Scholarships benefit international students with financial assistance for their education while abroad. Sponsored students are oftentimes free of financial woes while traveling and studying in a foreign country for a determined amount of time, and have no repayment schedules upon their return to the United States. Studying abroad opens up a wealth of international knowledge and culture exposure, introducing one to new people, ideas, culture and government. Award recipients also benefit from a boosted resume and college transcript, which helps when applying to post-collegiate professional jobs and graduate programs.
There are many different types of free scholarships for international students. Scholarships are offered through school-sponsored programs (such as the Aerospace Russia program), geography-based (like Australia), private donors, government grants and non-profit programs. Many free scholarship programs require the interested party to be enrolled at least half-time at a current United States higher education institution. Investigate via free online search engines, visit a college international studies office, determine scholarship eligibility, and discover ways to increase winning chances in a competitive market. Analyze student academic history, community and school involvement, skills and leadership abilities, and long-term goals, as this information will assist in determining an appropriate scholarship program.
Follow all directions when applying for a free international student scholarship. Dedicate time for application completion without outside interference; A written application and/or essay is oftentimes the only representation a prospective international student has in front of a judgement committee, and free scholarships are extremely competitive. Understand the specific processes the scholarship programs follow: Does the awarded money go straight to the higher education institution, or the student directly? How much is the potential awarded monies? Will the scholarship recipient receive the scholarship each semester on is it a one-time award? Interested students should schedule a visit with a counselor at the financial aid office at one's university or college. Note that scholarship programs should not have an entry fee, as this is a red flag for a scholarship scam. Complete all required scholarship paperwork, submit requested documents before the application deadline, and apply to additional scholarship programs.
Students should be aware of additional factors when applying for free international student scholarships. Consider that financial awards vary (from a few hundred to several thousand dollars) and calculate school costs to determine if the interested scholarships will cover bills when abroad; if not, investigate additional scholarships, save money, or look to government-based international student loans. Research the cost-of-living in the desired place of study and determine the length of study abroad. Additionally, scholarships are highly competitive. Applying to many scholarship programs--even those with small monetary awards--will contribute to the bottom line when paying for international study. Consider applying to scholarships that offer multiple awards (not just one or two recipients) to increase chances of free funding.
Students should put in the time to conduct scholarship research and thoroughly complete several applications. Additionally, students should consider learning a language and researching the culture and history of the desired place of study before travel; these skills not only improve a scholarship application essay, but contribute to a positive experience when abroad.