“Aidez Moi” “Help Me” is what I have read numerous times
during my many years of working in the area of student recruitment and
admissions when students from developing countries apply for scholarships.
It is often a common manner of beginning their scholarship application in order to emphasize their level of need. With great empathy, I have read applications where students continue on to detail the daily challenges they confront saying,
It is often a common manner of beginning their scholarship application in order to emphasize their level of need. With great empathy, I have read applications where students continue on to detail the daily challenges they confront saying,
“My country is recovering from a
civil war and I have no funds to pay….”
“My father is ill and my mother is
unable to work…”
“I suffered a serious financial
setback and have been unable to pay my fees to complete the university here and
therefore I am asking you for a scholarship.”
These testimonials continue with students not realizing that
these comments designed to encourage an outpouring of financial support can also
have an adverse impact as the committee may not be made up of others who are equally empathetic and it may also not be an institution with a large amount of scholarships for international students. Some scholarship committee members can easily perceive these pleas in a different
manner. For example, the student unable
to pay his tuition fees in his homeland
which are probably significantly cheaper may face a much greater financial
challenge if the scholarship only pays 60% leaving the student responsible for
the remaining 40%.
The student who shares the fact that their father is sick
and cannot work along with a mother who is unemployed may easily create an
image for the scholarship committee of someone with little or no financial support. At the same time, admitting to be from a war
torn area with no money may also indicate to the committee that as an applicant
this student will join the group of numerous other students from other war torn
regions of the world already on campus.
Today’s challenging economic times have made the quest for
international scholarships very competitive.
As the economy has stalled in many countries funding for universities
has decreased and scholarships for international students have in many cases
suffered the most cuts.
It is important for students to understand that even a full
scholarship still requires a certain level of financial responsibility for the
student and parents. If tuition is covered you will still be left with the cost
of an airline ticket, visa, housing, books, monthly expenses, etc.
When a scholarship or financial aid office sits down to
review scholarship applications the same plea of “Aidez moi” that can cause one
institution to fund you can also cause another institution to bypass your
application.
Why? Well they may
view you as needing support than they can provide. Also universities are looking not just to
support a financially needed individual but someone with excellent academic results.
When seeking a scholarship students should consider beginning their application by talking about their academic success. Although all secondary schools do not emphasize extra-curricular activities, students should try to speak about some of their activities outside of the classroom.
Most important, do not be surprised, if the university has the attitude of “Aidez nous-Help us” as many universities are seeking to support students that will bring a level of energy, engagement and community awareness to their campus!
Most important, do not be surprised, if the university has the attitude of “Aidez nous-Help us” as many universities are seeking to support students that will bring a level of energy, engagement and community awareness to their campus!
For more university admissions information visit www.chezalphabks.com
