Are you talented, creative, purposeful and confident and dream of studying abroad? Then you definitely have a chance for free study abroad. How to become a member of the scholarship program – read in our article.
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What Is a Scholarship?
In simple terms, a scholarship is a sum of money given to people for study by various organizations and institutions. The reasons for providing such assistance may be significant student achievement or lack of personal funds for education.
If a student is aiming to study abroad, he or she should know the difference between a scholarship and a grant. However, it is not very significant. If you are awarded a scholarship, you will receive it in installments throughout your studies. If you happen to be a member of the grant program, you will get the full amount for education at a time. Next we will talk specifically about the scholarship.
Who Runs Scholarship Programs?
Funding for scholarship programs in most cases allocates the following organizations:
- Universities that are interested in conducting field research;
- Ministry of Science and Education or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
- Local governments or governing bodies of the country;
- Foundations working in the field of science development;
- Private sources of funding.
If you do not know where to find information on scholarship programs abroad, contact the international department of your university.
How To Get a Scholarship?
Today, almost everyone can receive a scholarship abroad: both students who show excellent results in education or sports and those who have a difficult financial situation. The main thing is to apply for a scholarship in accordance with all the requirements.
Often you just do not know where to begin your path of study abroad. Sit comfortably, we will tell you everything.
Step 1. Choose the country in which you dream of studying.
Step 2. Find a suitable scholarship program. They can be offered by the university itself, or by foundations.
Step 3. Study from A to Z all the requirements of the selected program. Are you ready to join the fight for a scholarship? Then proceed to the next step.
Step 4. Collect a package of documents. Pay attention to the deadline for submission of documents.
Unfortunately, not all programs cover 100% of studying and living expenses. Therefore, you need to consider the minimum required by the country to live.
What Documents Do Foreign Universities Require?
The package of documents differs depending on the selected program. And you need to read these requirements carefully. However, there is an approximate list of documents that are likely to be useful to you when entering any university:
- application form;
- personal essay or motivation letter;
- financial documents (certificate of low income);
- certificates of special achievements in sports or science;
- letters of recommendation.
Why Refuse Scholarships?
It happens that you have submitted all the documents and filled in the application form correctly, but you have been denied a scholarship. In this case, something was definitely wrong. Let’s consider the reasons for refusing to award scholarships to students abroad.
- You still made a mistake filling out the entry form. In this case, your application will simply be declared invalid.
- The commission was not impressed by your motivation. So work on your cover letter properly.
- You did not comply with all the requirements of the program when processing documents.
- The scholarship program is designed for a very limited number of participants, and you were unable to join them.
To avoid mistakes in important documents, it is better to consult with those who have already gone this way. And professional writing services, such as StudyBay, will help you create the perfect cover letter.
Resources For Finding Scholarship Programs
At first glance, finding an educational program in a particular specialty is extremely difficult. Where to look? Who to ask? How to find the perfect option in the country where you want to go, and even get the opportunity to win a scholarship to study.
In fact, everything is quite simple. All you need to know is what you are looking for and a list of resources for finding grant programs.
Alumni associations are one such resource. There are associations or clubs of graduates of educational programs or higher education institutions of a country. They can be a source of practical information. Examples:
- Erasmus Mundus Students and Alumni Association https://www.em-a.eu
- German Association of Higher Education Graduates https://www.alumniportal-deutschland.org/en/start-page.html
- Portal for graduates of Austrian higher education institutions https://oead.at/en/to-austria/alumni/
As for the actual search for the desired university and program, there are a number of websites with relevant search engines. Here are some of them:
- Bachelor’s degree programs https://www.bachelorsportal.eu/
- Programs for obtaining a master’s degree https://www.mastersportal.eu/
- Doctor’s degree programs https://www.phdportal.eu/ and https://www.findaphd.com/
- Short-term training courses https://www.shortcoursesportal.eu
- A resource where you can find a university according to the desired specialty in all corners of the world – https://www.topuniversities.com/universities
If you want to study in France, be sure to visit the following sites:
- https://www.campusfrance.org/fr – always fresh and up-to-date offers of scholarship programs. A convenient division into categories at the link https://campusbourses.campusfrance.org/fria/bourse/#/catalog will make the search intuitively easy;
- Ile de France Scholarships https://www.iledefrance.fr/education-recherche;
- https://www.abg.asso.fr/ is a convenient resource for finding programs for master’s, postgraduate and post-dock programs. Mostly vacancies of French universities are presented, but there are also from other countries – Belgium, Germany, etc.
To receive a scholarship to study in Germany, keep the following resources in mind:
- https://www.boell.de/en/scholarships/scholarships.html – The Heinrich Böll Foundation grants for representatives of all countries and specialties.
- https://www.daad.de/de/ – on this site you can find numerous programs for all specialties.
- https://www.study-in.de/en and https://www.studying-in-germany.org/ – portals about studies and scholarships in Germany.
There is also a list of resources for finding scholarships in Canada.
- https://www.educanada.ca/index.aspx?lang=eng – internships, student reviews, postgraduate work, living expenses, curriculum search, visas and everything about the life of an ordinary student in Canada!
- https://www.cicic.ca/857/Study/index.canada – everything you need to know before going to study in Canada.
- https://www.univcan.ca/universities/member-universities/– a list of ALL Canadian universities, with their descriptions, websites, tuition fees and even the number of study places!
Recommendations
Careful preparation will help increase your chances of receiving a scholarship abroad. Become the best in education, sports, improve your knowledge of a foreign language, actively participate in university events and beyond.
You also need to take care of your grade point average, so if you have difficulty learning, or you don’t have time for homework, ask tutors and writers for Writing Assignment Help Online.
Compile a package of documents and fill out all application forms meticulously. Work on your practical skills in the specialty, create interesting projects – it will attract the attention of universities and foundations. If you take all the recommendations responsibly, be sure that you will receive a scholarship and successfully complete a training course abroad.