Scholarship Opportunities For International Students: How To Fund Your Education Abroad

It is quite natural for people to compare costs, even for small purchases. Budgeting is something very few can even think of compromising on, especially in challenging times. And when it comes to studying abroad, many students drop their plans as they believe it is a very big-ticket affair.

However, the outdated belief that studying abroad is unaffordable is due to a lack of awareness about the huge range of available funding options. A little bit of careful planning and awareness can not only fund your education but also leave you with some extra remnant finances as well.

There are certain ways how you can make your dream of studying abroad a reality:

1. Seeking Guidance:

It is mandatory to have an in-depth discussion with your study abroad counsellor about the available scholarships and financial aid options. Approaching the university's study abroad office, your professors, the financial aid office, and advisors to know about the various scholarships and grants, is another way to expand your understanding of overseas education. 
Furthermore, in-person enquiries instead of calling or emailing them, is always a better alternative. Scholarships are not difficult to get. The only problem is finding them. In order to make sure of the same, appropriate resources should just be made use of in the right way.

• Research:

The importance of conducting adequate research cannot be emphasized enough. The more scholarships you apply for, the better. Information is available from a lot of resources. For instance, Association of International Educators (NAFSA) has a complete list of scholarships for study abroad students. But this particular list is not in its entirety, as there are many types of scholarships to study abroad that can be explored. Some of them are listed as follows:

• Location-Specific Grants/Scholarships to Study Abroad:

  Some scholarships or grants are available only in selected countries or even cities. Certain scholarships are provided by the universities or the choice of destination or even by the government of the home country, which looks at improving international relations through study abroad and student exchange programs.

• Program-Specific Study Abroad Scholarships/Grants:

  These scholarships are offered to students who decide to study abroad through a specific choice of program. It can either be a scholarship through an independent study abroad consultancy or a program-specific scholarship for students who plan to study through that program.

• Subject-Specific Scholarships/Grants:

  Many scholarships or grants are awarded to students who are looking forward to studying abroad to pursue a certain field of study or major; for example, Foreign Language Scholarships. These types of scholarships can be specific. In that, it is not only limited to just one subject but also to a subject in an individual country.

• Student-Specific Scholarships/Grants:

  Certain scholarships are given based on the student's background as well. For example, there are certain scholarships for high school students. There are scholarships for minorities and financially backward students.

• University-Provided Study Abroad Scholarships/Grants:

  Many universities provide merit-based scholarships and bursaries to students who wish to go in for studies overseas. Nonetheless, it is advised not to limit the search for financial aid to only what the home university offers.
  Undergraduate study abroad grants may be offered by various institutions based on student associations. Evaluation of the university that would be opted for should be a requisite. To attract a more diverse student body, several universities worldwide provide scholarships to international students.

• Organization-Provided Scholarships/Grants:

  Going through and doing enough research on non-profit organizations that offer scholarships or grants to deserving students who match the criteria would be a good thought.

• Government-Funded Scholarships/Grants for Study Abroad:

  Several government-funded grants and scholarships reassure students to study or work abroad, in addition to guaranteeing that their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) financial aid will be carried over for the study abroad semester.
  Two notable examples include the Fulbright Program and the Chevening Scholarships and Fellowships offered by the UK government. These opportunities cater exclusively to leaders of international student organizations who seek to aspire to study in the UK.

2. Contact the Scholarship/Grant Funder Directly:

Contacting the funder directly is the best method to find out all the aspects of the scholarships to be applied for, and the most recent requirements for applications. Demonstrations are made to the scholarship or grant funder/provider that the initiative is going to be positively taken and that there will be an active aim for the scholarship in focus, in addition to the assurance that all the necessary information of the student is also available.

3. Modification of Resume:

After making a list of the study abroad scholarships that need to be applied for, the next step is to focus on actually getting those scholarships. The CV makes up for a very imperative part in this. Emphasizing on any overseas experiences and keeping a record of current campus events up to date makes a big difference. An important point to be noted here is to keep all of this to one page.
Writing clearly and succinctly is crucial. Cover letters and resumes go hand in hand. In certain cases, they are a significant component of an application since they provide the student with the one opportunity to provide justification in favour of receiving a scholarship. All the same, a letter simply cannot be attached explaining how great the student is.
When applying for a study abroad scholarship offered by an international university, it is good to find out and learn how resumes and cover letters are characteristically formatted in that country. Being comfortable enough with the language, can also help in writing the resume in the language of the study abroad destination country.

4. References Check:

Most of the study abroad scholarship essays and applications require personal references. Making a choice of professors and employers with whom students have had a close interaction with, is of great help when needing such references. There could be supportive authority figures that could be approached, who would be wholeheartedly willing to recommend students for a scholarship to study abroad.

5. Marking the Calendar:

It can get complicated to remember all the deadlines and application requirements when applying for several scholarships or grants besides the study abroad program. Under such circumstances, it helps when a calendar just for those study abroad scholarship applications, with a clear indication of each deadline is prepared. Even though this is basic common sense, this is only to foster the fact that applying for multiple scholarships, or even just one, requires discipline.

6. Consistent Applications:

Though tiresome, it is always effective applying for study abroad scholarships as quickly and as thoroughly as possible. This would require a lot of patience and time, but every second counts. Applications should always be customized and definitely should not copy-pasted from one to another. Customising your data will give a much better opportunity to ace at figuring out how to study abroad with a scholarship.

7. Seriousness about Time:

On one hand, applying quickly to numerous applications could get tedious and can look like trying to take several steps on a fleet of stairs, all at once. On the other hand, the approach towards applications for study abroad scholarships should be with the same gravity as applications towards university admission.
Utilize time for reading and abiding by the guidelines in the process of applying for study abroad scholarships. Ample time must be taken to finish all applications without feeling pressured to submit them by the deadline. The lesser the rush, the higher the quality of work, which increases the chances of receiving more financial aid.

8. Focus on Grades:

This may sound very simple, but there is always a requirement to repeatedly have outstanding marks to be eligible for a scholarship to study abroad. While not all grants and scholarships demand high grade point averages or grades, most of them do. This is merely a manner of request from the scholarship givers to ensure that the recipient student is keen to strive for their study abroad program.
Demonstrating to scholarship providers that you view studying abroad as a learning opportunity, not just travel, requires effort and strong academic performance prior to your trip.

9. Passionate Intent:

Most study abroad scholarship applications normally require a personal essay. Feeling intense memories of the anxiety that college application essays brought on, is very normal, but not a matter of panic. Sending in personal essays is a chance for the student to express themselves and their intentions in their best nature. Therefore, in the application essay, expression of the passion for studying abroad and the interest to be a part of the visiting country should be the core focus.
Scholarship donors and providers want to make sure that their funds are going to a deserving cause and that the applicant recognizes the value of the opportunity. Thus, there should be no concern about speaking out the mind; sharing know-how and rationalising the merits of receiving the scholarship that will pay for the study overseas experience.

Ultimately, the most indispensable thing to keep in mind is that there will be results without a doubt, if the same time and energy are invested into applying for study abroad scholarships as for any other academic scholarship.

Even in the unlikely event of receiving fewer scholarships than anticipated, there are still the possibilities for financing the student’s study abroad experience, including using crowdfunding platforms or even hiring locals for tutorship, while the student is away, which is also a great way to fully plunge in the culture he/she is studying in.

There is no need of worrying about financial concerns of studying abroad or overlooking the true motivation behind all the effort. The main priority should only be looking forward to the profoundly transformative experience of venturing outside one’s comfort zone and all the experiences that accompany it!