Founded in 1998, Scholarships.com has helped students find money for college as well as learn about the entire financial aid process. We are among the most widely-used and trusted free college scholarship search and financial aid information resources on the Internet and have been recognized by high schools, colleges and universities nationwide, among others. We’ve built solid relationships with colleges and universities across the country and want to provide students with the opportunity to not only find free money for college and interact with prospective colleges but to be recruited as well.
How to apply for scholarships?
Scholarships are hard to come by these days due to the high number of international scholarship application that many foreign universities are receiving in the recent years. However one should not treat this to be a career deadlock. The key, in this case is to acknowledge the fact that applying for scholarships for college students is different from applying to colleges. Also, there is a list of things such as including essays, recommendation, and list of your achievements outside the academic discipline. Make sure you have a comprehensive international scholarship application. Additionally, we enlist the important points that you need to consider for applying for international scholarships.
Research:
The most of them all, a complete and detailed research about the number/type of scholarship would help you in having more options of scholarship for college students. Do not forget that the process of applying for scholarships is a lengthy process since you have to find the most suitable program for self, procure the application form and send the same before the closing date. It is likely that the scholarship program you have been eyeing for would be up for grabs even before the start of the academic year.
Check the eligibility:
Having researched about all the scholarships for college students, your next objective is to check for the eligibility. Right from the educational qualification to the criteria required in regards to whether you are deserving of the scholarship must be checked.
Include all required and correct information:
This is the most crucial factor is to include all the relevant information that scholarship for college students ask from international. Failure to provide accurate information will not only put you in an awkward situation but would result in direct disqualification of your application owing to the paucity of facts. In case you are applying for student scholarship through references/referees, it is compulsory you choose these people wisely and keep them informed about the entire application procedure since they too might be verified by the authorities.
Don't miss the deadline:
Perhaps it'd be utterly silly if all your hard work of applying for the scholarship goes in vain because of a delay on your part. Try and have at least a two-day buffer before the deadline so you can get done with all the printing and mailing task of the international scholarship application.
Types of Scholerships:
Academic Scholarships:
Academic scholarships are also often referred to as merit scholarships, though a merit scholarship can mean anything that has some level of contest to it. These are for the students with the 4.0 GPAs, years as part of several extracurricular activities and the well-rounded applications. They typically have the highest payouts and are considered very prestigious as they are often national awards.
Average Academic Performance Scholarships:
If that first category nearly scared you away, don’t run off so soon! Even if your grades aren’t the best, there are plenty of scholarships meant for you as well. Average student scholarships do take academics into consideration, but focus on other factors as well, such as community service, leadership, the strength of your essay, etc.
Athletic Scholarships:
For students with strong academics and physical skills, athletic scholarships are the way to go. There is practically a scholarship for every single sport, from volleyball to football; gymnastics to cheerleading. So, if you excel in anything physical, you should definitely pursue an athletic scholarship.
Scholarships for Minorities:
There are also many scholarships for minorities available. Some of these are general and for all minorities as a collective whole, while others are catered to individual ethnic groups. It is also a good idea to apply for a minority scholarship if you are part or fully of a certain ethnicity. You will get to represent your culture and possibly win money.
Scholarships for Women:
As with the scholarships for minorities above, there are also scholarships specifically for women. Since colleges were dominated by men for many years, scholarships have been created for strong, career-minded women that need assistance paying for college expenses. If you are female, it is strongly recommended you pursue a scholarship for women. Moreover, scholarships for women are typically available in just about any field.
Creative Scholarships:
For those artistic at heart, there are creative scholarships available to help you pursue your passion. Art scholarships, music scholarships and even dance scholarships usually involve an audition of some sort, and can help you get through art school or an art program at a university. Regardless of your creative field, you can rest assured that there is a scholarship out there just for you. However, it is your job to find it and to apply!
Unusual Scholarships:
Unusual scholarships are a lot of fun and a great way to be creative and get some cash while you’re at it. They are typically sponsored by private companies and are meant to be fun. For instance, there is a scholarship available for left-handed students and one for who can create the best prom dress out of duct tape. Even though there aren’t very many of these off-beat scholarships each year, there are enough to attract significant attention from potential applicants, schools and even the media. Because of this, they may be a bit competitive. However, if you have a killer idea, go for it!
Community Service Scholarships:
Community service scholarships are fantastic for those that love to give to others and give back to their communities. If you already perform a lot of community service, then a scholarship in this vein may be perfect for you. There is also the Federal Work Study program, which awards a percentage of their funding to students performing community service activities. It may be a viable option for you if you were planning on using work-study as a means of paying for college anyway.
