Show Me The Money: 8 Secrets To Winning Scholarships Abroad

Build An Impressive Profile

You have to be someone exceptional, who can contribute to college life and the community, whether by being an exceptionally good student, experienced champion athlete, a musician, an artist, or all of that. You have to stand out against a sea of competitors, so do something creative like contribute to charities, start a business, do internships, freelance jobs… anything that strengthens your application’s success. So, especially if you’re just starting out in high school and applying for university seems far off, make the most out of your time: ace your pre-university course and do very well in all your co-curricular activities.

 

Apply Early

 

Time management is key. Know when the deadlines are and stick to them! This will show you’re organised and can produce good work in good time.

 

Apply For Many Scholarships

 

 

The more scholarships you apply for, the higher the chances of you getting one. Just like how you should always have a contingency plan for everything in case your first choice doesn’t work out.

 

You could apply for scholarships at different universities, or apply for different scholarships for the same university! For example, a specific university might offer both sports and academic scholarships, as well as financial bursaries for those who have financial problems. If you are truly well-rounded and really need the money, you could apply for all of those and see where you fare better.

 

Make Sure You Qualify

 

More often than not, students merely skim through university or scholarship requirements and might miss an important qualification which they do not meet.

 

Make sure you’re prepared way ahead of the deadline so you can meet these qualifications. For example, in the US, most universities require international students to at least have scored a certain benchmark for their SATs.

 

And set the bar really high for yourself, so that it surpasses whoever you’re trying to impress. As mentioned before, remember always to plan a few years ahead if you’re currently in high school.

 

Gain Scholarships Sponsored By Local Companies

 

 

In some universities it is much more difficult to gain scholarships if you are an international student. However, that is not the case in all universities, where scholarships may be more geared for students from the nation where the university is located.

 

Some local firms offer financial aid or scholarships if you agree to work for them after graduating. They’ll foot the bill for your tertiary education for that guarantee, especially if you’re pursuing qualification in fields or industries these companies are involved with. That could be you, if you are a promising candidate.

 

Sometimes, contacts matter too in gaining these scholarships. For example, your parents may know someone important in a company who may be able to get in touch with people interested in sponsoring you. Attending seminars or events organised by corporations and meeting new people there can also make you stand out, too. If you’re truly stuck, a quick Google search will yield many options as well.

 

You can even go further than local — think multi-national corporations (MNCs) you’d love to work for! The brands that you love, who you embody. Google, anyone? Facebook? Twitter?

 

As stated earlier, approach companies related to what you are planning to major or do a course in. If you’re going to do fashion with a minor in journalism, you may approach a fashion magazine for a tertiary education sponsorship. You can choose to start from the bottom if you really want to get yourself associated with that corporation. Maybe get an internship there, and impress them until they would want to sponsor your college education and grant you a position in their corporation after graduation.

 

Some companies advertise internship openings on their websites, magazines or media outlets, so keep an eye out for those. During your internship, make close contacts with the people you are working with so that they can recommend you and support you if you want a sponsorship. If not, always call the companies you wish to intern in or the ones who you want to sponsor you –or send them a direct email informing them your requests and perhaps mailing them your outstanding curriculum vitae.

 

Showcase And Promote Yourself With Confidence

 

Universities will see what your achievements and merits are through your CV and certificates, but they will also judge you based on your appearance and what kind of a person you seem to be through your writing, emails or Skype if they choose to interview you that way. If you appear shy and have low self-esteem, this may throw them off. Be confident, but not cocky. Promote yourself without being too puffed up about it. This is the same as asking local companies to sponsor your university education. It’s all about your determination, networking skills and personality.

 

 

Take A Break

 

If all else fails, don’t worry. Take some time off your search (but not too long!) and make yourself a more appealing scholarship candidate and all-rounded individual. Find a cause that you’re passionate about and dedicate your free time towards it. Documenting the process and writing about it in your college essay or scholarship essay will really make you stand out.

 

Use this time wisely. Discover yourself and find out what you truly want in life. Engage in extracurricular activities (sports, healthy hobbies, etc.), learn a new language, improve on what you previously weren’t good at – push your own boundaries. Travel the world and open your eyes to new cultures and environments. It’s all about the experiencing life, not just striving for excellent grades.

 

You’ll learn much more outside the classroom and discover that there is so much more to life. And these experiences will make you a more learned, wiser person who will submit better applications and stand out in the scholarship pool.

 

A gap year done right, for instance, can give you so many benefits that will help you at university. You’ll have learnt so much more skills in terms of being social, academically diligent and being independent.

 

Be Persistent And Don’t Give Up

 

Attitude and mindset is everything. If you have a mindset that is dynamic and sees setbacks and rejections as opportunities and not failures, then you will have a much higher chance of success and happiness in life. It’s proven by Carol Dweck, a psychology professor at Stanford University.

 

You have to really push for what you want. You can’t be shy or lazy or demotivated because winning scholarships requires an edge, and you can’t be ruled out as weak competition. It’s okay if you have to send and re-send a million emails to the same department, make international calls at 3am and have to foot a really expensive phone bill. Show the colleges how keen you are and your efforts will eventually be recognised.

 

All these must be done together, if you want to succeed in obtaining a scholarship to the university or college of your dreams.