Tag Archives | finding scholarships

Image by George Mason University Life, Flickr

Image by George Mason University Life, Flickr

It comes as no surprise that nearly every student from around the globe aspires to study in the US. With its excellent educational facilities, research opportunities and employment prospects, it’s known to some as the capital of global education.

As one of the most developed countries in the world with one of the best education systems, enrolling in US universities can be highly competitive. Apart from the high educational standards and qualifications required, one of the biggest challenges students face is financing their studies.

There are many scholarships, especially for international students who aspire to study in the US. Generally, students go after the famous and illustrious scholarships, either ignoring or not being aware of the other valuable options available to them. Here are some of those scholarships students need to know about:

The Fulbright Foreign Student Program

The Fulbright Foreign Student Program is a scholarship in the US for students who want to study or conduct research in the country for a year or longer. The scholarship is not restricted to any particular field of study and is open for all courses; however it is open only for students who are pursuing a master’s degree. 4000 students from 155 countries receive this scholarship each year.

Hubert Humphrey Fellowships for International Students

The Hubert Humphrey program is also a great scholarship which provides aid to students who are willing to pursue a degree in agriculture & rural development, communications & journalism, economic development, public policy analysis and several other fields. Nearly 200 fellowships are awarded each year under this program.

The Presidential Scholarship of North American University

The Presidential Scholarship is the most prestigious scholarship offered by North American University. Students must have secured 1400 marks (in critical thinking and math portions) on their SAT or 31 on the ACT exam in order to secure this scholarship.

The Trustee Scholarship of North American University

Another prestigious scholarship offered by North American University, the Trustee Scholarship requires the applicant to have a minimum 1200 SAT score (in critical thinking and math portions) or 26 on the ACT exam.

The Dean Scholarship of North American University

Dean Scholarship requirements are comparatively less than the Presidential and Trustee scholarship. Applicants are required to have an SAT score of not less than 1000 (in critical thinking and math portions).

There are some more specifications for the above three scholarships from North American University which should be taken into consideration if someone wants to apply for them.

AAUW International Fellowships

Specially offered for women, the American Association of University Women or AAUW scholarships are awarded to women who want to study in the US but are not permanent residents of the US. Preference is given for those who are willing to work for women empowerment in the community.

MigVapor Scholarship

Free to apply, students can be awarded $3,000 with this scholarship through the essay contest. Mig Vapor creates products designed to help people reduce their dependency on tobacco, and each semester $3,000 is awarded to students who help bring awareness to the dangers of smoking. Find out more.

HireInfluence Scholarship

HireInfluence is offering a $500 Entrepreneur annual scholarship, awarded towards College Tuition/Expenses. Applicants must be 18 to 25, currently enrolled at an accredited high school, college or university in the United States or Canada, with an average GPA of 2.0 or higher. Submissions are due May 31 and the winner is selected by June 30. Find out more.

Scholarships are a great way to advance in your studies, especially for students who are passionate about their careers and do not possess the resources to fulfil their dreams. Students should always be informed about the various financing options – when the time comes, they can be used to your advantage.

This article was contribued by guest author Jessie Agarwal.

Image by Poppy Thomas-Hill, Wikimedia

Image by Poppy Thomas-Hill, Wikimedia

Not every student wants to break open their piggy bank and use their hard-earned pennies to pay for school. Naturally, the ideal situation is to get someone else to pay for you. Lo and behold, these genius inventions called scholarships, if you’re lucky enough to get your hands on one, may not fully fund your entire post-secondary career, but will definitely help. Typically when students look for scholarships, they seek out a guidance counsellor, search their post-secondary school’s website, or scour the Internet. But don’t stop there! Here are a few unconventional ways you can scrounge up a little extra cash to soften the proverbial baseball bat to the head, also known as tuition:

  • Your part-time job: It may not have been mentioned in the job interview, but several companies offer their employees scholarships. Burger King, Walmart, and Home Depot are just a few companies that offer this amazing opportunity. Ask your boss or look up your company online to see what they offer, and how to apply.
  • Your parents’ jobs: Some companies offer scholarships to the children of their employees. Get your parents to ask their bosses or HR department for more information.
  • Unions: As a worker, unions protect your rights. As a student, they save you money. Unions are goldmines for industry-specific scholarships. For example, the Ontario Nurses’ Association offers scholarships to the immediate family of ONA members studying nursing, and the Canadian Dance Teachers Association offers scholarships to dance students who know a CDTA member. Search your parents’ or teachers’ unions – you never know what they have to offer.
  • Your future workplace: Look through the website of a company or organization you want to work for, and those of their competitors as well. If you receive a scholarship, it will get you noticed by the company and will look great for future internship and job prospects.
  • Extracurricular activities: Playing varsity tennis or being president of the art club is not only rewarding in experience, it can also be rewarding to your pockets. A number of scholarships require applicants to have some sort of athletic, artistic or leadership involvement, so if you’re already into extracurriculars, you’re on your way. Talk to your coach or teacher supervisor and they can help refer you to scholarship opportunities. Research any organizations you’re part of outside of school such as Scouts Canada or the Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada for more opportunities.

Most of these scholarships are very exclusive, allowing only members of a specific organization to apply, but the internet is full of surprises. You never know what you’ll find!