myUface Blog

Finding Financial Aid at Home

Over the past few days, we’ve been talking about looking for financial support for your education from inside you country – from the government, from businesses or foundations, and even from individuals.  Yesterday I wrote about why that makes sense.  But I imagine that many of you are still hesitant.  It’s one thing to apply for a scholarship from the United States.  The application process in that case is fairly impersonal.  The answer (yes or no) is sent to you in an envelope.

Asking someone in your community for support, however, is much more personal.  For one thing, you might know the person you’re asking.  For another, the chances that you’ll have to actually ask for support in a face-to-face setting are significantly higher.  I suspect this is part of the reason why international students are reluctant to look for support in their own countries.

But don’t fear!  Asking for support, even in a personal setting, is not as hard as it first seems.  Today I’m going to share three tips on how to ask for support.  Hopefully, these pieces of advice will make the experience less daunting.

How to Ask for Support:

1. Remember, you’re asking them to help you . . .but you’re also helping them. The institution or individual you’re asking for support gives scholarships for a reason.  If you’re going to be a good student who makes excellent use of their funds, you’re going to help them fulfill their own goals in offering scholarships.  So when you ask for support, you’re not a beggar asking for a handout.  You’re n equal a partner in a potential project.  Thinking of your request in this way may make you feel less awkward asking for support.
2. As I mentioned above, institutions or individuals who fund scholarships do so for a reason.  Take some time to consider what that might be. If they’re a business, they may want to train potential employees.  If they’re a government, they may want to train future civil servants.  If they’re an individual, they may want to give back to their communities.  If you can understand the motives behind their support, you can make sure you emphasize how you will do a good job in realizing their own goals.   For example, if you determine that an individual gives scholarships to individuals who he or she considers to be potential leaders, when asking for assistance you want to emphasize your leadership potential.
3. Be honest and straightforward. As difficult as it might be, you want to present your request as directly and honestly as possible.  Don’t spend an entire meeting talking about the weather, your friends, European football, and you favorite television shows, without asking for assistance.  The individuals who determine whether or not to give this kind of aid are, generally speaking, busy people, and you don’t want to waste their time.  So sometime soon after meeting them, let them know – in a polite way – that you’re interested in any support they may offer for scholarships.  Once you’ve done that, let them direct the conversation.

Let me know if these suggestions make sense to you, or if you have any questions.  If this subject interests students, we can do a more extensive series of posts.

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 (This post)
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 - 14 Jun
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