Don’t let the expense of studying abroad deter you. Studying abroad is often misunderstood as being prohibitively expensive, but guess what?
Thousands of study abroad scholarships and grants are available, only waiting for you to apply! Who doesn’t like getting free money? Just thinking about it gives us the heart-eye-emoji vibes.
You will have to make some compromises in the months leading up to your summer/semester/year abroad (say no to dessert and limit your post-Christmas sales shopping), but budgeting wisely before studying abroad is just one step on the path to bigger and better adventures.
You’ll be able to *finally* achieve your travel target thanks to smart saving strategies combined with financial assistance (such as study abroad scholarships) — as long as you’re willing to put in the effort of applying.
List Of 10 Things To Do To Attain A Scholarship
Sсhоlаrѕhірѕ can still bе obtained іn abroad еvеn thоugh you аrе nоt a сіtіzеn of the country you are applying to. Sсhоlаrѕhірѕ аrе vеrу bеnеfісіаl to students. It аlѕо еnсоurаgеѕ thеm tо соntіnuе their ѕtudіеѕ.
Sіnсе thе cost оf ѕtudуіng аbrоаd іѕ much higher than in Nіgеrіа, the ѕсhоlаrѕhір is a blessing for Nіgеrіаn ѕtudеntѕ. Onе оf the reasons tо seek a ѕсhоlаrѕhір abroad іѕ bесаuѕе оf thіѕ. Here are top things to do to attain a scholarship
#1. Ask for Help
First and foremost, don’t be afraid to ask for support from those around you. Inquire with your university’s study abroad office, professors, the financial aid office, and academic advisors about any available scholarships or grants.
Instead of emailing or calling, go in person to these offices to ask for advice about how to get a scholarship to study abroad. This will not only make it easier for your professors or study abroad office to assist you, but it will also inspire them with your strong determination and initiative in coming in person to negotiate financial aid.
The hardest part of getting study abroad scholarships is simply finding them, so be sure to ask the professionals if they know of any.
#2. Research, Research, Research
It can’t be stressed enough: do your homework! You will receive more financial assistance if you apply for more scholarships. You can begin by looking through the Scholarships Directory.
Other tools, such as NAFSA, compile lists of scholarships for study abroad students, but this list is not comprehensive, and there are several different types of study abroad scholarships that you can look into, including:
Grants/Scholarships for Studying Abroad in Specific Locations: These scholarships or grants are designed to allow students to study in specific countries or even specific cities, such as scholarships specifically for students interested in studying in Japan.
These scholarships may be offered by your university, the government of the country where you intend to study, or even the government of your home country, which aims to promote international ties by allowing study abroad students to share their experiences.
Scholarships/Grants for Program-Specific Study Abroad: These scholarships or grants are often given to students who want to study abroad through a specific program. Only students who intend to study for the program are eligible to apply.
This may be a private study abroad provider or a specific program designed by your university. For example, HEX is awarding $1000 scholarships to 150 participants in their Great Global Challenge program (plus full scholarships to RMIT University and University of Technology Sydney students! ), as well as grants and full scholarships to Australian students in their APAC Innovation Program and Global Innovation Internships.
Foreign Language Scholarships and Other Subject-Specific Grants/Scholarships for Studying Abroad: Several grants or scholarships are granted to students who wish to pursue a specific field of study or major while studying abroad.
This financial aid can be extremely targeted, focusing not just on the topic, but also on a specific subject to be studied in a specific country.
Scholarships/Grants Granted to Students: Certain scholarships are awarded to students based on factors such as gender, race, faith, disabilities, or sexual orientation. For example, there are study abroad scholarships specifically for high school students! Programs like the Benjamin A.
Gilman Scholarship and Diversity Abroad Scholarships are particularly beneficial for students looking for financial assistance because there is a need for more diverse study abroad students. Minority study abroad scholarships are available; all you have to do is look for them.
University-Provided Study Abroad Scholarships/Grants: Many colleges offer merit-based scholarships or grants that are open to all students interested in studying abroad. However, don’t limit your study to your home university’s financial aid! Undergraduate study abroad grants are available from a variety of institutions, depending on the affiliations.
Also, look into the university you’ll be attending when studying abroad; several higher education institutions around the world offer scholarships to foreign students to attract a more diverse student body.
Organization-Provided Scholarships/Grants: Be sure to do extensive research into nonprofit, chapter, or heritage organizations that may offer scholarships or grants to eligible students who meet their requirements.
Scholarships for LGBT students or students of Italian or Hispanic descent are good examples. The options are limitless.
Government-Funded Scholarships/Grants for Study Abroad: Aside from ensuring that your FAFSA financial assistance can transfer to your study abroad semester, there is a range of government-funded grants and scholarships available to students who choose to study or work abroad.
The Fulbright Program, as well as Chevening Scholarships and Fellowships, are good examples of this, as they are sponsored by the UK government exclusively for foreign student leaders seeking to study in the UK.
Research study abroad scholarships upfront to make your applications easier
#3. Contact the Scholarship/Grant Funder Directly
Contacting the funder directly is the perfect way to learn all the finer points of the scholarships you’ll be applying for, as well as the most up-to-date eligibility criteria — they wrote the book about how to get a scholarship to study abroad!
This will not only ensure that you have all of the necessary details, but it will also demonstrate to the scholarship or grant funder/provider that you are not afraid to take charge and aggressively seek the scholarship you are applying for.
#4. Improve Your Resume/CV
Once you’ve made a list of study abroad scholarships you’d like to apply for, the next step is to focus on getting the scholarships. Your resume plays a significant role in this.
Make sure to include every foreign experience you’ve had, as well as all of your recent campus events, on one list. It is important to write concisely.
Cover letters are also a critical aspect of an application since they are the only chance to make a case about why you deserve to be given a scholarship. You can’t, though, just send in a generic cover letter bragging about how great of a student you are.
Concentrate on how you plan to apply what you learned abroad to your life on campus and at home.
If you’re applying for a scholarship to study abroad through a foreign university, investigate how that country’s resumes or cover letters are normally organized, and if you’re confident enough in your language skills, consider writing them in the language of the country you’ll be studying in.
#5. Check Your References
Personal references are required in most study abroad scholarship essays and applications; that is, someone you’ve worked with within a professional or academic environment. For most students, this entails contacting professors and requesting assistance.
If you want a professor to be a guide or write you a recommendation letter, make sure you ask them far ahead of time so they can plan.
It’s also crucial to select professors or employers with whom you’ve had previous interactions so that they are familiar enough with you to recommend you. To put it another way, don’t ask your MTS 101 professor from two years ago to write your recommendation letter (unless your relationship with him/her is solid).
Reach out to people in positions of authority that you know will not only be able to recommend you for a scholarship to study abroad but who are also relevant to the scholarship.
If you’re applying for a leadership scholarship overseas, for example, contact the academic advisor of the campus club you’re a member of. Contact your political science professor if you’re applying for an international relations scholarship.
However, no matter who you contact, remember to be polite and understand that you are asking them to take time out of their busy schedules to assist you (and a follow-up, written thank you note never hurts either).
#6. Mark Your Calendar
It can be difficult to keep track of all the various deadlines and eligibility criteria if you are applying for a variety of different scholarships or grants, as well as the study abroad program itself.
Making a calendar specifically for your study abroad scholarship applications, with each deadline marked, can seem obvious. When applying for several scholarships, staying coordinated is important. To get through any application slumps, visualize your experience abroad.
#7. Apply, Apply, Apply
It may sound exhausting but apply for study abroad scholarships as soon as possible. This section can take a significant amount of time and patience, but every little bit helps. Your procedure should go smoothly because you’ve already done a lot of legwork.
Also, small awards add up, allowing you to have a much more accessible and stress-free summer, semester, or year abroad in the future.
Often, wherever possible, customize the applications and resist the temptation to simply copy and paste from one app to the next. Scholarship providers are aware when you’ve done your homework on their foundation’s principles or the emphasis of a particular scholarship.
Customizing each application will increase your chances of being an expert in finding out how to study abroad on a scholarship.
#8. Take Your Time & Take it seriously
It’s easy to feel compelled to hurry through applications, particularly if you’re submitting multiple ones. Study abroad applications, on the other hand, should be treated with the same seriousness as applications for admission to your university.
Read and follow the instructions for study abroad scholarships, and give yourself enough time to complete all of your applications without feeling rushed. If you don’t feel hurried, you’ll produce higher-quality work, and higher-quality work means a greater chance of receiving more financial assistance.
#9. Have the Grades
This may seem elementary, but good grades are also required to receive a scholarship for studying abroad. While not all scholarships or grants require perfect grades or GPAs, many of them do.
This is simply because the scholarship providers want to ensure that the student earning the scholarship is serious about studying abroad.
It’s critical to work hard and earn good grades before going abroad to demonstrate to scholarship providers that you want to see your study abroad experience as more than just a chance to travel; it’s also an opportunity to broaden your academic horizons.
#10. The Proof is in the Passion
A personal essay is required for most, if not all, study abroad scholarship applications. You can have vivid flashbacks to your university application essays and the stress they caused, but don’t worry! It’s your chance to shine in these applications.
In your application essay, make sure to express your enthusiasm for studying abroad and the country in which you will be studying.
Scholarship funders and providers want to know that their money is going to a good cause and that the student applying for the scholarship is grateful for the opportunity. So don’t be afraid to speak up; share your story and justify why you deserve the scholarship to study abroad.
At the end of the day, the most important thing to consider when applying for study abroad scholarships is to put in the same amount of time and commitment as you would for any other academic scholarship, and you will be rewarded.
