Grants for International Students

Grants For International Students

Choosing to become an international student is a tough choice. You are essentially deciding whether to move to a whole new world, away from your family and with all the pressures of rigorous study whilst you do so.

Also, it’s very complicated when it comes to finance: Especially if you want to study in the West and in the USA in particular. The reason is that the costs of tuition in the States are very high. Many students use a loan program to finance their education

But as an international student, perhaps your best bet is to seek out grants which are designed specifically for people like you.

What Grants For International Students Are Available?

Here is a brief list of the types of scholarships available that you’ll need to look into. As you’ll see, it’s difficult to give exact recommendations as the type of grant available depends on many factors.

College Specific Grants. Some grants are made available by the specific colleges. Perhaps you’d like to study music – then Berkeley offers a range of international student grants. Most institutions will have their own grant system for international scholars.

Research Grants: Many postgraduate students will work as part of a team on a particular subject. In this case, it will often mean that they will receive their tuition and qualification based on their contribution to the development of the project. If you’re a post-grad, then this might be something to look into.

Subject-Specific Grants: Outside of college specific grants, there are also subject-specific grants. These can be provided by either your target country (e.g. you’re studying in the US and the US provide the grant) or your native nation. This is because different countries at different times have shortages of particular workers – maybe your country needs engineers, and will give you a grant to study engineering abroad.

Achievement-Based Grants: Many high-fliers and top-tier academics at schools will receive grants if the University they’re applying to believes that they have great potential. This is reason to work hard in your schooling before you go to college!

Alternatives to International Student Grants

If you are not eligible or otherwise able to secure the grants listed above, there are other alternatives. Obviously, the ideal is to have the money secured before you apply via your own means. However, that is not always practical with the soaring costs of education. Loans are also available. The most common loan providers are Sally Mae and the Global Student Loan organization, but others are also available.

Closing Thoughts

Regardless of funding options, getting a qualification, be it at an undergraduate, graduate or post-graduate level, is a great investment in your future.

However, becoming qualified as a graduate is about more than a piece of paper: it’s about setting yourself up to have a life of success and wealth. Getting a grant is the best way to do this, because you have all the benefits of having attended a higher education institution in a country full of prestigious institutions without the drawback of having incurred a ton of debt, which will take years to pay back.

Do your research into the options we’ve provided, because a few hours research can have massive implications for the rest of your life!