Scholarship Application Questions and
Answers
We hear you that’s why Neweditiontv.com has
developed a set of answers to your most frequently asked questions related to
scholarship application. You can ask additional questions in
the comment box found after this post and we will try our best to answer them.
Q: Are there scholarships for
[specific field of study]? Are there scholarship for [nationality]?
A: There are
scholarships for most fields of study and for most nationalities. The key
is just to find them. In scholars4dev.com, scholarships are categorized by
fields of study and by target group (see the sitemap).
Click on a particular field of study or target group to view a list of
available scholarships according to your criteria.
Q: What are the general eligibility
requirements to get a scholarship?
A: The
eligibility requirements vary from scholarship to scholarship. It will also
depend on the level of study the scholarship supports. Based on the
scholarships we have featured, some of the common qualifications include a
previous University degree, proficiency in English, high academic grades,
unconditional/conditional acceptance to a programme offered at a
participating/host University. Aside from the eligibility requirements of the
scholarship, you must also consider the eligibility requirements of the
programme of study you are applying to.
Q: How do I apply for a scholarship?
A: The simple
answer to that is to follow the application instructions given by the
scholarship provider/University. The application instructions vary among
scholarship providers so there is no standard way of applying to a
scholarship. The application instructions are usually outlined very
clearly. Follow the the instructions step by step so you will not get
overwhelmed by the amount of information presented.
Q: When is the best time to apply for
a scholarship?
A: The best
time to apply for a scholarship is within the application period set by the
scholarship provider/University. Usually, scholarship applications (as well as
admissions) should be done 6 months to one year before the academic year you
plan to study.
Q: Are scholarships offered every
year? If I missed the application deadline this year, can I apply for it the
next year?
A: Most
major scholarships are offered annually but this will always depend if the
University or the scholarship provider has enough funds for their scholarship
program.
Q: I have searched for scholarships
so many times but I’ve failed to see scholarships offered to undergraduates.
Most scholarships only cover PhD or MS/MA studies. Are there any undergraduate
scholarships out there?
A: Although
it is somewhat true that most of the existing scholarships are for
postgraduate studies, there are international undergraduate scholarships that
can be found (with a lot persistent searching).
Q: Will a scholarship allow me to
study at any University around the globe or the does it require me to study
only at a specific place or university?
A: It
depends upon the type of scholarship. There are scholarships that allows
you to study at any country (i.e. Aga Khan Foundation Scholarships, Ford Foundation Fellowships, etc.)* while other
scholarships only allow you to study at specified host institutions (e.g. World Bank Scholarships, ADB-JSP Scholarships). Most government-sponsored
scholarships allow you study at any University in their country (i.e. Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme, Australian Government International Postgraduate Scholarships,
etc.).
Q: Do I need to gain admission
into my preferred course of study in the university of my choice first before
applying for a scholarship? Is it possible to get a scholarship when you don’t
have admission in a university yet?
A: The
application process differs from scholarship to scholarship. Most of the time,
admissions to the Univeristy is required before you are allowed to apply for
the scholarship. Sometimes, the application to admissions and the
application to the scholarship are submitted at the same time. In some
instances, your application to admission already serves as your application to
the scholarship – you don’t need a separate scholarship application. Still,
there are some scholarship providers that allow you to apply for the
scholarship even without admissions to a programme/school or while you are
still processing your application to the programme. One must then follow
the application instructions set by the scholarship provider.
Q: Sometimes, the application form is
not found at the website of the scholarship provider. How can I find the
application forms easily?
A: The
application form should always be found at the scholarship website but there
are a number of reasons why it can’t be found. One reason could be that the
scholarship application period hasn’t started yet so the form is still not
available for viewing/downloading. Another reason is that some
scholarship websites don’t readily display the link to the application
form. If this is the case, then you should try to visit all the relevant
pages of the scholarship website. Don’t forget to look at the left or right
sidebars as the download link might be placed there. When all else fails,
contact the scholarship provider and request for the link to the application
form.
Q: Is it possible for me to get
a scholarship in the same country I am in and do i get to choose the course i
want to study?
A:
Most international scholarships require you to study in any country except your
own. If you want to study in your own country, you should try to find national
or local scholarships. The liberty to choose a particular course of study
will depend on the conditions set by the scholarship provider/University.
Q: I have applied for a
scholarship and am still waiting for a reply from the University . I want to
know whether it’s advisable to call them and find out how my application is
doing? How will I know if I have won a scholarship?
A: As
much as possible, you should refrain from contacting the University regarding
the results of your scholarship application. If you are shortlisted or
accepted into the scholarship, the scholarship provider/University will surely
contact you. Usually, the scholarship provider indicates a specific time period
when the selection results will come out. When you haven’t a received a
confirmation during this time, then it would be safe to assume that you were
not awarded with the scholarship.
Q: I haven’t undertaken IELTS nor
TOEFL exams. Does that hinder my chances of getting a scholarship?
Q: I
am from an English speaking country (Kenya) and i have been taught in English
since i started school, would TOEFL be a requirement?
A: Not all
Universities require you to take the TOEFL or IELTS. A significant number of
Universities accepts a Certificate of English as Medium of Instruction in
place of an English proficiency exam. When it is absolutely required by the
University, then you must take TOEFL or other English proficiency exams
regardless if you were taught in English during your University studies or not.
Q: How do you write the scholarship
essay?
Did the
scholarship provider provide any format? If they did, you should follow that.
If they have not specified a specific format, then you can follow this simple
outline when making your application/motivation letter: (1) Background/Key
Qualifications, (2) Intentions for studying, (3) Expectations of the Course,
and (4) your plans during and after the study. In making the letter, you should
not just tell them why you need the scholarship but more importantly you
should explain clearly why you deserve to get the scholarship.
Q: The issue to age is not mentioned
in most scholarships I have come across. Is age not a criteria?
Q: Is
there any age limit to obtaining a scholarship abroad?
A: Some
scholarships set an age limit and some do not. If the scholarship provider did
not indicate an age limit as part of their eligibility requirements then it is
safe to assume that there is no age limit. When there is an age limit,
scholarship providers set different age limits for different levels of study
(i.e. Masters, Phd, postdoctoral fellowships).
Q: Is there a way for the application
fee to be waived? l cannot afford to pay for it.
Q: Is
TOEFL exam supported by the scholarship?
A: You
should be prepared to use your own funds for the application fee because most
scholarship providers don’t shoulder this cost*. Most often than not, the
cost of preparing the application requirements including the TOEFL exam is not
covered by a scholarship. If you are really serious in pursuing a scholarship,
you must try to save up for the cost of TOEFL or the application fee.
Note: Not
all Universities require an application fee, in fact, a significant number of Universities
allow you to apply without having to pay any application fee. Be
aware of scholarship scams and double check if the University really requires
an application fee.
Q: How can I find Universities that
offer scholarships?
A:
This is one challenging task to undertake. Luckily, we have developed a list of Universities that offer scholarships for
developing countries, for your reference.