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Canada Scholarship Guide for International Students

Canada Scholarship Guide for International Students

International Undergraduate Scholarships in Canada


Humber College Scholarships for International Students
Humber offers two full tuition renewable scholarships (Approximate value  CAD$12,800). Both of these scholarships are available for NEW international students beginning classes in September of each year. Applications will be considered based on academics, community involvement, referee/reference letters and statement of interest.
York University International Scholarships
International students admitted to York University are eligible to apply to full  scholarships worth $60,000 – $100,000 for a four-year degree program.
University of British Columbia Scholarships for International Students
UBC recognizes the academic achievement of outstanding students from around the world by devoting more than $4 million Canadian annually to awards, scholarships and other forms of financial assistance for international undergraduate students.  The four major scholarship programs offered are: International Leader of Tomorrow Award, International Student Humanitarian Award, Outstanding International Student Award , President’s Entrance Scholarships.
Vancouver Island University International Regional Scholarships
Vancouver Island University offers five (5) partial scholarships worth $5,000 for international students who will be pursuing their Bachelor’s Degree at the University.
Sheridan College StudentGuard International Entrance Scholarships
Four (4) entrance scholarships of $2,000 each are available to international students who will be starting Sheridan College’s 4-year degree programs in Fall 2012 (diploma, certificate, post-grad and joint degree programs are NOT eligible).
Concordia University  Undergraduate Scholarships
Concordia University has about 159 scholarships and awards available for international students who will be pursuing their undergraduate degree at the University.
Carleton University Entrance Scholarships for International Students
Carleton offers partial scholarships worth $4,000 – $16,000 to exemplary students who meet the admission average criteria of 80% and above.
Fairleigh Dickinson University Scholarships for International Students
International Scholarships worth of up to $13,000 to $25,000 are available to qualified, first-time undergraduate international students admitted at the University.
Dalhouse University Entrance Scholarships
International High school students admitted to an Undergraduate Program at Dalhousie are eligible for various partial scholarships.

International Graduate Scholarships in Canada


Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships
The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Vanier CGS) was created to attract and retain world-class doctoral students and to establish Canada as a global centre of excellence in research and higher learning.  The scholarships are towards a doctoral degree (or combined MA/PhD or MD/PhD).
Canadian Commonwealth Scholarship Program
The CCSP provides short-term exchange opportunities for candidates from Commonwealth countries for study or research in Canada at the master’s or doctoral level. The program is open to all disciplines including interdisciplinary programs. Studies or research in science and technology will be prioritized. Awards range from $7,000 to $10,000 depending on the duration and level of study/research.
University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowships
The UMGF awards are also available for international students and are valued for a 12-month period at $16,000 for PhD students, or $12,000 for Master’s students.
University of Waterloo International Master’s and Doctoral Student Awards
Eligible full-time international students starting a research-based master’s program or PhD program will receive an International Student Award valued at $1,690 per term for 2 years (Master’s) and $3,380 per term for 3 years (PhD).
University of Calgary Graduate Studies Award
University of Calgary offers a wide range of full and partial scholarships for international students. Scholarship value range from $1,000 to $40,000 and covers different fields of study.

View the detailed list of scholarship opportunities for non-Canadians compiled by the Canadian Government.

USA Scholarship Guide for International Students

USA Scholarship Guide for International Students

The United States is one of  the prime destinations for students who are looking to benefit from a top notch and widely recognized international education.  However, there are limited scholarship options for international students who wish to study in the US for free.  To help you, scholars4dev.com compiled a list of scholarships in USA offered by US Colleges and Universities as well as scholarships granted by US government and institutions.

USA Government Scholarships for International Students


Foreign Fulbright Student Program
The Fulbright Program are full scholarships in USA for international students who wants to pursue a Master’s or PhD degree.  The scholarships can also be awarded for non-degree postgraduate studies.  The grant covers tuition fee, textbooks, airfare, a living stipend, and health insurance.
Humphrey Fellowship Program
The Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program provides a year of professional enrichment in the United States for experienced professionals from designated countries throughout the world. Fellows are selected based on their potential for leadership and their commitment to public service in either the public or private sector.  The fellowships are full grants covering all related expenses.

US Colleges and Universities that offer Scholarships for International Students


American University
American University (AU) awards a limited number of generous partial merit scholarships to academically-qualified incoming international first-year undergraduate students.  The University also offers the AU Emerging Global Leader Scholarship Program which awards scholarships to high-achieving international students who wish to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in the US and who are dedicated to positive civic and social change. It is intended for students who will be to returning home to improve under-resourced, underserved communities in his/her home country.
Amherst College
Amherst College currently runs a need-based financial aid program that provides assistance to financially needy international students.  Once you have been admitted, your financial need is determined. A financial aid award that is equal to your need will then be offered.  The award is sometimes called an “aid package” because it may include both self-help (employment) and gift aid (scholarships and grants).
Arkansas University
International students are eligible to apply about 10 scholarships offered at the University including the Chancellor’s Scholarship and the General University Scholarships.
Colby-Sawyer College
International Students are eligible for need-based and merit-based financial aid offered by Colby-Sawyer College. The merit-based scholarships are worth $50,000-75,000 over four years of undergraduate study.
Columbia College
Columbia College offers about 20 scholarships and awards to outstanding international students. The awards are one time cash grants and 25%- 100% tuition reduction.
Cornell University
Cornell has a limited amount of funding available for international undergraduates, only 30-40 scholarships are awarded to students in each entering class. The scholarships are either partial or full, based on the selected student’s need.
Darthmouth College
Darthmouth College offers need-based financial aid to  all students, including international and transfer applicants . It does not award academic, athletic or merit scholarships. The College  is committed to meeting 100% of every student’s demonstrated need during their four years of undergraduate study.
Illinois Wesleyan University
Merit-based scholarships are offered to qualified international applicants with outstanding academic achievement and test scores on the required entrance exams. These awards range from $3,000 to $18,000 per year and are renewable for up to four years.  In addition, two full-tuition President’s International Student Scholarships may be awarded each year to two highly qualified international students.
Michigan University
Michigan University provides a number of scholarship and grants to deserving international students at the undergraduate and postgraduate level.
New York University Wagner
All international postgraduate student applicants at NYU Wagner are automatically considered for all merit-based scholarships, as the University gives equal consideration to scholarship applicants from within the United States and abroad. Also see NYU Wagner Public Service Fellowships for African Women.
Oregon University
At the University of Oregon you’ll find several sources of financial aid for international students, at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Each year, the University of Oregon awards more than one million dollars in financial aid and scholarships to international students. Their top scholarship programs are merit-based and covers partial to full tuition fees.
Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University offers limited scholarships for international students and is awarded on the basis of both exceptional qualifications and demonstrated need. In addition to the 11 Asian students who are awarded yearly under the Freeman Asian Scholars Program, they provide financial assistance to approximately 15 international students from a pool of over 400 such applicants.
York University
The University of York offers competitive scholarships to overseas Masters and PhD students.  The awards cover partial to full tuition fees.

Institutions that fund international scholarships for study in the US


AAUW International Fellowships
AAUW (formerly known as the American Association of University Women) awards international fellowships  for full-time study or research in the United States to women who are not US citizens or permanent residents. The scholarship are worth $18,000 for Masters, 20,000 for PhD and $30,000 for Postdoctoral students.
Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship Programme
The Aga Khan Foundation provides a limited number of scholarships each year for postgraduate studies to outstanding students from selected developing countries who have no other means of financing their studies.  The studies can be undertaken anywhere in the world including the US. Scholarships are awarded on a 50% grant : 50% loan basis through a competitive application process once a year.

Scholarships Tip #6: Ask Yourself “Am I Qualified for a Scholarship?”

Scholarships Tip #6: Ask Yourself “Am I Qualified for a Scholarship?”

In applying for scholarships, it is important to realize certain truths about scholarships as well as truths about yourself.  Am I really qualified for an international scholarship? Are my qualifications enough? What can I do to improve my chances? These are the questions that scholars4dev.com will help you try to answer.

The Hard Truth about Scholarships

One important thing you should know about scholarships is that they are not given out just to anyone  who asks, requests, or begs for it.  They are not given just because you are poor and disadvantaged.  They are not given just because you are from a developing country or just because you belong to a minority group.  The truth is scholarships are not given out, they are earned. You earn it by demonstrating your potential and establishing your qualifications.

Am I Qualified for an International Scholarship?

Although it is true that your disadvantaged situation initially qualifies you for a scholarship (that’s why there are minority scholarships, scholarships based on financial need, developing country scholarships), you will still have to satisfy other qualifications set by the scholarship provider.
Let’s look at a general overview of typical scholarship qualifications required by scholarship providers.
Minimum Scholarship Qualifications
- You must be from a country which the scholarship provider specifies
- You must be of a certain age as set by the scholarship provider. Note that this is not always the case, there are many scholarships where there is no age requirement.
- You must hold a High School Diploma when applying for a Bachelors; a Bachelor’s Degree when applying for Master’s; and a Master’s Degree when applying for PhD
- You must meet the  academic requirements of the programme you are applying to. In most cases, you have to be accepted in the progamme your are applying to before you are considered for a scholarship.
- You must have good knowledge of English language with TOEFL or IELTS scores as proof. In some cases, proof of English as medium of instruction in your university degree would suffice.
Additional Qualifications of Specific Types of Scholarships
- Entrance Scholarships: you have to meet the high school academic average set by the scholarship provider (usually 90% or above)
- Excellence Scholarships: you have to meet the GPA required by the scholarship provider (usually 3.0 or above on a 4.0 rating system)
- Leadership Scholarships: you must demonstrate leadership potential and possess leadership skills and/or experience
- Competition Scholarships: you must win the competition (i.e. essay competition)
- Development Scholarships: you must go back to your home country after your studies
- Youth Scholarships:  you have to be young, atleast below 25

Are my Qualifications Enough?

Even if you meet the minimum qualifications of the scholarship, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get a scholarship. Yes, good qualification improve your chances but still, there will be hundreds or thousands of you with the same qualifications applying for the same scholarship. Thus, scholarship providers set up scholarship criteria to filter out the best students who will get the scholarship. Here are some of the scholarship criteria used by scholarship provider:
•  The student’s academic excellence and potential in his/her proposed field of study -  applicants must be able to demonstrate a connection between their subject of study and their longer-term career objectives.
•  The student’s academic performance – as evidenced by grades, test scores, publications, letters of recommendation from his/her previous education.
•  The student’s motivation letter (or in some cases, a motivation essay)
•  The quality of the scholarship application submitted (completeness, accuracy, consistency).
•  In development scholarships in particular, students are assessed based on their potential to contribute to the development of their home country.
•  In the case of research students, students are assessed based on the merits and relevance of their proposed research study.
Knowing these criteria, you can find ways to gain advantage over your competitors.  For example, if you don’t have very good academic grades, the personal motivation letter is your chance to show how you deserve to get the scholarship.   In another example, you can do a little extra research about the current areas of focus of the scholarship provider because sometimes,  students are chosen based on their chosen field of study or research – if it aligns with the scholarship provider’s core mission/themes.  It is also useful to know the profiles of previous scholarship recipients; it will give you an idea of the kind of student that the scholarship providers are looking for.

A Simple Test

Here’s a simple way to test your chances in getting a scholarship. Answer truthfully: have you met at least the minimum scholarship qualifications outlined above? If yes, then you have a good chance in getting a scholarship. If no, then you would have tougher chances in getting a scholarship; either you find a way to meet the qualifications set by the scholarship provider or find other scholarships that doesn’t require strict qualifications.
Hopefully, this post helped you to gain new perspective about applying for a scholarship and what it requires from you.

A Guide to Tuition-Free Universities for International Students

A Guide to Tuition-Free Universities for International Students

If you fail to qualify for university scholarships, consider enrolling in Universities offering free tuition or universities with low tuition fees.  Although not as many as before, there still are countries that offer free tuition for international students. scholars4dev.com has compiled information on these countries and provided links to tuition-free Colleges and Universities.

Tuition Free Universities in Finland

Since university education is funded by the State through the Ministry of Education, students enrolled in regular degree studies pay no tuition fees with exceptions.  If you are enrolled as a non-EU/EEA degree student in a Bachelor’s or Doctoral level programme, the higher education institution will not charge tuition fees.  However, students in both universities and polytechnics have to pay for their books and other materials, plus their accommodation and living expenses.
Some Master’s level programmes are free of charge as well, however, a number of them may carry tuition fees for non-EU/EEA students during a five-year trial period 2010–2014. Depending on the programme, tuition fees may be collected starting from autumn 2010, 2011 or 2012.
If your Master’s programme carries a tuition fee for non-EU/EEA students  and if you are a non-EU/EEA citizen, you are advised to contact the higher education institution in question directly for information on the scholarship opportunities they provide.  Higher education institutions that choose to collect tuition fees in their English-language Master’s programmes will also provide scholarship options for non-EU/EEA students enrolled in tuition-fee carrying Master’s programmes.
Cost of Studying in Finland: Estimated living expenses of a single student in Finland average around 700 Euros per month.

See the list of all Finnish institutions of higher education
See the list of Finnish Universities that offer tuition fee scholarships for Master’s Programme

Tuition Free Universities in Austria

If you are an non-EU student, federal/public universities in Austria only charge about 363.36 Euros for tuition fees plus 16.86 Euros for the Austrian Student Union and insurance fee per semester.
If you are a citizen of a least developed country, you are exempted to pay tuition fees at public universities in Austria and only need to pay 17 Euros per semester for the student union fee.
Cost of Studying in Austria: The cost of living for students in Austria is approximately 800 Euros per month which covers accommodation, food, and personal expenses.

See the list of Universities in Austria
Also see the Austria Grants Database

Source: http://www.oead.at/welcome_to_austria/education_research/study_in_austria/universities/tuition_fees/EN/

Tuition Free Universities in Norway

Norwegian universities and state university colleges as a rule do not charge tuition fees for international students. However, students will need to pay a semester fee of NOK 300-600 ($50-100) each semester.
This is applicable for all levels, including undergraduate studies, Masters programmes and Ph.D. programmes. Note that some state universities and university colleges may have tuition fees for a few specialized programmes. Typically these programmes are at the Masters level.
Most private institutions have tuition fees for all their programmes and courses. But the fees are usually significantly lower than those of comparable studies in most other countries. Also, foreign students don’t pay higher tuition fees than Norwegian students.
Cost of Studying in Norway: You should take into consideration that living expenses in Norway are higher than in many other countries.  Living expenses would amount to 89.000 NOK ($15,000) per year.

See the list of Universities and Colleges in Norway

See also the list of  Scholarships in Norway for International Students


Tuition Free Universities in Germany

For many years, higher institutions of education in Germany usually do not charge any tuition fees for undergraduate studies.   But after the Constitutional Court of Germany lifted the ban on tuition fees in January 2005, a number of Federal states now charge tuition fees for undergraduate students.  Postgraduate studies such as most Master’s or PhD has been charging tuition fees for some time now.
Tuition Fees for Undergraduate Programmes
Since the winter semester 2006/07, German universities are now allowed to charge tuition fees for undergraduate study programmes. Currently,  only four out of 16 Federal states charge tuition fees of up to 500 Euros per semester. These states are Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hamburg, and Lower Saxony.  All other federal states only request a certain amount of money as a semester contribution (about 50 euros) but charges no tuition fees. Detailed information on tuition fees in different federal states in Germany can be found at this page.
Tuition fees for Graduate Programmes
In most cases, you need to pay tuition fee for Master’s programmes. The fees vary between 650 Euros and several thousand Euros per Semester. Aside from the tuition fee, each student has to pay a certain amount as a semester contribution to the university (about 50 Euros).
Cost of Studying in Germany: On average, German students spend about 8oo Euros for accommodation, transport, food, and miscellaneous expenses.


Tuition Free Universities in Sweden

Up until 2010, Sweden has been one of the few countries in Europe that has not charged any types of fees. All students—regardless of nationality—have been funded by Swedish taxpayers.  In 2010, the Swedish parliament has passed a law that charges tuition and application fees for students from non-EU/EEA countries starting  2011/2012 academic year, to be supplemented by scholarship programs. Thus, there are no government-mandated tuition-free universities in Sweden anymore. However, a significant number of Universities still offer full and partial scholarships in the form of tuition waivers for international students.


Online Tuition-Free Universities

Nowadays, you need not to leave your country to benefit from an international education.  All you need is a computer and internet connection.  Moreover, there are now a number of Universities offering online courses/degree for free.
The first such University is University of the People which is a tuition-free, non-profit, online academic institution dedicated to opening access to higher education globally.    University of the People offers online bachelor’s degree in Management and Computer Science.
This was followed by an initiative of MIT and Harvard called edX which is a learning platform that gives students from any country the opportunity to take free online courses offered by three premier Universities in the US – Harvard, MIT, and UC Berkeley.  Online learners can earn a certificate of completion after completing the course.
Following this trend, a social entrepreneurship company introduced Coursera which is an online learning platform that partners with the top universities in the world to offer online courses in many fields of study for anyone to take, for free.

Top International Scholarships for Developing Country Students

Top International Scholarships for Developing Country Students

Did you know that there quite a number of  international scholarships targeted to students from developing countries? In this article, scholars4dev.com outlines the most popular scholarships that every developing country student should be aware of.

Government-funded Scholarships


Erasmus Mundus Scholarships
The European Union (EU) offers full-time scholarships for a wide range of Masters programmes and Doctorate programmes to students coming from developing/emerging countries outside the EU.  The programme offers full scholarships and/or fellowships that cover the living costs, tuition fees, travelling and insurance costs of the students.  About 1,000 students are awarded with an Erasmus Mundus Scholarship each year starting 2009.
DAAD Scholarships
The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) provides scholarships for a range of postgraduate courses with special relevance to developing countries at German Universities. The scholarships are specifically targeted to international students and young professionals from developing countries in Africa, Asia, Pacific Islands, Central and South America and Central and Eastern Europe.  DAAD scholarship supports selected programmes with a variety of full or partial scholarships
Australian Development Scholarships
Australian Development Scholarships (ADS) are scholarships for international students from Asia Pacific, Africa, Middle East,  Carribean countries and Latin America who wants to pursue vocational education and training courses, undergraduate degrees, postgraduate degrees, and PhD degrees in a wide range of studies at participating Australian universities and technical colleges. The scholarship includes full tuition fees, air travel, establishment allowance, living allowance, student insurance, and etc.  Up to 1000 Australian Development Scholarships are awarded each year across 31 countries with scholarships awarded equally between men and women.
Netherlands Fellowship Program
The Netherlands Fellowship Programmes (NFP) are scholarships that allow candidates from 61 developing countries to receive a postgraduate education and to earn Dutch Master or PhD degree in a wide range of studies at Dutch Universities.  The fellowship can cover the costs of tuition fees, allowance, visas, travel costs, insurance and thesis research.
VLIR-UOS Scholarships
VLIR-UOS awards training and masters scholarships to students from selected developing countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America so that they can pursue a Training and Master’s Programme related to development at Universities in Belgium.  Every year, VLIR-UOS awards up to 180 scholarships to first-year master’s students.  The scholarships cover tuition fee, accomodation, allowance, travel costs,  and other program related costs.
Commonwealth Scholarships
Funded by the UK Department for International Development, the Commonwealth Scholarships are for students from developing Commonwealth countries who wants to pursue a Master’s, PhD, and split-site (PhD) Degree in all fields of study at UK Universities.  The scholarship provides tuition and examination fees, travel costs, living allowance, establishment allowance, thesis allowance and other related program costs.   Approximately 200-230 scholarships are awarded each year.


Institution-funded Scholarships


Joint Japan World Bank Scholarships
The Joint Japan World Bank Graduate Scholarships  (JJ/WBGSP) allows eligible students from World Bank member countries (including most developing countries) to pursue a Master’s Degree related to development at participating Universities around the world.  The JJ/WBGSP scholarship provides annual awards to cover the cost of completing a master’s degree or its equivalent including tuition fees, travel costs, and living allowance.
OFID Scholarships
The OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) are open to qualified students from any developing country who wish to pursue Master’s Degree in a subject related to development at any recognized University of his/her choice.  The scholarship covers tuition fees, allowance, health insurance, relocation grant, and travel costs.  OFID awards only one scholarship per year.

University-funded Scholarships


Ghent University Scholarships for Developing Countries
Ghent University provides postgraduate Masters scholarships to international students from developing countries who wish to study in Belgium and obtain a Master’s degree at Ghent University.  The scholarships consist of a monthly allowance, yearly tuition fee and one-time relocation fee.  Each year, a maximum of 10 scholarships can be awarded.
University of Westminster Scholarships for Developing Countries
University of Westminster awards scholarships to eligible students from any developing country who wish to study in the UK and pursue a full-time Masters degree in any field of study at the University of Westminster.  The scholarship awards full tuition fee waivers, accommodation, living expenses and flights to and from London.
Developing Solutions Scholarships at University of Nottingham
The Developing Solutions Scholarships are designed for international students from Africa, India or one of the developing countries of the Commonwealth who want to study a Masters Degree at the University of Nottingham and make a difference to the development of their home country. Each year,  105 scholarships  are awarded– 30 scholarships will cover the full tuition fee while 75 will cover 50% of the tuition fee.


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