How to get a university scholarship in the US (with photo) - tips

Video: How to Get a HUGE Scholarship to Study in the US as an International Student

Content

Steps
Advice
Warning

Over the past 30 years college tuition has increased by 1,120% (yes this is true, not a typo). With such a constant surge, many students will find themselves unable to pay tuition fees on tight budgets, while many students turn to financial aid to offset the costs of their studies, this could put them in lifetime debt. On the contrary, a college scholarship is a great solution because you can both pay for college education and not get into debt. With careful planning, research, and preparation, you will likely get a scholarship to cover part or all of your study costs.

Steps

Part 1 of 5: Scholarship Hunting

Search for scholarships through the internet. Start by searching for scholarships that are specific to your level of study in school. For example, there are many scholarships available to high school students. The best place to start hunting for scholarships in the US is the U.S. The Department of Labor, here, has more than 7,000 searches for scholarship opportunities based on other categories and keywords.
- If you are applying to a university, you can find several resources through its website to help you hunt for scholarships. You should also look for scholarships from an organization established with the aim of supporting students to continue their studies.
- There is also a specialized search engine to find potential scholarships. Some of these include Fastweb, Scholarships.com and College Board.
- You can find a list of state agencies here.
Ask your counselor or teacher about scholarships. Career counselors or college counselors know a lot about the types of scholarships available. They can guide you to choose scholarships that you have never thought of before.
- If the circumstances are difficult, you may also qualify to join TRIO, a US government program created to help low-income families, first-generation college students. in families, and people with disabilities who attend college. TRIO helps advise, guide and open up scholarship opportunities for students.
Think about your situation. Many scholarships provide money for students from special ethnic minority families. There are even more scholarships available for students from military families or for students whose parents are volunteering or socially friendly. There are also many scholarships available for students who return to school late or start at a different age than the average person's college age. Reflect on your situation and look for scholarships you can meet.
- Check out the Federal Student Aid website here for scholarship information for students from a family with a relative serving the military.
- If you are a current or previously foster foster child, you may be eligible to participate in the Educational and Training Vouchers program through the federal government. Find more information here.
- Review as well as check out websites from your church or religious organization, community organization, and local business. Many of them offer scholarships to local students.
Check the deadline. The deadline for applying for the scholarship is fixed. This means that you cannot submit your application late but expect to receive the scholarship. Keep track of deadlines using a spreadsheet or personal calendar so you won't miss deadlines.
- Keep in mind the scholarship processing deadlines are based on the time allotted when your paperwork is based on postmark. If the deadline is when your paperwork is received, you should submit your application at least a week before it is due. This will ensure that your application arrives on time.
Avoid scams. While there are thousands of legitimate scholarship opportunities, there are also plenty of people who will be willing to take money or steal your personal information. Apply the following tips to find information wisely:
- Don't lose money on finding scholarship information. Most of the information from financial aid “services” is free everywhere. In addition, these services may promise to "secure" financial aid or close scholarship information if once you give them credit card numbers. This is a hoax.
- Be wary of application application fees. In most cases, "scholarships" that require processing fees or applying for applications are fraudulent. Reputable scholarships are to help and support you, not extort your money.
- Do not pay someone else to file a FAFSA (FAFSA: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is the application form for federal student aid). Application for Federal Student Aid is used in the US to help the government determine eligibility for aid. Applying is free and very easy. Save money and don't hire people to apply for you. These companies have nothing to do with the US government.
- Be wary of information "winning" contests. You may receive notification that you have "won" in a contest or been "selected" for a scholarship for which you have never applied for a scholarship. If it sounds too good to be true, it's almost certainly fake. Usually, you will have to pay money for this kind of "scholarship", which makes no sense.
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Part 2 of 5: Preparing the scholarship application process

Gather important documents. Many scholarship applications will ask for academic records, financial information, and some other details about you. Try to collect these first as documents such as transcripts and test scores can take a few weeks to receive.
- In general, plan to have the following documents on hand when applying for a scholarship: transcripts from all the high schools and colleges you attended, test scores (SAT, ACT, etc.) , financial aid application, financial information (income tax return, etc.), and proof of eligibility (birth certificate, passport, etc.).
Type in a resume sheet outlining your extracurricular activities. Create a checklist of all the activities you have participated in high school and college, including school activities, community activities and volunteering, along with work experience.
- Typing create your resume on the computer. Many universities and colleges nowadays use online applications, so you will likely need to create an electronic resume.
- Be specific in your resume details. These details include the name of the organization where you worked, the date you started working or volunteering there, the position of the job, and the task you completed.
- List the scholarships, medals, and awards you have received. If you have any special skills like bilingualism or knowledge of computer code, list them on your resume.
- If you've been active or experienced, consider creating a short (one-page) listing for this resume. Different scholarship institutions may have different priorities.
- Check out the resume application form from the University of Texas Honors Program.
Fill out a practical copy of the application form. You want to make sure the information is filled out well on the forms, fill out a copy before you fill out the official form. If the form is not online, make a copy of the form.
Fill out the form. Typing information on the form is best, as it is easier to read than handwriting. Many scholarship application forms are available online in PDF format, so filling out the application forms is very simple. Some forms may only exist in hard copy form.
- Filling out the application in handwriting is fine if you don't have access to a typewriter. Make sure you write in blue or black ink and write neatly. If your handwriting is difficult to read, have someone else fill out the form for you.
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Part 3 of 5: Writing essay for scholarship

Identify essay readers. Each scholarship organization has specific goals. This affects how the organization wants to spend its scholarship money. Do a bit of research on that organization so you will understand who sponsored the scholarship.
- Should begin to learn by looking at the slogan of the college, university, or organization. Each college will have a statement of its mission and that will help determine its priority criteria. Most charities also have statements about their organizational mission. Be sure to include the content of the statement directly in your essay.
Follow the instructions. If the thesis guide asks for the answers to a particular question, be sure to answer them. If the thesis guide requires writing 500 words, don't write 700 words. If it requires twice as much space for paragraphs, make sure you format the page correctly.
- Double-check the instructions after you've finished writing. This will help make sure you've included what you need to show off in your essay.
Write unique things. College scholarship essays are sometimes boring because many writers often use patterned answers to the assigned topics. Make sure that your essay shows passion and a personal voice.This will help your essay stand out from the scholarship committee's eyes.
- For example, tell a story to start your essay. If you're writing about an influential person in your own life, start by telling the story of when you first met this person. If you're writing about an influential book, talk about it the first time you read it. Describe how you were unable to put the book down, or how you have infatuated with reading it, reading it word for word.
- Show personal markers. The Scholarship Commission is interested in learning about you, not "modern society" or "humanity".
Use specific examples. Avoid writing ambiguous, meaningless sentences. Bring pictures to life by drawing a picture for your readers. Incorporate specific examples of your volunteer work, such as how you helped someone, for example. Use descriptive phrases to help paint a picture of your contributions.
- For example, instead of writing, "I helped a homeless single mother by gathering school supplies for her children" you could write, "Sharon, a single mother of two. baby, burst into tears when I brought you a backpack full of notebooks and pencils for the kid.
- Avoid using fake, meaningless language. "I am for the people" or "I dedicate myself to learning" are not specific or personal. They do not suggest anything about you.
- Consider how descriptive the following statements are: "For as long as I can remember, I have never met a stranger. Whether it was where I worked in packing a vegetable store or when I was in charge. Taking on the role of class representative, I can easily converse with anyone. Or: "Ending high school with a chronic illness was not easy, but I did attend training courses. from distance and by myself doing research and learning because I cherish learning and put effort into pursuing it ".
Get someone else to edit your essay. Once you've finished your essay, have someone else read it and give you feedback. Having someone look at your work will help you find out if your point of view is clear, what you need to improve on, and what you did well. advertisement

Part 4 of 5: Recommendation letter

Find someone who knows about your work. Most scholarship applications will require at least one letter of recommendation. The letter could be from a teacher, employer or other person familiar with your work. The letter should focus on your work, grades, community service, talent, and a few other points.
- Do not choose a relative for this role. Even friends are similar. However, a volunteer coordinator, pastor, or another figure in the community who knows you have good qualifications can be effective.
Ask if the person you asked for agreeing to write a letter of recommendation for you. Don't assume your teacher or others will write you a recommendation letter. You must ask to make sure the person is familiar with your work and has the time to write a letter to you.
- Meet face-to-face with the other person to ask for a letter of recommendation. This is a more personalized approach than email and it will reflect positively on you. Bring a copy of your resume or a study product you made in class to help them remember your accomplishments. This is especially important if you haven't been working with this person for a long time.
- If the person rejects you, try not to take matters into account. Better to ask someone who can write yourself a better letter than having someone else write a vague, casual letter.
Send your application form to your recommendation letter writer. You want to make the cover letter writing process as easy as possible for the writer. Give them any forms they need to fill out as soon as possible. Give them a copy of your pledge or personal essay if the application requires only one of them. This will help them draft a letter supporting the content you've written in your resume.
- Be sure to provide your reference with a stamped envelope with a personal address. Many scholarships require your references to send letters to organizations instead of giving them to you. It would be impolite to expect your reference to pay to send you a recommendation.
Send a reminder. As the application deadline approaches, send a reminder to your reference about writing a recommendation. Don't remind them every day, but a reminder at least a week ahead of time is a good idea.
Send a thank you letter later. Regardless of whether you won a scholarship or not, send a thank you note to each of the participants. They deserve to be thankful for the time they wrote your recommendation letter and this thanks will make them more likely to do it for you again. advertisement

Part 5 of 5: Complete the scholarship application process

Read and edit profiles. Turn each page of the file and carefully read it again. If it's an online form, it would be helpful to print out the entire file and read it again. Also have someone else read through it.
Sort your records in order. Put all your application pages in the order that the scholarship application asks for them. For example, put the first cover page, then the scholarship essay, then the resume, and so on. Each type of application will have its own specific instructions, so be sure to follow them closely.
- Make sure you have all the required sections of the profile. Missing a section may prevent you from applying for a scholarship.
Make copies for each profile. It is a good idea to save the information you submit in your application. Some scholarship organizations may need an interview. It will be very helpful if you remember what you wrote while chatting with the organizer.
Send documents soon. Don't wait until the deadline to submit your application. If you organize all of your documents ahead of time, you'll have time to re-read them. Don't forget to send a reminder to those who wrote your cover letters. advertisement

Advice

Take the time to clean up the look of your online profile. Search by your name online and watch the information appear. Remove pictures that you do not want the scholarship organization to see.

If pursuing for a specific reason (like sport), it's important to put yourself in that environment and become an active member of that community. If you're looking for that in high school or earlier, keep doing what you're doing. It was good experience and could give you a better reputation from the instructor / teacher.