How to Obtain a Complete Scholarship Full scholarships (sometimes known as full-ride scholarships) are the holy grail of financial aid, pay...

 How to Obtain a Complete Scholarship

Full scholarships (sometimes known as full-ride scholarships) are the holy grail of financial aid, paying nearly all expenses for the whole three or four years of education. The provider will cover your tuition and living expenses, allowing you to focus on your education and social life without worrying about money. Isn't it fantastic?

Unfortunately, there aren't many of these dream scholarships available. Full scholarships are uncommon, and those that do exist are very competitive. That doesn't mean you shouldn't apply - keep reading to learn how to improve your chances of receiving one of these renowned scholarships.

You must know where to search.

First and foremost, where do you go to look for full scholarships? Your first stop should be the official website of your chosen university, as they may have funding opportunities for students from your area or studying your subject, as well as external scholarships you can apply for.

You could also check websites like InternationalScholarships.com or FastWeb.com, as well as our own Scholarships to Study Abroad page, which lists funding opportunities in various study destinations, scholarships focused on specific subjects, and scholarships aimed at specific student groups, in addition to your university (e.g. African students).

Plan ahead of time.

If you know you'll need a full scholarship to help you pay for university, you should begin planning as soon as possible. This is especially important if you need to attend an interview - some universities hold special'scholarship weekends,' where 50-100 students are invited on campus to interview with a faculty member and answer questions about their goals and motivations, as well as how this fits in with the university and course.If you need to attend a scholarship interview, dress smartly and come prepared with good answers to their possible questions, as well as a few questions to ask them when they are invited at the end of the interview. Here's how to respond to common admissions interview questions.

Maintain your motivation by working hard.

Although some full scholarships may be offered solely on the basis of financial need rather than academic achievement, others will consider both factors or will only be given to outstanding candidates. It goes without saying that you should study hard in your studies, but you'll need to go above and beyond if you want to receive a full scholarship, as the majority are given to the top students.In certain circumstances, colleges would automatically evaluate applicants for full scholarships based on their normal university application, thus good grades are essential. While pushing oneself intellectually might be mentally draining, strive to stay motivated by remembering your goals and taking some time to rest now and then (particularly during and after test season!).

Make yourself stand out among the crowd of candidates.

With so much competition for a full scholarship, it's critical to stand out from the crowd by displaying a genuine desire to improve yourself as a person. This includes having a few extracurricular activities to brag about to scholarship givers, showcasing your hobbies and interests outside of the classroom, as well as instances of times you've been engaged with the local community, such as volunteering for a good cause.

Scholarship providers emphasise leadership abilities, which you may demonstrate by offering to lead initiatives in your extracurricular activities or community service.

Another thing that can help you stand out from the crowd when it comes to scholarship applications is a glowing report on your academic and personal qualities from your letters of recommendation, so it's critical to cultivate strong relationships with your academic mentors – if they know you well, they'll be able to provide a more personal and accurate reflection of you in their letter.

Carefully read the application instructions.

This may sound self-evident, but you don't want to jeopardise your chances by forgetting to provide a document or piece of information required by the scholarship's application requirements. Make sure to read the application guidelines thoroughly and again so you don't miss anything, and email the provider if you have any questions.

Send in a fantastic scholarship essay or cover letter.

Another one that should go without saying, but your application essay/cover letter must be of the highest possible quality. This includes ensuring sure it's clear and succinct, properly structured, has a powerful opening, remains focused on its main theme or issue, and has perfect spelling and punctuation. To make sure it's flawless, don't simply reread it hundreds of times - have a buddy go over it and look for mistakes and phrases that don't read as well as they could.

One of our QS scholarship recipients published an excellent post on how to write a winning scholarship essay, which you can read here.

Keep your expectations in check.

Finally, as we mentioned earlier, there aren't many full scholarships available, and they're very competitive, which means that many candidates who meet and surpass the standards for a full scholarship wind up losing out. Don't let this deter you from applying, but keep your expectations in check. Remember that there's no limit to how many scholarship applications you may submit, and there's usually no limit to how many scholarships you can get, so you might be able to combine two or more smaller awards to create your own full scholarship.(Of course, double-check with the providers to see if you may apply for and get support from other places.) If you do receive rejections, don't let them discourage you; pick yourself up, brush yourself off, and keep trying until you achieve your goals.

Do you have any questions about applying for scholarships? Please read our FAQ or leave a comment below.

Do you want to see more of this type of content? To receive frequent updates and your own unique content stream, sign up for a free site membership.

This essay was first published in May of this year. The last time it was updated was in July 2021.

Do you want to see more material like this? To receive frequent updates and your own unique content stream, sign up for a free site membership.