Overseas scholarship - Studying abroad can open your eyes to new cultures and ways of thinking, but it’s not cheap. Luckily, many organizations offer financial aid in the form of scholarships to help you study abroad, or pay your way while you’re there. Here are 10 tips on how to get scholarships to study abroad, whether you want to travel around the world or just go across the country.
1) Start your search early
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Don't wait until the last minute! The earlier you start your search, the more time you'll have to get everything done in order. Early planning is especially important if you're applying for scholarships or other forms of financial aid. You'll need proof of your grades and transcripts, letters of recommendation, and more. Plus, keep in mind that scholarship deadlines are usually at least a year ahead of when you want to study abroad—so remember to apply early!
You'll need to begin by figuring out how much you can spend. The more money you have, or can get in loans, grants, and scholarships, the easier it will be to find a place that fits your budget. Once you know how much you have available, start browsing schools around your country and in other countries where you want to study. Make sure each school accepts international students and search for any opportunities for financial aid. If you plan ahead and apply early enough, even if funding isn't guaranteed, there's still a good chance that it will happen—but remember that every school has different deadlines!
2) Look for scholarships specific to your country
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Scholarships are a great way for you to fund your study abroad experience, but it can be difficult to find the right ones. There are a lot of scholarships that have specific qualifications and criteria that may exclude you from consideration. But don't let this discourage you! Here are 10 tips for finding scholarships
We recommend that you start your search by looking for scholarships specific to your country. Since you'll most likely be studying in a country where English is not a primary language, there are fewer study abroad scholarships available than you may think. Start by doing an online search for study abroad and then add keywords related to your native language (for example, if you're American and studying in China, try study abroad China or China scholarship). You can also ask university or college staff members if they know of any opportunities.
3) Look for scholarships specific to your program
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You may have been told that financial aid is for college students and not for studying abroad. This is a misconception. There are many scholarships available for studying abroad, and some of them even cover the full cost of tuition fees. Scholarships are a great way to offset the cost of living abroad, but it's important to be proactive about finding them before your program begins. Here are 10 tips on how to get scholarships:
1) Make sure you apply early! Many scholarship providers require an application at least 6 months in advance, so plan accordingly. 2) Search broadly! There are scholarships out there specifically tailored for international students, so don't limit your search just to one country or region of study. 3) Be persistent!
4) Ask your study abroad office
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The first step for any student that is interested in studying abroad is to contact their study abroad office. Most offices will provide students with a list of scholarships, funding opportunities, and other programs that are available for students who are interested in studying abroad. The scholarship and funding opportunities will depend largely on the student's major, field of interest, or geographical location. It is important for students who want to study abroad to research all of the different options so they can find the one that best suits their needs.
Don’t be discouraged if your school doesn’t offer any scholarships. There are many other programs out there that will help fund a student’s education. Several different organizations and foundations offer scholarships for students who want to study abroad, including AIFS, Cultural Vistas, and QAI. Be sure to do plenty of research so you don’t miss out on a great scholarship because you didn't know about it.
5) Check with your home university
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The most important step in the process is to speak with your home university and see if they have any scholarships that you might qualify for. If so, then take some time to apply for those specific scholarships- this will save you a lot of time and energy. The best way to do this is by visiting the school's website and looking through their Scholarship section, or contacting the Financial Aid office. Many schools offer tuition waivers, which means that the scholarship will pay for a certain amount of your tuition, but not all of it. Other schools may only offer travel grants (like for an internship) or research grants- these can be used towards a study abroad experience as well!
6) Look for outside organizations
There are many organizations that offer scholarships for students that want to study abroad. The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is one of the most well-known and prestigious scholarship programs in the world, offering approximately 1,000 grants per year for American graduate and undergraduate students and recent graduates to teach English or conduct research in over 130 countries. In addition, there are many other smaller organizations that offer scholarships, such as:
-The Institute of International Education (IIE) offers a handful of different international programs with a variety of options available
-The Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) has scholarship opportunities in more than 60 countries
There are also a number of private sector scholarship programs offered by various corporations, including Chevron and Microsoft.
7) Google it
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1) Know your GPA and SAT scores. The higher they are, the more scholarship money you can get. 2) Try and take AP courses in high school. They look great on a college application, but they'll also help you earn scholarships. 3) Visit colleges and universities with exchange programs that you're interested in studying at abroad. Many of them will offer scholarships for study abroad students or for students who want to study at their school via an exchange program. 4) Apply for as many scholarships as possible--the more applications you have, the better chance you have of winning one! 5) Research scholarship opportunities by using a variety of sources like your college's financial aid office, government websites, scholarship search engines, etc.
8) Read the fine print
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1. Applying for scholarships is not a one-step process. It takes time and dedication, and you will have to keep at it until you win. 2. Make sure that you are applying for scholarships that are tailored towards your field of study, or the area in which you plan to work after graduating. 3. Check the deadlines for application submission each scholarship has set so that you can prioritize what needs to be done when. 4. Apply for as many scholarships as possible - there's no harm in applying even if your chances of winning are low, since doing so increases your chances of at least getting some funding! 5. Keep your options open!
9) Have a backup plan
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It is important to have a backup plan in case you do not get the scholarship of your choice. Some scholarships are very competitive, and if you are trying for a smaller or less prestigious institution, it may be tough to get one. When this is the case, try going with an institution that has a higher acceptance rate. This will give you more options and increased chances of getting into the school that is right for you.
10) Apply, apply, apply!
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Your first step should be to apply for as many scholarships as possible. This might take some time and it will probably feel like a lot of work, but you'll be more likely to find the scholarship that suits your needs if you apply for as many scholarships as possible.
Your second step should be to make sure that your application is tailored for each scholarship that you're applying for. If a scholarship doesn't require a resume, don't include one in your application!
Your third step should be to make sure that you follow up after submitting an application. Sometimes it takes a while before the organization reviews all of their applications, so it's important not to forget about them once they're submitted.
Your fourth step is an extension of the third- stay organized!
conclusion
The most important part is to make sure you apply for overseas scholarships and grants that will cover your expenses. It's always worth a try and the worst that can happen is they reject it. Here are some helpful tips:
* Plan ahead and make a budget for how much money you will need, then divide it into monthly expenses (tuition, accommodation, living expenses). This way you'll know exactly how much money you're going to need in advance. * Find out what scholarships are available for your program of study - There may be some scholarships that have very specific requirements but there might be others open to all students. If you find one that fits your needs, get as many details about it as possible so that when you apply, your application is as strong as possible.
* Apply for scholarships early - Ideally, you should start applying for scholarships at least two months before your university's application deadline. This way, you'll have time if something doesn't work out and if your scholarship application is successful, you'll have plenty of time to ask for financial assistance from your home university (if applicable) and set up a budget accordingly. * Make an effort and do your best - Your scholarship application will be rejected if it's poorly written or submitted late, so make sure that everything is correct and well-formatted before submitting it. If they don't think that what you're offering is worth their investment of money, they may reject your application without even reading it properly. So take note of all requirements such as page length limits or language restrictions.