Higher education is a crucial milestone for many reasons; besides opening up lucrative career paths, it develops one’s personality and encourages cultural diversity. Many students choose to study abroad to gain exposure to different perspectives, cultures, and learning strategies. But studying at a prestigious university abroad can be expensive; most students require additional financial support to fulfil their academic goals. Here, scholarships can help academically inclined students gain the right opportunities.

How to apply for a scholarship to study abroad?

1. Set clear educational objectives
Students may not always be sure of their prospective vocations when enroling in a higher education course. But understanding one’s inclinations and interests can help one identify a suitable academic programme or subject they would like to pursue. To this end, one should find out their aptitude level, whether they would like to pursue a full-time or part-time course, and the rough timeline within which they expect to complete it. Such details can help them etch out their academic journeys and educational goals.

2. Research extensively on universities and scholarships
There’s a wide range of universities and courses available to students who wish to study abroad. But it’s necessary to shortlist the cream of the crop among these and find scholarships to secure admission to these universities. So, students should research extensively from scratch on the best universities and scholarships for their chosen fields and in the country of their choice. For example, to study at MBA colleges abroad with a scholarship, it’s necessary to figure out the specific MBA course one wishes to pursue, the ratings and accreditations of colleges that offer the course, and the available scholarships to enrol  as an international student.

3. Get in touch with the scholarship funder
Scholarships are typically awarded by different entities:  the government, corporations, private organisations, and universities. These scholarships may be offered based on financial requirements, academic achievements, or both. While the internet offers details on the scholarship, the best way to obtain accurate information is to contact the scholarship funder directly. Contacting funders for more information not only clarifies any queries but also demonstrates proactiveness on the student’s part, which might help the applicant stand out from the others. Also, since the process is entirely new to students, a personal briefing can help them feel more at ease and understand the application requirements better.

4. Check the application requirements
A scholarship may have different requirements for  its candidates. While some might ask for a resume or work experience, others may require a statement of purpose (SoP) or a scholarship essay. Some others may demand a combination of these documents.

One should inquire with the scholarship funder beforehand about these requirements and have these documents ready in advance. As a thumb rule, highlighting as many achievements as possible can help grab the best scholarship opportunities. Also, apart from sharing a resume, an SoP, or a scholarship essay, including one’s academic achievements along with extracurricular and co-curricular accomplishments, language proficiency levels, certificates of any foreign language learnt (spoken, written, or both), hobbies and interests, and any prizes and recognitions won can increase the chances of getting picked first among the thousands of applications sent each year.

Also, one should understand the distinct formats of each of these documents and follow them closely. These days, several apps provide templates for resumes and cover letters. Alternatively, one can also seek help from study-abroad consultants to streamline these processes.

5. Seek recommendation letters
No matter how impressive one’s application might be, a final seal of approval from a reliable source always increases one’s chances of securing a scholarship. So, it’s a good idea to seek recommendations from teachers, employers, supervisors, coaches, or anyone in a position of authority with whom one has closely interacted, academically or professionally. Only those who know the applicant well and have collaborated with them for an extended period of time are most suited to recommend them for a scholarship.

6. Apply for more scholarships
Applying for multiple scholarships may seem like a strenuous task , but it can help one widen their horizons. Also, it ensures that a student doesn’t rely on one scholarship but has multiple avenues and greater chances of being accepted. One should also be in constant touch with the scholarship funders to check the status of their application.

When applying for scholarships to study abroad, Indian students must also shortlist a specific country they would like to move to and research the associated factors, such as the accommodation facilities, weather conditions, amenities, and infrastructure. Finalising the country and narrowing the list of prospective universities beforehand helps secure a scholarship at the beginning of the academic year, ensuring that one doesn’t miss out on any lectures or activities. Besides, it’s also a good idea to look for specific scholarships, such as sports scholarships , STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) scholarships , and scholarships for women, and apply for these if one is eligible.

A simple Google search on “I want to apply for scholarships to study abroad” can provide a list of scholarships to different universities. That said, one should always be guided by background verification of the funder and in-depth research on scholarship options.