7 Tips for Landing Scholarships Abroad
Studying in a foreign country is a fantastic opportunity for any student. One gets to pursue their career while learning about different cultures and fulfilling their spirit of exploration. However, few can do it out of their pockets because of the expenses involved. Landing a scholarship helps alleviate the costs, but many students compete for limited slots because they are rare. We have provided some tips that should help give you an advantage in your quest to study abroad.
What Are the Benefits of Studying Abroad?
Choosing to study abroad is a bold decision that carries some interesting perks, such as:
- Gaining a global outlook
- Diversifying your learning and your experience
- Opportunity for personal growth
- Creating connections
- Looks good on your resume for prospective employers
- Getting to explore the world
The Secrets for Landing Scholarships
While there’s no magic way of getting scholarships abroad, some strategies can help increase your odds of getting one. Here’re some top secrets.
Seek Help
You need all the help you can get when it comes to getting a scholarship. First, speak to university officials in the study abroad offices and learn the process. Then, visit the financial aid officials and discuss it with your academic advisors. Finally, if you know someone who won a scholarship, ask for their advice.
Your professors can also help you find opportunities and provide some useful advice. The challenging part about scholarships is finding them. The more professionals you talk to about it, the more you’re likely to find the right one.
Research
There are opportunities out there, and you can find them through research. Visit financial aid directories like NAFSA and explore the different types of studentships available. In addition, universities and others by the government offer some fellowships. Learn about the requirements of the various scholarships and identify the ones you qualify for.
Prove Yourself in Your Application
Work to make your application stand out positively. With the stiff competition for slots, you should make your application memorable. First, create a checklist of all that the scholarship providers are looking for from your research. Then, work on all the documents they need and show them you are the type of student they are looking for.
Every application is likely to require a personal statement. It‘s your chance to prove to the funders that their money is being well spent. Express yourself in the paper and show your passion. Take your time with every part of the application, and recheck everything once you’re done. Proofread your work and get a second opinion where you can, even if you believe you are an astute essay writer.
Apply for Numerous Scholarships
After your research, identify all the studentships you qualify for and make a list. Then, prepare to apply for as many as you can. The more you apply, the better your odds of being accepted. Understand that thousands of students with similar qualifications or better are also applying. So, cast a wider net to give yourself a better chance.
Apply Early
There is an advantage to applying early, even if they have not specified a special preference for early applicants. Many people apply when the deadline is close, which is a mistake. View the evaluators as ordinary people; in the early stages, they won’t have too many applications compared to close to the deadlines. So, when yours get there early, they will likely pay more attention to it. Towards the end, they are often overloaded with applications and might skim through some to get through the workload.
Find Some Strong References
Many scholarships require personal references, preferably someone you have worked with in an academic or professional setting. Find professors who know you well enough to be willing to write a good recommendation. If you know some department heads, you can request them for a recommendation; remember to do it respectfully and in person. Some fellowships are specific regarding references, so find the authority figures they specify.
Apply for Small Scholarships Too
Not all studentships involve large sums of money; some might be from $1000. Apply anyway because the numbers will eventually add up. Furthermore, most students focus on major scholarships. So the competition won’t be that high.
Once you have applied for the main scholarships, you can repurpose your application to fit the lower-end ones. Even that small, some can be useful for a plane ticket or sustenance; just ensure you can combine them.
Final Thoughts
The prospect of studying in a foreign country should be very exciting. It opens you up to new possibilities and opportunities. However, understand that the scholarships are very competitive, and while you might deserve it, you might not get it the first time. That’s why we urge students to keep applying and not lose hope.