For most occupations and professions, there is nothing more important than a good education. This will be the first thing on your resume that most employers look at. But the troubling fact is that higher education has become incredibly expensive. Scholarships can be a game-changing opportunity to fund your education and achieve financial freedom. Here’s some advice on how to apply for scholarships.

There are a few different types of financial aid available out there. Some financial aid options are loans given to students to pay for your education in the meantime, but you will have to pay back the loan later with interest. Scholarships, on the other hand, are a sum of money that is given to you based on your academic merit, which you will never have to pay back!

Winning a scholarship is a game-changer for most students as it helps take the financial burden off of students. Having fewer loans allows students to focus on their education and build a better career afterward. To find scholarships for your field of study, join a GrantMe program and receive tailored scholarship matches and support to help you win scholarships.

How to Apply for Scholarships

So how do you apply for scholarships that are going to change your life? It might seem a bit daunting at first, but never fear! GrantMe has helped thousands of students achieve scholarship success. One of the main challenges students have when applying for scholarships is finding the right ones that match your needs.

For example, if you want to study Computer Science as an undergrad but the scholarship you are applying to is for students pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration, then you won’t have much luck. While scholarships sometimes appear that they are for everybody, there are usually restrictions to pay attention to before you apply.

How to apply for scholarships that are right for you:

The first thing you should do is ask yourself, “what field do I want to study in?” After you have figured out the field you want to study in, you can start finding scholarships that are intended for your field. Try to find scholarships that match your unique background. For example, if you have volunteer experience, find scholarships for students who volunteer in their community.

Be sure to search for scholarships that you meet the academic requirements for. For example, if the scholarship you are looking to apply for requires students who have a GPA of 3.75 or above, but you have a GPA of 3.6, you won’t meet the requirement for that scholarship. Don’t be discouraged though—GrantMe has programs to help students find scholarships that match their accomplishments!

GrantMe’s scholarship experts are pros at helping students win scholarships, and we want you to succeed! Each year more than 10 million dollars in scholarships goes unclaimed. GrantMe was founded on the dream of helping students find the perfect scholarships they are qualified for. Request your scholarship assessment today and start taking steps towards financial freedom.

How to Apply for Bursaries

A bursary is classified as a financial aid option that focuses more on the financial need of a student, whereas traditional scholarships are given based on students’ merit. To apply for a bursary, students need to provide documentation showing financial need in order to continue financing your education.

Wondering how to apply for bursaries? First, you need to check out the university you are applying to and see if they offer a bursary program. There are schools that do not provide any funds to students. In this case, you can find funding options from private companies or the government.

Once you decide what you want to study and have made a shortlist of schools that offer your program, check if they offer financial aid. Check out their criteria as well because every school has different methods for evaluating candidates for bursaries.

For example, one school may require you to have a GPA of 3.5 to qualify for their bursary program, whereas another bursary program only requires students to maintain a GPA of 2.5. So, it is important for you to read up on the school’s bursary eligibility guidelines before applying for them.

GrantMe cross-checks thousands of scholarship and bursary programs in our database to find the perfect one for you! How do we know if a bursary is suitable for you? We learn a bit about you through our free request scholarship assessment and search for scholarships personalized to your situation.

How to Apply for Grants

Another form of financial aid are grants. These are typically given to support projects done by students or in collaboration with academic faculty. This can include funding a research project or funding work in the community done for university credit in a program. Like scholarships, they are awarded without the expectation that you’ll pay it back.

Most of the time, grants are given as a donation from organizations that are passionate about helping students pay for their education. If you are able to receive a grant from the government or another organization, it can help you finance your future dream.

To apply for a grant, you need to find grants that you are eligible for. The best place to start would be to check out the government grants that are available for students in your province. Remember, there are also grants given to students based on their field of study, so be sure to search based on your subject of interest as well.

For example, if you are studying in the field of Fine Arts or Music, you should try to find a grant that supports students from those faculties. Similarly, a student who is studying Electrical Engineering would not be eligible for a grant intended for students in Arts and Music.

Once you’ve found grants you in your field, make sure that you’re eligible and start on your application. Most government grant programs will have an application package that helps you apply for the grant, including a checklist of required documents and an application form.

Not all grant applications are the same, so if you do not find the application process online, reach out to a contact on their website to find out how you can submit the application for the grant. When you are completing the application process, you need to make sure that the instructions mentioned on the grant application materials are clear to you because different grant programs have different instructions for applicants.

Grants are lifesaving for students who need help financially to pay for their education. Grants help students by providing them with funds to pay for their education, without requiring any form of repayment. Grants are given to a student based on merit as well as other requirements that vary from one grant program to another.

To make sure the process of applying for financial aid goes as smoothly as possible for you, enrol in one of GrantMe’s programs for students. Sign up for free with GrantMe and find the perfect grant for you!