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The first option in finding financial aid is to look for programs sponsored by your national , regional or municipal government.  Many governments will sponsor students to study abroad (including at U.S. universities).  Here are three brief examples:

• Students from Kazakhstan can apply for the Bolashak International Presidential Scholarship.
• In Albania, students can apply to the government’s “Excellence Fund” via the Ministry of Education.
• Saudi Arabia sponsors a huge amount of students to study at U.S. universities.

Regional and local governments may also offer support to outstanding students in order to help them finance their education abroad.

How do I find out if I am eligible for support from my own government?

One problem with programs sponsored by national, regional and municipal governments is that, generally speaking, they don’t tend to be very well publicized.  You’ll have to do some research to see if your government offers something for students.  The most logical place to start is at the Ministry of Education in your country, although the nearest Educational Advising Center will most likely have the most up-to-date information as well.

Not every government is going to offer scholarships for study abroad.  Even if your government does have such a program, there’s a few things to be aware of:

1. Many such program come with strings attached.  For example, you may be required to work for the government for a certain number of years, or to return to the country for a certain number of years.
2. The program may not support scholarships in every field.
3. The program may have restrictions on the kind of university you can apply to.  Some programs may even place you at universities, bypassing your preferences entirely.

When researching whether these kinds of programs exist in your country, be sure to find out what demands the program places on students.

Posts in this Series

1. Your Education is an Investment - 08 Jul
2. Researching Scholarship Opportunities - 07 Jul
3. How to Ask Questions About Financial Aid - 28 Jun
4. Ninth Option for Financial Aid: Loans - 27 Jun
5. The Difference Between Scholarships and Fellowships - 26 Jun
6. Eigth Option for Financial Aid: U.S. Universities - 25 Jun
7. Seventh Option for Financial Aid: Ethnic Communities in the United States - 24 Jun
8. Sixth Option for Financial Aid: Private Organizations in the U.S. - 23 Jun
9. Fifth Option for Financial Aid: U.S. Government Programs - 22 Jun
10. Fourth Option for Financial Aid: Scholarships from International Organizations - 20 Jun
11. How to Ask for Support - 18 Jun
12. Looking for Support in Your Country: Why it Makes Sense - 17 Jun
13. Third Option for Financial Aid: Individuals in Your Country - 16 Jun
14. Second Option for Financial Aid: Private Businesses or Foundations in Your Country - 15 Jun
15. First Option for Financial Aid: Government Programs in Your Country (This post)
16. The Third Step in Financial Aid: Find What's Available - 11 Jun
17. The Second Step In Financial Aid: Identify Your Assets - 10 Jun
18. The First Step In Financial Aid: Identify Your Needs - 09 Jun
19. Finding Financial Aid for your U.S. Education - 08 Jun

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Tags: Bolashak program, government sponsored programs to U.S. universities, scholarships for study in the U.S.

This entry was posted on Sunday, June 14th, 2009 at 2:15 pm and is filed under Financial Aid. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.