There are a lot of Indian students in the present time who dream of pursuing their higher education from a foreign country but have to drop this idea due to lack of sufficient finances. It is really disheartening because they are forced to do what they do not wish to owing to monetary issues. This a very big issue and that is why government and non-government bodies have worked on it to make ways to facilitate the education of such students in abroad. There are a lot of scholarships made available for meritorious students so that they do not have to compromise on education and good future. The students need to apply for these and if they qualify then their abroad education gets either fully or partially funded. Here are the types of scholarships that they can apply for:
Government Scholarships: There are scholarships funded by the government of the country or state for the students who are good in studies and wish to study abroad. These usually completely cover the tuition fee, cost of living, health insurance and other expenses. As these are supported by the government, every year a big number of students apply for them which increases the competition for this as well. The students need to fulfill all the eligibility criteria to become eligible for it. These scholarships are offered by both, the home country’s government as well as the destination country’s government.
University Scholarships: Educational institutions or universities also support the students who have the potential to do well in further education and have a proven track record as an evidence. These can be fully or partially funded based upon the merit and caliber of the student. Usually the universities ask the students to write an essay or do some assignment along with presenting their scores of previous qualification to decide on the candidature of the student for the scholarship. Some of the well-known are Gates Cambridge Scholarship, MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Scholarships etc.
Non-Government Scholarships: There are many organizations which sponsor student’s education through various scholarships and bursaries. These are private firms, NGO’s etc. These are specifically meant for the bright students who promise the better use of the funds. Such organizations also plan to provide employment and internships to these students. Students might need to take a test or assessment to prove their eligibility for this. The popular ones are Tata Scholarship for Indian Students, Rotary Foundation Scholarships etc.
Some popular Scholarship Programs:
- Fulbright Scholarship
- Commonwealth Scholarship
- Chevening Scholarship
- Vanier Scholarship
- ACI Foundation Scholarship
- Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship
- Hungary Government Scholarship
- Ontario Trillium Scholarship
- Kashim Ibrahim Fellowship
- Rhodes Scholarship
- MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Scholarship
- Scotland Saltire Scholarships
- Gates Cambridge Scholarship
- Warwick Chancellor’s International Scholarships
- British Council Scholarships for Women in STEM
Here is the synopsis of few popular ones:
Fulbright Scholarship:
It is the most popular scholarship for Indian students who plan to study in the United States of America for Masters or Doctoral programs. It covers the tuition fee, living expenses, health insurance and travel expenses. The applicants must have a Bachelor’s degree with at least 55% marks along with IELTS proficiency of 6.0 bands in addition to other important documents and paperwork.
British Council Scholarships for Women in STEM:
There is a lot of emphasis on the participation of women in STEM in the United Kingdom, due to this there is a special scholarship for females willing to pursue these subjects in higher education. This is awarded to the women who want to do a post-graduation in STEM and covers the tuition fee, cost of living, travel expenses and health insurance. The aspirant must have a Bachelor’s degree, English proficiency and lack of finances to continue education. Also, one should not have the dual British citizenship.
Commonwealth Scholarship: The Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) is meant for the students of the commonwealth nations who want to pursue their education in the UK and is awarded by the British council. It is a fully funded scholarship for post-graduation courses and covers tuition fee, cost of living and travel expenses.
Canadian Commonwealth Scholarship Program (CCSP): This scholarship is for students of the commonwealth nations who wish to study in Canada. As the name suggests, it is a collective initiative of the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission and Canadian government. It covers the 2 year Master’s program and 4 year doctoral program in Canada.
MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Scholarships: This scholarship is for the bright students willing to study but do not have enough funds. It is provided based on the necessity of the funds and covers UG and PG courses.