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Let’s face it, studying abroad is extremely expensive (mind you, I had to struggle to overcome the urge to use the ‘f’ word), except you are extremely rich, the fees of most schools are totally unaffordable. Getting a scholarship is the only way you can afford the exorbitant fees, as nice as that sounds, getting a scholarship is not an easy ride. How do you apply for a scholarship successfully? This and many other questions would be answered subsequently.
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The oxford dictionary defines scholarship as a grant or payment made to support a student’s education, awarded on the basis of academic or any other achievement. It is a gift that the recipient doesn’t need to repay, this is what makes it so desirable and consequently difficult to get.
The benefits of a scholarship are immense, you have the chance to study without charge, in fact you get to enjoy all the pecks of studying abroad (meeting new people, job opportunities, travelling experience Etc.) only without charge
Types of scholarships
Yes, you got that right, there are different kinds of scholarships and they are broadly divided into two:
A full scholarship covers every single expense of the students including but not limited to: airfare, monthly stipends, health insurance, etc.
Obviously this scholarship doesn’t cover all expenses; it covers a part of the tuition. The recipient would have to complete the tuition and fend for his daily needs by himself
It’s Obviously better to apply for and get a full scholarship but then just like we say in Nigeria “a half loaf of bread is better than none” so if you can’t get a full scholarship, a partial scholarship would work, you would just have to work a bit harder to get jobs.
Now there are different sources, bodies and organizations that offer scholarship:
General requirements for getting a scholarship
If your grades are not so great however, that is not the end of your dreams to get a scholarship. There are people with Cumulative grade point average of 3.4 and less still going ahead to get scholarships; it all has to do with your determination.
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Scholastic activities may include research and publishing of academic papers in reputable journals. Non-scholastic activities may include involvement in leadership roles, volunteer work etc.
All these would be known through your scholarship application, so focus intense efforts on writing a perfect application
The process of applying for a scholarship
As mentioned above, there are different bodies interested in giving out scholarship and each source has different requirements and process, it is therefore important that you do your research properly so as to know if you meet all the necessary requirements. You need to check if you are eligible and if the scholarship is suitable for your course of study. You need to also make sure that your referees are aware of your application and what kind of scholarship you are applying for. Generally, the following documents are usually required:
This would be gotten at the school from wish you graduated. Most Scholarship body would require that the school send it to them directly
This is a representation of you and every related job and responsibility you’ve ever handled, so write this with extreme care and effort
This is a test you pay for and take to show that you are proficient in English, not every scholarship require this, some Scholarships are satisfied with your transcript showing you took ‘use of English’ as one of your courses. Some of these tests include TOFL, IELTS and even Duolingo
This is a certification exam you have to sit for, your score is important to you success in getting the scholarship
Your statement of purpose is arguably the most important document in your application. This is also called an admission or application essay. This essay will tell the scholarship body who you are, what your academic and professional interests are and what value you intend to bring to that field of study depending on the subject matter or interest of the scholarship.
This should be from someone reputable in academia, someone who has himself benefited from the same or similar Scholarships
Make sure this is not expired.
Make sure all documents are correct and sent promptly.
Important tips to note
Below are a few scholarship bodies you can apply to:
Scholarships in the USA
Scholarships in the UK
Scholarships in Australia
Other global scholarships
On a final note, it is important to be extremely wary and careful while searching for Scholarship opportunities, there are a lot of sham scholarship bodies and a lot of Scholarship scams