A great plan to study abroad with international scholarships

Education matters, and it’s amazing when you get to study overseas at a negligible cost or for free. Isn’t it great to get a chance to avoid ending up paying hefty fees for a world-class education? Believe it or not, acting on such an offer is now quite possible if you knew the right thing to do!

When it comes to discounted or free education, scholarships are a sure shot way to go. There are many international scholarship programs that you can use to study abroad.

How to apply for a scholarship to study abroad

Finding a good scholarship is like finding a great opportunity. To find a scholarship, you will need a sense of purpose and awareness. If you are willing to apply for scholarships that can lead you overseas, these steps will help:

Explore scholarship options right from your college

Colleges or Grad schools will have knowledgeable people who can guide you on scholarship options. Counselors, career centers and financial aid offices can help you. They will have the right information and will extend help to you. Contacting them via email or in-person on campus, you can get them to notice you as a willing candidate for a scholarship. This will put you at an advantage as they will be ready to help you when an opportunity shows up.

Look for scholarships beyond the campus

If you seek, you will find many scholarships offered by different organizations outside the campus. Find them online, meet some resourceful people and list down what matches your subject and intentions best. Be aware of application deadlines for the scholarships. Waste no time and make a good resume and give it a shot.

Prepare your documents

You will generally need to submit the following documents with your application:

• Your resume Give all details of your study experiences, hobbies, interests, achievements and social skills. Tell them what languages you know and list your skill levels in technical and soft skills.
• Completed application form Fill the form correctly and truthfully.
• Copies of diplomas/transcripts Attach copies of all your academic qualifications. The transcript of records will show the courses and grades you scored in each course. The document should carry an official stamp and signature from the institute or its faculty.
• Statement of purpose/letter of motivation This is the document that can set the path of your success in grabbing the attention of the officials. Here, you need to state why you chose to learn the course you intend to apply for. You must also tell about your career goals and convince them how you are fit for the course desired. Write the text in around 400 words.
• Standardized test scores Various standardized test scores are applicable to your course application depending on where you are going to learn. This could be SAT, GRE, ACT, GPA or any other relevant one. Scoring high on these exams could get you in the front depending on the other documents you submit.
• Letter of recommendation Attach 1 or 2 letters of recommendation from your teachers or employers. This letter can be an authentic proof of your capabilities and hence is a valuable addition to your application.

Among the additional documents that you may be asked to submit will be:

• Essay related to the scholarship You may be asked in some instances to write an essay about a subject that is relevant to the scholarship you are applying for. The aim is to gauge your motivation and find out your personal achievements in the said field. Be careful in writing the essay as per the given guidelines.
• Portfolio For students of art, design and similar courses, it may be needed to attach a portfolio. It will feature the artistic works that were done and projects that were undertaken.
• Financial information You may be required in certain cases to produce yours or your parents’ financial information. It could include bank statements and income tax returns.
• A medical report A medical report signed by an authorized medical professional may be needed in certain cases.

Apply on time

As the saying goes, you should never put all the eggs in one basket. Apply for as many scholarships as you can. When you do that, it becomes necessary to keep track of the dates of important appointments. These could be submission dates and interviews. To ace the interview, you can already make most of the impression in the story you have already submitted. The interviewers should be convinced that you will make good use of every dime of the scholarship money.

What are some of the best scholarships?

If you are looking to study abroad for free, you should also know the best spots to aim for. If we look at country-specific options for the best scholarships, there are a handful that we can suggest for you. But always, it’s your field of study and career intentions that should help you decide which scholarship suits you best.

INSEAD Deepak and Sunita Gupta Endowed Scholarships

This scholarship considers graduate students coming from developing countries. These students intend to pursue an INSEAD MBA program. But they are financially backward. Under this program, selected scholars get financial assistance of up to EUR 25,000 towards their MBA degree.

British Council GREAT Education Full Scholarships

The scholarship suits graduate students from India who want to study abroad. The British Council’s GREAT Education Scholarships were started in partnership with 25 leading UK Universities. They offer full scholarships to the brightest students across India. This applies to various undergraduate and graduate courses in the UK.

Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's Degrees scholarships (EMJMD)

EMJMDs are Masters-level study programs at institutions across Europe. The scholarships are awarded for these programs each having a different deadline. Interested students need to keep a check on the official scholarship portal so as not to miss a chance.

The Heinrich Böll Foundation scholarship

Under this German scholarship, students will get €850 per month along with various individual allowances. To apply to study in Germany under this scholarship, students should have excellent academic records. They must give written proof of German language proficiency. Moreover, they should have demonstrated history of social and political engagement. This is a yearly scholarship given to graduates and doctoral students of all subjects and nationalities. You must apply for the scholarship before March 1^st.

Great Wall Program

This scholarship is for students from developing countries. These are students who want to study or conduct research in China. It was established by the Chinese Ministry of Education for UNESCO. It was meant to sponsor students and scholars.

Scotland’s Saltire scholarships

The scholarship offers £8000 towards tuition fees for studying in Master programs across Scotland. The areas of study covered include science, technology, renewable and clean energy, creative industries, medical sciences, and healthcare.

Orange Tulip scholarship

Applicants of this scholarship should be students who are Indian residents. They must have been admitted to a Dutch university or should be in the process of getting enrolment in universities or colleges in the Netherlands.

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