Researching Scholarship Opportunities
Tuesday, July 7th, 2009What is the best place to learn about financial aid for international students? The question is difficult to answer, as there are a bewildering array of websites, books, magazines and other resources that claim to be the best source for information on the topic. A quick Google search for “international student financial aid” reveals hundreds of possible sources of information.
In this post, then, I’m going to focus on four places you can go for information. Two are online resources, and two are “actual” places with “actual” people to help you. This is by no means an exhaustive list of all financial aid resources. Rather, it is a starting point for you to investigate financial aid opportunities.
Educational Advising Centers
Your local Educational Advising Center. These centers are supported by the U.S. Department of State, and exist to “advise prospective international students and other audiences on higher education and study opportunities in the United States.” They give you access to all the online and hardcopy financial aid resources through their libraries. They also serve as a meeting place for students interested in studying abroad. Finally, they are staffed by Educational Advisors, individuals with an in-depth knowledge of the process of applying for and receiving financial aid. If you have an educational advising center in your area, it is probably the best place to begin your search for financial aid opportunities.
The website of the U.S. Embassy
The U.S. Embassy website in your country will have a section called “Education and Culture” (or something very similar). There you will find a wealth of information about studying in the U.S. Here, for example, is a list of financial aid links for citizens of Thailand, compiled by the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok.
The information you can find at the website of the U.S. Embassy in your country is valuable because, first and foremost, it is specific to your country. If there are scholarships offered by your government, for example, chances are these scholarships will be listed on the Embassy page. Embassy web pages will also provide links to the more reputable web sites offering financial aid information.
The (international) admissions offices of the universities to which you’re applying.
Here are a few simple questions you should ask to every single university to which you’re applying:
- What financial aid is available for international students through your university?
- How do international students at your university generally finance their education?
- Are there any potential sources of financial aid that you would advise me to look into?
Admissions officers – especially if they specialize in international students – are used to students in need of financial aid. As such, they have probably developed a very good sense of what financial aid is available. If you ask politely, they will most likely help.
Scholarship Databases
There are a number of online databases of scholarships and other financial aid opportunities. These databases will match you and your educational goals with potential scholarship opportunities, and list for you the financial aid for which you’re eligible. A few things about these databases:
- They do not include every source of financial aid, so do not rely exclusively on these sites for your research
- A number of these kind of sites charge a fee. DO NOT PAY. The free versions of these sites are as good – if not better – than the pay versions.
- Many sites require you to provide a lot of information before you can access the database. This is so they can more accurately “match” you to scholarship opportunities.
To get you started, here are two sites that are quite good, generally speaking:
- International Scholarships – basic scholarship search. You need to register in order to get access to scholarship details.
- FastWeb – good information, but you need to go through a lengthy registration process to access it.
Stick to these four resource at the outset. In the course of your research, you’ll undoubtedly come across other resources. If you ever come across an invaluable site or resource, please let us know about it (by e-mailing us at blog@myuface.com or leaving a comment).
Happy hunting!
Posts in this Series
- Your Education is an Investment - 08 Jul
- Researching Scholarship Opportunities (This post)
- How to Ask Questions About Financial Aid - 28 Jun
- Ninth Option for Financial Aid: Loans - 27 Jun
- The Difference Between Scholarships and Fellowships - 26 Jun
- Eigth Option for Financial Aid: U.S. Universities - 25 Jun
- Seventh Option for Financial Aid: Ethnic Communities in the United States - 24 Jun
- Sixth Option for Financial Aid: Private Organizations in the U.S. - 23 Jun
- Fifth Option for Financial Aid: U.S. Government Programs - 22 Jun
- Fourth Option for Financial Aid: Scholarships from International Organizations - 20 Jun
- How to Ask for Support - 18 Jun
- Looking for Support in Your Country: Why it Makes Sense - 17 Jun
- Third Option for Financial Aid: Individuals in Your Country - 16 Jun
- Second Option for Financial Aid: Private Businesses or Foundations in Your Country - 15 Jun
- First Option for Financial Aid: Government Programs in Your Country - 14 Jun
- The Third Step in Financial Aid: Find What's Available - 11 Jun
- The Second Step In Financial Aid: Identify Your Assets - 10 Jun
- The First Step In Financial Aid: Identify Your Needs - 09 Jun
- Finding Financial Aid for your U.S. Education - 08 Jun
