Table of contents
Prelude
Scholarship Opportunities Offered
Merit-based Scholarship
Need-based Scholarship
Athletic Scholarship
College-specific Scholarship
Demographic Scholarship
Other Scholarships
Prelude
As an international student, scholarships play an irreplaceable role in a student's life. Coming from another nation creates disparities in income and the value of money, which can be hard for some students to cope with. Being new to a country is already challenging enough without the added worry of earning money. Adjusting to a new country, a new college, and new people is already a significant adjustment for a student. Additionally, not all students and their parents are privileged enough to afford college fees. In countries like the USA, UK, and Canada, the tuition fee alone is very high, pushing students to take odd jobs as waiters, work in department stores, etc. To help such students, different kinds of scholarships are provided. These scholarships vary from institution to institution in terms of amount, number of students receiving scholarships, etc.
Scholarships offered can be categorized in the following forms:
Merit-based Scholarship
Need-based Scholarship
Athletic Scholarship
College-specific scholarship
Demographic scholarship
Other scholarships
Merit-based Scholarship
Merit-based scholarships are provided by colleges and universities to students with exceptional academic performance. The amount of the scholarship and the number of students receiving it vary from college to college. For dedicated students, it is a lifesaver, though the competition for these scholarships can be even tougher than getting into the college itself.
Need-based Scholarship
Commonly known as financial aid, need-based scholarships reflect the quality of an institution. Most top colleges offer need-based scholarships to all students who require them, often supported by strong alumni backing. This type of scholarship is not viable for mid-tier colleges, as they lack the necessary funds. Need-based scholarships are awarded based on the financial situation of the student and their family. If a student cannot afford to attend university but excels in their field, the college may offer them a full-ride scholarship.
A need-based scholarship can be further divided into two categories: need-blind and need-aware scholarships.
Need Blind | Need Aware |
Does not affect the college application of the student. | Affects the college application of the student. |
The application for scholarships and admission process are handled separately. | The application for scholarships and admission process together. |
Athletic Scholarship
These scholarships are provided to student-athletes as a reward for their efforts in both sports and academics. The competition is particularly tough in this category.
College-specific Scholarship
These scholarships differ from college to college. For example, one college might provide scholarships to its female students studying in STEM fields, while another college might offer scholarships to students coming from developing nations. There are no universal criteria for this type of scholarship, so students need to check the specific college websites and look out for available opportunities.
Demographic Scholarship
These scholarships aim to promote education for students from developing and underdeveloped countries. For example, the Dag Hammarskjöld Journalism Fellowship offers journalism fellowships for students from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean to study in the US. Similarly, the East-West Center scholarships and fellowships provide funding for students from the Asia-Pacific region to study at specific institutions in the US. These demographic scholarships are designed to help students from developing countries.
Other Scholarships
Other scholarships include various ones given by the home country’s government and homegrown companies to encourage students to pursue higher studies and to inspire other students as well. This could be region-specific, gender-specific, and discipline-specific as well. One such example would be:
‘The Jamsetjee Nusserwanjee Tata Endowment for the Higher Education of Indians’
Master, PhD, and postdoctoral fellowships
A wide range of disciplines—humanities, social sciences, engineering, management, law, and the performing and visual arts
The amount ranges from INR 10 lakh to INR 1 crore, depending on the eligibility of the student.
Higher studies overseas only
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