Studying abroad can be an incredible way to experience new cultures while furthering your education, but it can be costly if not planned carefully. Scholarships for studying abroad offer much-needed assistance to make this experience more affordable for students who require it most.
Begin your scholarship search early and take full advantage of all available tools. Many websites feature filters to narrow down options to those most applicable to you based on criteria such as type of education you seek or program you intend to attend; there may even be options based on gender or race considerations that could help narrow down results further.
Once you’ve identified some scholarships that appear suitable, make sure you fill out your profile completely and answer every question asked by them. This will increase your odds of selection for these awards. Some scholarship applications also require essays; to give yourself enough time, read over the prompt well in advance and write your essay well ahead of its due date before beginning writing it yourself and having someone proofread it prior to submission.
Some study abroad scholarships will be based on financial need, so be sure to speak to teachers, the study abroad office, and financial aid at your university about them being available. They can guide the process and often have more information in-person. When applying for need-based scholarships be sure to submit documentation such as tax returns, pay stubs or bank statements as part of your application.
Staying in contact with friends and family back home can help keep you grounded while studying abroad, with tools such as Facebook groups and Skype making this possible. Furthermore, your study abroad program’s team would love to hear how your trip is progressing or hear about what exciting plans await you when back stateside!
Preserving the knowledge gained while studying abroad will ensure you don’t lose all the progress made while in school. Setting a study schedule and joining a study group can hold you accountable, while having someone there for support or discussing queries with is always useful.
Adjusting back into college life after time away can be challenging. To avoid pushing your studies off until later, set aside a small portion of each day for reading and studying. Also take advantage of any resources your host city provides you – library cards, tutors or simply change of scenery can all serve to motivate.