Archive for November, 2008

A Guide To Finding Scholarship Grants

John Morris asked:


Many people are determined to go to an internationally recognized university but lack the money to do so. But don’t worry all is not lost because there is a way to get financial aid through a scholarship. Finding a scholarship can often make the difference between being able to attend and having to work for another year or two.

Have you ever wondered what scholarships cover? You’ll be supervised to know that scholarships can cover almost all the expenses associated with school such as:

1. What Do Scholarships Cover? – Tuition – Book costs – Dorm fees – Housing – Food – Travel expenses – Other

2. Scholarship Programs

The benefits of a scholarship are clear – you don’t have to pay back any of the money you receive. Most of these programs offer money and other benefits for students. These are awarded, mostly my charitable institutions, company businesses, schools, universities, government and non-government (private) organizations. Scholarships are given based on the criteria imposed by these organizations. The two most common categories are academic and athletic.

3. Free Money

Sometimes you can get a scholarship just for saying you saw an advertisement on the bus or in the paper. The amounts are usually quite small – under $300 usually, but every little bit helps. The best source of information about scholarships will often be your school student advisor. Your school might also have a student financial advisor for just such a need. You can find the student financial officer by contacting the main switchboard of the university and ask to be transferred to the student financial officer or equivalent position.

4. Keep Searching

You will likely have to apply to several hundred scholarships before you get a single one awarded to you. Even then, there are strict guidelines that you must adhere to in order to keep the scholarship, for example, you might have to keep your GPA above a certain level. Be sure to leave plenty of time for searching for scholarships, as it can take months for them to be approved. In other words, don’t start looking for scholarships a few weeks before your intended program of study starts.

We recommend you track your scholarship submissions using a spreadsheet or a binder of some time. You can simply have a worksheet or a divider for each scholarship you have applied for. You can keep track of things like contact numbers, deadlines, requirements etc… This is important especially if you are applying to hundreds of scholarships where you can quickly loose track of important details and mix up scholarships.



Popular Summer Scholarship Programs

Joseph Marcus asked:


Summer is the time to feel relaxed and look forward to outdoor activities like enjoying in the beach, playing sports like basket ball, fishing or even turning to painting and taking care of garden work and so on. After a full year of hectic academic education, it is the common tendency to look forward to summer vacation and enjoy life.

But summer does not extend for ever. Beyond summer, comes again the school or college life and back to routine. The college bound students and their parents have to face the harsh reality of paying the college fees and start hunting for college scholarships. College scholarships are very helpful in quenching the debt for the educational fees and there are many programs that offer scholarships.

But this comes into mind for most of the parents only after the college is reopened after summer and they frantically start searching for scholarships. This is due to the fact that they forget to look beyond summer and concentrate only on the present and think that scholarship matters are a concern of distant future.

The other reason is that they may think that their child is not smart enough to win a scholarship and so, do not even care to apply or think of scholarships. There are parents who may think that their child may not be interested to pursue further studies and go to college. All these reasons are a myth because students, who seem not to have the intention of going to college, may suddenly develop an interest and decide to do so, in which case the parent has to immediately arrange for funds to pay off the college fees. This is true in majority of the teens and their parents.

The panacea for all such problems is to start hunting for scholarships, right from summer. Summer is the best time to begin scholarship activities because there is a lot of time to leisurely and thoroughly look for scholarship opportunities and choose the right one.

When a parent rushes for scholarship after the college is reopened after summer, there is bound to be a lot of anxiety and tension and there is a high chance of making mistakes in the application forms, in which case, the scholarship would be declined to the particular student. Therefore, to win a scholarship, it is good to start early in the summer and progress slowly and steadily.

The academic performance of the students is also influential in determining the scholarship and some students may perform well in the last two years than in their previous years. Hence, a wise parent should begin scholarship activities in summer and thus avoid tension for both the student and the parent.

People who have made the right decision at the right time have come up in life and summer scholarship is one such opportunity.



Engineering Scholarships

Evelyn Saunders asked:

Engineering is a complex and growing field. There are many types of engineers including: aerospace engineering, agricultural engineering, architectural engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering, environmental engineering, industrial engineering, manufacturing engineering, mechanical engineering and more. Studying to be an engineer can be costly, but fortunately there are a lot of scholarship and grant opportunities for interested students.

Here are just a few to choose from:

1. BMW/SAE Engineering Scholarship - This annual scholarship is provided by BMW AG in recognition of its commitment to excellence in engineering. BMW is world famous for designing and building luxury, high-performance passenger cars and motorcycles. This scholarship is in support of the SAE Foundation to ensure an adequate supply of well-trained engineers for the future. One $6,000 scholarship will be awarded at $1,500 per year for four years. A 3.0 grade point average must be maintained to renew the scholarship.

2. Edward D. Hendrickson/SAE Engineering Scholarship - Hendrickson International, a Boler Company, established an endowment to underwrite the scholarship in memory of the late Edward D. Hendrickson. One $4,000 scholarship will be awarded at $1,000 per year for four years. A 3.0 grade point average and continued engineering enrollment must be maintained to renew the scholarship.

3. SAE/Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies Scholarship - The Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies (Ford PAS) Scholarship was developed by the Ford Motor Company Fund. This annual scholarship is provided by Ford Motor Company to high school seniors who are a past or present student of a Ford PAS program at their high school or in a Ford PAS after-school/weekend/summer/college program. This scholarship is in support of the SAE Foundation to ensure an adequate supply of well-trained engineers for the future. One $5,000 scholarship will be awarded in the freshman year only.

4. SAE Women Engineers Committee Scholarship - The SAE Women Engineers Committee established this scholarship to encourage young women graduating from high school to enter the field of engineering. They are committed to increasing the diversity of SAE membership, especially by promoting the participation and leadership of women. Applicants must be female, have a 3.0 grade point average and be accepted into an ABET accredited engineering program. One $2,000 scholarship will be awarded for the freshman year only.

5. Tau Beta Pi/SAE Engineering Scholarship - The Tau Beta Pi Association, the engineering honor society, is the world’s largest engineering society. Founding in 1885 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Tau Beta Pi has initiated more than 492,000 members in 122 years.

Six scholarships valued at $1,000 each will be awarded for the freshman year only.

6. TMC/SAE Donald D. Dawson Technical Scholarship - SAE and The Maintenance Council of American Trucking Association have established this technical education scholarship to honor the leadership of Donald D. Dawson. One scholarship will be awarded each year. The student will receive $1,500 a year for up to four years as long as a 3.0 grade point average and continuing engineering enrollment is maintained.

7. Fred M. Young Sr./SAE Engineering Scholarship - The Young Radiator Company established this scholarship in memory of the company’s founder, Fred M. Young, Sr. Mr. Young started the company in 1927 and saw it grow to become a major force in the field of Heat Transfer. One $4,000 scholarship will be awarded at $1,000 per year for four years. A 3.0 grade point average and continued engineering enrollment must be maintained to renew the scholarship.

8. Detroit Section SAE Technical Scholarship - Established in 2001, this scholarship is sponsored by the SAE Detroit Section to encourage children and grandchildren of current Detroit Section members to pursue careers in engineering or the sciences. The Section recognizes that there is a need for more student candidates in these fields, as a shortage of qualified graduates is expected in future years.

Two $3,500 renewable freshman scholarship will be awarded. Student must maintain a 2.5 grade point average and remain in good standing at the college or university in order to qualify for scholarship renewal. A student having completed a two-year program may continue for an additional consecutive two years at a second school offering a complete engineering or science baccalaureate degree program.

Public Service Scholarships and Funding

Evelyn Saunders asked:

If you enjoy serving others and the public in general, there are a variety of funding sources and scholarships available for students entering this field. Whether it is public safety, law, public administration, or the environment, the opportunities are numerous when it comes to public service. Here are just a few samples of scholarships available for those of you interested in public service.

1. Americorps - AmeriCorps is a national network of programs that engages more than 70,000 Americans each year in intensive service to meet critical needs in communities throughout the nation.

AmeriCorps offers several ways to get involved, from part-time local service programs to full-time residential programs. Members receive guidance and training so they can make a contribution that suits their talents, interests, and availability. Monetary awards are also granted at the end of certain programs.

2. The Davis-Putter Scholarship Fund – This fund provides grants to students actively working for peace and justice. These need-based scholarships are awarded to those able to do academic work at the university level and who are part of the progressive movement on the campus and in the community. Early recipients worked for civil rights, against McCarthyism, and for peace in Vietnam. Recent grantees have been active in the struggle against racism, sexism, homophobia, and other forms of oppression; building the movement for economic justice; and creating peace through international anti-imperialist solidarity.

The maximum grant amount for a given year (July 1-June 30) is $8,000 depending on the grantee’s circumstances and the amount of money available for disbursement. Grants cover each term of the academic year that they will be applying towards ($4,000 fall semester and $4,000 spring semester, for instance), and student must re-apply every year that additional funding is being sought.

3. FBI Internship Program - The Honors Internship Program brings students to work at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C., and usually begins on the first Monday in June and ends on the second Friday in August (approximately 10 weeks). FBI Honors Interns can look forward to ten extremely rewarding and interesting weeks. You’ll be working side-by-side with Special Agents and Professional Staff personnel on important cases and management issues. Honors Interns are assigned to an FBI Headquarters division based on their academic discipline, potential contribution to the division, and the needs of the FBI.

Students are compensated for their time as an FBI intern at the GS-6 or GS-7 grade levels on the government pay scale (approx. $1,270-$1,410 pre-tax, paid bi-weekly).

4. Galbraith Scholars Program- Named in honor of the Harvard economist John Kenneth Galbraith (1908-2006), the Galbraith Scholars program honors Professor Galbraith’s lifelong commitment to illuminating the economic ills of material hardship and inequality. A two-time recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1946 and 2000) and former Ambassador to India (1961-63), John Kenneth Galbraith’s contributions to American society underscore the possibilities and promise of public service in a new generation of Galbraith Scholars.

This program aims to illuminate graduate school and career options for talented undergraduates who aspire to apply themselves to important social problems. Students selected for the program win full fellowships covering travel, accommodation, and activity expenses to attend a special five-day session at Harvard University led by Harvard faculty, doctoral fellows, and other invited speakers and social policy practitioners. Galbraith Scholars explore a range of social policy issues through graduate-style seminars, panel discussions, workshops, off-site field trips, and collaborative activities.

5. Government Finance Officers Scholarship - Open to undergraduate and graduate students in public administration, business administration, finance and accountancy, whose main goal is to work in finance as it relates to state and local government and the public sector

Four scholarships ranging in value from $2,500-$10,000 are given for students preparing for careers in state and local government finance.

6. J.W. Saxe Prize – This fund is for students interested in conducting a project related to public service. Preference is given to students who already have a place in an existing program or who have created their own program.

Scholarships are given annually to one or more undergraduate or graduate students working in public service. The award is meant to enable the student to gain practical experience in public service by taking a no-pay or low-pay job during a summer or other term.

7. Women and Politics Institute - Students must have a minimum 3.0/4.0 GPA, have completed their bachelor’s degree at an accredited institution before enrollment, or be concurrently enrolled as an undergraduate or graduate student at American University in Washington, D.C. The program is designed to allow students to complete the certificate in one year.

The Women & Politics Institute’s Graduate Certificate in Women, Policy, and Political Leadership (WPPL) is designed to provide you with the information and skills that you need to be involved in issues in women and politics in D.C., across the nation, and abroad. The program is a combination of traditional courses that provide you with a theoretical and methodological foundation in the study of women and politics in addition to interactive weekend seminars that bring you in contact with leading experts in the field working on women’s issues.

Renowned International Scholarship Programs

Joseph Marcus asked:


Acquiring a degree may not be the ultimate aim of some students who would like to quench their thirst for a higher education. This is quite justified in today’s competitive world, where a mere degree may not fetch high returns in the race for employment. Therefore, some of the students who would like to do their masters degree, PhD or even a post- doctorate degree, would only be willing to study them even abroad.

But this may be highly expensive and when a student is unable to meet the expenses, international scholarships offer a helping hand. International scholarship opportunities are found in the internet and open a new world for those who frantically search for them in order to get a PhD or a post doctorate degree. The university, from which the student graduated, can also offer some information regarding international scholarships, as they would have a special department that deals with exchange programs. They may also have advisors who could guide them in finding the international scholarship.

International scholarships not only offer monetary assistance but also allow opening new vistas and opportunities to meet new people and get to know the new country and their culture. But there are certain rules to apply for international scholarships. While pursuing a post doctoral position, it is better to apply for an international academic research scholarship through an institution, as some companies and institutions would be willing to pay a grant to a young researcher similar to the field they are currently engaged in. So, they would be more willing to pay international scholarship and may even offer a job in their own company, as a post doctoral researcher.

Normally, international scholarships are awarded by multinational companies that have subsidiaries in more than one country so that they have enough funds to finance the research. The results obtained through this research would be utilized by them to bring about a change in their products.

Searching for an international scholarship on the internet is a bit harder as compared to other scholarships because of the lesser number of the scholarships and the availability of less number of students aspiring for them. Students find it very hard to get a proper supervisor who could influence their activity and often are a source of encouragement and this is one of the reasons for the lesser number of post doctoral candidates.

It is highly advisable to utilize international scholarships because the expenses involved are not only the fees and educational expenses but more than that, they have to bear the travel expenses, accommodation, materials and so on. International Educational Financial Aid (IEFA) is the scholarship search engine that is a good source for scholarships for international students wishing to study abroad.



Boris Tomson asked:

Cash Grants-Comprehending College Scholarship and Attain it Easily

Summer is on the horizon. Spring break has come and gone and May is just around the corner. By this time college students already started or will begin to plan for their summer internships.Visit to Apply Today http://available-grant-money.blogspot.com

In order to get started college students have a host of available resources right at their campus. Students easily can talk with their advisers and professors for guidance to help with ideas for internships. Most college campuses also have career centers that can help. It is not unusual for students to be unsure about their interests or what field they would like to pursue, so a little counseling from an adviser or help from a career center can be very useful. Students always should take advantage of the great resources available through their college, as there is no telling what new information can be found.

Doing a bit of research about internships through books or on the Web also will give students a helping hand. Talking with other students who have interned can be a wonderful resource as well.

Finding the Right Internship

Many employers advertise for internships through colleges. One of the ways students can find this information is through their college career center. Other students know what they want and what company for which they want to intern. There is nothing wrong with sending an unsolicited resume and letter to a company offering your intern services. You would be surprised by the positive responses you receive.

Cash Grants-Comprehending College Scholarship and Attain it Easily Visit to Apply Today http://available-grant-money.blogspot.com

Scholarships for Artists

Cory Davis asked:


It used to be that parent’s discouraged their kids from becoming artists. Now, the world of art is broad and can be very lucrative. And if you need another reason to convince your parents you want to go to art school, there are many schools offering scholarships and funding.

Art scholarships run the gamut from drawing to painting to photography to design and even include art of the culinary, musical and literary variety. Many art scholarships are specific to a particular state, county, or even a college in addition to the art major or art interest/ability requirement.

To get you started, here are some resources:

• Your University: Most Art Departments offer scholarships to students attending their schools, either directly through the school or through business, benefactors and foundations that support the school. Many schools also offer them to prospective students.

If you’re attending or planning to attend a university, contact your Program Advisor to ask what scholarships may be available through the school or department (if you’re already attending, definitely check in with your Art Instructors, too!). Don’t forget to look for scholarship opportunities on the university department’s web site or on a bulletin board near the Art Department office on-campus, where they also are often posted. Here are some typical departmental scholarship listings:

Baum School of Art

Birmingham Southern College

Cranbrook Academy of Art

Goshen College

Hendrix College

St. Lawrence University

Most universities do offer scholarships to students attending their schools. That’s because they really, really want to keep you there. These kinds of scholarships are the easiest to find out about, but somehow overlooked by many students who could benefit greatly from the funding…and from the prestige of winning!

Just to reinforce this idea of funding from your university or college, the Department of Education reports that at public universities, scholarship and fellowship expenditures have risen consistently from 1980 through 1995.

This may be an indication that there are opportunities waiting for you. Again, at the very least, you should ask your Advisor about other sources if there are none available at your university for your circumstance.

• L. Ron Hubbard Illustrators of The Future Contest. Established in 1988, the L. Ron Hubbard Illustrators of The Future Contest is an ongoing merit competition for new and amateur artists. Run on a quarterly basis, an eligible entry is comprised of three science fiction/fantasy illustrations done in a black & white medium rendered from the artist’s imagination. Should the artist win with this entry, he is then sent a story from the companion L. Ron Hubbard Writers of The Future Contest for which to render an illustration. This illustration then becomes his or her entry in the yearly Grand Prize competition. More

• Liberty Graphics Art Scholarship - Liberty Graphics is a Maine company, designing and printing t-shirts with concern for the environment. We are committed to the local economy and wish to encourage local talent. Liberty Graphics conducts a yearly juried art contest, and presents the winner with a $1000 award. The contest is open only to high school seniors who are a resident of Maine. Each year the contest theme may change. This year the contest title is “Art and Our Natural Environment”. Entries should reflect an appreciation of our natural environment. More

• NFAA Arts Recognition and Talent Search ARTS (Arts Recognition and Talent Search®) is NFAA’s core program. ARTS identifies high school seniors and other 17 and 18 year old artists in the disciplines of Dance, Film and Video, Jazz, Music, Photography, Theater, Visual Arts, Voice and Writing for scholarships and financial support. Through ARTS, NFAA annually awards up to $900,000 in cash awards (with individual awards ranging from $10,000 - $100)and makes available $3 million in scholarship opportunities to America’s most outstanding high school senior-age artists through its Scholarship List Service (SLS). More

• The Scholastic Art Awards -The Scholastic Art Awards honor students currently enrolled in grades 7-12, recognizing about 50,000 regional winners. Nationally, 800 young artists’ individual works receive Gold and Silver awards in each of 14 art categories. Art Categories are: animation, ceramics & glass, computer art, design, digital imagery, drawing, mixed media, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture and video & film. Graduating high school seniors seeking scholarships must submit a body of eight works of art or photography for Portfolio Awards to their regional office of The Awards. More

• The WorldStudio Foundation Scholarship - Applicants must be pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in the fine or commercial arts, design or architecture – one or more of the design/arts disciplines below – and plan to enter a career in the creative professions. Applicants must be matriculated (or planning to matriculate) at accredited colleges and universities in the United States for the fall of the coming academic year and intend on maintaining full-time status for the entire year. International students studying at accredited colleges and universities in the United States may apply. More

• Charitable Foundations - The competition to receive funding from charitable foundations is pretty stiff, even from the local ones. That’s because they do a very good job of soliciting applicants, and the awards are often larger than the smaller groups. Nevertheless, there are hundreds of these organizations giving away millions of dollars every year. If you know of any locally, you should inquire. Or, you can take a glance at these, too:

• National Foundations -Andy Warhol Foundation, Donna Reed Foundation for the Performing Arts, Jackie Robinson Foundation

You can see that there’s a lot of work involved just to find these opportunities…but that’s nothing compared to the work you’ll need to put in to win them.

Bottom line: There’s plenty of scholarship money available in the arts. You just need to show that you’re worth the investment. And, if you are dedicated to pursuing a career in the arts, you may even enjoy the work it takes to stand out from the crowd anyway.



Finding Online Scholarships Info

Joseph Marcus asked:


The rise in the price of education has forced many a students to opt for scholarships to bridge the gap between the debt and expenses and fortunately, there are many organizations and institutions that offer scholarships to the needy students. But, many of them go unutilized due to the fact that students are unaware of the existence of scholarships being offered.

Scholarships are formed to be offered to the needy students and the concerned persons are only happy to offer them, if only a little effort is taken from the receiving side.  Hence it is imperative to have a thorough knowledge of the various scholarship opportunities that lie in front of the eyes and make the wise use of them.

To achieve this, a thorough search has to be made on the scholarships that are available and internet helps a lot in accomplishing it successfully. There are certain tips to follow while searching for scholarships online. Scholarships have a certain deadline normally before the start of second semester and most of them are first- come- first- served basis. Hence, if there are too many applications, accepting further applications may be stopped even before the deadline. And so, it becomes imperative to start searching for scholarships as early as possible.

There are individual scholarship programs online but finding them would take a lot of time and effort. Fortunately, there are exclusive websites that provide access to huge database of scholarships whose services are offered free of cost. This can be utilized that would help to get the required scholarships in a very short time and thus submit the application for the scholarship in no time, without wasting a minute.

But, it would not suffice to search one particular scholarship database, since it may not contain the complete list of scholarship programs and also care should be taken to avoid duplicate programs. The necessary information regarding the scholarships can also be obtained from the financial aids page of the college’s website that would list the university sponsored fellowships and fellowships from external sources.

The internet would return thousands of results if the word “scholarship” is typed that would send a person’s head reeling. To refine the results, it is good to narrow down by using precise keywords that would aptly match the user’s requirements and qualifications and a lot of time would be saved in this way.

There is no doubt that internet is the best place to find information on any topic in the universe and students who wish to avail of scholarship opportunities can make use of this powerful tool that would help them to get the scholarship that best suits them. It is advisable to start the search well in advance, to minimize the tension and effort.



Culinary Scholarships

Evelyn Saunders asked:

You enjoy cooking and fine food. You have seen the reality television shows with the chefs competing for top chef and find it interesting. Whatever it is that gets your attention, you might find yourself interested in going to school to learn the art of culinary delights.

Although there aren’t a lot of scholarships available for culinary education, there also isn’t a lot of competition, making your odds of receiving a scholarship better.

So where do you look for culinary scholarship opportunities?

If you are still in high school, start with your Guidance Counselors to see what kinds of culinary scholarships and awards they know about, locally, regionally and nationally. Very often, the high schools themselves offer monetary rewards for good students, or the most dedicated from clubs and activities, which could include a cooking, home economics or vocational club. If not, at least, they should be able to steer you toward other sources because keeping track of that stuff is part of their job.

Most culinary institutes and university culinary programs offer scholarships to students attending their schools, either directly through the school or through business, benefactors and foundations that support the school. Many schools also offer them to students planning to attend.

Check out the bulletin board on campus for schools such as:

* The Art Institutes

* The Culinary Institute of America

* Pennsylvania College of Technology

* University of Nevada, Las Vegas

These kinds of scholarships are definitely the easiest to find out about, but somehow overlooked by a great many students who could benefit greatly from the funding… and from the prestige of winning!

Professional Culinary Organizations

By definition, professional organizations are designed to promote their profession. In large part, that entails the development of future professionals, and scholarships are a great way for them to promote that.

Going directly to National and Regional culinary institutes is of course the next course of action. Here are some samples:

1. American Academy of Chefs - The American Academy of Chefs, through the American Culinary Federation Foundation, offers educational scholarships to high school students beginning to seek a culinary or pastry arts degree, college students currently seeking a culinary or pastry arts degree, professional chefs already working in the culinary industry looking to further their education or get certified, and student culinary teams currently competing at ACF regional conferences or national convention.

2. Les Dames d’Escoffier - Les Dames d’Escoffier is a leadership culinary organization composed of women who have not only achieved success in their profession, but who contribute significantly to their communities. Since its incorporation 25 years ago, Les Dames d’Escoffier has followed its mission to elevate the profession through mentoring members and helping worthy students succeed in their culinary careers. I am very proud to be a member.”

3. Women Chefs & Restaurateurs - The mission of Women Chefs & Restaurateurs (WCR) is to promote and enhance the education, advancement and connection of women in the culinary industry. Since WCR was founded in 1993, the association has offered unique scholarship and internship opportunities to its members.

4. Institute of Food Technologists - Professionals in the field improve the availability, nutrition, and safety of the world’s food supply. They bring scientific and technological innovation to an increasingly global marketplace. They give back to the community through teaching and leadership. This organization offers numerous scholarships in various fields of the food industry.

5. National Restaurant Association - The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) encourages and supports senior high school students, GED graduates, undergraduate students, ProStart COA, and educators who are committed to furthering their education and enhancing their careers in the restaurant and foodservice industry by awarding scholarships through its Scholarships.

6. International Cake Exploration Societé - CES promotes the art of cake decorating by awarding one or more annual scholarships to applicants deemed most likely to develop and promote the art form.

If you live in the following states, try these regional programs.

* American Culinary Federation, Piscataqua Chapter - Maine

* Golden Gate Restaurant Association Scholarship Foundation

* California Restaurant Association

* Channel Islands Chefs Association

* Illinois Restaurant Association

* Nations Capitol Chefs Association

* The Culinary Trust

* Wisconsin Restaurant Association

Amelie Mag asked:

Most of the students today choose superior studies in order to improve their professional future. But having a BA degree is not enough anymore to have a competitive advantage over the other candidates in an employee recruitment process. Therefore, some students choose to follow Master courses and then PhD courses and maybe even apply for a postdoc fellowship. Others are doing all these and on top of everything, they are also looking for an international scholarship that would fund their Master, PhD or postdoctoral program.

You too can find an international scholarship because they are not difficult to find due to the Internet which opens a whole world of opportunities for those who are seeking a grant, a specific academic or postdoc program. Moreover, when looking for an international scholarship, your own university might be of help as usually universities have a special department which deals with exchange programs or which has advisors who could point you into the right direction to obtain a private scholarship.

More than a monthly or yearly sum of money, an international scholarship gives you the opportunity to meet with new people and get to know a different country, its culture and way of handling things. However, when it comes to a postdoc position, there is more involved than a scholarship.

If you are looking for a postdoc position, then it means that you are looking for a job in a science lab and a researcher to supervise your work. And these two things are much more difficult to find than a scholarship. Much more than the Internet, you need to have a personal network from which to find out about possible postdoc opportunities.

In order to apply for a postdoc position you need to hold a PhD degree and to be willing to work hard for an insignificant salary. Most often it is said that researchers who hold such a position are not really employees (since they are temporarily employed), but more like trainees. However, they are not acknowledged by any of these two professional groups and therefore, postdoc researchers are a separate group that is trying to raise a critical mass in order to make their voice heard.

One of the main reasons for which postdoctoral researchers are trying to make their voice heard is their lack of satisfaction when it comes to the further development of their career, which is hardly the one they target when starting their postdoctoral research. The issues for postdoctoral researchers might have their root in the lack of training and supervision from their mentor, the lack of professional development opportunities and career guidance.

However, during the past few years more and more information is available on postdoc programs. Postdoctoral researchers gathered in associations in order to make their problems known by fellow researchers and by the professional environment in general, in order to find out more about the field they are working in and to share experience when it comes to professional development.

Due to all these issues, getting an international scholarship may turn out to be easier than finding a postdoctoral position, as there are general rules when it comes to applying for a scholarship. However, if you would like to apply for a postdoc position and get some extra money for this, you could try to apply for an international academic research scholarship. The best you could get in such a situation would be an institutional scholarship as some companies or institutions are sometimes willing to pay a grant to a young researcher if the field of research is similar to the one the company is activating in. It might be that the company or organization is concerned in the results of the research for its own interest. Therefore, they might be willing to pay a monthly grant and they might even offer a job to the postdoctoral researcher within their own company.

An international scholarship for postdoctoral research is likely to be awarded by multinational companies that have subsidiaries in more than one country which have enough money to finance such a research and which would need its results in order to change something about their products.

Even though obtaining an international scholarship or a postdoctoral position involves a similar activity of research on the Internet or with a university or association, it takes a greater effort to find a satisfying postdoctoral position with a supervisor. You need someone that will influence your activity in such a way that your further professional development would be the one that you expect and Internet sites like scholarshipnet.info are the best online resources with which to start your documentation.

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