Studying abroad can be a great way to expand your horizons, but one of the challenges of doing so is that it can be expensive. One way you can make it more affordable is by finding scholarships to cover some or all the costs of your education. There are a few ways to find ones that will cover your time abroad.
Seek Help When You Need It
Don’t be afraid to get help from those around you, whether it’s professors, your school’s financial aid office, the study abroad office, or academic advisors. Each of these can be a great resource in pointing you in the right direction to seek out grants and scholarships. See if you can go in person to each of these places to get advice on finding your scholarships. You will often be able to have a better conversation and get more information than if you just emailed them.
Professors and academic advisors can be more impressed with your initiative in seeking them out in person, and they may be more motivated to help you. Know that scholarships might not cover the entire cost of your tuition for your study abroad program, and you may need to seek out other resources, such as student loans. If you are looking for student loans, you can start searching for top lenders for offerings without impacting your credit score.Do Your Research
Do your research to find scholarships in your area of interest. By applying for more, you can be able to get more aid. There are online resources that have lists of aid designed specifically for students wanting to study abroad. Look for location-specific aid. These are designed to encourage students to go to certain cities or countries. If you want to go to Europe, there might be ones for students who will be going to France or Ireland. You can go to the government websites of the country or countries you want to go to.
Contract the Funder of the Grant or Scholarship
If you want to know more details about a certain grant, such as the requirements for applying, you can contact the funder because they are the ones who initially created the details on how to get one. This ensures you have the right information, and it also shows the provider that you are ready to take the initiative to pursue what you want.
Update Your Resume
After you have come up with a list of scholarships you might be interested in, you will want to update your resume so you can get a better shot of getting them. If you have any international experience already, make sure this is highlighted to demonstrate an interest. Some of the best skills to put on a resume are those you already possess.
You can also include any volunteer or campus activities you have taken part in, but make sure it is no longer than one page. You may need to submit a cover letter as well, and this document can serve to introduce yourself and summarize how your experience has shaped you into the person you are today. Still, you can't just create a generic letter that talks about how amazing you are. You need to focus on how specific scholarships will help you pursue your goals as you study abroad.
Ensure Your References are Updated
Many funders require you to submit references along with your application and essay. This could be someone you have worked with professionally or academically. Since you may not have much professional experience yet, you will likely need to reach out to your professors to see if any would be willing to be a reference. Before listing them, make sure you ask them ahead of time, so they are not surprised by a call.
Take Your Time
When you don’t know for sure whether you will get what you are applying for, it can be tempting to apply for as many as you can and to rush through each application. However, it’s important to treat each one seriously, the same as when you were applying for college. Make sure you carefully read the instructions, as these can vary depending on the application.
Give yourself enough time to finish each one so you don’t have to feel like the deadline is rushing up on you. This can give you a higher quality of work, which can increase your chances of getting accepted into what you applied to.
Have Good Grades
While it might seem basic, you often need to have good grades to get a scholarship to go to another country. While not all requires you to have a high GPA, many have certain minimums. Funders want to help students who are serious about their education, and this requires you to focus on your education to get your grades up there before you submit any applications.
