How to determine your eligibility for international scholarships

Applying for scholarships requires an understanding of the realities surrounding them, as well as a self-awareness of your qualifications.

It is crucial to question whether you truly meet the requirements for an international scholarship and if your qualifications are sufficient. To enhance your chances, you must explore ways to improve and stand out among other applicants.

It is vital to recognize that scholarships are not handed out indiscriminately to anyone who asks or demonstrates need. They are not granted solely based on financial disadvantages, affiliation with a minority group, or coming from a developing nation.

The truth is that scholarships must be earned through the demonstration of potential and the establishment of qualifications.

Minimum eligibility requirements

While it is true that your disadvantaged circumstances may initially make you eligible for a scholarship (as evident in minority scholarships, financial need-based scholarships, and scholarships for developing countries), you still need to meet additional requirements set by the scholarship provider.

Here is a general overview of typical scholarship qualifications mandated by scholarship providers:

Minimum Scholarship Requirements:

Specified country of origin by the scholarship provider.
Meeting a certain age criterion as defined by the scholarship provider (although not always applicable).

Possession of a High School Diploma when applying for a Bachelor’s degree, a Bachelor’s Degree for Master’s studies, and a Master’s Degree for a PhD.
Fulfilment of the academic prerequisites for the program to which you are applying. In most cases, acceptance into the program is a prerequisite for scholarship consideration.

Proficiency in the English language, substantiated by TOEFL or IELTS scores. In some instances, proof of English as the medium of instruction during your university studies may suffice.

Additional Requirements for Specific Scholarship Types

Entrance Scholarships: Attaining the high school academic average specified by the scholarship provider (usually 90% or above).

Excellence Scholarships: Meet the GPA requirement set by the scholarship provider (usually 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale).

Leadership Scholarships: Demonstrating leadership potential, skills, and/or experience.

Competition Scholarships: Winning a specific competition, such as an essay competition.

Development Scholarships: Committing to return to your home country after completing your studies.

Youth Scholarships: Being of a young age, typically under 25.

How to determine if your qualifications are adequate

Even if you fulfil the minimum scholarship requirements, it does not guarantee that you will receive a scholarship. While strong qualifications increase your chances, there will likely be numerous applicants with similar qualifications vying for the same scholarship.

Therefore, scholarship providers establish criteria to select the most exceptional students. Here are some of the scholarship criteria employed by providers:

The student’s academic excellence and potential in their chosen field of study, demonstrate a connection between their subject of study and long-term career objectives.

The student’s academic performance, as indicated by grades, test scores, publications, and letters of recommendation from previous educational institutions.

The student’s motivation letter (or essay in some cases).
The quality of the scholarship application submitted, considering completeness, accuracy, and consistency.

In the case of development scholarships, evaluation is based on the student’s potential to contribute to the development of their home country.
For research scholarships, assessment is based on the merits and relevance of the proposed research study.

By understanding these criteria, you can find ways to gain an advantage over other applicants. For instance, if your academic grades are not exceptional, your personal motivation letter provides an opportunity to demonstrate why you deserve the scholarship.

Additionally, conducting extra research on the scholarship provider’s current areas of focus can be beneficial, as students are sometimes selected based on their chosen field of study or research alignment with the provider’s mission/themes.

To sum it up, it is recommended that you assess your chances of obtaining a scholarship and honestly evaluate whether you meet the minimum qualifications discussed earlier. If you do meet them, your chances of securing a scholarship are promising.

However, if you don’t meet the requirements, obtaining a scholarship may be more challenging. In such cases, you can explore options to meet the scholarship provider’s qualifications or search for scholarships with less stringent requirements.