It can be a daunting task to search for the right scholarships. With thousands of scholarships available, how do you know which ones to apply for? This comprehensive guide will provide all the information you need to make an educated decision about the best scholarships for you.
We’ll discuss the different types of scholarships, the criteria for eligibility, and the application process. We’ll also provide tips on how to maximize your chances of success and share some of the best resources to help you find the right scholarships. With this guide, you’ll have the knowledge and tools to find the perfect scholarships for you.
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What are the types of scholarships?
To find the right scholarships, you’ll first have to identify which ones are right for you. Next, you’ll have to decide which criteria you want to meet in order to apply for the right scholarships. The following are the different types of scholarships:
Academic Scholarships
Academic scholarships are awarded to students of exceptionally high academic performance with most impressive series of extracurricular activities and a history of public service. They are among the high profile merit based scholarships. This type of scholarship normally pays out substantial amounts of funds. It also adds competitive edge to your CV when looking for jobs.
Athletic Scholarships
Excellence in sporting can earn you one of the highly competitive merit scholarships, the athletic scholarship. To be eligible for this type of scholarship you must demonstrate a high level of capacity and passion in your specific sport as well as in academics. If you are talented in sports you must consider an athletic scholarship.
Scholarships for Women
In an effort to advance the development of women by providing financial aid and opportunities in science, politics, and business, scholarships were created just for women. These are some of the efforts put in place to match the enrolment of females to that of males in tertiary institutions which have been mainly male-dominated for many years.
Scholarships for women are specific to certain fields of study promoted by the specific organisations or associations. The aim is usually to promote participation of women in some previously male-dominated fields. Therefore when searching for such scholarships, women must be specific on their areas of interest.
How to apply for scholarships
The most important thing you can do as a student is to seek out opportunities that will help you reach your full potential. There are many different types of scholarships and each one has different application requirements, criteria for eligibility, and benefits.
To find the right scholarships, you’ll have to carefully analyse each one’s benefits and make sure they are both available and worthwhile. Then also evaluate yourself on how you meet the criteria. Then, you’ll have to decide on which ones you have the highest chance of winning and then apply.
What do you need for a scholarship application?
When you have identified the right and eligible scholarship for yourself, you then go ahead to prepare the application. Make sure all of the documents you need to apply for the scholarship are accessible before you start to write. You would not want to get stuck along the way after failing to acquire certain critical documents. The following are some of the requirements for a complete application:
Registration or application form
Registration or application for a scholarship is usually by completing an online application form. Make sure you fill in all the required information correctly. Take note of the documents required to be uploaded and the accepted formats for those documents.
Proofread all your documents and correct errors before submitting them to the scholarship provider. You can ask someone to check the documents for you, they are likely to pick out errors that you would have missed. Check your inbox for the confirmation email. This also serves as way to ensure that you have provided the corrected email address.
Motivation letter or personal essay
The motivation letter is one of the most crucial requirements for a successful application. This is where you give all your strong reasons why you would like to take the course at that university and why you think you deserve the scholarship. Pay detailed attention to and provide the specific information that the sponsors require from your letter of motivation. This is your opportunity to shine and express your vision with regards to your career.
Letter of recommendation (work/academic)
For every scholarship application that you will be required to submit recommendation letters without which your application will not be considered. Some of the scholarships are very specific about letters of recommendation therefore you must carefully read and adhere to their rules regarding the letters.
Some may not accept general ones. Also give your referees enough time to write the letters by making an early request of the letters. Make sure your referees are clear on what you are applying for and the requirements so that they give relevant recommendations.
Letter of acceptance from an academic institution
You must first have been accepted for a specific programme at an academic institution. Some institutions allow you to apply for scholarship when you apply for the place to study such that if you get accepted you also get awarded a scholarship as well.
Proof of low income, official financial statements
These are to support your statement that you are not in position to fund your education therefore you need assistance in form of a scholarship. This is not always required.
Proof of extraordinary academic or athletic achievement
Usually your academic and/athletic performance is one of the major criteria used by sponsors to award scholarships. Therefore it is very important that you clearly highlight such achievements and attach all the necessary documents as proof.
Curriculum Vitae (resume)
A curriculum vitae or resume allows you to tell the sponsors about all your skills, achievements, and related experience which may not have been captured by the registration/application form.
Maximizing your chances of success.
To maximise your chances of getting awarded a scholarship consider the following points:
- Start searching for scholarships as early as possible
- Chose your referees carefully and give them necessary information and time to prepare.
- Prioritise local scholarships
- Apply for as many scholarships as you can
- Beware of scholarship scams
- Proofread all your documents and correct all spelling or grammar mistakes
- Do not ignore scholarships with smaller amounts
- Abide by Essay Rules and be creative
ALSO READ: tips-for-writing-a-winning-scholarship-application
Best resources for finding scholarships
The best place to start searching for scholarships is the official website of your favourite university. You can also reach-out to a representative via email of call and see if they can help. If you don’t find anything, you can search on the internet although it’s not easy because and not all websites have up-to-date content. Here are a few resources that can help you find the right scholarship programme:
Scholarshipportal.com – A database with over 5,000 scholarship opportunities
Scholarships for Development – website providing financial aid programmes especially focused on students from developing countries
Official EU scholarship page – list of scholarships available for studies in Europe
Scholarships.com – database with over 3.5 million scholarships and grants
ALSO READ: How to Write a Winning Curriculum Vitae: 7 Key Sections.
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