Planning for university can bring a world of excitement, as well as, uncertainty. For most, this will be your first time going through the university process and knowing where to start can bring lots of questions. Some students may choose to study near their home while others are looking to see new places and experience different cultures. Staying at home means saving money and studying abroad typically comes with a larger bill. Funding groceries, accommodation, international tuition, and transportation may seem unreachable, but there are scholarships to help aid with the financial situations for students that want to study abroad.
If you’re an international student looking to get help with studying in Canada, there are a variety of scholarships that you can apply for or receive automatically. Scholarships are a non-repayable financial award that help to cover some, or even all of your expenses. Typically, they’re provided to students with outstanding academic records. For some scholarships, they will also recognize work and volunteer experience. You’ll most likely have to submit an academic transcript and write an essay on why you believe you deserve the scholarship. Now, getting a scholarship can be difficult as awards are limited and highly competitive, but here are some ways to get you started.
First, take a look at the universities that you’re interested in and get in touch with their financial aid office to ask for more information about their scholarships available to international students. Screening only the universities you want to apply for can help you when finding more information about the scholarships you want to apply for. You can send the financial aid office an email or give them a call. Let them know your situation and where you’re from and they’ll be better equipped at providing you with relevant information. Find out what the application guidelines are, the criteria that needs to be met, deadlines to apply, if there are any automatic scholarships, and how much each scholarship will cover. Some scholarships will be partial coverage meaning that only a portion of your expenses will be covered. Others may cover the entire cost of your education and are typically awarded to the best students out there.
The second place you want to look are government websites. In Canada, there are a couple of bodies that award scholarships including the Canadian government, provincial governments, private foundations, and not-for-profit organizations. There are a wide variety of scholarships available, here’s a list to guide you on your search:
- Academic Scholarships
- Average Academic Performance Scholarships
- Athletic Scholarships
- Scholarships for Minorities
- Scholarship for Women
- Creative Scholarships
- Unusual Scholarships
- Community Service Scholarships
With so many scholarships available for all types of students, don’t feel like you need to have perfect marks to be able to receive an award. First, start by selecting the universities you want to apply to. Second, contact their financial aid office to find out more about their scholarships. Third, search the internet for scholarships that aren’t offered by the school, but by the government, other organizations, or even individuals. Lastly, do the same for scholarships available in your own country. Don’t let the financial burden of studying abroad stop you from going to the school you want and get out there to see what scholarships are available for you!
Great job
How can this really work out, am in need of a scholarship, I started a long time dropping my email details but to no avail