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It happens, it is often said that grades are not really the best test for intelligence or smartness, besides some people just don’t test well. With an educational system like ours, your poor grades could be as a result of so many things and (just because we must shake this table) it could also be your fault (the table seems to still be intact, no major damage done). So you finished your first degree with a low grade, for the sake of this article let’s make use of a very poor result, like the worst result you can have that would still ensure you graduate. That doesn’t have to be an end to your ‘study abroad’ dreams, there are still a lot of options for you.
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Most study abroad programs have a requirement of a minimum of 3.0 GPA, and programs accepting students with a GPA under 2.5 are scarce, that means you won’t have your pick of the crop, you’d have to accept the programs available for you, your luxury of choice is reduced if not non-existent.
To make this work, you’d have to do a lot of research, your statement of purpose must be extremely airtight. Excellent recommendations from seasoned referees would help offset your poor grade.
Statement of purpose
Lets talk about your statement of purpose or personal statement for a bit. A strong personal statement can go a long way toward helping a student overcome subpar academic performance. You have a fantastic opportunity to show the program that you can succeed in a global environment and make the most of your time abroad.
There are numerous justifications for your GPA, and it’s crucial to be sincere. It would be advantageous for you to discuss this in your personal statement if you don’t think you can receive a letter of recommendation from a professor or believe your GPA doesn’t fairly reflect your work ethic. The personal statement is a fantastic way to clarify things if you are aware that your poor GPA is the result of you working a part-time job to pay for school.
Write a captivating personal statement that illustrates why the other components of your application, such as extracurricular, community service, and work experience, are important to you.
One of the biggest opportunities for students with low GPAs to demonstrate their true selves is in the personal statement. Students have the chance to discuss their extracurricular interests and passions as well as how they plan to pursue them while abroad.
However there are a lot of programs that would accept grades as low as 2.5, there are many others who don’t even have a minimum requirement.
The following programs would accept a low grade:
This program offers a wide range of courses with a minimum GPA of 2.0. The London branch is founded on the campus of Butler University, it offers a non-traditional experience of future-focused learning, giving you the opportunity to combine study with internships or directed research. They also offer programs in other exciting countries like Rome, Shanghai, Buenos Aires, or even Sri Lanka. You can check out IFSA here: http://www.ifsa-butler.org check out the courses that best suits you and the country where you’d love to Study
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API affords students the opportunity to study abroad in over two dozen countries. They offer a wide variety of courses in almost every major discipline and in various languages of instruction. You. An easily find a program that suits your academic interests. They accept a 2.5 GPA. API also offers financial aid in form of Scholarships. API awards approximately $500,000 in study abroad scholarships annually ranging from $250 -$1,000 per student. Learn more: https://apiabroad.com
They accept a GPA of 2.0 and this is only for their winter research project, for other courses, there’s no minimum GPA required. They offer a wide range of short term and long term courses. You can check them out here: https://www.aucegypt.edu/admissions/study-abroad
They offer different types of programs, including summers abroad and internships, in addition to their semesters abroad. They have a diverse portfolio of study abroad programs and it cuts across Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Pacific. They accept GPAs as low as 2.5. Find more here: https://www.studiesabroad.com
The CEA offers programs in about 22 locations including France, Italy, Spain, and the Czech Republic. They accept a GPA of 2.5. Learn more at http://www.ceastudyabroad.com/?CID=0X46
You must have seen their ads pop up on your Gmail account once or twice. The USAC offers their programs in more that 28 countries. They accept a GPA of 2.5
The above are study abroad options whose grade requirement are not so high. There are however other options to consider.
If you are reading this and you aren’t done with your university education yet, you can work hard to in increase your GPA. A increase of juts 0.5 could be the difference you need.