Highlights

• Currently, there are thousands of scholarships offered by various organizations and individuals.
• The 2016 Global Education Monitoring Report showed that a total of 107,721 awards are offered from 111 scholarship programs in the 2014/15 academic year.
• Searching and applying for the scholarship is a tedious process and it takes dedication and hard work to win the scholarship.
• Planning ahead, carefully checking eligibility and application requirements, understanding the organization’s goals and values, crafting good motivation letters, and getting excellent recommendation letters are most important to become very competent.
• High-grade scores or academic performance, being female (i.e., most scholarships encourage female applicants), having specific talents (e.g., athletes), health science, ICT, and engineering field of studies, and being from a minority group increase your chance of winning a scholarship.

Background

Scholarship is defined as free financial aid (regardless of amount) awarded by governmental schools, colleges or universities, employers, individuals, communities, private companies, nonprofits, religious groups, and professional and social organizations to students from developing countries to support advancing their education and/or academic career. Scholarship involves some level of coursework or vocational training in a particular area of study that will result in a degree, certification, or recognized award.

Scholarship programs are a longstanding human capital development strategy, particularly in developing countries. The 2020 United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 4b aims to “substantially expand globally the number of scholarships available to developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing States and African countries, for enrolment in higher education, including vocational training and information and communications technology, technical, engineering and scientific programs, in developed countries and other developing countries.” Consequently, governments, private philanthropies, and other organizations are undertaking efforts to achieve this goal. For example, the Chinese government promised to provide 30,000 scholarships by 2018 to support African students wishing to study in China.

Studies showed that scholarship increases access to high-quality higher education, increases enrollment and retention in (under)graduate degree programs, and increases academic success. The scholarship also opened better career opportunities, and boost self-confidence to apply for jobs with higher compensation. Ultimately, it can help satisfy the demand for highly skilled human resources with advanced education who can lead efforts toward national development.

Currently, there are thousands of scholarships offered by various organizations and individuals. The 2016 Global Education Monitoring Report showed that a total of 107,721 awards are offered from 111 scholarship programs in the 2014/15 academic year. Of these, 22,487 awards (i.e., approximately 1% of internationally mobile students from developing countries) were offered by governments of developed or developing countries for all international students or specially target students from developing countries. The report parallelly acknowledged that it is likely an underestimate of the actual number of awards currently provided by the governments to students from the developing world. An earlier report by Perna and colleagues showed that 183 international scholarship programs were available in 196 nations even though the total number of awards is unknown.

According to the U.S. scholarship statistics report, over 1.7 million U.S. scholarships are awarded every year. Research.com reported that the total average scholarship amount per year in the U.S. increased from $126 billion in the 2011/12 academic year to $138.6 billion in the 2020/21 academic year. According to a CNBC report, around 1 in 8 college students has won a scholarship. The average award is around $4,200. Around 0.1% of undergraduate students received $25,000 or more in scholarships.

Types of scholarships

According to Cosentino and colleagues, scholarships vary along many dimensions, such as the organization that creates them (e.g., government, private philanthropy, or multi-lateral organization), goals of the scholarship (e.g., to foster cultural understanding, forge ties with other nations, promote human capital development, and so on), education level (e.g., undergraduate, graduate, or post-graduate study), experience supported (e.g., studies, research, or professional experience), duration of the scholarship (i.e., one year, multiple years, and so on), and whether they require beneficiaries to return home.

Scholarships also vary by the population targeted, such as citizens of specific countries, vulnerable youth, students seeking careers in specific fields, military families, students in developing countries, women, or minorities.

Moreover, scholarships vary by the degree of coverage (e.g., fully-funded scholarships, partial scholarships). A scholarship might cover the entire cost of tuition, accommodation, housing, and others (i.e., full scholarship), cover only your tuition (i.e., partial scholarship), or it might be a one-time award of a few hundred dollars. Either way, it’s worth applying for, because it’ll help reduce the financial struggle.

Searching for scholarships

Searching scholarship is a tedious process given the need for extensive searching, lengthy applications, and uncertain outcomes. Therefore, it takes dedication and hard work to win the scholarship. You can start a scholarship search by randomly searching Google using relevant phrases that set you apart; for example, “scholarship for women”, or “fully funded scholarships for developing countries in 2023”. Unfortunately, the success rate through a simple random Google search is only around 60% as Research.com reported. You can also learn about the available scholarships by checking official websites and contacting the financial aid or scholarship office at the college/university you wish to attend, checking the website of scholarship providers (e.g., Fulbright scholarship website), and asking previous scholarship awardees in your network.

You can also use free national and international scholarship searching databases. Free registration may be required for some of these databases. Below, but not limited to, are the lists of useful scholarship searching databases. These databases match your background profile (e.g., field of study, level of study, nationality) against a large database of scholarships and show you only the ones for which you are eligible.

A. National scholarship searching databases

1. The Netherlands – study in NL.
2. Australia – Study in Australia.
3. Canada – Search for scholarships.
4. UK – study UK.
5. USA – Fastweb, College Board’s Big Future and U.S. Department of Labor.
6. Germany – DAAD.
7. Sweden – Study in Sweden.
8. China – CUCAS scholarship

B. International scholarship searching databases

1. International Scholarships Search.
2. International Student Scholarship Search.
3. IIE Passport Funding.
4. ScholarshipPortal.
5. Scholarships.com.
6. Studyabroad.com.
7. Study Abroad 101.
8. Scholars4dev.

Finally, it is important to make sure that the scholarship information and offers available are legitimate, and you should not pay to find scholarships or other financial aid. It’s probably a scam when you must pay money to get money.

Application for scholarships

It is always important to early plan the scholarship application, check the college or university website for application deadlines, and apply to as many scholarships as possible to increase the chance of winning. Early planning will create an opportunity to act (e.g., resubmission) when there is a mistake. When you’ve missed the deadline, don’t give up and try in the next round. Besides, look for other scholarships, which you can still apply for.

There are thousands of scholarships out there with each scholarship has its eligibility requirements set by the college/university or any other scholarship provider. Therefore, it is important to double-check eligibility and application requirements and make a list of scholarships you qualify for. Understanding the organization’s goals and values, and how they evaluate candidates will help you to frame your motivation letter. Getting an excellent recommendation from your previous employer or supervisor is also key to winning a scholarship. Some scholarships have language requirements and consider studying the local language or consider taking qualification exams (e.g., IELTS, TOEFL, GRE). The scholarship’s website should give you an idea of the eligibility criteria for the scholarship and a step-by-step guide to apply. Make sure you carefully read the application instructions, fill it out completely, submit all the required documents, and meet the application deadline. In general, don’t rush your scholarship applications given the high chance of making mistakes. Incomplete submission or submission after the deadline is an easy way for the assessment committee to discard your application and deny the scholarship offer.

Winning and receiving a scholarship

Scholarships are awarded by meeting or exceeding certain standards or criteria set by the scholarship provider. Scholarships are merit-based and awarded based on academic achievement or on a combination of academics and a special talent (e.g., athletic skill), trait, or interest, diversity and inclusion, and financial need.

The latest scholarship statistics suggest that multiple factors could influence the likelihood of being awarded a scholarship, from the type of institution one enrolls at, to one’s chosen degree. Generally, high-grade scores or academic performance, being female (i.e., most scholarships encourage female applicants), having specific talents (e.g., athletes), health science, ICT, and engineering field of studies, and being from a minority group increase your chance of winning a scholarship. According to the U.S. 2023 scholarship statistics report, African-American students are the most likely to receive scholarships (88%), followed by Native Americans (87%), Pacific Islanders (84%), Hispanics (82%), students of two or more races (79%), Caucasians (74%), and Asians (66%). Additionally, students with health majors (18.4%), humanities (16.3%), and business/management (15.9%) received the highest shares of federal grant money.

The methods of receiving the scholarship money depend on the scholarship. The money might go directly to your college/university to cover your tuition fees, and then any leftover funds given to you as a stipend biweekly or monthly, or it might be sent directly to you as a one-time check. The scholarship provider should tell you what to expect when it informs you that you’ve been awarded the scholarship.

Effect of the scholarship on Other Student aids

To help students with true financial needs and ensure fair distribution of resources, scholarship providers always want to be sure you are not receiving multiple wards at the same time. A scholarship will affect your other student aid or award and you are expected to let your scholarship provider know when you’ve been awarded another scholarship from another provider. So, the scholarship provider can subtract that amount from the scholarship that you might have been offered. Then, any amount left can be covered by other financial aid you received.

Previous scholarship award winners

Yared Aynalem (Ph.D. student at the University of Alberta, Canada)

“I was fortunate to be awarded a total of six scholarships, which included both department-specific and interdepartmental awards, to pursue my Ph.D. at the University of Alberta (#5 Canada, #92 World) in Canada. I acquired the scholarship information through various channels, including utilizing online scholarship databases for international students, college and university websites, as well as social media and networking platforms. I remain vigilant throughout the year, keeping an eye on the funding agent’s deadlines, and applying for as many scholarships as possible. Timing applications based on these deadlines will increase our chances of securing scholarships. Before I start the application, I always carefully read the application instructions and prepare the required documents, such as gathering academic transcripts, letters of recommendation, and all other required documents. Crafting well-written essays showcasing my achievements and aspirations is also important. The scholarship award money was directly paid to the university and the rest was transferred to my bank account as a stipend to cover my living expenses., stipends, and living expenses.”

Henok Mulugeta (Ph.D. candidate at the University of Technology Sydney, Australia)

“In 2020, I was awarded the International Research Training Program Scholarship (IRTP) to study for my PhD at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) (#9 Australia, #133 World) in Australia. The IRTP is a commonwealth scholarship funded by the Australian government and the Department of Education and Training. It covers the tuition fees, living allowance, and OSHC for the scholarship holder and dependents. I found the scholarship information on the university website. I went directly to the university scholarship application site and carefully followed the application instructions. Part of the scholarship award money was directly transferred to the university to cover my tuition fee. The living allowance is deposited fortnightly to my Australian bank account as a stipend.”

Getenet Dessie (Ph.D. student at Australia National University, Australia)

“In 2021, I received an Australian Government Research Training Program International Scholarship to pursue my Ph.D. study at Australia National University (#1 Australia, #30 World), Australia. I start the scholarship search by contacting potential Ph.D. supervisors. After securing a potential supervisor and receiving a supporting letter from my supervisor, I developed the Ph.D. proposal and applied for the scholarship through the university’s website. Friends with application experience and previously awarded were with me at all stages of the process. Part of the scholarship award money was directly transferred to the university to cover my tuition fee and the rest was deposited to my bank account as a stipend.”

Sisay Alemu (Ph.D. student at University of Groningen, The Netherlands)

“In 2019, I received a scholarship to study research master’s degree at the University of Groningen (#5 Netherlands, #75 World), The Netherlands. In 2020, I received a travel grant to do my master’s internship in Zanzibar, Tanzania. I usually start searching for scholarships by asking people who successfully found a similar scholarship or who have information about it. I will carefully examine the requirements once I get the necessary information. Then, I collect the required documents and write a motivation letter, which is usually one of the requirements. Then, I will apply using the application link. It is usually tiresome, so I keep reminding myself of the reward I get if I am successful. Also, I always apply to multiple places to widen my chances. I usually submit the scholarship application right before the deadline. For the research master’s scholarship award, the scholarship provider paid my tuition fee and sent me monthly pocket money to my bank account every month. The travel grant was a one-time payment to my bank account.”

Wubet Alebachew (Ph.D. student at Monash University, Australia)

“In 2022, I received a fully funded Monash graduate scholarship to study for my Ph.D. at Monash University (#2 Australia, #44 World), Australia. First, I searched for potential supervisors at different Australian Universities focusing on my field of study. I referred to different sources, such as the Bright Scholarship Telegram channel and the ‘find a supervisor’ method. I used to remind supervisors if they didn’t reply or caused delays in issuing an expression of interest. The scholarship application was somehow challenging because there were elements that I should have done first. I applied for the scholarship using Monash University’s scholarship application portal. Once I finished preparing my resume and sorting all the required documents, I uploaded them to the online application portal before the deadline. Part of the scholarship award money was directly transferred to the university to cover my tuition fee and the rest was deposited to my bank account as a stipend.”

Conclusions

Currently, there are thousands of scholarships offered by various organizations and individuals. The 2016 Global Education Monitoring Report showed that a total of 107,721 awards are offered from 111 scholarship programs in the 2014/15 academic year. Searching and applying for the scholarship is a tedious process and it takes dedication and hard work to win the scholarship. Planning ahead, carefully checking eligibility and application requirements, understanding the organization’s goals and values, crafting good motivation letters, and getting excellent recommendation letters are most important to become very competent. Generally, high-grade scores or academic performance, being female (i.e., most scholarships encourage female applicants), having specific talents (e.g., athletes), health science, ICT, and engineering field of studies, and being from a minority group increase your chance of winning a scholarship.

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank Yared Aynalem, Henok Mulugeta, Getenet Dessie, Sisay Mulugeta, and Wubet Alebachew for sharing their experience in search and applying for scholarship. I would also like to forward my gratitude to petersons.com, where I downloaded my blog’s featured image.

References

1. Bhandari R. Post‐secondary scholarships for students from developing countries: Establishing a global baseline. Eur. J. Educ. 2017;52(4):533-45.
2. Cosentino C, Fortson J, Liuzzi S, Harris A, Blair R. Can scholarships provide equitable access to high-quality university education? Evidence from the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program. Int. J. Educ.. 2019;71:102089.
3. Perna LW, Orosz K, Gopaul B, Jumakulov Z, Ashirbekov A, Kishkentayeva M. Promoting human capital development: A typology of international scholarship programs in higher education. Educ. Res. 2014;43(2):63-73.
4. Cagasan EG, Belonias BS, Cuadra ME. Graduate students’ perceived contribution of scholarship grants to academic success. Science and Humanities. 2019;13:99-113.
5. CNBC. Everything students need to know about college scholarships. Accessed on July 28, 2023.
6. Research.com. 72 Scholarship Statistics: 2023 Data, Facts & Analysis. Accessed on July 28, 2023.
7. SearchLogistics. U.S. Scholarship Statistics: The Latest Data, Facts And Costs. Accessed on July 28, 2023.
8. 15 Best Sites for International Scholarships, Loans and More. Accessed on July 28, 2023.
9. The Top 5 Websites to Find International Scholarships. Accessed on July 28, 2023.
10. 9 Scholarship Websites for International Students. Accessed on July 28, 2023.
11. 10 Best Scholarship Sites. Accessed on July 28, 2023.
12. Federal Student Aid. Finding and Applying for Scholarships. Accessed July 21, 2023.
13. Education Data Initiative. College Scholarship Statistics [2023]: Yearly Total + Analysis. Accessed July 21, 2023.
14. Wikipedia. Scholarship. Accessed July 21, 2023.