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INDIA: +91 080 41234927 | WHATSAPP: +91 6366 834954

Scholarships 101

If you’re thinking of applying to universities abroad, you’ve probably heard a lot about scholarships.  People talk about scholarships left and right and assure you that you won’t ever have to pay full-price for your education.  But what does that even mean?  Take a moment and sit with us to learn more about applying for and receiving scholarships and what that means for YOU.

  1. Initial University Scholarships: When you receive admissions to a university, you will likely immediately qualify for certain scholarships.  One of these is a merit-based scholarship; for these types of scholarships, you will receive a certain level of award money based upon your high school performance and standardized test score.  Some universities also consider all-around merit such as leadership positions and participation in your community and/or extracurricular activities.
  2. Additional University Scholarships: Beyond the initial scholarship, many universities also offer the opportunity to apply for more specific scholarships and receive more funding.  For example, Kansas State University offers a Global Diversity Scholarship, which will pay for the cost of tuition.  There are also scholarship programs that you can apply to that will not only help you fund your education but will also require your participation in leadership courses or mentorship activities.  Additionally, oftentimes alumni of your university grants money back to the university to be used as scholarships for students who fulfill certain criteria – check with your prospective universities’ scholarship lists to get an idea of what kind of scholarships are out available!
  3. Departmental Scholarships: Within the university, different departments often offer scholarships for students within their field of study.  Oftentimes, these scholarship opportunities are greater for students after their first year of college, but make sure that you do explore what is offered!  You don’t want to miss out on any opportunities for free money – and, even if the scholarship eligibility is restricted to 2nd, 3rd, or 4th year students, it will help you plan how you will fund your education after your 1st year!
  4. Outside Scholarships: Outside scholarships is a general term used to describe scholarships that are granted from sources outside of universities.  These are scholarships from corporations, foundations, non-profit organizations and independent education institutions.  Sometimes, there are also independent sources of scholarship such as Ayn Rand Novels, which offers $100,000 in prize money annually as award to students who read and write responses to her novels.  There are even scholarships so random as scholarships for students who are left-handed or have designed a duct-tape prom dress.  Honestly – the possibilities are endless!

So.  How do you start your scholarship search?  First, check with The IKC!  We will help you identify scholarships at the universities to which you are applying and create a plan of attack for your scholarship application.  Then, you can start to search for outside scholarships starting from search platforms.  We have started this search for you on our Pinterest site, which houses a “Scholarships” board where you can find links to multiple scholarships from multiple different sources.  Happy money hunting!

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