10 Tips for when You Apply for a Scholarship

These are few steps to start outlining your plan to apply for a Scholarship abroad. Either it is a Master, a PhD or an undergraduate program that you are applying for, make sure you draw a roadmap of the process. I assure you, it will keep you focused on achieving your ultimate goal: Study Abroad and make the most of your career dream!

Depending on what you choose as specialization and country, you might add or skip some of the steps. This will work as be the backbone for your study-plan.

The Plan

1.- Organize your time. You need to do some (probably, a lot of!) research on Universities within the region you are targeting and the programs they offer.

2.- Your Resume. Start gathering and organizing your academic performance. Awards, representations, internships, affiliations and grades, recommendation letters, work experience, hobbies. Everything counts.

3.- Think about your topic. Be prepared to write an essay of why you want to study that field in that specific country. This is very important. Perform extensive research of the most recent developments in your area. That will help you get innovative ideas, have a better view of the current needs and make your proposal imperative and vital for the advancement of the field!

4.- Read carefully ALL the requirements from the University that offers your chosen specialty and the organization which provides the tuition or scholarship. This part of the process can be very deceiving. You need patience to read and fill out the forms. Review them and review them. Remember, the application is the first thing officials will review during the first round. Your objective is to create enough curiosity to lead them to your resume and your idea. Again, read and review all your answers.

5.- Required tests: Check if the university requires you to take language exams like TOEFL or the school entrance tests such as Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), DAT, GRE, LSAT and MCAT, for example.

6.- Study. Make sure to prepare for those exams and get the scores required by the university. If you are not so good at taking tests, MAKE SURE you write a compelling research topic. Some times, judges might forgive a fairly low score for a great research theme.

7.- Create a timetable. Have a schedule of due dates for submission of documents. The schedule should be place on a visible area to keep focus of the process and your goals.

8.- Talk with ex-scholars. They will be always happy to advise prospective students. Remember, once we were in your shoes. Ask as much as possible. Questions about the country, culture, university culture, living standards, etc, will help you understand your audience: University staff and governmental organization.

9.- Vision and Passion are key elements. Keep them always UP!!

10.- Be patience, work and save while you wait for results. Be always positive, you can be a scholar too. If you didn't make it this year, try the next one. Don't think about it as a failure, on the contrary, you will have more experience through the whole process and probabilities will be even higher.

Good Luck!!