants are to the needy.

What is a loan to study abroad?

The term loan means financial assistance that needs to be repaid with interest. And the candidate usually needs to have fewer qualifications to get the course.

Who is eligible to apply for a Scholarship?

Any international student who meets the eligibility criteria and application requirements can apply for it while studying abroad. There are different types of scholarships available for different students. So check if you are eligible for it. 

Benefits of Scholarships to Study Abroad for International Students.

There are immense benefits of receiving a scholarship to study abroad. The UK, USA, and Canadian universities offer numerous bursaries for international students to recognise academic excellence, overcoming financial difficulties, and to award for extra-curricular activities. Along with the financial benefits, getting it is also prestigious and motivating. Let’s know the benefits of scholarships for international students in detail.

• Academic benefits.

Taking a study abroad degree is a big step for international students. A student must bear the academic and living expenses together. In this situation, getting a scholarship to study abroad can reduce a student’s risk of getting dropped out from the university. Besides, as it mitigates economic tension, it will help a student to concentrate more on studies and getting a good score.

• Professional benefits.

When the employers will learn that you have completed your education by getting a bursary or grant, it will make you more attractive to an employer’s eye. Employers who have an idea about it will definitely appreciate your academic skills and accomplishments.

• Personal benefits.

When you get a scholarship to study abroad, you don’t need to do any odd jobs and bear your expenses. Rather you can choose wisely a work sector that can add up qualification and experience to your future career.

• A great financial benefit.

The purpose of a scholarship to study abroad is to provide financial help to students so that they can take a degree effortlessly. Sometimes the monetary matter becomes a huge tension for the students and the parents. That’s why many students settle for less and compromise with their aspirations of higher education. In this situation,it works as a great help. However, it also reduces the burden of loans that need to be repaid with interest.

• Motivates a student to attain his goal.

Usually, getting a scholarship to study abroad releases a student from financial tension and part-time job searching. As there are no financial worries, it will help a student to concentrate fully on education and attain his academic and professional goals.

• Help to get higher education.

Dreaming of higher education and getting it are two different things. Abroad education is always expensive and many students leave their dreams because they are unable to afford it. But when they have the award, it will make their study abroad journey easy and soothing.

• A way to get admission to the renowned university

The prestigious and renowned universities are always looking for the potential students who are meritorious and have a  great academic qualification. To find out the talents, they conduct many exams and select students who complete the examination with a flying color.

• An achievement that will make your CV standard.

Your employers will receive your resume first before meeting you directly. When they find out about your scholarship while studying abroad in the resume, it will create a very positive impression. your chance of getting the job will be higher.

Types of Scholarships to study abroad.

There are many types of bursaries available to study abroad. It can be partial that will only pay a portion of a student’s tuition fee to the full that will cover the full expense of education. Here I am giving an overview of the types of awards to study abroad. These are-

Merit Scholarship to study abroad

In general, this type of bursary is given to the most deserving and meritorious students who have an outstanding achievement in their academic life or are mostly involved in extracurricular activities. There are various types of merit scholarships available. Such as-

• Academic based- This is usually funded by the college or university. Usually, these awards go to the students who have outstanding academic performance or a good score in GRE, SAT, or ACT courses.

• Sports based – It is also known as Athletic scholarships. These types of awards are very competitive and usually awarded to students through many rules. If you are aspiring to study in the UK, US, or Canada this one can be one of the best options.

• Average Academic performance based – These types of awards are given based on an overall average academic performance.

Need-based scholarship to study abroad

This scholarship is for the students who need financial assistance to take a degree. There are many international universities available that offer need-based awards to the international students. But for this, a student must need some specific qualification.

Institution specific scholarship to study abroad

Many universities and colleges offer institution specific awards for the students who meet the specific entry requirements. These types are provided for the particular subjects and programmes.

Country-based scholarship to study abroad

Many international universities provide it to underdeveloped or developing countries. Besides, private organizations also select some countries to offer awards so that the students are able to study abroad easily.

Government funded scholarship to study abroad

There are many government funded scholarships also available for the international students. These are usually fully funded. Some of the awards names are Full-bright, Rhodes, Chevening, and Canadian Government scholarships.

Private funded scholarship to study abroad.

Many private and non-profit organizations provide awards for international students. These types are offered to-

• A developing country.
• Women
• Minor or subgroups.
• Helping specific areas of studies.

Step by Step Process to Get a scholarship to study abroad

So are you looking for a scholarship to study abroad? Getting it is quite challenging. Besides, students need proper steps to follow before getting it. Here are the steps you can follow-

Step 1: Take Help from the Expert.

Before choosing a scholarship program, it is important to discuss it with the experts so that they can share their knowledge and experience with you. You can discuss it with the professors, student counselors, and university advisors. Show a strong will to get it by reaching out to the person directly to learn about your inquiries. It will prove your determination to the expert and they will help you more sincerely.

Step 2: Research a lot.

When you want to know things in depth, you have to research. The more you research, the more awards you can apply. You can search through many websites to learn about the opportunities. When you study, you will learn about the availability of different types of bursary. Such as:

• location based
• Program based
• Course based
• Individual based 
• University based 

Step 3: Learn where to look for Scholarships to study abroad

The first step is to learn from where you can look for it. This can be your chosen university’s official website because the university may offer their own funding opportunities. Besides, checking different university websites, you will be able to learn about the funding opportunities from different locations, courses, and for different groups of students. 

Step 4: Prepare in advance and work hard.

Getting a full fund scholarship is highly competitive. It’s only provided to the students who have strong qualifications. The preparation is needed for the students who will attend an interview. A student may be asked in an interview about the goals, motivation, and university courses.

Step 5: Be exceptional from the other candidate.

Being an exception is very important when you apply for an award. You have to stand out of the crowd. So with your academic qualification, you must show your passion and interest outside of the classroom, active in voluntary work, and local community. Besides, providing a letter of recommendation from the mentors is also very important.

Step 6: Modify your resume with all the achievements you have.

After compiling all the grants or financial aids you want to apply, it is important to work on being awarded for it. In this case, your resume plays a very important role. In your resume, highlight if you have any international experience and recent campus activities. Write an attractive cover letter to convince the authority on why you deserve it.

Step 7: Provide recommendation from the professor or the employer.

The references and recommendation letters are very important. Most of the scholarships to study abroad require recommendation from academic and professional authority. Build a strong relationship with your professor or the employers so that when you ask for a recommendation, they provide it sincerely. A good interaction is key for it.

Step 8: Keep updated about the deadline.

The whole attempt will be futile if you missed the deadline. So mark your calendar with the different deadlines for various awards or bursaries. It will help you not to miss a single one.

Step 9: Go through the application guidelines attentively.

Every scholarship application has some specific guidelines. One may require you to provide a document that the other does not. So, learn about the guidelines and then apply it.

Step 10: Learn how to apply for the scholarship.

After finding an appropriate award, learn all the rules and regulations on how to apply for it. In this stage, you may need to know the application requirements.

Step 11: Get the Scholarship

There is a huge competition in getting it. But when you have qualifications and you follow all the steps properly, you will most likely get it.

How can I get a full scholarship in the UK, USA, or Canada?

Before getting a full fund award in the UK, USA, or Canadian University, it is important to know if the university or college is offering it or not. If they are offering, you must learn about the eligibility requirements. Usually, for the full fund scholarship, the eligibility requirements are quite high. If you can match all the requirements, you will be able to get it.

How can a student consultancy firm help me to get scholarships?

A student consultancy firm can help you in many ways to get scholarships. An expert student consultancy firm like AIMS Education has up to date knowledge on the UK, USA, and Canadian universities. The counselors can precisely tell you about the available once and the way to apply for it.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions