The best study abroad scholarship for you is the one (or ones) that you think you can get!
That’s literally the best answer...
That’s pretty vague admittedly, so let’s explore some of your options for a study abroad scholarship, and walk you through the process for applying and (hopefully) securing one successfully.
In an earlier article, we went into much greater detail on how to find and apply for scholarships to study abroad, so check that out when you’re done here.
Table of Contents
- 1. Find university scholarships, government scholarships & private scholarships
- 2. Know the different types of scholarships
- 3. Check the qualification criteria
- 4. Do the research
- 5. Look at the past
- 6. Apply for more than one scholarship if you can!
- 7. 6 study abroad scholarships worth looking into
1. Find university scholarships, government scholarships & private scholarships
The choice of scholarships available to international students comes from three main sources:
- The university (and faculty) that you’ve been accepted into
- Government or government funded organizations, either in your own country, or most often the country that you’re going to study abroad in
- Private companies, charities & NGOs
When you begin looking for a scholarship, cast your net wide and search for options from all places!
2. Know the different types of scholarships
As well as knowing the different places scholarships come from, it’s important to know what types there are. Generally, scholarships are given to reward outstanding academic performance.
However, they’re also often awarded for notable extracurricular activities such as sports, charity or community service. Beyond that, there are also scholarships which are provided by current employers to encourage staff to “upskill” at university.
Finally, there are needs and identity-based scholarships, which are given to high performing students from financially poor backgrounds or under-represented communities. Some examples of this could be students of colour, LGBT+ students, or women. While we’re on the subject, check out how these 3 women are smashing stereotypes in STEM degrees!
3. Check the qualification criteria
OK, now that you’ve found a bunch of scholarship options that you could apply to, it’s time to quickly check the qualification criteria. The good thing is that this is pretty much always stated right off the bat, under “who should apply?” or “to be eligible, you must” etc…
Quick tip — Be truthful with yourself. If you absolutely do not meet the qualification criteria, don’t waste your time. Scholarships are competitive enough in the first place for those that are eligible!
4. Do the research
If you do meet the qualification criteria, the next step is to dig a little deeper and do some research on what the provider really wants to see in the applicants. Start by finding out who is funding the scholarship, then have a look at the qualities they’re aiming to reward. Perhaps they wish simply to see outstanding academic performance in a specific subject, maybe they’re looking for creative or artistic flair, or perhaps they’re in search of someone who has served the community well.
Long story short — get as much info as possible about the scholarship!
5. Look at the past
When doing your research and collecting information about a scholarship, make sure to try and get some info on previous winners. Just search “ _______ scholarship winner 2020,” (or any year), and see what comes up.
This info won’t always be available, but you’d be surprised how often little stories like these make the local news, or even the school or industry magazine!
See who won, but read about why they were chosen as a winner. It stands to reason that the same will be expected of you.
6. Apply for more than one scholarship if you can!
Only apply for scholarships that you genuinely qualify for, but don’t limit yourself to only one either! If you’re eligible for any scholarship at all, why not give it a go?
On top of this,it’s worth noting that if you’re eligible for one study abroad scholarship, you’re probably eligible for a few others too.
It’ll take quite a bit of extra work to apply for multiple scholarships, but it could really pay off!
7. 6 study abroad scholarships worth looking into
We’d love to come up with a list of scholarships to study abroad that you and only you would stand a great chance of succeeding in, but we can’t do that just yet (sorry!).
However, we do have people at Edvoy that you can chat to about which scholarships you could apply for, as well as a whole database of scholarships at our partner universities.
In an earlier article though, we did go into a little bit of detail on 6 study abroad scholarships you can apply for in the UK. Here are the highlights, but check out the full article when you get a moment:
| University | Name of Scholarship program |
|---|---|
| University of Westminster | Full international scholarship program |
| University of Oxford | The Clarendon Scholarship |
| Northumbria University | Northumbria Global Scholarship |
| University of Liverpool | Vice Chancellor's International Attainment Scholarship |
| University of Stirling | Postgraduate International Excellence Scholarship |
| Glasgow Caledonian University | International Scholarship |
OK so you’ve read this far. I guess that means you’re interested in studying a degree abroad? That’s great! Check out the huge range of courses and universities that we can help you apply for. Get started with Edvoy or click the button below!
