While foreign education sounds attractive and can be life-changing, it is also expensive. Do you wish to explore the academic possibilities that lay beyond the borders, but do not have the bank balance to do so? If you have the skills and are hard-working, financial constraints shouldn’t clip your wings and confine you to small targets.
GIVE LIFE TO YOUR DREAMS
There used to be a time when overseas education seemed achievable only to the uber-rich in the country. Pricey higher education in countries such as the US and the UK is perceived as being beyond the reach of the middle- or even the upper-middle-income brackets of the society.
However, there is hope and help available to you today. Numerous scholarships and fellowships exist for the sole purpose of providing financial assistance to help students achieve their academic dreams.
WHERE DO YOU START?
Rather than digging places, it is always good to know the right sources in advance. Here are a few useful and reliable sources offering scholarships to support students in their higher studies.
- Ford Foundation – https://www.fordfoundation.org/work/our-grants/individuals-seeking-fellowships/
- Fulbright Scholarship – https://www.cies.org/
- International Scholarships & Financial Aid – www.iefa.org
- Gates Cambridge Scholarship – https://www.gatescambridge.org/
- Commonwealth Scholarship– www.acu.ac.uk
- Chevening – https://www.chevening.org/
- 8.Adobe Creativity Scholarships – https://www.iie.org/adobe
- Edupass – https://www.edupass.org/finaid/databases/
- Rotary Foundation – https://www.rotary.org/en/our-programs/scholarships
- www.internationalscholarships.com
- www.internationalStudentLoan.com
- www.fundingusstudy.org
- www.internationalstudent.com/scholarships
- http://scholarship-positions.com
- UK Scholarships – https://study-uk.britishcouncil.org/options/scholarships-financial-support
For Rhodes Scholarship – https://www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk/scholarships/the-rhodes-scholarship/
Making an investment in appropriate higher education is perhaps the best and wise form of investment one can make. Embark on the process of scholarship application with clarity and planning.
TO-DO LIST
Take care of the following factors while applying to foreign universities:
- Once you have applied to the universities, be prompt and punctual in responding to the queries of the professors or other selection authorities.
- Meet all deadlines with promptitude
- If you are pursuing admission in multiple universities, keep separate files for each one
- In application forms and essays, be precise, accurate and comprehensive
- Avoid any situation of sending corrections later
- Send your applications well in advance to receive the required and adequate attention
- Certificates, examination scores, Statement of Purpose and Letters of Recommendation will be the records that the admitting authorities will evaluate closely before making a decision. So pay attention to what you are submitting.
- Be prepared for interviews, in person or otherwise
PRE-ADMISSION INTERVIEWS
The aim of the pre-admission interview is to check and confirm your:
- Claims in the application material
- Ability to grasp complex ideas
- Ability for analytical thinking
- Ability for independent work
- Ability to undergo the program successfully
- Knowledge level in the subject of study
- Suitability for the program
- Passion for the subject
- Ability to apply knowledge in a situation
- Ability to innovate
- Aptitude for research
- Language skills
- Commitment and dedication
- Interest in co-curricular activities
- Self-confidence
All these may not be relevant in every case. But you should necessarily be able to furnish a convincing answer to the question as to why you have come so far for the particular university/institution and the particular course.
The opportunities are endless, what with the lack of finances no longer holding you back.
Go live your dreams!